Social Media Essay Example for Free

Social Media Essay Social Media Discuss the four components of a legally astute social media marketing manager who utilizes social media outlets for consumer transactions and how each component can mitigate the risk involved in doing business in cyberspace. The four characteristics of a legally astute manager are: an acceptance of how important the law is to the success of the organization, a proactive attitude toward legal issues and regulations, the ability to use informed judgment when faced with decisions involving legal implications, and having the knowledge of specific laws, regulations, tools and resources. Social media marketing manager should be well educated about these four components. Today, more and more companies are using the social media for marketing purposes. Moreover, you might fall far behind, if you don’t. So, it’s important to be well informed about legal aspects of social media, since it’s a new way for building relationships with the customers. List and analyze methods of alternative dispute resolution and determine which would be most effective in resolving genuine disputes that arise with consumers who may make purchases from businesses that provide links via social media. Cortes, P. (n/d) talks about online dispute resolutions: ODR in the consumer context refers to the use of ICT tools and methods (usually alternative to the court system) employed by businesses and consumers (B2C) to settle conflicts that arise out of economic transactions between the parties, particularly in e-commerce. It is often distinguished from other fields where ODR is used, such as in the commercial field (B2B), in the public sphere to resolve government and citizen (G2C) disputes, and in the  resolution of disputes related to intellectual property. A consumer transaction (B2C), akin to a consumer dispute, will be one where an individual, acting on a personal capacity, buys goods or services for his or her personal use. Conversely, a business is an individual or an entity that acts on a professional capacity selling goods or services as part of their profession. In a B2C dispute, the aggrieved party is frequently the consumer as they normally pay in advance for their purchased goods and services. Consequently, the consumer is the weaker party in a dispute where the business has the payment and the experience of dealing with similar disputes. Consumers will often get more involved in the dispute, taking it more personal, and thus requiring a more transformative solution, while the business is mostly interested in resolving the dispute as fast and inexpensively as possible. In certain cases, businesses will be keen in resolving the dispute in order to maintain their reputation. This is relevant when, as it happens in eBay, the buyer leaves feedback after a transaction. When ODR is effectively used in this way, it has an added value for the parties; it increases the consumers’ trust in those online sellers that provide ODR services. Greater trust means that reliable sellers would boost their trade and consumers will be protected from the potential abuse by the dominant party in the transaction. ODR services may be employed to ensure that consumers’ rights are respected by the online vendor, hence enhancing consumers’ confidence in the online transaction.1 As a result, ODR would ultimately enhance the business’s ability to sell while at the same time protecting the consumer’s ability to participate safely in e-commerce. E-commerce is thought to be one of the areas where ODR will flourish as it seems logical for parties that enter into disputes online to use the same medium, the Internet, to resolve their disputes. The resolution of small value disputes that inevitably arise out of millions of transactions taking place every day between parties located far from each other require the use of cost-efficient methods of dispute resolution. Examples of ODR providers that resolve high volume of consumer disputes are eBay and PayPal, which act as third neutral parties encouraging first business and consumers to reach amicable agreements through automated negotiation, and when parties cannot reach consensual agreements, they adjudicate the disputes. Since consumer transactions on social media can occur across state lines, determine how the  federal government can bet control these transactions. Selis; Ramasastry; Kim; Smith (n/d) have noted that the Web have provided tremendous opportunities for both businesses and customers. Businesses can reach lots of customers across the globe in much easier and faster ways. Customers can complete their transactions a lot faster too. They can also find anything they want. However, online transactions also create possibilities for online crime too. Below are some laws that were created by the government for online transaction regulations: The United States does not have a comprehensive privacy statute that governs the collection and use of personally identifiable information, either online or through traditional business practices. There are, however, a number of sector-specific laws that govern the collection and use of data. 1. COPPA Currently, no federal statutes require the placement of privacy policies on Internet web sites other than the Children’s Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). COPPA is applicable only to web sites collecting information from children who are younger than 13 years old.53 The law became effective on April 1, 2000. The Act requires Internet operators, including ISPs and web site operators, to: (1) Provide parents with conspicuous notice of what information is collected, how the information will be used, and the websiteÕs disclosure practices; (2) Obtain prior, verifiable parental consent for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information from children (there are limited exceptions); (3) Provide parents the opportunity to view and prevent the further use of personal information that has been collected on the website; (4) Limit collection of personal information for a childÕs online participation in a game, prize offer, or other activity to information that is reasonably necessary for that activity; and (5) Establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of the personal information that is collected. 2. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act (GLBA) The GLBA was signed into law on November 12, 1999 by President Clinton. Title V of the GLBA governs the collection, use, and dissemination of non-public consumer financial information by financial institutions. Gramm-Leach-Bliley requires financial institutions to: (1) Provide clear and conspicuous notice to consumers of their privacy policy upon establishing the customer relationship and at least annually thereafter; (2) Give consumers the opportunity to Ã’opt outÓ of having their non-public personal information disclosed to nonaffiliated third parties; and (3) Provide a reasonable method for consumers to Ã’opt outÓ of such disclosures to nonaffiliated third parties. 