Education and the Brain Essay Example for Free

Education and the Brain Essay Given the emerging challenges surrounding the practice of education, many scholars and researchers are trying to establish a particular framework that is dedicated towards the enhancement of information and intensifying facilitation. With these processes, there is one important and vital determinant of this situation – the man’s brain. In the advent of new capabilities, focus is now related on discovering and creating opportunities that seeks to enhance the relationship between the brain and education. The article of Bruer offers a comprehensive insight about the strength and weaknesses of such field. Tracing from the past, he emphasized how the discipline has evolved from a mere scientific study to reaching out in the realm of child development and education. As individuals and groups try to unearth the processes involved, it branched out to several unique disciplines that correlate with the concept of education; namely cognitive psychology and neuroscience (Bruer, p. 3). Operating on this scheme, there are two ways in which this can be recognized namely (1) the period of synaptic elimination and (2) critical periods (Bruer, p. 3). In the first part, Bruer points out the relevance and relative link between neuroscience and education. In this process, he mentions that there are various brain activities that are stimulated by synapses that affect the way a child can cope with numerous functions that are expected for him/her to perform in a classroom setup (Bruer, p. 4). At the same time, the document made mention the importance of the experiment concerning critical periods. With numerous ways for this case to be applied, researchers have focused on the idea that these actions are vital in the early advancement of an individual. Bruer argues that â€Å"cultural variations in child rearing suggest that there are many equally successful way to provide the normal environment needed for brain development† (p. 5). The next section caters in looking into environments that are vital for a child’s advancement during the early stages of his/her life. It fosters the claim that stimulating and active surrounding does contribute to the overall capability of an individual to function accordingly with the desired objectives and goals of an institution. However, there is a lapse in neuroscience as it fails to include and elaborate on how such process can be vital in the overall goal of education and growth (Bruer, p. 7). This remains to be the missing link in trying to determine that guidance of the brain functions in classroom instruction and learning. On the other hand, Bruer cites the capability of creating a bridge that will enable the brain to relate its functions towards cognitive functions. In this process, there are two ways that such idea can be recognized. Bruer mentions that â€Å"the first connects educational practice with cognitive psychology, and the second connects cognitive psychology with brain science† (p. 7). In here he cites numerous advancements in technology and equipments available nowadays to help study and examine the progression of mental activity happening in an individual. Similarly, using the mind-brain interface, many researchers and scientists are able to conduct tests that can determine which part/areas are vital in particular function that are used and applied in the educational sector (Bruer, p. 8). In the last part, it seeks to elaborate these bridges by pointing out two viable approaches in dealing with it; namely (1) instruction to cognition and (2) cognition to neural activity. The first part looks into the way cognition has been used by educators and scientists to determine appropriate ways to enhance neural activities. At the same time, it focused on several studies and findings that try to relate these instances. In the second part, Bruer points out the use of â€Å"cognitive models and brain recording techniques to trace the neural circuitry involved in a skill like numerical comparison† (Bruer, p. 10). It is in here that they were able to find the connection between the two. In the end, the article argues that the brain can greatly affect the way individuals respond to the education. Therefore, future studies must guide researchers in addressing the loopholes in the current literatures. As the demands for educational policy continues to increase significantly in the practice, a good basis for such study can be made by relating to one important factor that shapes learning and development – the brain. It is in here that we can find appropriate strategies to increase competency and skill acquisition needed to make students dynamic and vibrant in practice. Work Cited Bruer, John T. Education and the Brain: A Bridge too Far in ‘Educational Researcher’ 26 no. 8 1997. accessed 12 November 2008. 4-16.

