The Reasons to Avoid Drinking Soda Research Paper

The Reasons to Avoid Drinking Soda - Research Paper Example Yet over the years, several organizations have started protesting against the sale of soft drinks in schools. For example, the Center of Food and Justice published a report in 2002 which called on the Los Angeles Unified School District board to ban soda as a consequence of increasing obesity and Type II diabetes among children. On the other hand, a Huffington Post article (Bennett) called for its readers to protest an alliance between Coca-Cola and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) to help educate consumers how they can fit soda into a healthy lifestyle. For many doctors, this is a distasteful move because soda does not contain any kind of essential nutrients and does not help the body in any way. Yet, despite these allegations, people still persist in drinking soda because they are unaware of its health implications. Through a review of previous literature, the researcher hopes to show that soda is not only devoid of nutrients but it can also cause several diseases. Soda: Its Advantages One of the fastest ways to satisfy thirst is by drinking soda. It provides relief from the heat and in many cases provides the energy that one will need to get through the day. With the introduction of diet soda, people who are watching their weight can now get a sweet treat minus the calories. Aside from these advantages, however, there is very little of value in soda. To better understand this claim, a quick look in the ingredient list will reveal a lot of information. Eight of the most common ingredients used in soda include the following: carbonated water, food color, food flavoring, phosphoric acid, calcium saccharin, potassium benzoate, caffeine, and aspartame. Carbonated water gives the soda its fizz and tangy taste. It is used in many alcoholic beverages to increase the uptake of alcohol in the blood. As its name implies, this is plain water mixed with carbon dioxide. Carbonated water can occur in nature (also referred to as sparkling water) and in this form, can actually have health benefits. Unfortunately, the carbonated water used in soda has undergone an artificial process and it lacks the nutrients that sparkling water has. In an article posted at LiveStrong.com (Jannen), it says that the danger with carbonated water is that most people have the tendency to drink too much. Also, most health issues concerning carbonated water are related to bone density. In a 2001 study (Heaney) involving children and adults, it was found that intake of carbonated beverages, especially colas, is associated with higher risks for fracture due to increased excretion of calcium through urine. In the same paper (Heaney 346), it was also found that reduced bone mass is also due to increased intake of phosphoric acid. This finding is corroborated by another study done by Tucker, et.al. wherein the subject of research are men and women aged 30 to 87 years old. Just like in the 2001 research, Trucker, et.al found that increased intake of carbonated beve rages (particularly the caffeinated ones) caused as much as 3 to 5% decrease in bone mass density in both men and women (Tucker 937). Phosphoric acid, which is also found in soda, interferes with carbon absorption and is considered as a risk factor for osteoporosis. Moreover, the researchers discovered the same effects on both regular and diet cola varieties. Food coloring and food flavoring are purely synthetic materials and are processed with ammonium compounds which are my cause gastrointestinal problems.

SS310 Unit 7 DB Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SS310 Unit 7 DB - Research Paper Example It is equally evident that archeological resources within the moon have the capacity to improve the state of the earth. This is attributable to the minerals, and other compounds that are likely to benefit humankind. It is equally central to recognize that the moon helps in enhancing life on earth. The exploration of the moon may lead to economic and scientific progress because it sets the stage for economic and societal progress. It is necessary to harvest the moon’s natural resources such as Iron (Waldman, 2000). This will make it simple to generate steel, and other components that are associated with Iron. These resources can enhance economic growth and improve the living standards of people. This is likely to alleviate my living conditions. It is essential to plan for the prospects not just concentrating on the present. Knowledge is increased through exploration. This finally leads to innovation of new technologies and wealth (Waldman,

The Border Fence Essay Example for Free

The Border Fence Essay In the essay â€Å"The Fence of Lies† the author Mario Vargas Llosa’s thesis is that the border fence between Mexico and the United States is a bad idea and a waste of taxpayer’s money. Some of the main points he uses to strengthen his argument are that it is purely a political ploy to get officials re-elected, that the fence is far too costly and the construction will never happen, and the money should be spent elsewhere. In addition, we should allow immigrants an open door policy into our country because of the immense contribution they make to our economy and that they are willing to do the jobs that most Americans will not. Vargas Llosa’s most compelling argument is that the fence will do nothing at all to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into this country and the environmental impact it will have. Although, the Author brings up some valid points, I think that there are some definite weaknesses in his claim as well as issues that he did not even mention. Even though I am in favor of the fence, I feel that he could have done a better job convincing readers of his point had he focused on why the fence