Ecstasy: A Drug That Can Kill :: Illegal Drugs Essays

Ecstasy: A Drug That Can Kill missing works cited Three years ago, Mark*, now a college junior, went to a Dave Mathews concert in Boston with a few friends. He was 18 at the time, and about a half-hour before the concert started, they all decided to take a pill of the drug Ecstasy. This was Mark’s first time taking the drug, so he didn’t fully know what to expect. They chose what is called the â€Å"speedy† type, commonly used at raves and parties rather than the â€Å"dopey† type, which is known to give more of a slow, relaxing feeling. â€Å"Seriously, you get this warm fuzzy feeling that runs up your back, and a feeling that everything in life is right. Your jaw begins to clench and you love chewing on stuff†¦gum, straws, candy,† he said. The feelings that Mark experienced are typical effects of the drug. His most intense feelings lasted about three hours, and the overall feeling of the drug remained for about six to seven hours. Yet the feelings of contentment abruptly ended when he awoke the next day. â€Å"The next day was the most horrible day of my life,† he said. â€Å"All the happiness that was triggered in your brain is drained and you’re left with nothing.† Over eight million people aged 12 and older reported using the â€Å"club† drug ecstasy at least once in their lifetime, according to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), an information source on the consequences, patterns, and prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use and abuse in the general U.S. population, age 12 and older. Methylenedioxymethamephetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic psychoactive drug used for its elated and hallucinogenic causes. Formally used to assist psychotherapy in the 1970s, it is now banned in the United States. Although illegal, it is rapidly rising in popularity in the United States, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Taken orally in a tablet or capsule, snorted, or injected, it generally takes 30 to 40 minutes to take effect and lasts about three to six hours, although some side effects can occur weeks after taking the drug. Ecstasy’s psychological side effects include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. Like Prozac, it causes an elevation in serotonin, a chemical in the brain which triggers happy feelings in people. Some physical side effects are muscle tension, teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, chills, or sweating.

Tony Kronheiser :: essays research papers

Tony Kronheiser Tony Kornheiser is the self-admitted opinionated, sarcastic sports and style columnist for The Washington Post. Kornheiser's purpose is not to report to the reader an objective account of a sporting event, but rather to add humor to topics that range in topic from the Washington Redskins ("It's Now an Off-Road Vehicle," November 5, 1996) to his lunch-time experience the other day ("In a Real Fix," November 3, 1996). Kornheiser's diction, figurative language, and tone make his columns what they are. Often, diction, figurative language, and tone are not common in the journalistic world, but Kornheiser's humor finds room for them. Tony Kornheiser's sarcasm is almost entirely related to his diction. He contains the skills to take something as insignificant as a restaurant changing on him unexpectedly and reports about it so that the common man can relate. He is The Washington Post's Jerry Seinfeld. He blends the slang of the street man with the poetic verbs and fluid adjectives of an English teacher. For example, in "In A Real Fixe," Kornheiser says, "George was beginning to suspect that we had entered (doo-doo, doo-doo). . . The Nouvelle Dining Zone." Most people who have watched the Twilight Zone before can relate this statement as a reference to the famous TV show, so Kornheiser's slang was effective in grabbing the reader, even if a large majority of them have no idea what the word "nouvelle" means. Kornheiser uses an array of such adjectives throughout his pieces but he does not pretend to be above his readers. He fills his work with colloquial speech such as his references in "It's Now an Off-Road Vehicle" to other Washington Post columnists such as Michael Wilbon, and to his "Redskins Bandwagon." (The Redskins Bandwagon was a common phrase used by Washington Redskins fans when the team won the Superbowl in 1991). Kornheiser assumes that the reader is familiar with him, and that is clear in his informal diction that is used with the reader. It is almost to the point of a friendship, as though a coworker was letting off his steam at work during a lunch break. Kornheiser's figurative speech also add to his style quite well. The blend of diction and figurative speech is clear as Kornheiser uses several local allusions in his metaphors and similes that add to his "common man" image. For example, in "In a Real Fixe," Kornheiser compares the look of a hostess' face to one of a nurse at St. Elizabeth's, a local mental hospital. In that same article he also compares his whole experience to "going down into the Metro and

