Legalization of Drugs Research Paper

Legalization of Drugs Research Paper Legalization of Drugs Research Paper Research Paper on Legalization of Drugs has more benefits than harm: Introduction A drug is any substance that alters the normal biological functions of the body. Production of Illegal drugs is normally prohibited and their use is strictly controlled because they can lead to addiction or habituation. Drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana can be extremely dangerous if wrongly used and beneficial if put into correct use. The issue of drug use and misuse has posed a serious real problem. Prohibition of drug use has been at the center of discussion in various countries across the globe. Since this drugs are now on the hands of the nastiest criminals all over the world, control and regulations are necessary. The only remedy to this menace is full legalization accompanied by appropriate controls. I fully support the motion that drugs should be legalized since prohibition will deny the authorities the chance to educate the children on proper use of the drugs (Gargaro). The ongoing debate on legalization of drugs is asking the government whether it will help in solving drug problems appropriately. If I were asked a similar question, I would say yes. This is because the current prohibitions on drugs are just mopping up the problem and not providing real solutions. Legalization and taxations are the only ways through which real solutions can be achieved. Just think of this situation; at least every year in Britain, criminals control billions of pounds in the drug industry instead of the government and traders through the black market. This kind of business has encouraged global terrorism, illegal munitions trade, control on prostitution, and sexual slavery. Almost half of all the criminal offenses committed in the country are drug related. Couldn’t reducing these crimes free our legal services and prisons at least for a moment? Unnecessary prohibitions on drug use has led our children into committing drug related crimes, and this has denied the m the much needed advice on drugs, besides undermining our respect for the law. The government should therefore take the obvious step, put all the drugs state control, and impose legislation and taxes on their sale. This will relieve our country the burden of staggering under unnecessary prohibitions (Gray). Prohibitions on drug and substance abuse such as alcohol have been in place since the 1920s in the US and other developed countries. It has made people believe that taking it is a criminal activity, which can land someone in jail. The ill effects of the drugs and alcohol are so adverse such that no sane person could like to be associated with them by using the drug. So many people are convinced that these effects are harmful, and have successfully restrained from the habit. It is good to establish such a law in the society, and most government has effectively controlled drug abuse since time immemorial through prohibitions. For example, the alcohol prohibition act of the 1920s proved effective because cases of alcohol consumption greatly dropped even though it did not succeed in eliminating the alcohol. The rate of crime and drunkenness dropped and taxes were reduced by putting the offenders in jail. Minor crimes such as vagrancy, public indecency, and disorderliness have been succes sfully eliminated use to these prohibitions. This is enough prove that this method really works (C.S). Prohibition of drug use in countries such as the United States, Britain, and other parts of the larger Europe has proved to be futile and the war on drugs in these societies has caused multiple harms to the users. Since prohibition is aimed at increasing price and penalty of a serious drug habit, it makes it unaffordable for most individuals. Penalizing the use of the drugs drives the law-abiding individuals into the criminal market economy. Criminalizing users and prohibitions exposes them to health risks that could have otherwise been avoided. In addition, it doesn’t make sense to criminalize some drugs while providing a free market to others. This distracts attention from legal to those that are harmful but legal, such as alcohol. The prohibition on drugs has never and will never work. This attempt of trying to deny people their right of doing what they want with their bodies is doomed to fail as long as the person using the drug does not harm his or her neighbor. The curre nt method that has long been used to fight the drug war is very expensive and has not yielded any meaningful results. It is a simplistic solution that has all along failed to recognize the complexity surrounding the problem. It has also been oblivious of the dangers a drug has on the individual. Full scale legalization of the drug act will enable the state to educate the public on risks associated with drug use, and how such problems can be taken care of. While there is a possibility that the act of legalization of drugs will attract more users, their lives will be much healthier and safer. Let us not get speculative here, since we are aware of people who used to take drugs but still leading healthy lives. For instance Barrack Obama to have taken Cocaine (Hope). The common myth surrounding the whole idea of legalizing drugs is that it will make people law abiding citizens, and enable the government to tax the industry. However, I am not sure whether the cartels will be naà ¯ve enough to allow the government takes over such a lucrative business. If the cigarette market has been able to evade the government’s taxing system, what about this industry that has an elaborate network of producers and illegal suppliers in the market? Legalizing and taxing drugs as some argue is not a solution to the drug menace in the world today. The reason is that the black market will be given an easy path to groove is because the act will be made socially acceptable. It will be much easier to take these substances to the market under the legalization act as opposed to government regulated outlets. This would also increase funding for the crime because the drugs will be easily accessed by users who can in turn lure non-users since there are no laws prohibi ting the act. What are the results? The drugs will circulate in the society, destroy more lives, tear families, and cause people to be violent. Even if the current war on drugs is not effective, legalizing drugs is much worse and should not be passed into law (James). Conclusion The war on drug has brought more harm than good, and the policy on drug use has failed to protect the people it is intended to. In Mexico alone, the war on drug policy has claimed close to 14,000 lives since 2006. This figure does not however include those people who have been traumatized, maimed or displaced. Prohibitions on drug use have resulted in wars between the authority and the users in most cities across the world, and this battle seems not to be coming to an end any time soon. The war on drug should therefore, be stopped and pave way for the government to impose control measures and legalize the whole business. I support this motion because I believe that the outcomes of such a move would be beneficial, both for the state itself and in the fight against global drugs crime. At you can buy research papers on Legalization of Drugs. All custom research papers are written from scratch. High quality and timely delivery guarantee!