3. Other Statutes, Regulations, and Directives Containing Provisions Protecting Privacy of Consumer Information Include: a. Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 (47 USC  ¤521 et seq.,  ¤611) This Act addresses concerns about the ability of interactive cable systems to track cable consumer viewing or buying habits. It prohibits the collection of personally identifiable information without the consumer’s prior consent except as needed to render service provided by the operator or to prevent interception. b. Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Ac t of 1994 (47 USC  ¤Ã‚ ¤1001-1- 10;  ¤1021; 18 USC  ¤2522) This Act establishes protection for cordless telephone conversations and establishes a warrant requirement for government access to e-mail addresses. c. Driver Privacy Protection Act of 1994, and as amended in 1999 This law protects state motor vehicle records and restricts their dissemination to only authorized parties and in many instances only for specified purposes. The 1999 amendments tie state compliance to the appropriation of federal transportation funds for states. d. Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (18 USC  ¤1367,  ¤ 2232,  ¤2510 et seq.,  ¤2701 et seq.,  ¤3117,  ¤3121 et seq.) This Act protects all forms of electronic transmissions, including video, text, audio and data from unauthorized interception.  e. Electronic Fund Transfer Act (15 USC  ¤ 1693) The Act requires financial institutions to include in an initial account disclosure the circumstances under which it will disclose information to third parties. f. Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 USC  ¤1681 et seq.) This Act regulates the disclosure of personal information by consumer credit reporting services. It requires such services to adopt reasonable procedures  to ensure the accuracy of personal information contained in their credit reports. It also provides a process for consumers to review and correct inaccurate information on a credit report. Credit report information can be shared with affiliates when a consumer is told the information may be shared and is given the opportunity to opt out from information sharing with affiliates. The FCRA does not restrict the amount or type of information to be released to third party inquirers when the reporting agency has reason to believe it will be used for credit, employment or insurance evaluations or other Ã’legitimate business needsÓ affecting the individual consumer. It prohibits those who are no credit reporting agencies from disseminating or redistributing credit information. The law does not explicitly address the sharing of transactional, empirical information. This silence has been interpreted by the Office of the Comptroller to mean that the information can be shared freely with third parties. g. Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 USC  ¤1232g) This Act protects the accuracy and confidentiality of student records. h. Federal Trade Commission Act (15 USC  ¤41 et seq.) This Act, which creates the Federal Trade Commission (Ã’FTCÓ) establishes among other things consumer fair business practices and gives the FTC jurisdiction and authority to address unfair, deceptive or misleading business practices. Examine the three branches of government and discuss which can effectuate the most significant impact on regulating significant impact on regulating consumer transactions via social media outlets. The government has three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.  · Executive: Ruled by the president. The president transfers out federal laws and endorses new ones, leads national defense and foreign policy, and performs ceremonial duties. Authorities include guiding government, commanding the Armed Forces, dealing with international powers, acting as chief law enforcement officer, and rejecting laws.  · Legislative: Ruled by Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. The main task of these two bodies is to make the laws. Its powers include passing laws, creating spending bills (House), impeaching officials (Senate), and approving treaties (Senate).  · Judicial Ruled by the Supreme Court. Its authorities include understanding the Constitution, revising laws, and determining cases involving states rights. Explain the agency relationship that exists on social media sites between the social media provider and businesses that utilize the site for advertising. Almost all organizations are trying to use social media in order to reach potential customers. However, it’s not so easy as it sounds. A company should have a certain strategy in order to promote itself on social media. Manage My Socials (2013) explains the social media agency: The social media agency actually works for building new bonds and making the existing bonds stronger among the company and its customers or followers. Once the company becomes famous and people get to know about its existence and start trusting it, half of the work of marketing department is done. Therefore, a few starting years are very crucial for any organization from marketing point of view. Once the company becomes renowned by the general public it becomes easier to make them follow. The area of a social media management encompasses the social media as well as building the online public relationship between the company and its customers stronger and more trustworthy. In addition with the marketing department, the social media agency collaborates with the search, planning, development and customer services departments to fulfill the need and demands of the customers and earning their trust. This also brings about healthy exchange of information within the complete organization of the company. Marketing and communication within the company and outside the company becomes more effective with the involvement of these social media managers. Thus, the overall productivity and efficiency of the other departments is enhanced and the business also flourishes. The scope of a social media agency has increased many folds these days in the modern business strategies. Some organizations seek the services of these managers for specific duration of time while others hire them permanently. Both approaches are equally beneficial for the business  and you should assess which one of them is more suitable for your business. There are some specialized social media management agencies which provide professional and specialized managers to work on a specific project for a specific duration of time.