Atmospheres Unlimited in Macbeth :: Free Macbeth Essays

Atmospheres Unlimited in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare becomes a master of diverse atmospheres in his tragedy Macbeth. We shall examine closely the changing, more forcefully developing atmospheres here.    Blanche Coles states in Shakespeare's Four Giants that he agrees with G. B. Harrison, that this play contains one of the finest examples of atmosphere ever created in drama:    Macbeth is overwhelmed with the significance of his filthy deed. His wife is concerned only with the details of what must be done next - with facts. She has no imagination. The passage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the murder is one of the finest examples of atmosphere ever created in drama."(62)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows how the atmosphere is altered for the better at the end of the play:    This theme is at its clearest where we are most in sympathy with the nemesis. Thus at the end of Macbeth, after the proclamation "the time is free," and of promises to make reparations of Macbeth's tyranny "Which would be planted newly with the time," there will be a renewal not only of time but of the whole rhythm of nature symbolized by the word "measure," which includes both the music of the spheres and the dispensing of human justice [. . .]. (94-95)    D. F. Bratchell in Shakespearean Tragedy record's Charles Lamb's consideration of   Macbeth's atmosphere as essential to the purpose of the play:    For Lamb the essence of the tragedy in Macbeth lies in the poetically suggested atmosphere of horror and evil impulse, readily seized upon by the imagination of the perceptive reader, whereas stage representation concentrates the mind on the action. (133-34) Roger Warren comments in Shakespeare Survey 30 , regarding Trervor Nunn's direction of Macbeth at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1974-75, on opposing imagery used to support the opposing atmospheres of purity and black magic:    Much of the approach and detail was carried over, particularly the clash between religious purity and black magic. Purity was embodied by Duncan, very infirm (in 1974 he was blind), dressed in white and accompanied by church organ music, set against the black magic of the witches, who even chanted 'Double, double to the Dies Irae. (283)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" mentions equivocation, unreality and unnaturalness in the play - contributors to an atmosphere that may not be very realistic:

One World

Different factors that affect speed limits on the road s for vehicles. ? Speed limit is the maximum speed at which a vehicle can travel in a certain area. Usually they are indicated by signs next to the road. As you can see from the graph below, speed limits are extremely important. If speed limits wouldn’t be there, a lot more accidents would resolve into death. Speed of the vehicle in miles/hourPercentage of chance of death 207 3044 4086 Those speed limits aren’t just chosen by people. Many things have to be considered while deciding about a speed limit. A lot of environmental and human factors affect those limits.Some of these are: †¢The weather †¢Traffic †¢The driver †¢The vehicle †¢The road condition †¢The type of environment The weather can affect a lot of things that then affect speed limits. This we can notice by the temporarily change in speed limits when there are bad weather circumstances. For example when it is raining very heav ily or there is snow, speed limits will be changed until it stops raining or the snow melts. These changes are usually indicated by electrical signs on the road. Even when it is not indicated, drivers should be responsible enough to slow down in these circumstances.The traffic is also a very important factor. In areas where there is a lot of traffic, the speed limits will generally be set lower. Since in these areas a lot of cars come together at the same time accidents can easily happen. Those areas with a lot of traffic are usually where there are traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. The speed limit will be indicated by a road sign. The driver is one of the most important factors. The bad thing about this factor is that the driver is very unpredictable and the drivers behavior is different all the time.Speed limits can obviously not be set according to every driver’s mood so generally they look at the other factors: weather, traffic, vehicle, road condition and type of e nvironment to predict the driver’s behavior. Generally drivers will tend to drive fast when there isn’t a lot of traffic and when there are no obstacles. This can be very dangerous as unexpected things can happen. In these areas the speed limit could be decreased based on that. The vehicle and the state of the vehicle are also very important when setting speed limits.Obviously the speed limit can’t be set according to every individual vehicle so usually the speed limit is chosen in a way which is not too fast so that the older vehicles can keep up and not too slow so the people with faster vehicles won’t get annoyed. They also look at the type of area in which the speed limit has to be set. If it’s in a country area with farms, they will take in consideration that also tractors will be driving there and animals can be around. The road condition has to be very good in order to be able to drive on it in the first place.In sandy roads or areas where a lot of mud may occur, the speed limits will be set lower so that the vehicle has a lower chance of slipping. Bumps in the road will also cause the speed limit to be lower than in straight areas. That’s also the reason why speed bumps are used. They make people drive slower as they can damage their vehicle in case they don’t. The type of environment has to do with the people that live around but also the buildings that are close or nature around the roads. In urbanized areas where a lot of people live, the speed limit will be set quite low to cause as less danger for pedestrians as possible.Then, talking about buildings in the surrounding area, if there is a mall or a school they will have to take in consideration that children or families with children will be walking around there and crossing the streets. Therefore the speed limits will be adjusted so that even if there is a collision the chance of death won’t be very high. In some cases, very polluted environ ments can cause the speed limit to be set lower but in some cases even higher. This is because the pollution of a car is lower when it either drives at a very low speed or quite a high speed as shown in the graph below.As the speed increases you can see that the fuel consumption and therefore also the pollution increases. But when you reach a certain speed, that fuel consumption will start decreasing again. So for the least amount of pollution you should driver very slow or faster than about 60 miles per hour. Bibliography onlinemanuals. txdot. gov/†¦ /factors_affecting_safe_speed. htm www. ibiblio. org/rdu/sl-irrel. html www. transport. qld. gov. au †º †¦ †º Safety †º Road †º Speeding www. wellington. govt. nz/projects/new/†¦ /lowerspeed-facts. pdf www. conference. noehumanist. org/†¦ /Proceedings-HUMANIST-S6. 6. pd