Sports Vocabulary for English Learners

Sports Vocabulary for English Learners   The words below are the most important words used when discussing sports. Words are categorized into different sections. Youll find example sentences for each word to help provide context for learning.   Equipment Ball - Pick up the ball and throw it to me.  Football - American footballs are different than European footballs.  Hockey puck - He slapped the hockey puck into the goal.  Golf ball - Golf balls are small and very hard. Golfers can hit them over 300 yards!Bat - The baseball player picked up the bat and stepped up to the plate.  Cue - The pool player put resin on his cue while he considered his shot.  Golf club - You can carry up to 14 golf clubs when you play golf.  Hockey stick - The hockey stick was originally made of wood.  Ice skates - Ice skates have a long thin blade that slides over the ice.  Mitt - The baseball player catches the ball in a mitt.  Racing car - He got into the racing car and drove down the track.  Tennis/ squash/badminton racket - Many professionals bring six or more racquets with them to the match.  Saddle - Put the saddle on the horse and well take a ride in the hills.  Skis - Skis are long and thin and can be difficult to use.  Snow board - Many people prefer to use a snowboard to descend the slope.   Shuttlecock - The shuttlecock is used in the game of badminton.  Surfboard - In Hawaii, surfers use their surfboards to go down waves. People Athlete - Athletes need to stay in excellent shape.  Badminton player - The badminton player picked up the racket and began the game.  Basketball player - Some basketball players are paid over $5 million a year!Boxer - Boxers fight in categories such as lightweight and heavyweight.  Cyclist - The cyclists on the Tour de France often ride over 100 kilometers a day.  Diver - The diver spent one hour under water.  Footballer /football player - Europes top footballers are often national heroes.  Golfer - Golfers need steady nerves as they hit the small golfball two hundred yards into a crowd of spectators.  Gymnast - Gymnasts are often young and train hours every day.  Hockey player - Hockey players skate quickly on the ice.  Jockey - A jockey needs to be small and lightweight.  Ice skater - Ice skaters are often elegant artists on the ice as they skate to the music.  Racing driver - The racing driver sped past his nemesis.  Skier - The skier raced down the hill t o beat the best time.  Squash/tennis/ badminton/volleyball/rugby player - Tennis players have to travel all over the world for important tournaments.   Surfer - Many people think the life of a surfer on the beach must be a dream come true.Swimmer - Are you a strong swimmer?  Weight lifter - The weight lifter lifted over 200 kilos.   Places Circuit - The race circuit cuts through the city and out into the country.  Court - A basketball court has a wooden floor.  Course - The golf course has eighteen beautiful holes.  Feld - The soccer field is located at the end of this street.  Gym - How often do you go to the gym to workout?Pitch - The players came onto the rugby pitch to begin the match.  Ring - The boxers got into the ring, shook hands, and began the fight.  Rink - During the winter, I like to go to the rink and ice-skate.  Stadium - Some stadiums can hold more than 100,000 people! Types of Sports Athletics (do) - Children should do a wide range of athletics.  Badminton (play) - You need a net, two racquets, and a shuttlecock to play badminton.  Basketball (play) - I used to play basketball when I was in high school.  Boxing - Boxing is a violent sport.  Cycling - Cycling calls for great stamina.  Diving - Diving off a cliff must take courage.  Football (play) - He played football during college.  Golf (play) - How often do you play golf?Gymnastics (do) - My sister did gymnastics when she was younger.  Hockey (play) - We liked to play hockey up in the north.  Horse racing - Horse-racing is quite an expensive sport.  Ice skating - Ice-skating is a popular Olympic sport.  Motor racing - Motor-racing might be exciting, but its very loud.Riding - Riding through the woods must be lovely.  Rugby (play) - We played the rugby match last week.  Skiing - Skiing can be very a very expensive sport because of lift tickets and equipment.  Snooker (play) - We play ed snooker until early in the morning.  Squash (play) - We play squash indoors with a long racket and small, hardball.   Surfing - Surfing is big business in California.  Swimming - Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise because it involves all our muscles.  Tennis (play) - She played tennis on her high school team.  Volleyball (play) - The women played volleyball on the court.  Weightlifting - Weightlifting requires keeping a strict diet.  Windsurfing - Windsurfing is a popular sport in Hood River, Oregon.