The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan

The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan In the National context of Mental Health in New Zealand during 1800 and 1900, almost 50% of people living in New Zealand are experiencing of some form of Mental Illness. The first lunatic asylum opened in New Zealand on 1854 is in Karori, Wellington. A mentally ill person is being held in the prison at first because there is no place to care for each of them. Around 1860s and 1870s, the government is starting to build more asylums around the country and they usually built it on the edges of the towns. The Karori, near at the Wellington on 1854, Dunedin and Sunnyside, Christchurch 1863, The Whau, Auckland 1867, Seaview, Hokitika 1872, and Nelson 1876. In 1950 they have discovered new drugs that they believe to treat mental illnesses and some psychotherapy are the things that are used more often in the asylums. They are hoping that those new drugs will cure and transform the lives of the people who are experiencing a chronic illness. Like, injecting a too much insulin to regulate in their brain and they will do a what they called â€Å" Prefrontal Leucotomy†, it is a brain surgery for the person with mental illness but both of them is producing a side effects to the body and brain of the patient. So, they have decided to discontinue that treatment. They do more research on how to transform a person with mental illness and they come up with the Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), it is using a chemical to persuade a seizure. As of the moment the ECT is still present at some mental hospitals and they are doing it more safely and more modified rather than the first ECT used in the asylums. In 1950s they started to found drugs that can treat a depression, mania, anxiety and psychosis. Most of the staff in the first asylums that are built ages ago do not have any medical training or do not have medical background. Restraint are often used in the asylums like locked cloths or gloves, it is a soft jacket made of cloth that doesn’t allow any movement from the arms of the patient with mental illness and also they are secluding a patient who are dangerous and having a challenging behaviour. They are starting to develop the treatment that are used in the asylums and as time goes by the patients with mental illnesses are manage and stabilised. They are being discharge from the mental hospitals sooner compared the time of being discharge before but some are being re admit again in the mental hospitals because their actions and behaviours is back. Ministry of Health is providing a compulsory treatments and assessments for the people who are considered having a mental illness. Protecting the persons with mental disorders who are posing to harm, hurt and can make a serious risk about their own self or to others. The Ministry of health is promoting the safety and protections of the mental health consumers in a way of explaining and clarifying the role of the clinicians and services. They are also aiming for the treatment and care of the alcoholics and drug addicts that are also being confined in the rehab where they can learn how to control their own self and how to know they limitations while undergoing in the treatments assigned to them. The Ministry of Health is providing an accurate level of care for the persons who are in the mental hospitals and for those persons who are drug addict or the alcoholism. The government is funding the health and disability services anywhere in New Zealand. They are giving a free outpatient and inpatient hospitals which are open to public and services that the people with mental illness or disabilities needs. Some are not qualified to use the services funded publicly but they can still use the services, they just only have to pay for their own bill because it is not free for them and they can also get some insurance in case that something happened to them and they don’t have extra money on that moment, the insurance will help them to pay for the bill that they have. The District Health Board is also funding the mental health illnesses and the addiction. They are helping those people who have an addiction and alcoholic problems and also those people who are experiencing a mental illness. They are helping to and providing the services that they need to ensure the health and safety of the person. Their aim is to provide the accurate treatment to tr eat them. Terminology, is a terms that are used in a special subject, science, business, or art. There are also terms that people usually call the person with mental illness like; Lunatic, A person who is ill mentally. Imbecile and idiot, a person which is stupid and madness, a person who cannot think in a right way and doing some action which are not appropriate for a normal person to do. Discrimination and stigma is one of the most identified attitudes of the society towards the person with mental illness. Stigma has an impact to the person with mental illness especially if they are the one who is stigmatizing their own self called self stigmatizing which they turned against on their own self. It is happening on both self stigma and public because they are just letting the self esteem and confidence of a person by showing and having a prejudice mind towards the others. Most of the person who has or have a mental illness are already experience discrimination in the society. In a way of cannot go to normal school because some children will tease them, not having a job because they are not being trusted because of their actions, social dignity and having a relationship. They are not just the only person who is experiencing discrimination in the society but also the family of the person with mental illness. We all know that news can easily spread and the family will be a ffected also because the society is discriminating and judging them about having a family member who has a mental illness or addiction. The stereotypes of a person with mental illness is the society knows that a person has a mental illness, addict, and alcoholic; they will stay away from them because they are judging that they will get hurt because in their mind they just think that those person will hurt them because they cannot think normally. There is also a barrier to every person who has a disability because they cannot socialize with a normal people, they were also afraid that they will get hurt by the normal people because they have a disability. They are just losing the confidence to face other people. Most of them feel afraid to face everyone because some of them do not know how to trust because even their own family member is just hurting them if they lose their patience on taking care the person with mental illness. We all know that a person with mental Illness some are the result and symptoms of their mental illness but also some are the side effects of the medication. Like, if they were given an anti psy chotic drugs and the side effects are getting drowsy and confuse. They will think that someone will hurt them, or having a paranoia. Their instinct as a human being is to protect their own self that is the reason why they are starting to hurt someone or will have a challenging behaviour. The Rising Challenge about the Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan of 2012-2017 which provides the guide to the Mental