Sam Harris Thesis Review

â€Å"Morality and values depend on the existence of conscious minds—and specifically on the fact that such minds can experience various forms of well-being and suffering in this universe. Conscious minds and their states are natural phenomena, of course, fully constrained by the laws of Nature (whatever these turn out to be in the end). Therefore, there must be right and wrong answers to questions of morality and values that potentially fall within the purview of science. On this view, some people and cultures will be right (to a greater or lesser degree), and some will be wrong, with respect to what they deem important in life. (Harris, 2011) This is Sam Harris’s thesis in his book The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values. This proposition purports science can answer questions about morality. Science is about empirical evidence not social norms or accepted moral standards (morality). His stance on morality is centered on naturalistic fallacy. It is the thought that morality is the result of evolution and social conditioning. (Craig 2012) The laws of nature do not determine right or wrong behavior with relativity to the conscious mind. We as humans do not become more moral as we evolve. As situations around us change our morals change based on what’s more beneficial to us. â€Å"We are selfish to one degree or another; we lack complete information about the consequences of our actions; and even where we possess such information, our interests and preferences often lead us to ignore it. † Harris states. (Harris, 2011) However, his thesis contradicts this statement. I agree with many other critics of Harris† regarding his idea of well being. He does not define well being or what justifies it. If well being is a part of the science of morality what can increase or decrease well being? How can well being be the foundation for morality? I do agree with him that our minds can experience much suffering. However, the measure of suffering is not a science. The laws of nature do not determine if our response to unpleasant situations or suffering is right or wrong as he suggests. Philosophers believe morality comes from the soul. Scientist believe morality comes from certain areas of the brain. There are many tests out to study brain functions. These tests display activities in certain areas of the brain that respond to an emotional stimulus. Although scientist continues to research this issue, no network of nerves has been found to determine the process of moral cognition. (Young & Dungan, 2011) Science does not tell us how to live or explain the differences between right and wrong. Morality is based on a school of thought. Morality does not appear in any type of science. Our morals change as our culture change. Right and wrong is determined in the court of public opinion.