Choose a set of military images or objects and consider how they have Essay - 1

Choose a set of military images or objects and consider how they have mobilized popular opinion in support of war - Essay Example It is only though the lens that the civilized world has come to known the grotesque realities that is bestowed mostly upon the innocent civilians. Be it the Vietnam War, the World War II, and the Afghanistan war, the consequences have always been the same. In such situations, photographers of courage, and practically, photographers of luck have played vital role in mobilizing an entire public opinion in either way. Nevertheless, history has been the testimony of the fact that images speak loud. This paper presents few such images and their cause and effect in influencing the opinion of people in the event of a war and its subsequent outcome. The images have been captured under different conditions and times, although all have a common element of historical value. All of them represent the times during which they were clicked and in some or the other way bore importance in prominent aspects of history. When Eddie Adams shot this picture of a South Vietnamese General- Nguyen Ngoc Loan shooting a suspected Vietcong guerrilla, he might have never known how intensified would be the ripples that this image would generate. â€Å"It earned Adams a Pulitzer Prize† (Coward 2004). Although the image brought out anti-war feelings as â€Å"public approval certainly cannot be taken for granted† (Handel 1992), what it did was to escalate the Tet Offensive which was a massive campaign against the Republic of Vietnam forces and the U.S. and its allies. Although the fate of a war is never known, bitter feelings on any side always tend to extend the war as might have been in the case of the Vietnam war which went on till a few more years. Although Adams’ first comment was- â€Å"The general killed the Viet Cong; I killed the general with my camera.† (Robbins 2010), he later on apologized to Nguyen for whatever humiliation the photograph did to his reputation. On the 11th of September 2011, when an airliner hit the North Block of the World Trade Center, Richard Drew was

