Common Ground on Child Beauty Pageants Essay Example for Free

Common Ground on Child Beauty Pageants Essay I’m sure you all have seen the TV show â€Å"Toddlers in Tiaras.† It is a show about young children competing in beauty pageants to win a place in a higher ranked pageant, money, and the ownership of a winning title. Many people think differently about the show and the pageants. Some are all for the pageants and some are against them. People who are against the pageants complain that they should be eliminated because they exploit children and place them in harm’s way. They claim because of major dangers; no one under the age of eighteen should be placed in a beauty pageant. The children who are in the pageants are dressed up in adult’s clothing, have piles of make up on, and are harming their bodies. They are harming their bodies by putting the make up on and tanning. By putting make up on at such young of an age, their face ages faster. By tanning, they begin to get that urge that some adults have to tan, which makes their skin age and have wrinkles early. It also puts them at the risk of having skin cancer at an early age. They say it also appeals the children to sexual predators. When a child is half naked on stage and sometimes on TV, these sexual predators see them and may even try to meet them. Sexual predators are only part of the problem. Studies show that every child who may benefit from the competition, hundreds of others suffer damage to their self-esteem and have warped self-vision of themselves and their bodies. Many times, they use JonBenet, a young child who competed in these pageants at the age of six. She was murdered in the basement of her home by a sexual predator. The suspect claimed he became aware of her by the pageants being on television. People who are for the pageants and the TV shows claim that it brings their children fame and confidence. When a child has worked hard on a routine and they get on stage and accomplish it, there is no better reward than the applause and praise from the audience and family. Some also say that the tanning and make up does not harm their skin, it just makes them feel prettier. Someone once told me that when a person looks at themselves in the mirror, and they have their hair and make-up done, they feel better about themselves. That is what many moms claim their children feel whenever they have their make-up done, outfits on, and hair done. Moms of pageant children say that when their child has worked hard, and they have their name called on stage for a winning title, there is no happier feeling. They have worked and accomplished their goal. Call it what you want, but people have their own opinions. Some people think pageants hurt a child, and some think they help a child. Both of them could be right, depending on the child’s standpoint. If a child’s dream is to be in pageants, I would let that child fulfill their dream. What would you do? Works Cited Page Hilboldt-Stolley, Lise. Pretty Babies. Good Housekeeping 228.2 (1999): 102. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.

Physiology Of Human Bones And Joints Biology Essay

Physiology Of Human Bones And Joints Biology Essay This includes all the physical and chemical processes that go on inside living things and that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Physiology is closely related to anatomy, the study of different organs in a body and their relative positioning. This is because an understanding of functions of body parts requires a prior understanding of how the body is built. Human physiology is the specific study of the workings of the human body. The organ system approach is usually employed to study human physiology, including that of the bones and joints. Organ systems are a group of cells, tissues, and organs with a particular function. Organ Systems The human body consists of the following organ systems:  [2]   Musculoskeletal System This system consists of bones of the skeleton, joints, muscles, connective tissue, ligaments, tendon, and cartilage. The musculoskeletal system provides a framework for the body, protects many critical organs, and facilitates movements of movable body parts. Nervous System This system is there for transmission of signals between different parts of the body for coordination of body movement. The nervous system comprises the brain, spinal cord, sensory cells called neurons or nerve cells, and nerves that connect these sensory cells. Cardiovascular System This system includes heart, blood, and blood vessels. It supplies nutrients to all parts of the body through blood. The system works in close conjunction with the respiratory system. Respiratory System This system consists of the lungs, air passages, and respiratory muscles. It arranges for oxygenation of blood and release of carbon dioxide from blood. Endocrine System This system is made up of numerous glands, each secreting some hormone. These hormones are released directly into the bloodstream for regulation of the bodys metabolism. This organ system includes glands such as the pituitary gland, adrenal gland, thyroid gland, pineal gland, pancreas, and thymus. The pancreas is also a part of the digestive system and functions as an endocrine as well as exocrine gland. Digestive System This system absorbs nutrients from consumed food and disposes waste. It consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. The liver and pancreas, which secrete digestive juices, are also part of this system. This system works in active collaboration with the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Urinary System This system produces, stores, and disposes urine. It is made up of two kidneys, two ureters, one bladder, and a urethra. Reproductive System The reproductive system is involved with the production of reproductive cells. It also provides a mechanism through which these cells are combined. This system consists of external genitalia as well as organs that produce the reproductive cells. Immune System The immune system protects the body against disease. It includes bone marrow, white blood cells, lymph system, antibodies, spleen, and thymus. Integumentary System This system safeguards the body from damage and comprises of the skin and appendages of the skin such as nails and hair. The study of human physiology includes an exhaustive focus on all these systems. This study has to be combined with a fundamental understanding of the molecular, cellular, and tissue level principles that form the basis of the functions of these systems. Proper functioning of the human body requires all these systems to work smoothly. The overall health of the human body is determined by the efficiency of the collective or integrated working of all these systems. An important concept in physiology is homeostasis. This refers to the maintenance of certain physiological parameters within a narrow range despite frequent changes in the external environment. Such a control is essential for proper functioning of all the organ systems. The physiological parameters that need to be kept within limits include body temperature and concentration of electrolytes and glucose in the cells. Physiology Explained Origins of the Term Physio The term physio is derived from the Greek word phusis, meaning nature, and was used by people of ancient Greece around 1000 B.C. The word phusis is also said to refer to the Greek goddesses of nature who maintained the balance of nature. The term also implied normality as opposed to something that is monstrous or perverse.  [3]   Differences Considerable physiological differences exist between humans, other animals, and microorganisms. These differences can usually be ascribed to the process of evolution. Darwins theory of evolution proposes that all life on earth started from a single-celled organism that slowly diversified into numerous species. In order to adapt to the surroundings, the physiology of organisms changed slowly. Different climatic conditions triggered different type of changes and, over the centuries, led to the development of varied life forms. Humans have an average brain-to-body mass ratio of 1:40 that is exceeded only by small birds (1:12). This highly developed brain is said to be the reason why humans are more intelligent than other animals. Such a brain is also the reason why humans have a longer memory than most other animals. Usually, animals beyond the human species live in the moment and are, therefore, free from emotions such as spite, guilt, and self-consciousness. Fingers and Legs The thumb is most developed in people. During evolution, Man felt greater need for the thumb and hence it developed better than in other species. The thumb adds a whole new dimension to the activities that humans can perform. People could make and use tools and advance scientifically because of the thumb. While a superbly developed brain provides the arthritis patient with ideas, the thumb helps in the conversion of some of these ideas into practice. Humans walk on two hind legs while most other animals walk on all four legs.  [4]  Certain types of monkeys do walk on two legs, but that is not their normal mode of mobility. This feature provides the arthritis victim with an erect posture and frees their hands for other, more important activities. This is also the reason why humans have a running speed lower than most other animals of a comparable size. Cardiovascular, Communication, and Sensual Differences The number of chambers in the heart vary among animals. Humans have four chambers, reptiles usually three (except crocodiles that have four chambers), fishes have two, and so on. Moreover, communication skills are very highly developed in humans as compared to other animals. Man is the only animal capable of articulate and coherent speech as opposed to certain sounds and gestures made by animals that can convey their emotions only in a broad sense. As compared to many other animals, humans have an inferior sense of smell, eyesight, and hearing. During the course of evolution, humans made steady progress and started to tailor their environment to their needs. In a partly customized environment, the necessity of these senses declined as compared to when humans lived in open and, often, unprotected environments. Microbiological Differences Humans and animals have numerous organs that are a collection of many cells and tissues. Each organ has some function(s). This specialization is either absent or limited in microorganisms as the number of cells is limited. Organ systems such as musculoskeletal system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system are usually absent in the bodies of microorganisms. Many microorganisms are capable of rapid reproduction when the temperatures are moderately high. This rate is very high as compared to humans and most other animals, and the reproduction activity slows down in cold environments. Microbes such as bacteria can freely exchange genes with other similar species leading to quick mutation and evolution. This process of horizontal gene transfer poses great challenges for medical science as the variant species can resist even targeted medication. Reproduction in microbes can be asexual, sexual or both.  [5]  Fungi reproduce asexually while bacteria can re produce in both ways. Barring a few exceptions, most animals reproduce sexually. It is the sexual reproduction in bacteria that can lead to mutation and associated problems for medical science. This process is called conjugation and involves transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a thread type structure known as pilus. Such a transfer enables the bacteria to pass characteristics and leads to the formation of a varied species capable of survival in newer, more hostile environments. Normal Functions of Bones and Joints Purpose of Bones All the bones and joints in the body form the skeletal system that is inherently linked with muscles to form the musculoskeletal organ system. The skeletal system serves three fundamental functions.  [6]  As noted from chapter three, the skeletal system supports all the other organ systems of the body by providing a framework of bones and joints on and inside which other organ systems are rested. This structure also provides shape to the body. Bones provide protection from internal organs such as brain, lungs, uterus and others. This is a notable function and, therefore, merits a somewhat detailed treatment: The skull encases the brain and protects the eyes and the middle and inner ears. The sternum, rib cage, and spine shield the heart, lungs, and prominent blood vessels. The vertebral column forms a covering around the spinal cord. The spine and ilium safeguards the hip and the digestive and urogenital systems. Movement Movement is provided by bones in combination with attached muscles. Skeletal muscles operate in pairs and when one relaxes, the other simply contracts. An example is the bicep-triceps combination. When the arm is stretched, the bicep relaxes with contraction of the triceps and vice versa. Many times, bones provide leverage by amplifying the magnitude and changing the direction of force generated by the muscles. Impaired Bone Health Overview of Consequences Unhealthy bones are unable to perform all or any of their functions of support, movement, protection, production of blood cells, and acting as a reservoir and dumping locations respectively for useful and toxic minerals. Bone disease is a generic term for disorders related to bones that make bones weak and brittle and, therefore, more likely to break. Sources for bone disorders include heredity, nutritional deficiencies, injuries, and infections. The general effects are a pronounced decrease in the quality of life due to the inability to move efficiently and due to frequent bone injuries and possibly fractures. Premature death can result in extreme cases. Infectious Arthritis This can result in people with weak joints. The source is a fungal, viral, or bacterial infection in such joints and the symptoms include swelling and redness around the joint, joint pain, and fever. The infection is transferred through blood or can be a result of injury, surgery, or injection. Infectious arthritis is discussed further in chapter 19. Rickets This is found in children and is due to vitamin D deficiency. It makes the bones weak and soft. The effects include restricted movements with bone and muscle pain. Low bone density is due to insufficient development of bone mass during childhood. This can aggravate into osteoporosis later on in life.  [7]   Bone Cancer This affects the normal functioning of bone cells and tissues. Usually, cancer in the bone is a result of spread of cancerous cells to bones from another part of the body. Very rarely does bone cancer originate in bone cells. There are different types of bone cancers that affect bone cells, cartilage cells, and the bone marrow. Symptoms include swelling, pain, and weak bones; fatigue, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, and chills. This disorder can assume serious proportions if it affects a load-bearing bone such as the femur, forcing the patient to use a wheelchair for considerable duration of the treatment. Pagets Disease This bone disease interrupts the cycle of continuous breakdown and rebuilding of bones. Severe pain and swelling in joints are the symptoms of this disorder that can enlarge and weaken the bones. This can intensify into other disorders such as deafness and arthritis. Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) This is a genetic disease that causes bones to break easily and other conditions such as curved spine, weak muscles, brittle teeth, and hearing loss. The disease causing gene is inherited and affects the development of collagen a protein that in turn affects bone development. Fibrous Dysplasia This results in replacement of bones with fibrous tissue, thereby causing excessive growth and swelling of bones. Weak bones affect the ability to walk and the disorder can also cause endocrine problems. The reason this disorder inspires a certain degree of awe is because the cause is unknown, it cannot be prevented, and cure only aims to mitigate the adverse effects. Osgood-Schlatter Disease This malady affects the area where the knee cap and tibia (shinbone) are connected. The disease is more likely to affect adolescents and causes swelling, tenderness, and pain in the affected area. The pain can range from mild to severe and from occasional to constant. Physiology of Joints Purpose of Joints Joints are those locations where two or more bones are attached. Joints provide connectivity between different bones of the body. The fact that almost all bones are connected to form the skeletal system and that the muscles are connected to the skeleton ensures coordination of movement between different parts of the body. This connectivity integrates all the body parts into one whole entity. Joints facilitate movement through contraction and relaxation of muscles. Purposeful movement is fundamental to animal behavior and enables them to execute all activities necessary for survival, leisure, and reproduction. A certain amount of flexibility is lent to the skeletal structure by joints, which also serve as shock absorbers. Evolution has lent different structure to different types of joints in different animals. However, their essential functions remain unchanged. An example is the joints in the hind legs of land based carnivores that are designed for pouncing on prey. This is why they can jump high by using their hind legs. At the other end of the spectrum are the herbivores with bones and joints of hind legs designed for high speed. The joints of monkeys are designed for quick climbing and rapid movement among trees. Reptile joints enable them to crawl and pounce at high speeds. All members of the cat family except the cheetah have retractable claws. The claws are made so as they are joined to the last phalange that can move forward or backward along a curvilinear path. This mechanism prevents unnecessary wearing of claws. The claws are voluntarily unsheathed only during hunting and serious fighting. The cheetah is designed for high speed and requires the claws to be continuously unsheathed in order to gain and maintain traction while sprinting. Even among carnivores, joints serve slightly different functions. Members of the dog family have joints compatible for a prolonged chase. Their hunting strategy involves wearing down the prey. Cats are ambush hunters. Their joints are stronger and capable of sudden acceleration for bringing down the prey suddenly. This would also mean greater shock absorbing capacity of their joints, although they are not suited for endurance. In humans, all joints can provide movement except the bones of the cranium. These cover the brain and are not capable of movement for obvious reasons. The human palm has a peculiar structure where the thumb provides exceptional gripping ability. Such a structure is absent in all the other animals and bestows humans with the capacity to execute a whole range of specialized activities. Joints in the human body can be classified on the basis of type of movement that they provide physiologically: Hinge joints facilitate movement similar to that of a hinged door along one axis only. They allow up-or-down movement but not from side to side. Examples of such joints are the elbow, knee, and the upper and lower jaw. Ball and socket joints allow movement in all directions upwards, downwards, and sideways. The shoulder is an example of such a joint. Another example is the acetabulam or the hip joint where the thigh bone is connected to the pelvis. Pivot joints permit pivotal movement of one part about the other. An example of this type of joint is the movement of the skull about the backbone where the skull can rotate about the topmost bone of the backbone. Gliding Joint is characterized by gliding movement of one bone / part over the other. The wrist joint is an example of such a joint. Joints can also be classified according to the mechanism that holds the bones together at the joint. Application of this criterion renders the following types of joints.  [8]   Fibrous or immovable joints are held together by ligaments only. Examples of such joints are the radioulnar and tibiofibular joints, the joints of bones inside the forearm and shin, respectively. Cartilaginous joints are where the connection between bones is provided by cartilage. An example is the joints between the vertebrae. Synovial joints are held together by a synovial capsule that is made from the protein collagen. The inner layer of this capsule is known as the synovial membrane and it secretes a lubricant called synovial fluid. Furthermore, there is a hyaline cartilage that pads the ends of the bones in these joints. Synovial joints can be hinge joints, ball and socket joints, pivot joints, or gliding joints. They can also be saddle type or condyloid type. Different finger bones of the same finger are joined by a saddle joint while condyloid joints join the metacarpal bones to the first phalanges. Developmental Aspects of Male and Female Bones Overall Bone Similarities When it comes to bones and joints, considerable similarities exist between the framework of males and females. As a matter of fact, the skeletons of all primates