Health and addiction sector, and also in this plan they include the funders, clear path on plans and the providers of the Mental Health and addiction services on the priority areas of the government for the development of each services that they provide. They are also focusing on the better resources of the materials used to the person with a mental illness, providing the needs that each person in the hospitals, rehabs, and mental hospitals. They are just not focusing on the adults with illnesses or addiction but all of the ages are their priorities even if they are infants or a child. There are many government agencies that are funding the Mental Health. One of them is the Mental Health Foundation; they work to influence and bring awareness to the family/ whanau of the person with a mental illness and also they are improving and sustaining the mental health of the person with mental illness to gain and show their potential. The Ministry of Health is funding the plan, and provides health services including public health services, hospitals within the location. They are also supporting and funding services in the disability sector, mental health service, screening programs, maternity services and any kind of services related to the health of a person. Most of the funds are coming from the taxes of the workers in New Zealand, each worker has an equivalent percentage of tax depending on their annual salary but most of the salary has a 10.5 percentage of tax if their annual salary is 60,000 New Zealand dollars and that is where all the funds are coming from. So most of the workers around New Zealand have participation on funding the public hospitals or for the people having a disability or mental illness. References Warwick Brunton. Mental health services, Te Ara the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 9-Nov-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/mental-health-services Warwick Brunton. Mental health services Lunatic asylums, 1840s to 1900s, Te Ara the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13-Jul-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/mental-health-services/page-2 The Porirua Hospital and Museum.( 1997). The Origins of Mental Health Care in New Zealand andWellington. Retrieved from: http://poriruahospitalmuseum.org.nz/history/the-origins-of-mental-health-care-in-new-zealand-and-wellington/ Miriam Webster dictionary. (2015). Dictionary: Terminology. Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terminology Oxford University Press.(2015).Oxford Dictionaries: Lunatic and Imbecile. Retrieved from: www.oxforddictionaries.com Ministry of health.(2012).Guidelines to the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act1992. Wellington: Ministry of Health. Retrieved from: www.health.govt.nzis Ministry of health.(2011).Publicly funded health and disability services. Wellington: Ministry of Health. Retrieved from: www.health.govt.nzis The Guardian.(2011). Mental Health: Attitudes improving towards mental illness,. Retrieved from: www.theguardian.com/society/2011/jun/08/attitudes-mental-health-survey Ministry of Health.(2012-2017).Rising to the Challenge: The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan 2012-2017.Wellington:Ministry of Health. Retrieved from: www.health.govt.nz/publication/rising-challenge-mental-health-and-addiction-service-development-plan-2012-2017 Mental Health Foundation.(2015).Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand: Different Government agencies. Retrieved from: www.mentalhealth.org.nz Ministry of Health.(2014). Funding: New Zealand’s health and disability system is mainly funded from general taxation. Retrieved From: www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/overview-health-system/funding

Dreaming In The 1960s Essay examples -- essays research papers

In 1962, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said his most famous words: "I have a dream." He was not the only one who felt this way. For many, the 1960s was a decade in which their dreams about America might be fulfilled. For Martin Luther King Jr., this was a dream of a truly equal America; for John F. Kennedy, it was a dream of a young vigorous nation that would put a man on the moon; and for the hippy movement, it was one of love, peace, and freedom. The 1960s was a tumultuous decade of social and political upheaval. We are still confronting many social issues that were addressed in the 1960s today. In spite of the turmoil, there were some positive results, such as the civil rights revolution. However, many outcomes were negative: student antiwar protest movements, political assassinations, and ghetto riots excited American people and resulted in a lack of respect for authority and the law. The first president during the 1960s was John F. Kennedy. He was young, appealing, and had a carefully crafted public image that barely won him the election. Because former President Eisenhower supported the Republican nominee, Richard Nixon, and because many had doubts about Kennedy's youth and Catholic religion, Kennedy only received three-tenths of one percent more of the popular vote than Nixon. The first thing Kennedy did during his brief presidency was to try to restore the nation's economy. Economic growth was slow in 1961 when Kennedy entered the White house. The President initiated a series of tariff negotiations to stimulate exports and proposed a federal tax cut to help the economy internally. John F. Kennedy was known as one of the few presidents in history who made his own personality a significant part of his presidency and a focus of national attention. Nothing illustrated this more clearly than the reaction to the tragedy of November 22, 1963. Kennedy was driving through the streets of Dallas. The streets were full of cheering people watching him drive by. The President was surrounded by loud motorcycles driven by the Secret Service. One onlooker, looking into a sixth floor window, noticed another man with a rifle. "Boy! ," he said. "You sure can't say the Secret Service isn't on the ball. Look at that guy up there in the window with a rifle" (Pett 12). That man with the rifle was not a member of the Secret Service. A fraction of... ...on. Another type of chemical, chemical pestisides, were also important in the 1960s. A book written by Rachel Carson described for the first time the dangers of using pesticides. Carson believed that the poisonous chemicals were taking a dreadful toll, and that the only way to fix the situation was to "let the balance of nature take care of the number of insects" (Carson 17). Another poisonous chemical was being used on humans. Mistakes made in the past caused a great deal of health problems to children around the world when it was discovered that using a tranquilizer called thalidomide caused severe birth defects. Babies were born with hands and feet like flippers, attached to the body with little or no arm or leg. Every compound drug containing the sedative was taken off the market. The 1960s began under the shadow of the Cold War and ended under the shado wo fthe Vietnam War. What happened inbetween was a series of dreams, failures, and realities that have made the sixties one of the most tumultuous decades in the history of the United States. From assassinations to Woodstock, the 1960s was an era of confusion in which every American tried to make his dream a reality.