Financial Report Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Report Analysis - Essay Example The company has been listed on the major stock markets around the world for years. The major benefit of floating a company's shares in the stock market is that the company's shares become available to general public, which in turn helps a company to generate more equity finance for the company without any liability. This is the reason Tesco Plc does not need much of debt finance to fund its business operations. It has more of equity finance readily available inside the company without having to pay any interest and without any liability to pay off the amount in future. It has transformed its entire capital structure and as evident from its annual reports for the last three years, the company has been minimizing the extent of external debt used for financing. Thus, issuance of shares publicly and stock market listing is very useful for a company in increasing the financing options to obtain necessary funds for the business. Listing in stock market is very beneficial to a company's shareholders. It enhances the liquidity of shares owned by the shareholders, hence they become more marketable as the shares can easily be bought and sold in the stock market. It becomes more convenient for the shareholders to determine the market value of shares in their hands. Apart from these benefits, the shareholders get an opportunity to obtain financial gains out of the shares they own other than the dividends paid by the company and the opportunity is the Earning per Share of the company's shares. Tesco Plc's EPS has had an increasing trend over the years and it is one of the major benefits of stock market listing to the shareholders of the company. Deciding the Mix of Debt and Equity Finance When deciding upon the mix of suitable debt and equity finance, a company needs to consider a lot of issues. Some of them are listed below: The extent of ownership and control the company is ready to sacrifice. The different types of financing options available to the company and the cost of financing The amount of cash available to pay off the borrowed money and interest payment Word count: 495 words QUESTION 2 Importance of Cash According to Bernstein Leopold A. (1993, p129), "Cash is considered the most liquid of assets. In fact, it represents the starting point, as well as the finish line, of what is known as the accounting cycle" Cash is the life blood of any business activity. No business can run without the sufficient availability of cash to run its operations. Cash is needed in the company to meet its various short terms needs, payments of current liabilities and meeting day to day business expenses. Cash also forms a vital part of the working capital, which determines the health of a company in terms of short-term liquidity. Tesco Plc- Cash Management Policy A company can manage its cash and cash equivalent assets by controlling the payment collection methods, curbing unnecessary expenses and utilizing the uninvested cash lying in the company. Tesco Plc has described its supplier payment policy in its Directors' report section of the annual report. Also, the company's cash management can be assessed with the help of the cash flow statement. However, the company has not displayed any

How multi agencies work together Essay Example for Free

How multi agencies work together Essay There are many agencies that we work with to help with children and young peoples development. When we look at behavioural development, social interactions and speech development all these agencies link together. We use nursery transition days to help the child settle into their new environments and arrange intake visits and meetings with the school for a smoother transition. Social services is used if we have any concerns of a childs well being so then police and a designated social worker would also be involved. The health team are always on hand to help if any families need support with parenting or any development issues. They will then offer parents appropriate courses such as nurturing. At Playgroup we can point in the right direction of any help needed such as our family intervention officers who go into the family homes and will discuss any problems families may have. We run a language and play session which families are invited to where they can enjoy some one to one time with their child to do various activities that will enhance development and build parents confidence too. We have various teachers who can give us support too that work within flying start that can give advice on childrens development and help observe children if we feel there are any problems. Also we can offer one to one support to children if they need it as many of us have had relevant training through senco. We work with health visitors on a daily basis as they are in the same building as us. They give us all relevant information on new children due to start and if there are any concerns with children already with us. We would discuss any issues we have with any children to the designated health visitor of the child as they have all relevant information on that child. Sogs assessments are a good way to see if a child is lacking in any developmental stage and these are used to determine if any outside agencies are called in to discuss anything further. We have also worked closely with social services and have attested child protection conferences. These help us understand what is going on with the child in their home environment and will help us understand if there have been changes in the childs development at Playgroup too. We are able to keep all information confidential and it is only available to the relevant people involved. All staff are made aware of any children that are put on the child protection  list and all staff have their child protection training updated so we are aware of what we do if we are unsure of a childs well being.