exhibit certain generic features such as a large brain, highly developed fingers and thumb, generalized pattern of teeth, forward facing eyes, and bony eye sockets. The following points of resemblance are observed between the human male and human female skeleton. Both have exactly the same number of bones: 206. Same number of bones also means the same number of joints, although the precise number of joints in the human body is a matter of debate in view of differences in opinion on what constitutes a joint. An inclusive estimate indicates to the presence of about 250 to 350 joints in the human body. The shape of most bones in the male and female skeleton is similar, although some bones are differently shaped in view of the different roles of males and females. The femur or the thigh bone is the longest and strongest bone in both human males and human females. Stirrup or stapes is the smallest bone in the human skeleton irrespective of gender. This bone is located in the middle ear and its average size ranges between 0.25 cm to 0.33 cm. The average human bone density is around 1500 kg/m3 for a normal, healthy adult, although males have slightly higher bone density than women. Here again, different researchers have obtained varying results rang ing between 1000 kg/m3 to 1900 kg/m3. With this, the human skeleton comprises a significant percent of the total body weight. Exceptions Certain peculiarities or exceptions are common to the male and female skeletons. The presence of fused bones in the cranium and pelvis serves as an example here. These bones are not connected through joints but fit into each other the way pieces of a jigsaw puzzle do. The three bones in the middle ear, collectively referred to as ossicles, connect only with each other. The hyoid bone located in the neck serves as a connection point for the tongue. It is not connected to any bone in the skeleton. It is held in position only by muscles and ligaments. Overall Bone Differences Different hormones affect the development of bones in males and females and this is the primary reason for bone differences. Testosterone is the main hormone that affects bone development in males while estrogen does the same for females.  [9]  The differences between male and female skeletons can be better understood when seen in the context of differences in race, lifestyle, and physical activity. When comparisons are made between males and females of the same race and with comparable lifestyles, the following points of differences can be observed. In Relation to Childbirth There are two differences in relation to the process of childbirth covered in the precedingchapter. Females have a more movable coccyx or tailbone and a wider and flatter sacrum connected to the pelvis. The coccyx is the last bone of the backbone and sacrum is similarly located near the end of the spinal column. Such a structure allows the head and shoulders of the fetus to pass through the cavity during childbirth. Bones that make up the arms and legs are thicker, longer and, therefore, stronger in case of males. Bones in the arm include the humerus that supports the bicep, radius, and the ulna that support the forearm. Males possess relatively larger phalanges or finger bones. Size Male skeletons are usually larger and heavier than female skeletons. Traditionally, men have assumed the responsibility of hunting, gathering, and working outdoors while women have been assigned to domestic responsibilities and childbearing. Men, therefore, have traditionally needed more strength and this explains the strength-related differences in the male and female skeletons. Face The facial bone structure in males and females is different on account of difference in the structure of the skull. Men have more developed bulge at the back of the head and more noticeable brow ridges. The chin area of men is more angular and square as compared to female chins that are pointed and more rounded. Spine Length and Others The length of spine in women is shorter as compared to men. The shorter spine creates an illusion of female legs being longer than that of males. Other differences include a narrower rib cage, more rounded shoulder blades, and smaller teeth in the female skeleton. Developmental Aspects of Male and Female Joints Overall Similarities Human male and female joints have certain common features. The first similarity is the number of joints. Since the number of bones in the bodies of males and females is same, the number of joints is also same. The number of joints is between 250 to 350.  [10]  There is no exact number due to lack of unanimity on what precisely constitutes a joint. Another prominent similarity is the types of joints. Both males and females have the same types of joints according to the mechanism for holding joints together. The functions of most of the joints in males and females are similar. This point of similarity is a natural corollary to there being equal number and same type of joints. Differences Men have broader shoulders and smaller waists while women have wider hips and narrower shoulders. This makes the angles of muscle alignment and tendon attachment different in the joints of males and females.  [11]  Female joints are, on an average, more flexible and have a greater range of movement than male joints.  [12]  This is due to women having a lower center of gravity due to wider hips and greater distribution of weight around the hips and thighs. On account of this significant point, the following dissimilarities are observed: 1) It is easier for women to perform mobility exercises and exhibit actions such as hurdling and the fosbury flop during high jump, while; 2) men are better at events such as long jump, shot put, and hammer throw; 3) the said feature also makes women less susceptible to injuries during the execution of jumps over hurdles, but on the downside, this feature lowers the efficiency of the muscle pull and makes women more prone to muscle injuries and 4) elbows and ankles in the male skeleton are smaller and have a smaller carrying angle as compared to female skeletons. This makes male elbows and ankles stronger. Analysis Physiology is the study of functions of different organs and organ systems in the human body, which body consists of ten organ systems. The bodys overall health is determined by how well these systems function collectively. People are the apex creatures on this planet on account of their highly developed brain, thumb, and communication. The skeletal system consisting of bones and joints is the physical foundation on which other organ systems of the body are rested. It also protects different organs in the body and with the attached muscle system forms the musculoskeletal system that facilitates movement of movable body parts. Due to differences in their biological roles, bones and joints of men and women are slightly different. Men have broader shoulders while women have wider hips. This provides a lower center of gravity for women with greater joint flexibility and better coordination of movement. The same feature, however, makes women more prone to muscle injuries.