Free Capital Punishment Essays: Mandatory Death Penalty for Nitwits :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Mandatory Death Penalty for Nitwits    When I was in high school, my friend Mike and I earned extra money working after school and on weekends at a drugstore located at the north end of our town. Before we started working in the retail business, we both had a fairly high opinion of humanity. That is to say, we thought that the average person wouldn't try to cheat us, would be at least marginally polite, and would be smart enough to avoid walking in front of a bus.    As it turned out, we were wrong.    When we stepped behind the counter of that drugstore, we had to remove the rose-colored glasses and reexamine our cherished ideas about humanity. We found that there were many, many rude people out there and that quite a few would cheat us if they were given half a chance. We also found the average person was much less intelligent than we had thought. On Labor Day, 1995, I started a list of all the irritating and stupid things that people did while we were at work. After a while, other employees began to contribute to the list, although I compiled about 75% of the complaints. By the time I left at the end of May 1996, the list had 567 items on it, and we were referring to some of the customers by number.    In particular, I remember 337, an older lady who came in early every Saturday morning to buy a candy bar. Sadly, 337 never had the requisite fifty cents, and as she was rummaging through her purse looking for spare change (which sometimes took as long as ten minutes), impatient customers would line up behind her. Finally, she would storm off in a huff.    Incredibly, 337 would return several times over the course of the day and attempt to purchase the candy bar again. Once more would come the agonizing search through her purse, but (surprisingly enough) the change at the bottom had not bred over the course of the day, and over and over she was forced to leave in defeat and shame.    Number 337 was hardly unique, or even unusual. Every shift that I worked, I was forced to deal with people nearly as clueless as she was. Mike and I were inevitably led to the conclusion that stupidity should be painful; we thought that if stupidity were painful, people would go to great lengths to educate themselves.

Science and Relgion Essay example -- Essays Papers

Science and Relgion Science and religion have not always peacefully coexisted. There have been many issues where scientific discovery and religious belief have clashed. Religion is based on ancient belief passed down through generations. As humans discovered more and more about themselves, they found that many of the things that religion told could not true. This caused an incredible crisis between the pious religious and the scientific world, especially in the Western world where Christianity dominated society, and where these scientific discoveries were being made. It was difficult for people at first to believe in God and at the same time except these new scientific findings that negated many things that religion had told them. Astonomer Kepler During the scientific revolution many religious issues were taken up. One was the issue of the earth being the center of the Universe, which the Christian doctrine held up as the truth. Through the work of astronomers like Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo, much was learned about our universe. One thing that was learned was that the earth revolved around the Sun, along with all the other planets of our solar system. Also it was learned that the sun is only one star among hundreds of billions of other stars of different shapes and sizes. This discovery baffled the church. How could we be only a tiny part of something greater? It was believed that God created the Universe to accommodate humankind and that everything in that Universe revolved around this. It now became apparent that this is not true. During the seventeenth century the Catholic Church was quick to reject these findings. Galileo didn’t understand the conflict, and pointed out that scripture is very old and is meant to ... ... science, and who feel that the bible should be taken literally. On the same hand there are many people in the science community who read the bible literally and announce there could be no God since the facts of the bible are so far removed from what scientific discovery has told us. There will probably never be day when science and religion completely agree, and there are no conflicts between the two sides. It is natural for men to question discovery, and when something tells you that thing you have believed in are wrong, it is natural to reject these things. Still, there have been considerable advancements in the understanding between religion and science. Links to web pages concerning science and religion: Http://salon.cma.univie.ac.at/~neum/sciandr.html http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~carling/main_sci.html http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~newman/sci-faith.html Science and Relgion Essay example -- Essays Papers Science and Relgion Science and religion have not always peacefully coexisted. There have been many issues where scientific discovery and religious belief have clashed. Religion is based on ancient belief passed down through generations. As humans discovered more and more about themselves, they found that many of the things that religion told could not true. This caused an incredible crisis between the pious religious and the scientific world, especially in the Western world where Christianity dominated society, and where these scientific discoveries were being made. It was difficult for people at first to believe in God and at the same time except these new scientific findings that negated many things that religion had told them. Astonomer Kepler During the scientific revolution many religious issues were taken up. One was the issue of the earth being the center of the Universe, which the Christian doctrine held up as the truth. Through the work of astronomers like Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo, much was learned about our universe. One thing that was learned was that the earth revolved around the Sun, along with all the other planets of our solar system. Also it was learned that the sun is only one star among hundreds of billions of other stars of different shapes and sizes. This discovery baffled the church. How could we be only a tiny part of something greater? It was believed that God created the Universe to accommodate humankind and that everything in that Universe revolved around this. It now became apparent that this is not true. During the seventeenth century the Catholic Church was quick to reject these findings. Galileo didn’t understand the conflict, and pointed out that scripture is very old and is meant to ... ... science, and who feel that the bible should be taken literally. On the same hand there are many people in the science community who read the bible literally and announce there could be no God since the facts of the bible are so far removed from what scientific discovery has told us. There will probably never be day when science and religion completely agree, and there are no conflicts between the two sides. It is natural for men to question discovery, and when something tells you that thing you have believed in are wrong, it is natural to reject these things. Still, there have been considerable advancements in the understanding between religion and science. Links to web pages concerning science and religion: Http://salon.cma.univie.ac.at/~neum/sciandr.html http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~carling/main_sci.html http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~newman/sci-faith.html