Genocide Essays -- essays research papers

Genocide is a reality that no one can ever conquer or vanish if they are working alone or do not look at the consequences upon taking choices of action. We as Americans feel it is our duty to only take a course of action if we know and are fully aware of the actions being made against the people, or if we are being affected directly. If it does not affect us and we do not know about it then obviously we cannot do anything about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We feel that if we know what is going on and it is not directly affecting us then we will tell them to stop what they are doing and give them a â€Å"false† threat to hopefully scare them into stopping whatever they are doing. We also feel that if we are not being directly attacked and we know what is going on we will wait for surrounding UN countries to take action before sending our troops into something we are not excited about getting into. If the UN troops fail, we will jump in and try our best to stop whatever is going on. However, if they succeed then we will not intervene with the process of any clean up of the genocide or after activities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our first priority on our country today is the citizens living inside of it. We have millions of troops in our army, marines, navy, and air force that would be going over and risking their lives for something we aren’t apart of. If the other countries can handle it then why should we be involved?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We also need to respe...

Impact of Technology Essay

Information Tech has revolutionized the phase of business around the world. Local businesses have become international due to a simple website. I. T. has helped businesses in advertising. People who check their email may suddenly have a pop up at their page ends with sales up to 60% at JC Penny’s! I. T. has helped in customer service, huge corporations like Microsoft attend to customer needs through email and chat services. Networking internal and external in organizations has improved the working of businesses. Staffs and clients likewise can get in touch with the managers for feedback, progress reports and extensions. Communication has bloomed, two business organizations if they need to work together can easily do so. Hotmail, when merged with MSN was easy since the service was online. Business these days require a lot of planning, due to high tech organization systems on computers, planning can be done on an organized pattern, with schedule formats, grant charts etc. Huge databases can now be controlled and stored on network and back up drives. Accessibility of files also has become an easy task with series of password keys and shared folders. Cash transactions are easily made, delay in reduced hence giving liquidity to business. Businesses have been at the forefront of technology for ages. Whatever can speed production will draw in more business. As computers emerged in the 20th century, they promised a new age of information technology. But in order to reap the benefits, businesses needed to adapt and change their infrastructure. For example, American Airlines started using a computerized flight booking system, and Bank of America took on an automated check-processing system. Obviously, now, most business is conducted over personal computers or communication devices. Computers offer companies a way to organize dense databases, personal schedules and various other forms of essential information. As information travels faster and faster and more reliably, barriers of distance disappear, and businesses are realizing how easy it is to outsource jobs overseas. Outsourcing refers to the practice of hiring employees who work outside the company or remotely — and even halfway across the world. Companies can outsource duties such as computer programming and telephone customer service. They can even outsource fast-food restaurant service — don’t be surprised if you’re putting in your hamburger order with a fast-food employee working in a different country entirely. Outsourcing is a controversial practice, and many believe that U. S. companies who take part are hurting the job market in their own country. Nonetheless, from a business perspective, it seems like the wisest route, saving companies between 30 and 70 percent. Another technology that’s starting to revolutionize business is actually not very new — it’s just cheaper these days. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is infiltrating and changing business significantly in a few ways. Microchips that store information (such as a number equivalent of a barcode and even an up-to-date history of the chip’s travels) can be attached to product, and this helps companies keep track of their inventory. Some businesses have even begun to use RFID chip implants in humans to tighten security. An access control reader detects the chip’s signal and permits the employee access to the door. But many people are concerned about privacy issues if this were to become widespread practice. Handheld devices like Blackberries have become wildly popular for businesses because they let users check and send email from anywhere, and browse the Internet. Impact of Communication Technology on Life Think of the days when there were no computers and no modern means of transport. Human life was highly restricted due to the unavailability of technological applications. Daily life involved a lot of physical activity. Life of the common man was not as luxurious as that of modern times, but he was more active. Exercise was integrated into routine physical activities. It was contrary to the sedentary lifestyle of today, which leaves no time for exercise and fills days with inactivity and laze. Today we don’t want to, and thanks to technology, don’t even need to, walk, move around or exert physically to get things done. We have the world is at our fingertips. We think of technology as a boon to society. I am afraid; it’s not completely a boon. The Internet has bred many unethical practices like hacking, spamming and phishing. Internet crime is on the rise. The Internet, being an open platform lacks regulation. There is no regulation on the content displayed on websites. Internet gambling has become an addiction for many. Overexposure to the Internet has taken its toll. In this virtual world, you can be who you are not, you can be virtually living even after you die. Isn’t this weird? Children are spending all their time playing online and less or almost no time playing on the ground. Youngsters are spending most of their time social networking, missing on the joys of real social life. Think of the days when there were no online messengers, no emails and no cell phones. Indeed cellular technology made it possible for us to communicate over wireless media. Web communication facilities have worked wonders in speeding long-distance communication. On the other hand, they have deprived mankind of the warmth of personal contact. Emails replaced handwritten letters and communication lost its personal touch. With the means of communication so easily accessible, that magic in waiting to reach someone and the excitement that followed have vanished. Moreover, we have become excessively dependent on technology. Is so much of dependency good? Is it right to rely on machines to such an extent? Is it right to depend on computers rather than relying on human intellect? Computer technology and robotics are trying to substitute for human intellect. With the fast advancing technology, we have started harnessing artificial intelligence in many fields. Where is the digital divide going to take us? How is our ‘tomorrow’ going to be? ‘Machines replacing human beings’ does not portray a rosy picture, does it? It can lead to serious issues like unemployment and crime. An excessive use of machines in every field can result in an under-utilization of human brains. Over time, we may even lose our intellectual abilities. You know of the declining mathematical abilities in children due to use of calculators since school, don’t you? The impact of technology on society is deep. It is both positive and negative. Technology has largely influenced every aspect of living. It has made life easy, but so easy that it may lose its charm one day. One can cherish an accomplishment only if it comes after effort. But everything has become so easily available due to technology that it has lost its value. There is a certain kind of enjoyment in achieving things after striving for them. But with everything a few clicks away, there is no striving, there’s only striking. With the developments in technology, we may be able to enjoy all the pricey luxuries in life but at the cost of losing its priceless joys.