Globalization and Cultural Identity Essay

Globalization can be viewed in a smaller context as â€Å"living in a small community. † In this community, you have neighbours of different races, and origins, speaking different languages, and accustomed to different cultures. Even though we live together in a single neighbourhood, the word that always get attached with globalization is different – being different. There are a lot of efforts to unify people of different races, opening the communication between this people further, so that they are able to interact with other people from different parts of the world At the end of the day, we realize that we are different; that we as members of a global community surely have differences with our neighbours. However, this difference or uniqueness that we have shouldn’t pull us down. Having a different skin color or a different set of beliefs doesn’t put any of us higher or lower than other people. It is our cultural identity, but it doesn’t determine any rank or social position. It is considered as a gift that we should treasure. Being different is synonymous to being unique, one way or the other. Through that we are, we are able to establish who we are, so that we can tell ourselves apart from other people or other races. It is something we should be proud of, something that empowers the culture that we came from. It gives us something to boast with other cultures, which we know is unique in our culture alone. With this at hand, we move again to unify everyone in this world through globalization. We are able to come up with discoveries which are relevant in various aspects of the human being. This is all because of our awareness that we are different, that we have our cultural identity. Through this, efforts on unifying the people wouldn’t be that hand to accomplish anymore.

Art Therapy: Is It Effective? Essay

Georgia O’Keeffe once said, â€Å"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way. Things I had no words for. † The actual creation of art triggers an unconscious process helping a person connect with his emotions (Kotwas). The process is said to enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The expressive arts do not discriminate and is an effective alternative to traditional psychotherapy and certain prescribed medications. The production and reflection of art helps people cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences. Creation is an essential part of life, much like eating, sleeping, and breathing, and we all possess unique artistic and creative tendencies and needs. Many people do not know what art therapy actually is, and it is not to be confused with an art class. Art therapy is unlike art education, where the focus is on teaching the use of artistic tools and techniques as well as the quality of the finished product. Expressive arts therapy combines visual arts, music, writing and other creative processes to help a person express and visualize emotions, and to aid growth and healing (Artful). Art class consists of being criticized, graded by others, and can even become a stressful environment. Opposite of that is art therapy, where no judgment exists, therefore no pressure exists, and the focus is on self-growth and awareness. Adding the therapeutic aspect to art creates a calmer environment and encourages a positive setting for allowing an individual to be more focused and to create distinctive and sometimes eye opening products. Visualizing and expressing emotions is the language of the unconscious mind. Serving as a more primitive and direct mode of personal expression than words. Art therapy is successfully filling the gaps where general clinical psychology may not be able to reach. The expressive arts offer an alternative insight into the workings of the psyche, and it is an area of study that adds further depth to the field of child psychology (Kotwas). Instead of diagnosing children with ADD or ADHD and prescribing those 2. 7 million children medication to take every day for the rest of their life, they could create. Art therapy is an effective alternative to the medications that are being prescribed to children, and making those children act like zombies, which is no way any human should ever act. Parents are too busy to spend time with a child and it seems as if they are afraid of parenting these days. Hyperactive children should not be drugged to the point of acting like a different person all together; instead they should be worked with patiently. Art naturally opens up a person’s mind and creates a euphoric and relaxed feeling. Also the creation of art lowers stress, eliminates negative thinking, and improves confidence. Expressing more than a child could possibly express by simply talking. Children tend to have a hard time articulating the way they feel, because they do not know what it is they are feeling or why they are feeling this particular way. When children cannot verbalize the effect that violence has on them, they sometimes express it by drawing says Dr. Spencer Eth. He says that when children too traumatized to talk are told, â€Å"Just draw about anything you want,† their pictures reveal much about what is on their minds. Enabling therapists to ask children to tell a story, which usually has some connection with the trauma they have suffered. Eth continues by saying, â€Å"Drawing is one of the most effective techniques we have for getting a child to open up and confront difficult feelings – the first step in healing. † (Timnick). The idea of getting a child to open up seems pretty difficult, but the adolescent child is a whole new level of difficulty which can be done with the use of art. Teenagers have a preconceived view of talking psychotherapies that has been shaped by movies and television. They often think that these therapies are only for serious mental cases or people that are dying. In contrast, they come to art therapy without such preconceived ideas, and this form of therapy has proved effective with adolescents. The greatest difficulty for an adult seeking to establish a relationship with an adolescent is the teen’s