How Film Technology Impacted Cinema’s Evolution Essay

Over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, cinema technology advanced greatly—and with an ever-growing history of movies from which to draw reference, film-makers have increasingly approached productions from fresher perspectives, while always employing the most modern equipment, in order to better serve the audiences of their days. In Visions Of Light, a series of interviews with directors and cinematographers explores how the evolution of microphones, lighting, film, staging, cameras and mounts has affected the translation of story into cinema in a variety of ways. When sound was first introduced, for instance, actors were forced to lean in closer to microphones that were hidden on the sets, in order to be better heard—thus affecting their physical impression on camera (Bailey, VL). Also, the advent of sound affected the mobility of cameras—and it was years before directors began taking moving shots again. Only after technology improved, and the practice of adding audio in post-production took hold, did cameras become fluid once more (Bailey, VL). In Visions Of Light, Zsigmond even goes so far as to claim the advent of sound might have affected film’s ability to rise to a higher form of art. Furthermore, in the early years, the onset of color film collided with the aesthetic prerogatives of directors from the black-and-white era of cinema. The dark-and-light stark contrasts of early film had always supplied directors with a strong foundation in a medium built on more abstract emotions—being more removed from reality, due to their lack of color (Daviau, VL). The introduction of red, yellow and blues, however, gradually eroded that surreal nature of young cinema—and left film-maker’s with a new spectrum of visuals to explore that were more rooted in reality—yet took away the artsier fare of the colorless picture (Daviau, VL). Finally, as the studios began to give way to more location shoots, and more independently ground-breaking and inventive movie-making, more experimental cinematography began taking place, including the increased use of techniques adopted from unintended effects of technology—and instructional mistakes on set. Inventiveness and new cameras and lenses wedded to create unprecedented waves of evolution in cinema. The more relaxed embracing of happy accidents, such as random camera â€Å"flares† for instance–and other unique lighting effects (Hall, VL), eventually led to the deeper medium today, where visual artisans have a century’s worth of rich and varied cinema to emulate, be inspired by—and pay homage to—in order to further expand upon the apparent human motion to improve the film experience. Visions Of Light is an inspiring look into the history of film—and a revelatory expose of the methods by which we attempt to translate our greatest tales into the constructs of cinema—and how technology and history have shaped the medium. By the time a movie is played on screen, one is witness to countless lifetimes of work, both in the perceived piece—as well as the endless sub-texts of cinema that came before it. The improvements of technology over time have both strengthened and handicapped cinema, enabling it to more accurately capture reality, while also rarifying the more abstract forms of black-and-white film and silent pictures. Future directors, of course, may yet return to the black-and-white medium, in order to test the depths of their art—but they may also find it more challenging than filming in color (Daviau, VL). Similarly, while sound changed movies from a purely visual form into a mixed discipline—directors who were to attempt to make a silent film today might find it more difficult to execute. Technology has allowed film to record reality better—while also blunting or limiting its inherent ability to translate more basic human emotions, through less colour or sound. Furthermore, as cameras have become more sophisticated and economical—the increased use of an independent, hand-held approach will change the look-and-feel of film for the coming generations, lending to it a more reality-based frame—and for that very same reason, a more difficult platform from which to craft the abstract. Overall, as technology advances, film evolves into a much different form from the shape it started out. It is now a fuller and more complex medium—although perhaps less of a straightforward one. With each mounting generation, directors have to grapple with the new and profound questions about how to approach the entertainment and education of an audience. They have to learn how to emulate the traditional paths of film’s past auteurs—but also, and equally importantly, to test the limits of the undiscovered country and new technology in cinema. Film-making as an art-form is ever-evolving and re-engaging its audiences in newer and more gripping ways. The language of the motion picture, however, is fundamentally limited by the science which allows it—and so, in order to direct most effectively, every last available trick of modern film-making must be employed, toward the end of showing people something they haven’t seen before, and creating a synthesis that succeeds in overwhelming the sum of its parts. Newer technologies and angles must be embraced, in order to achieve a more honest form of surprise and catharsis, so that audiences are finally moved and enlightened. For as technology evolves, so too does our tool set in the medium—providing an endless art-form to perfect and exercise up to the heights of cinema, as modeled by Citizen Kane. No patterns from past directors can ever be totally relied on, of course, in order to achieve the freshest cutting edge of new cinema—but those who are willing to learn the trade as well as take risks and experiment in the non-traditional forms are the ones who will always create original and inspiring works. Thinkers and shapers who are keen to test tomorrow’s technologies and exploit their own mistakes are the ones who will consistently set the bar higher—and allow the younger audiences to be livened up by the unexpected. Film’s suspension of disbelief, after all, dwells in the camera’s ability to capture the world around us—but also, in the editing room, where unnecessary redundancies of past pictures are trimmed back–and re-hashed tricks of the trade are left on the cutting floor. Only the bare bone advances of new cameras and exciting visual storytelling will seduce the eye and mind long enough to engage future audiences. Only the visionaries of light and sound will remind people of their daily existences deeply enough to be enthralled by the verisimilitude of it all—while simultaneously transporting them far enough away from themselves, that they will ultimately leave the theaters changed forever. Works Cited Vision Of Light. Samuels, S. ; Glassman, A. ; McCarthy, T. ; Glassman, A.. Daviau, A. ; Almendros, N. ; Bailey, J. ; Hall, C. ; Kovacs, L. ; Nykvist, S. ; Storaro, V. ; Wexler, H. ; Willis, G. ; Zsigmond, V. ; DVD. CBS FOX, 1993.