Effective Treatment for Drug Addiction Essay Example for Free

Effective Treatment for Drug Addiction Essay â€Å"Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans undergo treatment for substance use disorder, also called addiction† (Hart Ksir, 2013, p. 409). Drug addiction is a complex brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. It is a condition characterized by an overwhelming and uncontrollable desire or craving to continue taking a drug to which one has become habituated through repeated consumption. It also produces a particular effect, usually an alteration of mental status. Drug addiction is usually accompanied by a compulsion to obtain the drug, a tendency to increase the dose, a psychological or physical dependence, and detrimental consequences for the individual and society. For many people, drug addiction becomes chronic, with possible relapses even after long periods of abstinence. Hart Ksir (2013), for example, state: â€Å"Substance dependence is often a chronic illness that shares many characteristics with other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma† (p. 22). The pathway to drug addiction initiates with the act of taking drugs, and over a period of time, an individual’s ability to choose not to do so becomes compromised, and as a result, seeking and consuming the drug becomes compulsive. This behavior results mainly from the effects of persistent drug exposure on brain functioning. â€Å"Addiction affects multiple brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory, and inhibitory control over behavior† (Huffman, 2010, p. 201). Some individuals are more vulnerable than others to becoming addicted, depending on genetic makeup, age of exposure to drugs, other environmental influences, and the interplay of all these factors. Huffman (2010) argues that â€Å"Psychoactive drugs influence the nervous system (and our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) in a variety of ways† (p. 186). Treatment for drug abuse or addiction is not simple or easy because drug abuse or addiction has so many dimensions. Effective treatment programs typically incorporate many components. Green (2010) notes that: Each component must be directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. For example, addicted treatment must help the individual stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society (p. 148). Because addiction is a disease, addicted people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days, months, or even years to be cured. The most part of the patients require long-term or repeated episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained abstinence and recovery of their lives. Indeed, scientific research and clinical practice have demonstrated the value of continuing care in treating addiction, with a variety of approaches having been tested and integrated in residential and community settings such as inpatient and outpatient community programs. The use of 13-step principles is crucial for addiction treatment to be effective and/or fruitful. 13 Principles for Effective Treatment 1) Family and the drug addict must recognize and understand that drug addiction is a complex but treatable illness that affects brain functioning and behavior. They need to be aware that the abuse of any drug alters the brain’s structure and function. The alterations will result in changes which will continue for a long time even after the drug use is stopped. It also will make the family and the drug addict to understand why drug abusers could relapse at any time even if s/he still in treatment, has experienced potentially devastating consequences, and/or has had long periods of abstinence. Hart Ksir (2013) note: Drugs work on the body to cause a mood-altering effect by the chemical impact they have on the brain. Through the blood supply, the drug is carried to the brain. Once the drug is released to the brain, the drug’s effect begins because the brain concentrates on the drug (p. 88). 2) Family and the drug addict must understand that no single treatment is sufficient, adequate, or appropriate for everyone. Each treatment differs depending on the characteristics of the patient. For example, the type of drug being used, the period of time that the drug has been used, the age and race of the individual, environmental conditions, genetic influences, behavior, the wiliness and ability to react to the treatment, life style, and the broader health of the individual, etc. The National Institute of Drug Abuse notes that: Drug addiction shares many features with other chronic illnesses, including a tendency to run in families (heritability), an onset and course that is influenced by environmental conditions and behavior, and the ability to respond to appropriate treatment, which may include long-term lifestyle modification. Human studies of addictive behaviors have clearly implicated both environmental and genetic influences, as well as interactions between the two. While genetics play a major role in defining who we are, the environment in which we are raised is just as influential (NIDA, n. d. ). The good match treatment setting, such as interventions, therapies, and others services designed only to the individual’s particular problems and