Analysis of poem “Muliebrity” by Sujata Bhatt Essay

The poem muliebrity by Sujata Bhatt, talks about the power women possess and the character of women, who take pride in what they do, even if it is just picking cow-dung. The poet speaks of a girl, who is a representation of village women, who does the tedious job of picking cow-dung outside a temple and the girl is described in a very reverential manner. The title of the poem muliebrity, suggests womanhood. The connotation of the title, status and power of a woman, is reflected in the poem where the author uses the words greatness and power. The poet talks about her imperative childhood experiences through her poems, using an optimistic tone, to make it more affective. With a delightful tone, she describes the scenery at the village. There is use of enjambment in the poem, to stress on how long ago the poet saw the girl and it could also suggest a feeling of nostalgia. A very simple tone and language is used in the poem, to indicate the simplicity of the situation. The poet says that she has thought so much about the girl, suggesting that the poet respects the girl and is in awe of the way the girl holds her head high, despite the fact that she does a menial job of picking dung. The poet ponders on why the girl does something that isnt usually expected to be done by her and stresses on the dignity of labour showing how, even though it is an undermining task, she does it happily. She is impressed by the girls commitment and dedication to her work. A very positive approach is shown towards the work done, as expectations do not stop the girl from doing what she wants to do. The poet, very intricately describes the feminine movements and attitude of the girl toward her job. she talks about the way she moved her hands and waist, indicating the presence of womanhood in the girl, and even though her job is to scoop dung, which is considered as a very demeaning job, she has retained the femininity in her and still has pride in herself. Even further in the poem, the author depicts the independence of the girl, as she says power glistening through her cheekbones. The poet also describes the stench of the atmosphere in which the girl has to work, as she says smell of cow-dung and smell of monkey-breath. On the contrary, the smell of freshly washed clothes and of canna lilies is also  mentioned, which tells us that though the girls job is not very dignified, the poet approaches the girl very positively. The girl picks up dung outside a temple, which shows that she is serving the society. The poet interprets this job as one which is very respectful. She uses visual imagery, as she describes the surroundings of the girl and the repulsive smells in so much detail, that the audience would be able to imagine the situation. The smells besiege the poet separately and simultaneously, which tells us that though all these smells are present together, she describes them individually so that it has a deeper impact on the readers. The poet says that she doesnt want to use the girl as a metaphor, and as a role model for every other woman, but she doesnt want to forget the girl, who retained the womanhood in her, irrespective of her job. The poet explores all the feminine qualities of a woman through this poem, elegance, pride, dignity, independence and the way a woman presents herself to the world, having a strong and powerful personality. The poet indirectly conveys to her audience how an ideal woman should be, possessing all the above qualities, and even though the poet mentions that she doesnt want to use the girl as a metaphor, she subtly expresses that every woman should exhibit such traits. Even as the girl picks up cow dung, she feels good about herself, as she is doing this job for her living, and she takes pride in it, which is what the poet tries to tell the audience. The image of the girl is portrayed very well, and the author uses the girl effectively to explore womanhood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muliebrity