Drinking Alcoholic Beverages †Paper Essay

An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits (or distilled beverage). They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption.[1] In particular, such laws specify the minimum age at which a person may legally buy or drink them. This minimum age varies between 16 and 25 years, depending upon the country and the type of drink. Most nations set it at 18 years of age.[1] The production and consumption of alcohol occurs in most cultures of the world, from hunter-gatherer peoples to nation-states.[2][3] Alcoholic beverages are often an important part of social events in these cultures. Alcohol is a psychoactive drug classified as depressant. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recently redefined the term â€Å"binge drinking† as any time one reaches a peak BAC of 0.08% or higher as opposed to some (arguably) arbitrary number of drinks in an evening.[4] A high blood alcohol content (BAC) is usually considered to be legal drunkenness because it reduces attention and slows reaction speed. However, alcohol can be addictive known as alcoholism. Health effects of moderate drinking Longevity In a 2010 long-term study of an older population, the beneficial effects of moderate drinking were confirmed, but abstainers and heavy drinkers showed an increase of about 50% in mortality (even after controlling for confounding factors).[57] Ethanol has been found to double the lifespans of worms feed 0.005% ethanol but does not markedly increase at higher concentrations.[58] [edit] Diabetes Daily consumption of a small amount of pure alcohol by older women may slow or prevent the onset of diabetes by lowering the level of blood glucose.[59] However, the researchers caution that the study used pure alcohol and that alcoholic beverages contain additives, including sugar, which would negate this effect.[59] People with diabetes should avoid sugary drinks such as dessert wines and liqueurs.[60] [edit] Heart disease Main article: Alcohol and cardiovascular disease Alcohol consumption by the elderly results in increased longevity, which is almost entirely a result of lowered coronary heart disease.[61] A British study found that consumption of two units of alcohol (one regular glass of wine) daily by doctors aged 48+ years increased longevity by reducing the risk of death by ischaemic heart disease and respiratory disease.[62] Deaths for which alcohol consumption is known to increase risk accounted for only 5% of the total deaths, but this figure increased among those who drank more than two units of alcohol per day.[62] One study found that men who drank moderate amounts of alcohol three or more times a week were up to 35% less likely to have a heart attack than non-drinkers, and men who increased their daily alcohol consumption by one drink over the 12 years of the study had a 22% lower risk of heart attack.[63] Daily intake of one or two units of alcohol (a half or full standard glass of wine) is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease in men over 40, and in women who have been through menopause.[64] However, getting drunk one or more times per month put women at a significantly increased risk of heart attack, negating alcohol’s potential protective effect.[65] Increased longevity due to alcohol consumption is almost entirely the result of a reduced rate of coronary heart disease.[61] CHEMICAL A substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process. Chemical substances (also called pure substances) may well be defined as â€Å"any material with a definite chemical composition† in an introductory general chemistry textbook.[2] According to this definition a chemical substance can either be a pure chemical element or a pure chemical compound. But, there are exceptions to this definition; a pure substance can also be defined as a form of matter that has both definite composition and distinct properties.[3] The chemical substance index published by CAS also includes several alloys of uncertain composition.[4] Non-stoichiometric compounds are a special case (in inorganic chemistry) that violates the law of constant composition, and for them, it is sometimes difficult to draw the line between a mixture and a compound, as in the case of palladium hydride. Broader definitions of chemicals or chemical substances can be found, for example: â€Å"the term ‘chemical substance’ means any organic or inorganic substance of a particular molecular identity, including – (i) any combination of such substances occurring in whole or in part as a result of a chemical reaction or occurring in nature†[5] In geology, substances of uniform composition are called minerals, while physical mixtures (aggregates) of several minerals (different substances) are defined as rocks. Many minerals, however, mutually dissolve into solid solutions, such that a single rock is a uniform substance despite being a ‘mixture’. Feldspars are a common example: anorthoclase is an alkali aluminum silicate, where the alkali metal is interchangeably either sodium or potassium. History The concept of a â€Å"chemical substance† became firmly established in the late eighteenth century after work by the chemist Joseph Proust on the composition of some pure chemical compounds such as basic copper carbonate.[6] He deduced that, â€Å"All samples of a compound have the same composition; that is, all samples have the same proportions, by mass, of the elements present in the compound.† This is now known as the law of constant composition.[7] Later with the advancement of methods for chemical synthesis particularly in the realm of organic chemistry; the discovery of many more chemical elements and new techniques in the realm of analytical chemistry used for isolation and purification of elements and compounds from chemicals that led to the establishment of modern chemistry, the concept was defined as is found in most chemistry textbooks. However, there are some controversies regarding this definition mainly because the large number of chemical substances repo rted in chemistry literature need to be indexed. Isomerism caused much consternation to early researchers, since isomers have exact the same composition, but differ in configuration (arrangement) of the atoms. For example, there was much speculation for the chemical identity of benzene, until the correct structure was described by Friedrich August Kekulà ©. Likewise, the idea of stereoisomerism – that atoms have rigid three-dimensional structure and can thus form isomers that differ only in their three-dimensional arrangement – was another crucial step in understanding the concept of distinct chemical substances. For example, tartaric acid has three distinct isomers, a pair of diastereomers with one diastereomer forming two enantiomers. chemical is a form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties.[1] It cannot be separated into components by physical separation methods, i.e. without breaking chemical bonds. It can be solid, liquid or gas. Chemical substances are often called ‘pure’ to set them apart from mixtures. A common example of a chemical substance is pure water; it has the same properties and the same ratio of hydrogen to oxygen whether it is isolated from a river or made in a laboratory. Other chemical substances commonly encountered in pure form are diamond (carbon), gold, table salt (sodium chloride) and refined sugar (sucrose). However, simple or seemingly pure substances found in nature can in fact be mixtures of chemical substances. For example, tap water may contain small amounts of dissolved sodium chloride and compounds containing iron, calcium and many other chemical substances. Cigarette Smoking The 1982 United States Surgeon General’s report stated that â€Å"Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality [death] in the United States.† This statement is as true today as it was then. Tobacco use is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. Because cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviors − activities that people choose to do – smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. The 1982 United States Surgeon General’s report stated that â€Å"Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality [death] in the United States.† This statement is as true today as it was then. Tobacco use is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. Because cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviors − activities that people choose to do – smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. Who smokes cigarettes? Adults The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that about 43.8 million US adults were cigarette smokers in 2011 (the most recent year for which numbers are available). This is 19% of all adults (21.6% of men, 16.5% of women) − about 1 out of 5 people. There were more cigarette smokers in the younger age groups. In 2011, the CDC reported 22.1% of people 25 to 44 years old were current smokers, compared with 7.9% of those aged 65 or older.High school and middle school students.Nationwide, 18% of high school students were smoking cigarettes in 2011. The most recent survey of middle school students, done in 2011, shows that about 4% were smoking cigarettes. In both high schools and middle schools, white and Hispanic students were more likely to smoke cigarettes than other races/ethnicities. Effects of smoking on how long you live and your quality of life Cigarette smokers die younger than non-smokers. In fact, according to a study done in the late 1990s by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking shortened male smokers’ lives by 13.2 years and female smokers’ lives by 14.5 years. Men and women who smoke are much more likely to die between the ages of 35 and 69 than those who have never smoked. But not all of the health problems related to smoking result in deaths. Smoking affects a smoker’s health in many ways, harming nearly every organ of the body and causing many diseases. The diseases often seen are chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. And some studies have found that male smokers may be more likely to be sexually impotent (have erectile dysfunction) than non-smokers. These problems can steal away a person’s quality of life long before death. Smoking-related illness can limit a person’s daily life by making it harder to breathe, get around, work, or play. Smoking can cause or worsen poor blood flow in the arms and legs (peripheral vascular disease or PVD.) Surgery to improve the blood flow often doesn’t work in people who keep smoking. Because of this, many vascular surgeons (surgeons who work on blood vessels) won’t do certain surgeries on patients with PVD unless they stop smoking. The smoke from cigarettes (called secondhand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke) can also have harmful health effects on those exposed to it. Adults and children can have health problems from breathing secondhand smoke. (See our documents called Secondhand Smoke and Women and Smoking.) O.T.C DRUGS Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are drugs you can buy without a prescription. Some OTC medicines relieve aches, pains and itches. Some prevent or cure diseases, like tooth decay and athlete’s foot. Others help manage recurring problems, like migraines. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration decides whether a medicine is safe enough to sell over-the-counter. Taking OTC medicines still has risks. Some interact with other medicines, supplements, foods or drinks. Others cause problems for people with certain medical conditions. If you’re pregnant, talk to your health care provider before taking any medicines. It is important to take medicines correctly, and be careful when giving them to children. More medicine does not necessarily mean better. You should never take OTC medicines longer or in higher doses than the label recommends. If your symptoms don’t go away, it’s a clear signal that it’s time to see your healthcare provider. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription. In many countries, OTC drugs are selected by a regulatory agency to ensure that they are ingredients that are safe and effective when used without a physician’s care. OTC drugs are usually regulated by active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), not final products. By regulating APIs instead of specific drug formulations, governments allow manufacturers freedom to formulate ingredients, or combinations of ingredients, into proprietary mixtures.