resistance to authority and lack of trust in the adult world. These stages of adolescent development are normal, but they work against the traditional forms of verbal therapy. This casual approach is a surprise to the teen and counteracts the fears of exposure and pain that may have been expected. The teens feel that they lucked out by having a therapist who is not interested in verbal cross-examination. Instead, their therapist is interested in their opinions of their world as expressed through imagery. Using art in therapy provides a pleasure factor that is not what teens expect to encounter, and it stimulates their desire to be expressive. Drawing is in tune with adolescents’ development, as evidenced by the tagging and graffiti that is abundant in many cities. It is hard to restrain an adolescent’s urge to make their mark (Riley). Art can reach into certain depths of the mind revealing underlying feelings that even an adult may not know he has. Not only can children and adolescences benefit from art therapy, but adults can as well. Creating art gives adults a sense of empowerment and control. This empowerment often influences individuals to reflect if they have performed well at something they had not realized they could master, perhaps they could similarly master other activities that had previously seemed impossible. A sense of control and empowerment in one area increases the level of comfort with exploring new challenges in general outside of the class. Arts provide some of the best opportunities to experience a new sense of control or mastery. In the arts, the opportunities to create something new and beautiful are endless and offer an enormous sense of satisfaction and empowerment (Cohen). Giving a person the self-esteem they need to openly express his inner thoughts and buried feelings. Art therapy is based on the idea that the verbal, rational mind often throws a wall between the wounded unconscious and the outside world. Drawing is a way for the unconscious to break down the wall says Dr. McGrath, â€Å"You can communicate and express feelings that can’t come out in words. Things come out that you may not expect. † Once those pictures break out, the therapist and patient can discuss them, and the healing can begin. Local art therapists empathize that the method can help people of all ages (Lemley). Not only all ages but, all mindsets as well. Art therapy is sometimes found in the school setting, but more prominently it is found in the clinical setting. Creative arts can have an equally secure place in the hospital setting if we expand that psychosocial need component, by recognizing that we are all artistic. The creative arts serve as a form of therapeutic intervention intended to increase and improve the quality of life for both clients and their families thereby, reducing the impact of the crisis caused by the illness. The arts serve as a tool and means for creative expression and communication, especially during the final stages of life (Orser). When pain becomes overpowering, a patient’s creative impulses may be an important ally. ABC News wrote an article on art therapy saying that for some time now scientists have known that a wide range of creative activities, ranging from listening to or performing music, to engaging in an energetic dance routine, may reduce pain felt by persons who are ill. And more recently researchers have shown that creating a piece of art can do the same thing, even if the art is not all that great. In the latest study, 50 cancer patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago lowered eight out of nine symptoms associated with pain and anxiety after spending one hour painting, or drawing, or trying to make a piece of pottery or jewelry. Even though a person may not have control over their medical condition, they do have control over the artwork they create. In the hospice setting, dying patients are not the only people to undergo art treatment. Art therapy also has a program that aims to help the recovering service members find a creative haven where their buried post-war thoughts and emotions can come to the surface through art and therapy. By working on their art projects in a personal manner, they confront the circumstances of their injuries and begin to overcome the uncertainty they might feel. Creating art slows down the brain so people can focus and improve their cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination. Sharing and discussing artwork establishes a sense of community and bonding with one another, which is particularly helpful to those with post-traumatic stress disorder who tend to isolate themselves and do not trust others (Cronk). Art therapy is especially beneficial to active service members, because a patient’s picture is worth a thousand words and a psychotherapy patient does not always effectively produce any words at all. Art therapy is a much more effective form of traditional therapy. Expressive arts benefits children, adolescents, adults, and elders. Very few disadvantages if any are found in the creation of art. Verbalizing an emotion is sometimes very difficult to do, yet can easily be expressed through images. People tend to bury traumatic events causing a shift in personality and a barrier between communications. Art therapy is a new and upcoming form of therapy that will become more prevalent as the years progress. It is an effective alternative to traditional therapy and prescribed medications for all sorts of disorders ranging from ADHD to patients that are dying, to post-traumatic stress disorder. Works Cited â€Å"The Artful Life – Counseling Center and Studio. † Expressive Art Therapy. Artfullifecenter. org. , 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Cohen, Gene D. â€Å"Research on Creativity and Aging: The Positive Impact of the Arts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Generations Vol. 30, No. 1. Spring 2006: 7-15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. Cronk, Terri. â€Å"Therapist Uses Art to Help Troops Heal. † US Department of Defense. 08 Mar. 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2013