will not work and the environmental impact it will have, instead of confusing the matter with whether or not immigration is moral. Vargas Llosa begins his essay with the statement that the proposal of this fence is purely a â€Å"theatrical show† because on 7 November, there will be elections to renew the House of Representatives and part of Congress and that even if the bill passes they will never build it (2). As to the question of if will be put up, we know now that the fence is almost completely erected. Immigration was a hot political topic at the time and still is; I am sure that the politicians considered this, as it was a valid idea to control the border. In every poll, that I can find, the majority of Americans are for tougher border patrol, even people who are for giving these immigrants a path to citizenship. One of the main points the author makes is that these are hardworking people  who are just trying to create better opportunities for themselves and their families by coming to this Land of Opportunity, taking jobs that Americans are unwilling to do, and that we should not impede them of that chance. He uses an example of this woman Emerita, who emigrated from Guatemala and started up a housecleaning business, through hard work and persistence, is making $96,000 dollars a year. He does not say if she is legal now, but uses this as a generalization of the type of people we are denying into our country by not having an open border. I do not believe that this woman portrays the average migrant worker in our country. Most work for less than minimum wage, have no benefits, and do not pay taxes, which; are the main reasons Americans are unwilling to work those jobs, not because they are afraid of hard work as Vargas Llosa implies. In addition, he does not mention the gunrunners, drug smugglers and possible terrorists who would all have free access in or out of our country as well. Immigration into our country is a privilege for these people not a right, so why should we, as Americans, not have the right to be selective about who we let in? As an alternative to this point, Vargas Llosa states that if we wish to stop this flow of people into our country then we should use that â€Å"6 billion† (1) dollars to create jobs and try to stimulate opportunities south of the border. This statement is a bit of a stretch considering that the U.S. went into a recession shortly after the writing of this essay and our unemployment surged to over 10%. First, I know $6 bn is a lot of money, but how many jobs can it possibly create when you are talking about 21 countries in Latin America? Where do we even begin to help and is it really our problem? Why should the taxpayers of the America be responsible for an undertaking of that size and is it even possible? I think these are reasonable questions to ask oneself and if looked at logically will find this a ridiculous proposal that has no validity. Another argument Vargas Llosa made, that â€Å"if, by some miracle, it is built, it will serve for absolutely nothing† (1). He also says in the conclusion of his essay that the â€Å"cement monstrosity would soon be as full of holes as Swiss cheese† (11) saying that the fence would not even obstruct migrants determined to get across. He makes a point of saying that the fence would only cover a portion of the border, leaving 1200 miles of open frontier through which people  could easily pass over. Well, that is true, however, in those areas where there is not any fence, there are natural obstacles such as large, desolate stretches of desert or mountains with no cities close by to take refuge. All of the major ports of entry are included in the fenced area, which provides at least a moderate obstacle when it comes to illegal crossing. As for the damaging alterations that will happen over time, such as, holes cut into it, sensors could be added in the ground and or in the fence, plus routine patrols done for visual inspection. To say that the fence would do â€Å"absolutely nothing† is much t oo definitive in my opinion. He would have had better effect on me had he developed more along the lines of, the benefits of the fence are minimal since it does not even cover the whole border and then used some specific, compelling details to back that up. Lastly, the most valid point the author makes is one in which he developed the least. The environmental impacts this fence would have on the native communities grazing and farm land, certain species migration and feeding patterns, and on the conservation land it cuts through. The amount of time spent to study the impacts on the wetlands of the Rio Grande valley and the several endangered species that inhabit the affected area was much too short to make any scientific judgments. Not to mention the effects the actual construction process will have on these species and areas. There are several Wildlife Refuges and Audubon Sanctuaries where the fence is slated to cross. I think that if Vargas Llosa would have spent more time developing these ideas with good solid facts, it would have appealed my emotional senses much more than the story of Emerita whom seemingly had nothing to do with whether or not we should build fence. The environmental costs of this project seem heavy, are ones not easily reversed. Politics may have played a factor here, as the reason for the inadequate amount of research involved determining the environmental effects the fence will have. In conclusion, I have covered most of the major points that Vargas Llosa presented in his essay, pointed out the weaknesses in his argument and ways in which he could have strengthened it. Most of the points he focused on had to do with immigration instead of issues related directly with the fence. Had he focused more on the actual impacts of the fence it would have been a much more compelling case. I do not think that immigration is bad, as long as there is control over it. If the border fence can help our officials  to gain at least some control over who and what is actually coming into and out of our country than it should prove to be a valuable tool to create better immigration policies and eliminate the unwanted elements associated with it. (6) The Environmental Impacts of the Border Wall Between Texas and Mexico Lindsay Eriksson1 and Melinda Taylor2