Free Essays on A Dolls House: Money Matters :: Dolls House essays

A Doll's House Essay: Money Matters Henrik Ibsen was born in 1828 to a wealthy family, however, when he was just eight years old his family went bankrupt, and they lost their status in society. Ibsen knew how the issue of money could destroy a person’s reputation in no time at all. Perhaps that is how he makes the characters in his play, A Doll's House , so believable. Nora and Mrs. Linde, the two main female characters in the play, have had the issues of money and forgery ruin their lives. Nora forged her dead father’s signature to get a loan. The play revolves around her struggle with her fear of being found out. Both women’s values change as the story moves along. At first, it appears that Nora values money and the status that it brings. Mrs. Linde values her own happiness, and eventually Nora realizes that the only way she will be able to live with what she has done is to do the same. From the start of the play, we see that Nora’s entire focus is on money. â€Å"Won’t it be lovely to have stacks of money and not a care in the world† (703), Nora asks Mrs. Linde. Almost every conversation she has in the play is related to money in some way or another. When Torvald, her husband, asks her what she wants for Christmas, she tells him, â€Å"You could give me money, Torvald. . . . Then I could hang the bills in pretty glit paper on the Christmas tree. Wouldn’t that be fun† (699)? Her carefree way of handling money exasperates her husband. He wants to make her happy, but he isn’t able to give her what he doesn’t have. He doesn’t know about the loan, at first, and, to him and the audience, it appears that she is just throwing her money away hopelessly. Mrs. Linde, on the other hand, knows what it is like to not have money to spare. She values money, but for an entire different purpose. The looks at it for what it is worth, and how it can help her survive. Her entire life she has had to work hard for anything that she wanted or needed. â€Å"Well, anyway,† she responded to Nora’s remark on having stacks of money, â€Å"it would be lovely enough to have enough for necessities† (703). To survive, she â€Å"had to scrape up living with a little shop and a little teaching and whatever else [she] could find† (704). Free Essays on A Doll's House: Money Matters :: Dolls House essays A Doll's House Essay: Money Matters Henrik Ibsen was born in 1828 to a wealthy family, however, when he was just eight years old his family went bankrupt, and they lost their status in society. Ibsen knew how the issue of money could destroy a person’s reputation in no time at all. Perhaps that is how he makes the characters in his play, A Doll's House , so believable. Nora and Mrs. Linde, the two main female characters in the play, have had the issues of money and forgery ruin their lives. Nora forged her dead father’s signature to get a loan. The play revolves around her struggle with her fear of being found out. Both women’s values change as the story moves along. At first, it appears that Nora values money and the status that it brings. Mrs. Linde values her own happiness, and eventually Nora realizes that the only way she will be able to live with what she has done is to do the same. From the start of the play, we see that Nora’s entire focus is on money. â€Å"Won’t it be lovely to have stacks of money and not a care in the world† (703), Nora asks Mrs. Linde. Almost every conversation she has in the play is related to money in some way or another. When Torvald, her husband, asks her what she wants for Christmas, she tells him, â€Å"You could give me money, Torvald. . . . Then I could hang the bills in pretty glit paper on the Christmas tree. Wouldn’t that be fun† (699)? Her carefree way of handling money exasperates her husband. He wants to make her happy, but he isn’t able to give her what he doesn’t have. He doesn’t know about the loan, at first, and, to him and the audience, it appears that she is just throwing her money away hopelessly. Mrs. Linde, on the other hand, knows what it is like to not have money to spare. She values money, but for an entire different purpose. The looks at it for what it is worth, and how it can help her survive. Her entire life she has had to work hard for anything that she wanted or needed. â€Å"Well, anyway,† she responded to Nora’s remark on having stacks of money, â€Å"it would be lovely enough to have enough for necessities† (703). To survive, she â€Å"had to scrape up living with a little shop and a little teaching and whatever else [she] could find† (704).

Legalization :: essays research papers

Marijuana and other â€Å"pleasure† drug are outlawed completely under Federal Statues, banned by virtually every state as well†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is not likely that excessive use of marijuana does fog the brain and causes other harm, as its enemies claim†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But this isn’t crucial point being interpreted. The key point is that if you accept the Libertarian promise that your life is your own and not the state’s, the government doesn’t have any business telling you what you can and can not do. With the exception of prohibiting you from using force or fraud against others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana, the flowering tops of the cannabis plant should be legalized. Marijuana and Hemp has many benefits including medical, economical, libertarian, and political.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana, or cannabis, is commonly described as a recreational drug. In the Unites States, it has been considered an illegal narcotic for the past sixty to seventy years. Cannabis presently is a political issue. The public and officials everywhere are discussing many issues, which concern it. When smoked or ingested, it produces a physical or mental psychological affect. The government considers the narcotic to be harmful to the nation. They believe that the drug causes health problems and accidents. Until recently, these laws have been unarguable in every state. In 1996 Propositions 215 and 200 were voted into effect in the states of California and Arizona. The propositions amend consisting laws allowing physicians to recommend marijuana as medicine and patients to grow, posses, and use it. Hemp is a form of cannabis that has been rediscovered as a natural resource. It was also banned in the 1930’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Propositions 215 amend laws to allow patients to grow and posses marijuana with doctor’s recommendation. People suffering or dying can receive a written or oral recommendation, if their doctor feels it will help them physically or mentally. In California, proposition 215 is called the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. It’s proposal won 56 % to 44% among California citizens and is beginning to take effect now. In Arizona, a similar act was passed called proposition 200. Many people, including doctors, law officials, political officials, and AIDS patients argue in favor of the proposition. They claim that cannabis is very effective in treating cancer, glaucoma, and AIDS, as well as many other illnesses. They see no reason why doctors are allowed to prescribe addictive, powerful, and lethal drugs like morphine, but are prohibited to distribute or recommend marijuana.