needs, is crucial for that person to success to return to his or her normal and productive life. 3) Treatment must be easily available. Many drug-addicted individuals struggle even when they decide to entering treatment. This step is critical for them, so the program should be readily available for them in order to take full advantage of the available services. When the treatment program is not easily accessible, potential patients will be lost, and the likelihood of positive outcome for those patients will diminish because as with other chronic diseases, when the treatment is offered earlier in the disease process, the probability of positive outcomes will be greater. If the treatment is easily available, â€Å"Overall, it will be considered to be effective because it will help many people to abstain often for many years†¦ The benefits far exceed the cost of providing the programs† (Hart Ksir, 2013, p. 423). 4) An effective treatment shouldn’t include only the issue of drug abuse, but the diverse needs of the individuals as well. Hart Ksir (2013) assert that â€Å"Substance dependence is often a chronic illness that shares many characteristics with other chronic illness such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma† (p. 422). A treatment to be considered effective, it must address the individual’s drug abuse issue and all the related issues surrounding the addiction, for example, medical, psychological, physical, environmental, biological, social, vocational, and legal problems, among others. Also, age, gender, ethnicity, social status, and culture should be taken into account. 5) Staying in treatment for a reasonable period of time is crucial. â€Å"Long-term treatment of more than three months tends to create more concrete habits, as well as allows the client more time to develop etter methods to prevent relapse† (Shewood, 2013). A long-term treatment is especially good for those individuals recovering from using drugs for a very long period of time. The appropriate length for a specific individual will depend on the type of drug used and the degree of his or her problems and necessities. Many studies have demonstrated that most addicted individuals will need at least three months in treat ment to greatly reduce or stop using drugs. In addition, the studies have showed that the best results take place with longer durations of treatments. Recovering from any type of drug addiction is not an easy task to do, but with a long-term process and sometimes the requirement of multiple episodes of treatment, the recovery is possible. Sometimes relapses could occur. To prevent this, individuals should not leave the treatment prematurely. A treatment program should include a set of strategies to engage, motivate, and keep its patients in treatment. 6) Behavior therapies should be included. Behavior therapies such as counseling (individual, peer, and/or group) are very effective forms of treatment for drug abusers. These therapies may include: motivating the patient to change, providing incentives for abstinence, building skills or abilities to resist drug use, substituting drug-using activities for positive, helpful, and rewarding activities, developing or improving problem-solving skills, and facilitating better social relationships. The participation in those therapy programs (individual, peer, or group) during the treatment will greatly help drug addicted individuals to maintain drug free. 7) Medication is a fundamental part for the treatment of numerous patients. To obtain better result, they may be combined with behavioral therapies. Hart Ksir (2013) state the following: An intense amount of research efforts have focused on developing medications to treat substance abuse and dependence†¦ Some medications that have been used to help substance abusers deal with withdrawal symptoms and maintain abstinence from alcohol, nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and cannabis are: Benzodiazepines, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, Acamprosate, Bupropion, Varenicline, Methadone, Buprenorphine, Naltrexone, Modafinil, and Dronabinol† (pp. 414-415). As with all complex diseases, the environment plays a vital role in the life of the individual to determine the course and outcome of the disease. 8) The individual’s plan such as his or her treatment, resources, and services must be evaluated constantly. The constant evaluation of the treatment plan is a very important thing that should be done to ensure the program is meeting his or her present or changing needs, if not, it should be modified right away. The modification could include a combination of services and treatments during the process of treatment and recovery. Those changes can be counseling, medication, psychotherapy, medical services, social skills, parenting education, vocational training, and legal services, etc. The continue evaluation and changes during the treatment will provide very positive outcomes to the patient. 