The Deviant Behavior Of Adolescent Drugs Social Work Essay

The Deviant Behavior Of Adolescent Drugs Social Work Essay An individual would be considered to be acting deviantly if they are in violation of significant social norms of a particular society. What causes humans to act certain ways has been a largely disputed topic among researchers for some time now. With respect to numerous studies that have been performed throughout history, no one group or researcher has come up with an accurate reason as to why people behave deviantly. My own curiosity is to discover the influences or reasons behind the deviant behavior of drug using among adolescents. The proliferation of drug using among adolescents signals a larger societal problem that may include, a rejection of societal norms, which is the product of social conditions and relationships that cause anguish, frustration, hopelessness, and general feelings of isolation or alienation. I believe the greatest threat concerning the popularity of drugs is the dramatic increase of their recreational use within the mainstream, the normalization of such drug s represents to some a serious set of risk factors that need to be addressed. Drug using behaviors can be analyzed on the basis of the social process theory which consists of three major classes: social learning theory, social control theory, and social reaction theory. The various social process theories of delinquency examine the interaction between individuals and their environments for clues to the initial causes and reasons for deviant behaviors; in this case drug using and possible addictions. Most youngsters are influenced by the family, the school experience, and their peers; it is the process of socialization occurring within these social institutions that, along with social structure, provides the forces that either protects adolescents/teenagers from or influences them to commit deviant acts. It is no mystery that teenage drug using is on the rise; one of the most popular drugs is marijuana as a result of its accessibility and affordability. Marijuana is a mixture green and brown flowers, sticks, seeds, and leaves produced from the plant Cannabis. The main chemical in marijuana is called THC. Marijuana can be smoked in the form of a cigarette or pipe. It is also smoked in cigars that have been emptied of tobacco. Marijuanas ingredients with can be mixed in food or tea. Each year in America, an estimated 20,000 deaths are from the use of illegal drugs. Different drugs have different effects on people. Scientists have studied and learned about THC and how it affects the brain. When marijuana is smoked, THC passes from the lungs to the bloodstream, and carries the chemical to the brain and all other organs in the body. The chemical produces a number of cellular reactions that lead to users experiencing a high when smoking marijuana. Illegal drug use causes fatal infections a nd illnesses in the body and brain damage; the cognitive thinking process is destroyed from the chemicals used in drugs. The adolescent years is often associated with a turmoil of emotions, and feelings and all in all being a confusing, challenging time; teens want and need to feel acceptance in his/her own family and peers which can make them vulnerable to falling into a destructive pattern of deviance or drug use. Some adolescents have resorted to drug use for a variety of reasons which may include peer pressure, family relationships, or sometimes wanting to relieve themselves of stress. While most teens probably see their drug use as a casual way to have fun or get-away, there are negative effects that occur as a result. Even if adolescent drug use does not necessarily lead to adult drug abuse, there are still risks and consequences. These negative effects usually include a drop in academic performance or interest, and strained relationships with family or friends. Adolescent drug use can greatly alter behavior, and a new preoccupation with drugs can crowd out activities that were once previously im portant. Drug use can also change friendships as teens begin to associate more with fellow drug users, who encourage and support one anothers drug use. There has been a lot of contribution in terms of studies and research that has been done in this field especially with a lot of concern due to the rise of teen drug abuse within the country and the devastating consequences that follow the issue. There are many people who point fingers at the teenagers who engage in taking drugs without actually understanding the reasons why they do so. For one, socialization is vital and takes place within the family first and foremost. From the moment a child is born to the moment they enter into adult hood, they are socialized by their families as to what is right or wrong, what is accepted and what is not; as well as throughout life. There is a relationship between family structure and adolescent drug use. A National Portrait of Family Structure and Adolescent Drug Use by John P. Hoffmann and Robert A. Johnson uses three years of data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. According to this article, family structure is significant when it comes to effects on teenagers. The article looks at the distribution of drug use among adolescents aged 12-17 years by family structure. Additionally the authors identify the risk of drug use, including problem use, is highest