Environment Analysis of Greater Manchester County Essay -- Environment

My essay focuses on the county of Greater Manchester in North West England. A thriving metropolitan area, the county has been a place of interest since its rise in the Industrial Revolution. Greater Manchester is a landlocked county in the North West region of England. The Pennine mountain range runs along its northern and eastern borders, whilst the West Pennine Moors are found on its western border. To the south lies Cheshire, a flat county with large plains left by glaciers in previous Ice Ages. Greater Manchester therefore has a graded profile, with steep mountains and hills to the north-east gradually settling out to low-lying, fertile plains in the south-west. The county’s geology consists mainly of rock from 3 geological periods; the Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic, alongside glacial deposits left over from Ice Ages in the Quaternary period. The oldest rocks seem to be found in the north-east of the county, and the youngest in the south-east. The Permian and Triassic rocks laid down are indicative of hot, desert conditions with the formation of mudstones and sandstones; Red Permian sandstones are overlaid by red, brown and yellow Triassic sandstones and mudstones from the Sherwood Sandstone Group. These rocks are found mainly in southern Greater Manchester. (Natural England). Glacial till is also common in the low-lying areas to the south and west of Greater Manchester. Following frequent changes in climate in the Quaternary period, glaciers have advanced and retreated leaving a layer of glacial deposits in their wake (Natural England). These deposits were transported downstream via meltwater rivers to lowland areas, making them fertile and very useful for pastoral farming. As such, lowland areas have become popula... ...ved January 16, 2011, from Crimestop Guards: http://www.crimestopguards.co.uk/manchester.htm Geology Roam. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from Edina Digimap: http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/geologymapper/geologymapper;jsessionid=2E1FABFC46F36A0FF08FE920D9377244?execution=e1s1 Greater Manchester. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Manchester#Climate Natural England. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from Natural England: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/geodiversity/englands/counties/area_ID15.aspx Seager, R. (2006). The Source of Europe's Mild Climate. American Scientist, 334 - 341. UK Mine & Quarry Listout - North West England. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from UK Mine & Quarry Listout - North West England: http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines-quarries-uk-regions/north-west-england/

Devoir sur college education

It is divided into many levels : elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and University. However, today , education giving in college makes object of query. Why is it important to me? I am going to analyze its foundation, involvement, and its advantages in order to make light upon its importance. In fact, the access to a college education takes on a considerable importance. That is why the number of students who frequent college nowadays increases. This situation incites me to take place in view to obtain promotion in the Labor Market.College is the place by excellence or the obliged passage for the better life preparation. The good functioning of the colleges is considered as an indubitable economic asset. So, the great European countries, to support the international competition, have they been embarked on for about ten years in an immense movement of Universities reflection and reform. Being full of state of fact, I must straggle to complete my college education to ensure a better life. This is utmost dream! College education will contribute to make me proud and more confident as for my future.Education received in college will permit me not only achieving my goals, but also to ensure to my family a better life. It will help me face up to eventualities. Moreover, the world complexity according to the global village, demands to implement a pile of skills in all what we do. So, college education puts me them up. My future is confident with it, and I will obtain a better employment because the Labor Market imposes a series of criteria. College education is very important to me. There is no more place else that can permit to reach my goals. The education that it provides is very useful.There is no frontier or border that can resist at College Education's assault. Many people want to gain success in their lives but don't have the necessary motivation permitting them to realize their objectives. Myself, when I finished my secondary school, I was 21 years old. I studied Accounting. I have been working since 1 997 in an Institution, but I feel that is not enough. I want to have a great promotion in order to be a role model for my children. That's why I am enrolled at Seaworthy College for Business Administration to benefit carefully its education.The willing to become a well prepared person motivates me and learn at Seaworthy College a variety of things such as : writing skills, self motivation , self discipline, and improving my thinking skills. College Education learns me equally to rely on myself and develop those skills y implementing (Kinesthesia approach ) in view to prepare me to become a great professional. College Education imposes me challenges that I impose to myself by † expanding my thinking and learning to think outside the box. â€Å"College Education furnishes me which I will need to develop my mind and reach success. Thanks to College Education !I have access to methodic Research. By now, get a universal vision. It learns me to carry out the comparative study ( contrast ) and to look at all the pros and the cons. College Education recommends me to see the problem from different angles, to not edge the outcomes in the taken decisions. It's been instilled in me the discernment concept. College Education is truly necessary and it is the preparatory step to the great eventualities in the life. It awakens in me the sense of logic ( critical thinking ),reason. Education acquired in College is so much important to me that the words are lacking to me to express my adoration to it.Does College Education bring change to my life? In fact, begin to think another manner. I give the priority to critical thinking. College Education has developed in me the research sense and shown me to discern the good from bad. College Education is become a weapon between my hands permitting me to confront the challenges that represent the Labor Market, better life, human progress, and the community development entirely. College Education has given me the opportunity to learn to organize