Bicycle thief essays

Bicycle thief essays Since the beginning of its existence as a country, Italy has faced enormous challenges in establishing itself as a unified political and social entity. The geographic, economic, and linguistic differences between its various regions and the artificial manner in which they were amalgamated created a legacy of internal divisions that continues to dominate the country's political climate to this day. Italy's numerous historical fiascoes, such as its disastrous involvement in the two World Wars and the rise of fascism, further escalated the domestic problems that had haunted it since the Risorgimento. At first, the anti-fascist Resistance movement, which dominated the end of World War II, seemed to bring Italy a ray of hope, promising a new era of freedom, reform, and democratic representation. However, this hope was quickly extinguished, as widespread poverty, government corruption, and deep divisions between regions and classes persisted and no true social reform was attained. These h arsh conditions were depicted by a group of Italian film directors whose neorealist works have since been celebrated as masterpieces of world cinema. One of the most prominent of these is Vittorio De Sica's The Bicycle Thief. This 1948 film discusses the prevalent themes dominating Italy's social and political history, within the context of the unsettlingly poor post-War urban proletariat. Among the most prominent motifs in Italian politics since the Risorgimento has been a tendency for quasi-action (inaction disguised as action), in the form of transformismo and attendismo. The first of these terms refers to the practice of "assuring the government of an adequate majority in parliament either by a preliminary deal with leaders of the opposition and by then absorbing them into the government as ministers, or by favours granted to deputies in return for support, or by combining both methods" (Procacci 1970: 337). Originally applied to the government of A...