among adolescents in father-custody families (father-only and father-stepmother families), even after taking into consideration factors such as, age, race-ethnicity, family income, and residential mobility. Low-income families are presumed to affect adolescent development in a negative manner, especially in areas of academics and childs motivations; it is difficult for parents to support activities that are beneficial to their children. This suggests that differences in economic resources explain some relationship between family structure and negative outcomes among adolescents. The article compares the prevalence of drug use among adolescents from mother-father families, single-parent families, stepparent families, and other family types. Findings conclude d that stepparent families and father-only families tend to be more mobile than other family types; the lowest prevalence of use of marijuana and other illicit drugs is reported by adolescents who live in mother-father families; the highest prevalence of marijuana use, other drug use, and problem use is reported by adolescents in father-stepmother, father-only, and other relative-only families. (640) The author recognizes that, Family structure, especially when changes occur, affects relations between parents and adolescents. Changes in family structure are linked to heightened stress in the family, and this stress may lead to behavioral problems such as the initiation or escalation of drug use. (643) Even though this research was useful in explaining how family structure has a relationship with whether or not adolescents choose to experiment with drugs, it does not explain the effects of patterns of parent-child socialization. Additionally, Hoffmann and Johnson concluded that hypot heses involving economic resources or mobility did sufficiently explain the effects of family structure on adolescent drug use. The Community Context of Family Structure and Adolescent Drug Use seeks to build on the work of Hoffman and Johnson by connecting the impact of family structure on adolescents behavior in terms of their environment or the community in which they live. Hoffmans new hypothesis in this article, suggests that community characteristics affect family structure in particular ways, which then leads to drug use: Families that live in better-off communities have a host of extra familial resources to draw upon in raising children, so the community is seen as a key characteristic that affects whether adolescents from different types of families behave in deviant or normative ways. Single parents-in particulars single mothers-of-ten do not have the resources to live in well-off communities and are less able than other parents to move to more financially secure areas; thus, their ability to raise children may be hampered. Two-parent families are usually in better financial situations than single-parent families; thus, they are allowed much more flexibility about where to live. (315) The article also states that single-parent families are constrained in their choice of communities and often must live in resource poor areas as a result of their socio-economic status which ultimately, has an influence on adolescent behavior. The article discusses the relationship between family structure and drug use; communities that are lacking economic and social resources will have an impact on adolescent behavior thus causing drug use. Disadvantaged neighborhoods increases the likelihood of drug use because it increases the number of social stressors to which individuals are exposed. Neighborhood disadvantage increases the likelihood of drug use because it decreases social resources (family contact, decreases positive social support, and increases negative social interactions). For example, communities that consist of many single-mother families often do not promote sufficient parent-child interaction, but community residents may offer alternative adult figures for adolescents from single-parent families by offering social support and supervision. The data used to support this research was taken from the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS), a study designed to explore the relationships among families, schools, and educational outcomes. Findings indicated that compared to mother-father families, mother-only families tend to reside in areas that are urban; more integrated, and have a higher proportion of female-headed households, joblessness, and poverty. Other family types are relatively likely to reside in high-poverty communities, whereas mother-father families are more likely to live in low-poverty areas. Father-stepmother families tend to live in relatively low-poverty communities. Compared to mother-father families, mother-only families report lower family income, more residential mobility, less parental supervision of adolescents, higher dropout risk, and are more likely to be found among Black youth than among White youth. The community context model findings indicated that the highest levels of drug use are found not in mother-only families but among adolescents in father-only and father-stepmother families. Reasons for this are adolescents from single-parent families tend to have poorer relations (interactions) with parents and they move more often. Even though this study has shown that community characteristics have adverse effects on drug use, the question that remains unanswered involves the characteristics of single-parent and step parent families that lead to consistent effects on adolescent drug use. Drug Abuse in the Inner City: Impact on Hard-Drug Users and the Community by Johnson, Bruce D, Bruce Terry Williams, Kojo A. Dei, and Harry Sanabria seeks to explain the effects of drug abuse in the inner city. It proposes that the effects of drug abuse in the inner city has considerably contributed to a decline in