9) Drug-addicted individuals should be treated for other mental disorders too. Because many drug abusers beside their drug addiction suffer from other mental illness, they must be evaluated and treated for the specific mental illness as well. The treatment should focus on both the addiction and the mental disease with the inclusion of medications if they are needed. The National Institute of Drug Abuse note that: When two disorders or illnesses occur simultaneously in the same person, they are called comorbid. Surveys show that drug abuse and other mental illnesses are often comorbid. Six out of ten people with a substance use disorder also suffer from another form of mental illness. But the high prevalence of these comorbidities does not mean that one condition caused the other, even if one appeared first. Patients with mood or anxiety disorders are about twice as likely to also suffer from a drug disorder. In addition, patients with drug disorders are roughly twice as likely to be diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders. The rates of specific comorbidities also vary by gender. Among men and women in drug treatment, antisocial personality disorder is more common in men, while women have higher rates of major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety disorders. 10) Detoxification medically assisted should be just the first phase of drug addiction treatment. Detoxification can be viewed as an initial and immediate goal during which medications are administered to alleviate unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that may appear following abrupt cessation of drug use† (Hart Ksir, 2013, p. 415). Medically assisted detoxification can securely manage the acute physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal. 11) Any type of drug use during the whole treatment should be monitored constantly to prevent relapses. For many patients, the alertness that their drug use is monitored all the time is a powerful incentive, and many times it also helps them to stay away from drugs. Moreover, monitoring is helpful to prevent possible returning to drug use. If the continuously monitoring shows that the client is using drugs again, the treatment plan for that specific individual should be adjusted to better meet his or her needs. 12. Treatment programs must assess its patients for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, chlamydia, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases as well. Counseling to help drug-addicted patients to modify or change their behaviors which place them at risk of contracting or spreading any infectious disease is a very important piece of the treatment. If the counseling is focused specifically on how to reduce sexually transmitted diseases that put the patients at risk, it could help those patients to reduce or avoid substance-related and other high-risk behaviors. If a patient is already infected, s/he will manage with more responsibility his or her disease, and also it will facilitate adherence to other medical treatments. 13) The addiction treatment plan should be hundred percent ethical. Counselors, as mental authorities, have a lot of power, so they never should use this power for personal reasons or beliefs (such as bias) or to reject a patient. Counselors always must follow the NAADAC set of ethical codes when working with patients. According to the NAADAC, â€Å"counselors have the power to do great, good, or great harm. Counselors always must remember: Today, let me remember my power and take care to use it wisely. † In addition, the counselor should accept the fact that the patient has the right to accept or refuse any treatment plan when s/he is aware of the pros and cons of the treatment. The counselor is not supposed to go against the patient’s will. Conclusion Drugs have been a part of our society for many years now. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans receive treatment for substance abuse. Drug addiction is a complex illness that is considered a brain disease. Many drug-addicted individuals in order to become drug free, they must undergo an effective treatment program that typically incorporate many components. Each component must be directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. The use of 13-step principles is crucial for any addiction treatment to be effective and/or fruitful. They are: (1) Family and the drug addict must recognize and understand that drug addiction is a complex but treatable illness that affects brain functioning and behavior; (2) Family and the drug addict must understand that no single treatment is sufficient, adequate, or appropriate for everyone; (3) Treatment must be easily available; (4) An effective treatment should include the issue of drug abuse, and also the diverse needs of the individuals; (5) Staying in treatment for a reasonable period of time is crucial; (6) Behavior therapies should be included; (7) Medication is a fundamental part for the treatment of many patients. 8) The individual’s plan such as his or her treatment, resources, and services must be evaluated constantly; (9) Drug-addicted individuals should be treated for other mental disorders too; (10) Detoxification medically assisted should be just the first phase of drug addiction treatment; (11) Any type of drug use during the whole treatment should be moni tored constantly to prevent relapses; (12) Treatment programs must assess its patients for sexually transmitted diseases; and (13) The addiction treatment plan should be hundred percent ethical.