[1] The term over-the-counter may be somewhat counterintuitive, since, in many countries, these drugs are often located on the shelves of stores like any other packaged product. In contrast, prescription drugs are almost always passed over a counter from the pharmacist to the customer. Some drugs may be legally classified as over-the-counter (i.e., no prescription is required), but may only be dispensed by a pharmacist after an assessment of the patient’s needs and/or the provision of patient education. In many countries, a number of OTC drugs are available in establishments without a pharmacy, such as general stores, supermarkets, gas stations, etc. Regulations detailing the establishments where drugs may be sold, who is authorized to dispense them, and whether a prescription is required vary considerably from country to country. Restricted OTC Substances An ill-defined third category of substances comprises those products having over-the-counter status from the FDA, while being simultaneously subject to other restrictions on sale. While these products are legally classified as OTC drugs, they are typically stored behind the pharmacy counter and are sold only in stores employing a registered pharmacist; such items may be unavailable in convenience or grocery stores that stock other non-restricted OTC medications. For example, many U.S. drugstores have moved products containing pseudoephedrine, an OTC product, into locations where customers must ask a pharmacist for them. A prescription is not required; the change has been made in an effort to reduce methamphetamine production. Since the passage of the Illinois Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act and the subsequent Federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005, the purchase of pseudoephedrine in the United States is restricted. Sellers of pseudoephedrine must obtain and record the identity of the purchaser and enforce quantity restrictions. Some states may have more stringent requirements (e.g., Oregon , where a medical prescription is required to purchase any quantity of pseudoephedrine). After initial attempts to control meth use by requiring documentation of sale with government issued ID as well as limits on the quantity an individual could purchase failed to realize meaningful reductions in methamphetamine use and production, Mississippi passed House Bill 512 in the State Senate on February 2, 2010,† to require a prescription from a licensed medical professional to purchase over-the-counter medicines with pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, or any other precursor chemical that can readily and ill icitly be converted into methamphetamine, Methcathinone or any active/scheduled analogs of Phenylethylamines/ amphetamine. Despite these restrictions, products containing the substance are still OTC in most states, since no prescription is required. RELATED LAWS Laws Related to Drugs and Alcohol Here are a few of the laws in regards to alcohol and drugs. Do not think that this list is exhaustive, there are more. These are the commonly encountered laws by IU Police Officers. The following laws are current as of January 2003. The following text should be used as a guide not the definitive answer. Some text from the excerpts was omitted. Search the Indiana Code. Alcohol Related * IC 7.1-5-7-1 False statements of age Sec. 1. (a) It is a Class C infraction for a minor to make a false statement of the minor’s age or to present or offer false or fraudulent evidence of majority or identity to a permittee for the purpose of ordering, purchasing, attempting to purchase, or otherwise procuring or attempting to procure an alcoholic beverage. (b) In addition to the penalty under subsection (a), a minor who: (1) uses a false or altered driver’s license or the driver’s license of another person as evidence of majority under this section; or (2) is convicted of purchasing or procuring an alcoholic beverage with or without using a false or altered driver’s license; shall have the minor’s driver’s license suspended for up to one (1) year in accordance with IC 9-24-18-8 and IC 9-30-4-9. (c) Upon entering a judgment for the infraction under this section, the court shall forward a copy of the judgment to the bureau of motor vehicles for the purpose of complying with subsection (b). * IC 7.1-5-7-2 Furnishing false evidence of identification Sec. 2. It is a Class C misdemeanor for a person to sell, give, or furnish to a minor false or fraudulent evidence of majority or identity with the intent to violate a provision of this title. * IC 7.1-5-7-3 Possession of false identity Sec. 3. It is a Class C infraction for a minor to have in his possession false or fraudulent evidence of majority or identity with the intent to violate a provision of this title. * IC 7.1-5-7-7 Illegal possession Sec. 7. (a) It is a Class C misdemeanor for a minor to knowingly: (1) possess an alcoholic beverage; (2) consume it; or (3) transport it on a public highway when not accompanied by at least one (1) of his parents or guardians. (b) If a minor is found to have violated subsection (a) while operating a motor vehicle, the court may order the minor’s driver’s license suspended for up to one (1) year. However, if the minor is less than eighteen (18) years of age, the court shall order the minor’s driver’s license suspended for at least sixty (60) days. (c) The court shall deliver any order suspending the minor’s driver’s license under this section to the bureau of motor vehicles, which shall suspend the minor’s driver’s license under IC 9-24-18-12 for the period ordered by the court. * IC 7.1-5-7-8 Sales to minors prohibited Sec. 8. (a) It is a Class C misdemeanor for a person to recklessly sell, barter, exchange, provide, or furnish an alcoholic beverage to a minor. (b) This section shall not be construed to impose civil liability upon any educational institution of higher learning, including but not limited to public and private universities and colleges, business schools, vocational schools, and schools for continuing education, or its agents for injury to any person or property sustained in consequence of a violation of this section unless such institution or its agent sells, barters, exchanges, provides, or furnishes an alcoholic beverage to a minor. * IC 7.1-5-7-15 Aiding unlawful possession Sec. 15. A person twenty-one (21) years of age or older who knowingly or intentionally encourages, aids, or induces a minor to unlawfully possess an alcoholic beverage commits a Class C infraction. * IC 7.1-5-1-3 Public intoxication prohibited Sec. 3. It is a Class B misdemeanor for a person to be in a public place or a place of public resort in a state of intoxication caused by the person’s use of alcohol or a controlled substance (as defined in IC 35-48-1-9). * IC 7.1-5-1-6 Intoxication upon common carrier prohibited Sec. 6. It is a Class B misdemeanor for a person to be, or to become, intoxicated as a result of the person’s use of alcohol or a controlled substance (as defined in IC 35-48-1-9) in or upon a vehicle commonly used for the public transportation of passengers, or in or upon a common carrier, or in or about a depot, station, airport, ticket office, waiting room or platform.