the economic well-being of most users and sellers, an environment of poor health and risk of death at an early age, and lastly a weakening of family relationships. It is important to note that youths who grow up in disadvantaged communities are exposed to a range of stressful life conditions, such as their exposure to violence, crime, and drugs. In turn, these factors can increase their likelihood of developing emotional, behavioral, and drug use problems. The article states: Massive amounts of evidence now document the deterioration of the inner city. During the period 1960-80, the number of persons living in communities (or census tracts) primarily occupied by low-income (including welfare and unemployed) blacks and Hispanics approximately doubled between 1968 and 1980, employment rates declined substantially (from 78 to 55 percent) for nonwhites-mainly blacks. (10) Even more living situations in inner-city communities have severe social and economic implications for individuals. Involvement with drugs (that is prevalent among poverty-ridden neighborhoods) is a major factor in creating individuals who will experience multiple social problems, with wide-ranging negative impacts on their families and neighborhoods. Delinquency and Drug Abuse: Implications for Social Services by Hawkins, J. David, Jeffrey M. Jenson, Richard F. Catalano, and Denise M. Lishner demonstrates that there is a connection between adolescent drug abuse and delinquency. The authors discusses numerous risk factors for drug abuse including early frequency and variety of antisocial behaviors in the primary grades of elementary school, parent and sibling drug use and criminal behavior (children whose parents or siblings engage in crime or drug use are themselves at greater risk for these behaviors), poor and inconsistent family management practices (children raised in families with lax supervision, excessively severe or inconsistent disciplinary practices, and little communication and involvement between parents and children), family conflict, family social and economic deprivation, school failure, Low degree of commitment to education and attachment to school, peer factors, attitudes and belief, neighborhood attachment and c ommunity disorganization, mobility, and personality factors. (260-266). Coming back to an earlier question, adolescent drug use can be explained by parent-child interaction. Research suggests that there is a relationship between the role of parental practices and adolescents drug involvement. An article, written by Denise B. Kandel, Parenting Styles, Drug Use, and Childrens Adjustment in Families of Young Adults relates: Drug use by children and adolescents has been found to be related to lack of affection, lack of acceptance of the child by the parent, conflictual mutual detachment, poor identification of the child with the parent, poor discipline, weak or excessive parental controls, parental control through guilt, lack of supervision of the childs activities, and inconsistency. (185) Data was collected from Clinical Samples in order to examine marital patterns as well as parenting and childrens behaviors in families in which one or both parents are drug abusers or alcoholics and have sought treatment for their condition. Findings found that the, childrearing factors characterizing families with a drug-abusing or alcoholic parent or the families of adolescents in the general population who get involved in drugs are identical to the factors that have been implicated as risk factors for early manifestations of antisocial behavior among children in normal population samples.(185)These factors included lack of parental supervision, parental rejection, and lack of parental involvement. Three hypotheses were examined by Kandels study including: (186) 1. Certain parenting practices-in particular, lack of monitoring, low warmth, and high parental conflict-are associated with lower levels of functioning in the children and, in particular, with greater acting-out and control problems. 2. Young adults with a history of involvement in drugs will be more likely to exhibit deficient parental practices. 3. The children of young adults with a history of drug involvement will be less well adjusted and, in particular, will manifest more control problems, than their peers. Data was also collected from a group of young adults aged 28-29 who have been followed since they were 15-16 years old. Respondents answered self-administered, structured questionnaires in their schools in 1971 and were re-interviewed in person in 1980 and in 1984. According to this study, the strongest links were between parental discipline and child aggression, and between parental closeness and child attachment to the parent. Parents who report using harsh methods of disciplining their children or disagreeing with their spouses about how to discipline the child are more likely to report that their children are aggressive, have control problems, and are disobedient. Parents who report that they have close interactions and engage in much talk and discussion with them are more likely also to report that their children are well adjusted, establish positive relations with their parents, are not detached from them, do not have control problems, and are independent. There is a correlatio n between poorer parenting and drug use. Findings also included a relationship between parental drug use and control problems in their children. It is a fact that behavioral problems in childhood and early adolescence are among the earliest signs of adolescent drug involvement as well as delinquency; conduct problems and drug use appear to develop in families characterized by similar childrearing styles as put forth by Kandel. Additionally, male children who engage in both fighting and drug use appear to belong to families with the most disrupted parenting. This