Bill Langstons Research into Parkinsons Disease

Bill Langstons Research into Parkinsons Disease The Case of the Frozen Addicts Is Parkinsons disease a genetic disease like Huntingtons disease, or is it caused by something in the environment? By the 1980s, scientists had concluded that the disease does not seem to be genetic with their concordance studies on identical and fraternal twins. But they had searched in vain for a credible environmental cause. Then in 1985, a bizarre drug tragedy tilted the odds in favor of an environment cause and gave scientists a powerful new weapon to fight against the disease. In the summer of 1985, Jon Palfreman, the author of the book Brain Storms, was investigating reports of some drug addicts who had mysteriously been afflicted with Parkinsons. The saga had started in July 1982 at the San Jose Country Jail, where a 42-year-old drug addict woke up and found himself to be frozen, not able to walk or talk. He was transferred to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and examined by Bill Langston, the 39-year-old head of neurology. Langston determined that his disease was neurological ant put him in the hospitals neurobehavior unit. For several days, George lay there, immobile. Then one day, one doctor in the unit noticed that George moved his fingers as if trying to write something. So they gave him a pencil and a notepad. After several hours, George had written five to six sentences. Through the process of questions and answers, Langston found out that George was taking heroin, and that he had a girlfriend with him before he got sick. When they tracked down this woman, they found she was also rigid, like a wax doll. Over the next few days, Langston heard about four other mysterious frozen cases in the surrounding area. Langston could think of only one factor connecting all six young people drugs. They all had a history of drug abuse. The police had found heroin in their apartments. Thinking drugs might be the answer, Langston procured some of the heroin powder from the police and sent it off for analysis. It turned out that the heroin was a designer drug synthesized from chemicals in an underground lab. Langston was struck by the similarity of their symptoms to advanced Parkinsons disease. He treated them with large doses of carbidopa-levodopa. The effect was dramatic they could move and talk. But within days, they all developed severe drug-induced motor complications. While the procedure helped, it didnt reverse their neurological damage. They grew old before their time. By 2015, all but two had passed away. Langston realized that some toxin in the heroin had passed into the addicts brains and destroyed the area of the substantia nigra which makes dopamine. Identifying this toxic might lead to the discovery of the environmental cause for Parkinsons disease. A vital clue came from a report of a similar case in the 1976. A college student named Barry Kidston was trying to make a compound called 1-methyl-4-propionoxy-piperidine, or MPPP. When injected intravenously, the chemical would give a heroin-like-high. For months, Barry successfully made MPPP and used it intravenously. One day, however, he hurried a batch, and soon after injecting it into his arm, he knew something had gone wrong. Within three days, he froze up, became immobile, and could not talk. He was referred to the NIH, where it was determined that he had produced a compound call 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, or MPTP. Armed with this information, Langston and his colleagues could prove that MPTP was the toxin in the heroin taken by the six addicts. This compound MPTP was a powerful new research tool. It could cause Parkinsons in monkeys and in humans. For the first time, Parkinsons researchers had an effective animal model of the disease. Rather than working on humans, they could study Parkinsons experimentally on monkeys, explaining disease mechanisms and testing new treatments. *** In the 1980s, many scientists were hard at work trying to figure out how the brains neuron networks work. The best known of these researchers was Mahlon DeLong based at Emory University in Atlanta. Working with healthy monkeys and monkeys with Parkinsons disease induced by the neurotoxin MPTP, DeLong found out two key nodes in the neuron network the globas pallidus and the substhalamic nucleus were much more active in parkinsonian monkeys. DeLongs hypothesis was that a loss of dopamine from the substantia nigra had caused downstream nodes in the circuit to become overexcited. The resulting output signal over-inhibits the thalamus which under-excites the motor cortex, producing the classic parkinsonian inhibition of movement. To test the hypothesis, DeLong removed the subthalamic nucleus, the presumed source of the abnormal activity, to see if that would change the moneyss Parkinsons. The effect was dramatic there was an immediate reversal of slowness, rigidity, and tremor.

The Christian Perspective in An Essay on Man -- Alexander Pope Essay o

The Christian Perspective in An Essay on Man  Ã‚     Ã‚   Some might argue that Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Man" presents the viewpoint of a deist. Others might claim that the poem fails to exhibit Christian concepts of good and evil, especially since the poet concludes his first epistle with the seemingly unchristian claim that "whatever IS, is Right" (I. 1. 294).    Yet Pope's arguments actually reflect a traditional Christian perspective, which can be verified by comparing his poem with New Testament teachings.   In his attempt to vindicate God in the face of suffering, he does not, like the pantheist, rule out the existence of evil. Pope knows that men are capable of vice and that suffering is real. Pope does not argue that evil does not exist; rather he argues that its existence does not preclude the justice of God. Like the writers of the New Testament, particularly the apostle Paul, Pope claims that pride and envy leads man to question the justice of God, and he insists that men submit to God, remaining content with th eir lot in life. Although Pope claims that "[o]ne truth is clear, `Whatever IS, is RIGHT'" (I. 1.294), he recognizes suffering: But errs not nature from this gracious end, From burning suns when livid deaths descend, When earthquakes swallow, or when tempest sweep Towns to one grave, whole nations to the deep?   (I. ll. 140-143) Pope does not only acknowledge the existence of evil. He describes it in vivid detail. In the above passage, he paints a horrid picture of plagues caused by excessive heat, of destructive earthquakes, and of storms that decimate entire towns and nations. He writes too of Ammon, who was turned "loose to scourge mankind" (I. l. 160). He may argue that nature does not err t... ...realizes this himself for a moment at the end of the second epistle. For he does not conclude by attempting to explain the existence of evil. Rather, he says only that "one comfort still must rise, / 'Tis this, Tho' Man's a fool, yet GOD IS WISE" (II. ll. 292-293). In the end, it is better to believe that every man (including Pope) is a fool for failing to explain evil than to believe that God is not wise for allowing it. This couplet is one further proof of the Christian influence in Pope's "An Essay on Man." In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul writes: "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).   Works Cited Pope, Alexander. "An Essay on Man." Ed. Gordon N. Ray. Boston: Houghton Miflin Company, 1969. The New American Bible. Nashville: Catholic Publishers, Inc., 1971. The King James Bible. Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1967.   