Eustreptospondylus - Facts and Figures

Eustreptospondylus - Facts and Figures Name: Eustreptospondylus (Greek for true well-curved vertebrae); pronounced YOU-strep-toe-SPON-dih-luss Habitat: Shores of Western Europe Historical Period: Middle Jurassic (165 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 30 feet long and two tons Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; sharp teeth; bipedal posture; curved vertebrae in spine About Eustreptospondylus Eustreptospondylus (Greek for true well-curved vertebrae) had the misfortune of being discovered in the mid-19th century, before scientists had developed a suitable system for the classification of dinosaurs. This large theropod was originally believed to be a species of Megalosaurus (the first dinosaur ever to be officially named); it took a full century for paleontologists to recognize that its unusually curved vertebrae merited assignment to its own genus. Because the skeleton of the only known fossil specimen of Eustreptospondylus was recovered from marine sediments, experts believe that this dinosaur hunted prey along the shores of the small islands that (in the middle Jurassic period) dotted the coast of southern England. Despite its difficult-to-pronounce name, Eustreptospondylus is one of the most important dinosaurs ever to be discovered in western Europe, and deserves to be better known by the general public. The type specimen (of a not-quite-fully-grown adult) was discovered in 1870 near Oxford, England, and until later discoveries in North America (notably of Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex) counted as the worlds most complete skeleton of a meat-eating dinosaur. At 30 feet long and up to two tons, Eustreptospondylus remains one of the largest identified theropod dinosaurs of Mesozoic Europe; for example, another famous European theropod, Neovenator, was less than half its size! Perhaps because of its English provenance, Eustreptospondylus was prominently featured a few years ago in a notorious episode of Walking With Dinosaurs, produced by the BBC. This dinosaur was depicted as capable of swimming, which may not be so far-fetched, given that it lived on a small island and may occasionally have had to venture far afield to forage for prey; more controversially, in the course of the show one individual is swallowed whole by the giant marine reptile Liopleurodon, and later (as nature comes full circle) two adult Eustreptospondylus are shown feasting on a beached Liopleurodon carcass. (We do, by the way, have good evidence for swimming dinosaurs; recently, it was proposed that the giant theropod Spinosaurus spent most of its time in the water.)

Nursing Education Systems of Ireland and China Essay

Nursing Education Systems of Ireland and China - Essay Example In 1998, the Report by Ireland’s Commission on Nursing presented a strong argument for enhanced education of nurses. This paved way for initiation of a degree program in nursing in 2002 and improvement has been taking place since then (O’Dwyer, 2007). Unlike in Ireland where development of nursing education started in the 1970s, in China, nursing education started developing early, following the arrival of Western missionaries in the year 1842 (Xu, Xu, & Zhang, 2000). By the year 1915, the country had an examination framework for certification of professional nurses. This was followed by introduction of a bachelor’s nursing degree programme in 1920, which was the first of its kind in Asia (Smith, 2004). Significant development followed thereafter with establishment of a government-sponsored nursing school being established in 1930. Development of nursing education in China continued until the year 1949, when government was taken over by the Communist party. This led to the abolishment of all nursing education beyond the secondary level. The remnant programmes comprised of three year training courses, after nine years in primary and intermediate academic levels. However, after the collapse of the Communist party government in 1977, gradual improvements started taking place. Bachelor degree nursing education was re-introduced in 1983 and significant milestones have been attained by China ever since (Xu et al., 2000). Government and Nursing Organizations Just like in other nations, Ireland and China have both governmental and non-governmental organizations that work to ensure that nursing education is comprehensive and sustainable. For instance, in Ireland, it was an organization named Irish Matrons’ Association (IMA) that commissioned the original report regarding improvement of nursing education in 1970 (Joyce, 2000). There is also the Irish Nursing Board (INB), which further stimulated discourse regarding the future of Irish educatio n in the nursing profession. The Irish Practice Nurses Association (IPNA) has also contributed significantly to the growth of nursing education and practice. Other Irish organizations that have played a crucial role in recommending and advocating for advanced nursing education and practices include the Irish Nurses Organization (INO) and Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA). The Irish government also collaborates with other member nations of the European Economic Community (EEC). It is this affiliation to the EEC which ensures that Ireland adheres to general nursing education guidelines and recognition of nurses’ qualifications among member states (O’Dwyer, 2007). Presently, the Chinese Nursing Association (CNA) is recognized as the principal professional body for nurses in the country. The organization unites, develops and promotes nursing in all aspects, including advocating for nurses’ workplace rights and education opportunities (Smith, 2004). The Chinese go vernment also collaborates with international bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO), Project Hope and Heart to Heart, among others to ensure that it works towards establishing comprehensive university education programs for nurses. These organizations ensure that Chinese nurses are well-equipped in terms of experience, prior learning and knowledge of treatment strategies specific to Chinese culture (Xu et al., 2000). Current System of Nursing Education It is rather evident that nursing educ