and structure my thoughts, write clearly and pay attention to the grammar rules.It permits me to make the difference between General writing and Academic writing. It attracts my attention on the † writing process helps me communicate in the online learning environment, which include writing for exams, papers, and discussions board. If I follow meticulously the communication rules in online course or Education environment, according to Bright Hub, will ensure my success. One of rules which retains the most my attention is the Golden Rule : † Do unto others what you want others do unto you College Education reminds me this rules which is so important in my life.It learns me to be careful in what I write and aim for the positive. It encourages me to be proactive in the communication, and to not run-on sentence and fragments. College Education is very important to me. It shows me how taking a test and improving my grades. At the start, I was very dressed when I took a test. Now, the stress is broken up because College Education has awoken in me the notion of internal and external motivation, and the difference which exists between them. College Education helps me choose and determine my learning style and my test-taking strategies.Will a quick look on the universities in U. S. A permit us to surround the College Education ‘importance? Indeed, in U. S. A, at the moment where universities began their rise which had to conduct them at level that they have actually, Price, an American Philosopher, has defined on 1 891 University as an â€Å"Association of men well quipped with and privileged by the state, so that the people might receive and intellectual formation or education and that the theoretical problems which come up during the civilization development might be resolved. So, even the State has comprehended the necessity to put on College Education a considerable sup port. So to speak, College Education is very necessary because it will help me face to multiple challenges waiting for me. I can't under-estimate the Education furnished by Colleges since they put down the real specialization basis. College Education is very important to me because it allows me to furnish my knowledge in the pathway toward university. Let me give an anecdote: â€Å"l know a person who wanted to frequent University.He has a passion for medicine, but he couldn't cross the College step. He obliged to give up. â€Å"So many reasons explain the importance of College Education and the necessity to maintain this opportunity in order to achieve its goals. College Education shows me how to manage my time by according priority to my goals. It gives me tools that are extremely valuable in my life and changes my behavior. It learns me to not procrastinate, to create a daily to-do list, to schedule, to strategies and how to spend my time. College Education allows me to set mea ningful and valuable goals.It has learnt me to be smart about my goals, to write them down, to create an action plan and commit to it. On the culture and social level, the importance of Colleges and Universities is evident today. It is the reflect of recent studies. The survey that have just come to make on the different aspects of College Education permits us to well figure out, and relate its importance. College Education allows me to strengthen the basis for a real orienteering. The tuned' future depends for a great part on Education received at College. The period passed in it marks him deeply and guides inevitably his future.

Mental Duality Essay

Everyone is familiar with the famous Rubin face-vase drawing, a black and white print in which one can simultaneously perceive faces by focusing on the black ink or a vase by focusing on the white. If I announce that this is a picture of a vase, am I right? However you announce you see a picture of two faces, are you right? Who’s right? Are we both right? Or are we both wrong? Is it right and wrong; good and evil? I believe neurobiological research, as well as personal anecdotal study; have demonstrated that dichotomous thinking, (mental duality) is an appropriate expectation for developing brains. However an evolved adult brain has developed the ability (free will) to reconcile their emotional reactivity with reality to understand that there are very few absolutes in life. The picture is both face and vase. You and I may only see one figure; however that does not mean the other does not exist. To see the truth one must integrate the entire picture, black and white, good and evil. In studying Roger Sperry and A.L. Wigan’s work on mental duality, Roland Puccetti believed there were two people inside each human organism. By saying there were two people; Puccetti believed there were two minds with separate streams of consciousness that were therefore capable of separate volitions, or courses of action. Puccetti was attempting through science to justify dichotomous thinking, and therefore indirectly justify dichotomous concepts of good and evil. Critics of Puccetti often pointed to an introspective argument to counter his ideas. This argument was based on someone looking within oneself and realizing they had only one mind because they did not feel two streams of consciousness or separate volitions. This was based on the idea that at one exact point in time, a person seemed capable of realizing and reacting to only one stream of thought. Likewise, there was also a behavior-based argument to reject Puccetti’s hypothesis. This objection, unlike the introspective, asked the reader to examine the behavior, more specifically the volition, of others. In looking at others, it appeared fairly simple for the reader to reject dual minds, because, anecdotally, it never seemed like people behaved with two different minds and decision-making centers. To the onlooker, it never seemed that a person had one decision-making center fighting to act over the other. Ultimately, these introspective and behavioral arguments created a lot of doubt about the idea of dual mindedness and by extrapolation cast doubt on simplified concepts of good and evil. There is reassurance in the certitude of a definitive right and wrong. People, including myself, like to believe they are right and good. Ironically, it is in the believing that I am right that makes me wrong! We mortals have the capacity (free will or volition) to be infinitely right or wrong. However, if God is right and evil is wrong, and this dichotomy exists, then I (and Pucetti) want to be â€Å"right†. In response to the introspective argument, Puccetti looked to the distinction between persons and human organisms to explain his reasoning. He defined a person as a complex minded entity that actually had experiences, whereas a human organism was the combination of the biological substrate of two persons, each of which had one mind. In his view, the