Revelation :: essays research papers

No part of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant purpose of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 AD. What is, what has been, and what is to come is the central focus of the content in Revelation. Literalist fundamentalists read Revelation’s multivalent visions as predictions of doom and threat, of punishment for the many and salvation for the elect few. Scholarly scientific readings seek to translate the book’s ambiguity into one-to-one meanings and to transpose its language of symbol and myth into description and facts. In Elisabeth Schà »ssler Fiorenza’s The Book of Revelation: Justice and Judgment, a third way of reading Revelation is depicted. The collection of essays in this book seeks to intervene in scholarly as well as popular discourses on the apocalypse from a liberationist feminist perspective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first two parts of the book discuss the kind of theological-historical perspective and ecclesial situation that determines the form-content configuration of Revelation. The first section attempts to assess the theological commonality to and differences from Jewish apocalypticism. Fiorenza focuses of the problem that although Revelation claims to be a genuinely Christian book and has found its way into the Christian canon, it is often judged to be more Jewish than Christian and not to have achieved the â€Å"heights† of genuinely early Christian theology. In the second part of the book, Fiorenza seeks to assess whether and how much Revelation shares in the theological structure of the Fourth Gospel. Fiorenza proposes that a careful analysis of Revelation would suggest that Pauline, Johannine, and Christian apocalyptic-prophetic traditions and circles interacted with each other at the end of the first century C.E in Asia Minor. She charts in the book the structural-theological similarities and differences between the response of Paul and that of Revelation to the â€Å"realized eschatology†. She argues that the author of Revelation attempts to correct the â€Å"realized eschatology† implications of the early Christian tradition with an emphasis on a futuristic apocalyptic understanding of salvation. Fiorenza draws the conclusion that Revelation and its author belong neither to the Johannine nor to the Pauline school, but point to prophetic-apocalyptic traditions in Asia Minor.

Illicit Trade and Drug Trafficking Proving to be a Major Problem Essay

Illicit Trade and Drug Trafficking Proving to be a Major Problem Drug trafficking and illicit trade have proven to be major problems that the international community face as it enters into the twenty-first century. Currently the illegal drug trade market is one of the largest sectors of the modern global economy. Because of this fact, the drug trade is deeply rooted in many nations economic and social cultures, which makes it very difficult to control. Drug trafficking also brings with it the problems of organized crime money laundering, corruption, and violence. In 1999, the United Nations Economic and Social Council warned that the international drug trade was brutal, dangerous, and ruthless for those involved with its actions, as well as those trying to enforce restrictions against it. In the debate over the international illicit drug trade, many have argued that the current situation is based on a supply and demand. The international business of narcotics produces around 400 billion dollars in trade each year, which accounts for almost 10% of all worldwide trade. With that in mind, over the past decades the problem with the illicit trafficking of drugs has been based mainly on the supply of narcotics to the international community. Many nations such as Thailand, Laos, Pakistan, Morocco, Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia are heavily dependant upon the profits of the international drug trade. The United Nations has been continuously involved in stressing the need for governments to reduce production and supply of illicit drugs. However, many nations rely on the profits of the international drug trade as a sustaining force in their economies; this has proven to be a very difficult task. Over time, the problem with illicit drug trade has worsened, over the last decade the production of opium and marijuana nearly doubled, and the production of cocaine tripled. The increase in the demand for drugs, has led to the increase in production of synthetic drugs as well as an increase in the profits for those involved in the drug trade themselves. With the demand for drugs on the rise throughout the international community the time has come for problem solving bodies such as the United Nations to step in and take action. Past United Nations Actions For the past decade the United Nations has been heavily involved in the fight against the illicit drug... ...d NGOs to encourage farmers to reduce the cultivation of illicit opium in favor of alternative crops, but more action needs to be taken.  · Middle Eastern Bloc With the rise of the black market and mafia in certain areas, drug consumption has taken a major rise in recent years. Demand for opium, cannabis, heroin and cocaine have risen drastically. The governments within this region must focus on the stronger law enforcement and restriction of corruption especially in transit countries. . Policy Questions  · What systems or programs does your country support relating to drug trade and control?  · What, if anything, has your country done in the past to help deal with illicit drug trade?  · Does your country rely on illicit drug trade for its economy?  · What has your nation done in collaboration with the United Nations or other independent NGO’s to combat illicit drug trade? Research Here are some good sites for research- http://www.state.gov/g/inl http://www.unesco.org/most/ds22eng.htm http://www.unesco.org/most/ds22eng.htm http://www.unesco.org/most/ds22eng.htm And don’t forget the Mira Costa MUN site http://www.cyberverse.com/~costamun/ GOOD LUCK!