shows that certain parenting styles stimulate deviant behaviors in the children, who, when they grow up, reproduce these very same patterns in a spiral of self-perpetuating deviance. The assumption that the home environment influences the behavior of youths is widely accepted. But while many might agree that family life is an important factor in precluding or promoting drug abuse, they disagree on the way in which it influences behavior. Some have argued that poor parent-child attachments leads to a lack of commitment to conventional activities, and that this is sufficient to produce conditions fostering use as already discussed. But there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that drug use is also socially induced and socially controlled by fellow peers. The school is a childs first proving ground outside of the home. It gives the child a chance to prove his/her adaptability and capacity to conform to rules enforced by non-parental authority. Peer influences have been found to be among the strongest predictors of drug use during adolescence. It has been argued that peers initiate youth into drugs, provide drugs, model drug-using behaviors, and shape attitu des about drugs.  There was a study done to determine how much peer pressure affected adolescent drug use.  The most striking finding is the crucial role which peers play in the use of drugs by other adolescents. Involvement with other drug-using adolescents is the most important correlate of adolescent marihuana use. Denise Kandel examines how influential parents are compared to the peer group in, Adolescent Marihuana Use: Role of Parents and Peers. She obtained data from adolescents, their parents, and their best school friends in a sample of secondary school students in New York State. According to her findings, drug use by peers exerts a greater influence than drug use by parents. Friends are more similar in their use of marihuana than in any other activity or attitude. According to this article, the highest rates of marihuana usage are observed among adolescents whose parents and friends are drug users. The article states: Adolescent marihuana use is strongly related not only to friends perceived marihuana use but to the friends self-reported use. Only 7 percent of adolescents who perceive none of their friends to use marijuana use marijuana themselves, in contrast to 92 percent of those who perceive all their friends to be users. When adolescent marihuana use is correlated with the self-reported marihuana use patterns of best school friends the proportion of users ranges from 15 percent when the best friend has never used marihuana to 79 percent when the friend has used it 60 times or more. (1068) Most importantly, the Kandel highlights that children of non-drug using parents are somewhat less likely to use drugs, whereas children of drug using parents are more likely to use drugs. Family and peer relations are two of the most important socializing forces affecting adolescent behavior in terms of drug use and deviance in general. Through these relationships, adolescents learn to conform to or deviate from societal standards. Differential association, drift, and social control theories, provide and outlet for understanding aspects of the social environment as a determining factor of individual behavior. Differential association theory focuses on how individuals learn crime from others, drift theory proposes that any assessment of the process of becoming deviant must take into consideration both the internal components of the individual and the influence of the external environment (otherwise known as Neutralization theory), and social control theory provides an explanation for why some young people violate the law while others resist. Theory is important in assessing behavior; Edwin H. Sutherlands and Ronald Akers formulation of differential association theory i s useful in explaining how family structures, peer structures and community structures contribute to drug using among adolescent. Differential association theory implies that if individuals learn deviant behaviors from close associations with other people, then the more they are exposed to pro-social groups, the more likely it is that they will be deter from deviant behavior as in using drugs. Jackson, Elton F., Charles R. Tittle, and Mary Jean Burke, Offense-Specific Models of the Differential Association Process discuss Edwin H. Sutherlands formulation of differential association theory where he proposed that delinquents learn crime from others. His basic premise was that delinquency, like any other form of behavior, is a product of social interaction. In developing his theory of differential association, Sutherland believed that individuals are constantly being changed as they take expectations and various perspectives of the people with whom they interact. It is difficult for on e to reject the argument that juveniles learn crime or in my case criminal activities like drug using behaviors from others (primarily the family or peer groups). As already pointed out, individuals learn basic values, norms, and skills from others; accordingly, the idea is that they also learn criminal behavior. However, it is important to note that one does not have to be in direct contact with others to learn from them. They can learn such behaviors from the surrounding environment. With the accumulated knowledge and research about drug use, it provides a framework for prevention. It appears that abuse is caused by early use of conventional drugs and by family and peer related social conditions that preclude or promote drug use. Interventions should create opportunities for adolescents to experience success in family relationships, school, and peer relationships. They should address the beliefs of parents and peers that may promote the use of illicit