human organism did not see or experience anything so therefore the human organism was incapable of being conscious. Puccetti, however, believed there was interconnectedness between the left and right hemisphere in which the left hemisphere received a stream of stimuli or experience from the right side of the body and through the corpus callosum this signal went to the right hemisphere. This connectedness worked both from the left hemisphere to the right hemisphere and also right to left. The two hemispheres were able to create their own consciousness through the unique capabilities of each hemisphere once this stream of experience was shared from one side to the other. This idea ultimately allowed each person and corresponding mind to know what was happening to the other side of the body, without being conscious of the experience in the other. While introspection argued that we only received one stream of experience or stimuli at a time, this idea put forth by Puccetti offered a union of two streams of experience before the conscious state. Therefore, while introspectively it seemed there was only one stream, there quite possibly were two conscious streams that joined together through the complex network of commissures. While Puccetti was convinced of dual mindedness, Thomas Nagel suggested that our idea of â€Å"single mind† precluded this possibility in normal functioning humans. Nagle believed that if a single mind did not apply to ordinary individuals with intact brains then the idea of a single mind should be scrapped altogether. For his argument, Nagle relied heavily on paradigm, or model, examples. Nagle compared how the mind was defined to the idea of how colors were assigned. When we were all young, we learned the concept â€Å"red, the color† likely by being shown an object that was red and taking it as fact. However, the world presents with much more complexity. Even when examining color, few things are absolutely 100% red. The human eye sees red when it looks at light with a wavelength between 620-740 nanometers. In the 1600s, people were wrongfully accused of being witches (evil) after people (presumably people who were struggling with mentally duality) went out looking for them and pointed them out. They were identified as witches, and therefore 100% evil. The definition of a witch implied evil, magical powers, and witchcraft; however, the identification of these individuals was made on an emotional and unfortunately finite basis. Similarly, in ancient times, an element was thought to be the most basic material that could not be broken down. Examples of such eleme nts were earth, wind, fire, and water. We now know, however, that this was not true and that these elements were not the most basic building materials. Seen through both witch and element, dichotomous thinking or mental dualities are extremely difficult to support by simple paradigm example. These two examples hardly defined themselves because they were not correct examples only perceptions. In these cases the examples did not match what they were intended to; they were misapplied concepts. Likewise, this idea would be useful in describing a â€Å"single mind†. Just like the aforementioned examples, one could be drastically misapplying the concept of what a single mind is. While we may see what appears to be a single mind and call it a single mind, the question of whether or not we know what that concept truly encompasses comes to issue. Nagle showed the complexity of the mind as he somewhat contradicted himself when he described simultaneous attention to two incompatible tasks; perhaps similar to our vase and our faces. The threat to the absolutes implicitly calls into question our perception of our internal absolute. Are we good, intelligent, strong?, absolutely? As he threatened assumptions about the unity of consciousness, he also hindered understanding and empathy of another individuals. Puccetti’s belief of â€Å"no-creation-by-splitting† implied that if Sperry’s split-brain patients were thought to have two minds, then one must also assume normal functioning individuals had two minds. If we assumed that brain-splitting could not create two minds, however, and believed that Sperry’s patients actually had two minds, then we needed to conclude that normal functioning humans with intact brains still had two minds. While Puccetti did not provide concrete reasoning to why he believed splitting a brain could not create two minds, he did believe it made more sense to assume the two minds existed prior to surgery. To Puccetti, it is more believable that such a condition was present to begin with than gained through such a procedure. As put forth by Nagle, however, an explanation of mental unity, a capacity to accept the co-existence of complexity, helped to explain the â€Å"split minds†. Nagle stated that we subtly ignore the possibility that the unity of our mind was not actually absolute, but rather another case of integration to one’s control system. Nagle believed the unified brain was made through numerous functional connections across itself. These connections ultimately could be rerouted and cut to create separate minds. Modern research on brain plasticity certainly validates portions of Nagle’s premise. Therefore, while we often think of this unity as numerically absolute, the number of minds was likely relative and performance a function of integration. Through this thought of unity, it was clear why Nagle believed that it was possible to create separate minds through brain splitting and disconnection. †¦ And when I was a child, I thought that God was the God who only saw black and white. Now that I am no longer a child, I can see, that God is the God who can see the black and the white and the grey, too, and He dances on the grey!†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ― C. JoyBell C. There are not two minds. While I do believe there are two parts of the brain connected by certain commissures and connections, I do not believe there are two separate streams of consciousness. Never have I seen someone strain and fight between two different minds. However, often have I witnessed and felt the strain between good and evil and the struggle to understand the grey. Name one premise that every single person in the world would absolutely agree is absolutely positive and has absolutely no negative consequences? There is scientific research to show the interconnectedness of the brain. In previous articles the brains were often manipulated to act independently from one another. Current science details physiological processes and peripheral cues between the two parts of the brain resulting in one conscious mind and an individual in full control of his decisions. I believe much of the search for the dual-minded, was to alleviate the discomfort of moral ambiguity and organic comp lexity.