New Immigrants vs. Old Immigrants

Jessica Owuriedu Ap history HOW DID THE CHARACTERS AND EXPERIENCES OF THE NEW IMMIGRANTS OF 1880-1940 COMPARE TO THOSE OF THE OLD IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME BEFORE THEM. The Influx of immigrants into America were been placed into two distinct spheres over time. The New immigrants and Old immigrants differed greatly in their behavior and qualities which was also pertained to the America they found between 1880 and 1940. Transferring from their home country, the old immigration mainly came from northern and western Europe. The German, Irish, Norwegians Swedish including other European tribes fluxed into America not only as a result of congested Europe. Majority of the Old immigrants headed into America for its prevailing opportunities and freedom. They were attracted by the cheap lands (Homestead act) that was available and the ability to rise from rags to riches. Being mostly Protestants by religion, they were easily assimilated into the American way of life. On the other hand, the New immigrants fluxed mainly from the southern and eastern Europe. Among them were the Italians, Croats Slovaks, Greeks and Poles. Ushered into America mainly by the economic hardships and the lengthening gap between the rich and poor in their countries. Their intent were mainly settled in the idea of getting rich. They were the bird of passage of the era. Many came not with the idea of just seeking a better life but returning to their homelands with their acquired wealth. Innate in the them, was their own religious denomination which included Catholics, Orthodox and Jewish. This conflicted with the Puritanism and protestant America, partially giving rise to the various Antiforeigner organizations. Furthermore, it is important to note that the Old immigrants relocating to America were literate and skilled. For example the Germans support for education in creating Kindergartens. Although the Old immigrants were eager to preserve their culture they were also eager to learn about their new home. They learned the English language and adapted more readily. Being mostly farm skilled, there fitted into the American community which was established by farming. Conversely, the New immigrants were enormously illiterate and unskilled. These impoverished immigrants showed these characteristics by settling largely in the cites and mainly acquiring factory jobs for wages instead of farming. They were hired in the rising factory jobs and settled for low-wages. For instance, the Italians and Poland were the most largest city inhabitants( New York, Chicago ) than many of the largest cities of the same nationality in the Old world . More over it is important to note that the Old immigrants had inherent in them , the ways of democracy. They easily blended into the American Democratic order, which made it easier for them to prosper in their new Found home. It is quite interesting to also mention that the majority of the old immigrants came not entirely loaded with money but had fairly something to live on. Contrary, the New immigrants were somewhat radical and autocratic in nature. They weren’t opened to the American political system. They had with them distinct political views and doctrines such as communism, socialism, and anarchism. Which consequently sparked the American Protective Association. Relocating into American urban cites , New immigrants came quite improvised and needy compared to the Old immigrants. They immediately settled for lower-wages in the growing factory work and dirty poor tenements in the cites, especially New York and Chicago. The last but not the least was their geographical locations. It is also important to mention that the New immigrants were reluctant to blend in and they were very ethnic in their ways. Whilst most Old immigrants settled in the west, the New immigrants heavily packed in the east where there was growing urbanization. It is clear that the experiences and characteristics between Old immigrants and New immigrants in America were in two distinct spheres.