substances. In addition, adolescent drug use strategies should focus on strengthening those skills of parents, teachers, and youths that may lead to strong parent child attachments, consistency in discipline, clear antidrug values, and attachment to youths or adults who are committed to fundamental norms of society. To strengthen youths social behavioral skills, decision-making and problem-solving training should be undertaken; training should prepare youths to effectively resist peer pressures by teaching that sayi ng no to offered drugs that is socially acceptable. From a community perspective, the entire social support network must be addressed such that a climate of non-drug use is created. Family approaches or school programs alone are unlikely to alter the web of influences that socializes youths to the use of drugs. Some proposed preventions for delinquency and drug use from, Delinquency and Drug Abuse: Implications for Social Services include, early childhood education with parent involvement, parent training prevention strategies, and life skills training in schools including cognitive skills training, proactive classroom management, law-related education, problem-solving and behavioral skills training, enhancement of instruction to broaden academic success, social influence strategies, and school-based health clinics. (270-276) There are a variety of other factors that have not been taken into consideration in this research that may affect relationships and drug use among adolescents. For example, the availability of extended family members and peers who live nearby or with whom the adolescent comes in frequent contact might affect the risk of adolescent drug use. Similarly, the availability of resources such as strong schools may offer youth from single or stepparent familys alternative activities that discourage drug use or that encourage strong attachment to families and communities. Adolescent drug use is strongly linked to patterns of risk taking or harmful behavior. In todays mainstream, drugs such as marijuana is recognized as being one of the most popular with todays generation of adolescence and that is most troubling.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay -- Mental Health Disorders

Approximately five million people in the U.S., or about one in every 50 Americans, suffer from OCD. That’s about 2%, a substantial number of sufferers. It affects men, women, and children, as well as people of all races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds.OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms that can include powerful, unwanted, or recurrent thoughts and/or compulsive, repetitive behaviors. Some of the most common obsessions are:Fear of contamination Fear of causing harm to another Fear of making a mistake Fear of behaving in a socially unacceptable manner Need for symmetry or exactness Excessive doubt Some of the most common compulsions may include:Cleaning/Washing Checking Arranging/Organizing Collecting/Hoarding Counting/Repeating Obsessions are unwanted, recurrent and unpleasant thoughts that cause anxiety. Compulsions are repetitive, ritualistic behaviors that the person feels driven to perform to decrease anxiety. At least 80 percent of patients with OCD have both obsessions and compulsions. OCD appears to be caused by increased activity in the orbital frontal cortex and caudate nucleus of the brain. OCD may also involve abnormal functioning of the neurotransmitter seratonin in the brain. Stress does not cause OCD; however, a stressful event can trigger the disorder. There are no hard facts to tell how OCD is obtained. OCD is thought to be a genetic disorder. This idea has plenty of evidence and is believed by most doctors. The chemical imbalance in the Brain is an imbalance of Seratonin and Dompamine. 80 percent of the people with OCD have another disorder called Tourettes Syndrome (TS). This syndrome is caused by the imbalance of Dompamine in the Brain. This causes the person to have muscular and/or verbal spasm which are called tics. Some people who are familiar with TS may think of people shaking wildly of cursing a lot, but that is only in a severe case. These are a couple of examples, or case studies, that I got off the internet.I. DickUp until this year, Dick had done fairly well in school, played basketball, held down a part time job cleaning a fish plant, and spent most weekends with his girl friend. Over the last year, he has had to let most of this go. His girlfriend found someone who had more time, he quit his job, and he stopped going to basketball. He could barely get his schoolwork done. Why? It took... ...ment is a treatment in which the person is exposed to there obsession and go without fulfilling their compulsions. This kind of like "facing your fear".In treating OCD with medications there are many medicines that are prescribed, here are five of the most common: Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox, and Anafranil. These medicines do not always work, but 60-80% of the time they do. Also these medicines do not just work right away. They have to take time to balance in the body. This usually takes about 6-8 weeks. A person is usually on one of these medicines for 12-18 months, but can be more or less. Support groups are few, yet one that I found on the Internet, called â€Å"Emotions Annoymymous† seemed to help alot of people, since this disease isn’t well known by the general public, it is misunderstood, and the words â€Å"obsessive-compulsive† are used out of place far too frequently.My OpinionI think that OCD Is a common disorder that is underestimated and there are not enough people that are educated about it. The more people know about something, the less they are afraid of it. There are five million people that have it, I think more people should know about it, one in fifty people has it.

Electricity Policy Reform and Responsible Government in India Essay exa

With many different religious, ethnic, and social groups, the Republic of India is a unique and diverse state. Since gaining independence, India has faced a challenge of encouraging the variegated people within its borders to embrace and celebrate a common Indian identity even while nurturing their distinct cultures and traditions. This diversity is reflected throughout social and political challenges in Indian society. Although the different federal states are given a certain amount of leeway to accommodate for the population’s heterogeneity, the central government maintain a great amount of power for purpose of holding the nation together. As India has developed, one of its focuses has been the energy sector and increasing Indian citizens’ access to electricity. The government has historically carried a large influence over India’s vital electricity sector,. Electricity is a concurrent subject under the Cons titution, falling under the purview of both the central government and the states. Whether by influencing the electricity sector through private companies collaborating with the central government or acting directly through state-owned companies and bureaucracies, India has maintained a large degree of centralized control over the electricity sector. Since passing the Energy Conservation Act of 2001, the government has pursued a national policy of increasing Indian electricity independence and access. In order to meet these goals, India has used state-owned enterprises and bureaucratic institutions to maintain direct control over the sector. However, the Electricity Act of 2003 reformed India’s electricity policy, allowing for more electricity sector privatization and fewe... ...ar, Shailesh. "UP Farmers Continue Protest over Land Acquisition by Reliance." Down To Earth. N.p., 15 Feb. 2007. Web. 11 May 2014. "Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill." StudyMode.com, 01 January 2014. Web. 11 May 2014. Mona Sur and Dina Umali-Deininger, â€Å"Public Expenditures and Subsidies in Indian Surface Irrigation: Who Benefits,† paper presented at Water Week 2003, conference organized by World Bank, Washington, DC, 4-6 March 2003. Web. May 15, 2014. Tongia, Rahul. â€Å"The Political Economy of Indian Power Sector Reforms,† pp. 109-174 in: D.G. Victor and T.C. Heller, (eds.) 2007, Reforming Electric Power Markets in Developing Countries: Politics, Law and Institutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. March 2007. Web. 11 May 2014. United Nations. â€Å"Population and Vital Statistics Report.† January 1, 2013. Web. May 15, 2014.

Revenue Recognition Convergence

Holzmann, Oscar J. â€Å"Revenue recognition convergence: The contract-based model. † Journal Of Corporate Accounting & Finance (Wiley) 22, no. 6 (2011): 87-92. The article â€Å"Revenue Recognition Convergence: The Contract-Based Model† is all about revenue recognition. It begins by explaining the conceptual background information to give you an overview of what revenue recognition is both in the US and internationally. Part of this section also discusses what problems have been found with revenue recognition. Because of these problems, the international and US boards have proposed an adoption of the â€Å"contract-based revenue recognition model. This standard would apply to all contacts between companies and their customers, with some exceptions. There are five steps to this revenue recognition model. These steps are discussed individually within the article. The steps are (1) identify the contract, (2) identify the performance obligation(s), (3) determine the trans action price, (4) allocate the transaction price to separate performance obligations, and (5) recognize revenue. After the descriptions of each step, the article goes on to explain onerous performance obligations, contract cost, presentation, and disclosure.Each of these are important topics and will be on the re-exposure of the exposure draft in the coming years. The book for this class begins talking about revenue recognition in chapter five on page 197. The section of the book that more closely relates to this article starts on pages 203 and its called IASB-FASB Revenue Recognition Project. This explains a little about the joint exposure draft from the IASB and FASB. Also, like the article it discusses the five steps in recognizing revenue. These steps are listed in the above paragraph.It explains each of the steps just enough to understand what it is without confusing you. The section finishes by giving a little more information on the exposure draft. I was in the class group th at did our presentation over revenue recognition, so a lot of this information looked very familiar. It is good to see the same information in different reliable sources. Overall I find this article to be very informative and easy to read and understand. If I didn’t do the group project over the same topic, I would have still been able to understand and comprehend the information in the article.