Drugs in Sport Essays

Drugs in Sport Essays Drugs in Sport Essay Drugs in Sport Essay Essay Topic: 8th Grade Sport is so much a part of daily life for so many Australians. An Australian child is brought up to idolise their sporting heroes and to pursue the sport itself. It is devastating to think that maybe our sporting heroes are cheats. Today students are being pressured to perform at higher levels to make the first team, representative side or a sporting scholarship at a Greater Public Schools (GPS) which then could lead to the opportunity to make a break into the professional sporting teams.With the increase of drug use young players start thinking that taking performance enhancing drugs is necessary to ‘make it’. The competition in sports is so fierce it amounts to a huge build up on players and teams to perform, including the pressure from big business asking for ‘more’ because the more the players can give and entertain crowds means that demand for the game will rise which in turn means more money at the gates. The power and influence of Australian sport can be seen in its net worth â€Å"Sport in Australia generated a net income of $8. billion in 2004/2005†. The organisations that are running ‘Game Day’ have only one objective and that is to keep the broadcaster and punters happy and paying money, if this happens the businesses are happy. This is a vicious cycle for agencies who are trying to stop drug doping in sport, because businesses are so money hungry they feel no need to invest in the athletes welfare. More testing needs to be implemented for GPS athletes and they need to be educated that you can still be the best without cheating.Currently no Anti-doping policy exists in Toowoomba Grammar or the GPS schools, the purpose of this document is to outline the need for an Anti-doping policy and make some practical suggestions. Within the last year the Australian Crime Commission has had some major findings involving the use of prohibited substances such a peptides, growth hormones, and ill icit drugs, they now know that these drugs are wide spread throughout Australian sport, Ex-ASADA chairman Richard Ings says â€Å"its the blackest day in Australian sport†. Sports are constantly changing because of the improved ability, performance and technology that have been developed.Take Rugby Union as an example, rules are constantly modified each year and the use of technology in training and equipment has advanced dramatically to improve players performance on and off the field. Doping in sport is also constantly changing within the sports to become more and more advanced and easier to consume but harder to trace. It is a continual race against the agencies who are trying to stop drug use and the sellers. Where do we draw the line for performance enhancing ? There are similarities between the new technologies and training methods, and what drugs can achieve.Such as training at altitude or taking erythropoietin. Some of these differences will also remain arguable, but with improved technology laboratories are catching up with the dopers to find the ‘cheats’. There are many different methods to detect drugs that have been introduced into the body, they can be detected in urine, blood, other body fluids, and in hair. The most commonly used test is urinalysis. Athletes are asked for a sample of urine, a supervisor will watch and collect the sample to eliminate the chance of a sample switch.Chemical tests are then carried out on the urine sample which will then determine the presence of an illegal drug itself or the chemical produced during the breakdown of the drug in the body. With an increase in the number of hi-tech laboratories they are able to test a number of samples in different ways to gain the most accurate reading. Also more players being able to be tested will give the most accurate results. This has had a number of positive outcomes, but it is still believed that this is a poor indicator as to how prevalent doping actually i s.The recognition of those elite athletes that have tested positive does not mean that the ‘war on doping’ is being won because it is impossible to estimate how many athletes are actually still taking drugs but getting away with it. There are many different drug agencies trying to stop the use of these illicit substances, organizations such as Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)and Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) have many different anti-doping policies to prevent drug use in elite sport.As well as the Australian Crime Commission who are out trying to prevent substances getting into Australia’s top sports, but none of them concentrate on the issue of drugs within school sport. The following document will present a number of recommendations about anti-doping that could be adopted into the GPS sporting competitions which is one of Queensland’s major school sporting competitions. I believe that th e neglect towards drug testing will lead to further drug use in the future and the continual development of new drugs will compound this issue in professional sport.It is very important to introduce the anti-doping policy into the GPS system so that our future generations will be prevented from drug use before they get into elite sport. Pressure to perform and succeed is one of the main causes of using banned substances, pressure such as making the first team or for the team to be more competitive within the GPS competition. This is taken very seriously throughout the 9 schools, also the hand out of school scholarships to outstanding players in their sporting field or even social factors like body image.There is decent evidence that schools are being affected by drugs, such as the incident that that occurred at the Nudgee College campus, Nudgee is a part of the GPS and is one of the state’s elite sporting schools. On Tuesday (30th April 2013) â€Å"Two students at St Josephà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Nudgee College, aged 16 and 17, were arrested on Tuesday on charges of possession and supply of steroids. Both were expelled. – College Principal Daryl Hanly said the arrests were not linked to the school’s highly-touted athletic program. This example of the presence of drugs within such a notable school shows us how the schools actually deal with drugs, even though the Principal says that the drugs are not linked to the school’s athletic program and that the boys consuming the drugs were purely for body image to further their underwear modelling career. Because there has been some use of drugs within a school there must be action by ASADA, highlighting the need to introduce school sports into their anti-doping policy and investigations. At the moment the only measures in place is that of School Sports Australia saying. School Sport Australia condemns the use of any prohibited substances and methods in sport by students participating in its programs as it is contrary to the ethics of sport and potentially harmful to the health of athletes†. There is nothing towards investigating whether the teams are using drugs or not, School Sports Australia are saying no, but that is not enough an assumption can be made from the evidence provided that students are out there using illicit drugs to enhance their performance and are not being found out.If any Anti-Doping policies were to be put in place in the GPS I believe there are two main recommendations that I consider essential to an Anti-Doping Policy. The first recommendation that should be considered when introducing an Anti-Doping policy into the GPS of Queensland should be drug testing. I believe it should follow along the same lines as Australian Sports Commission Anti-Doping Policy. Testing Procedure: Testing should only apply to athletes that have been selected to compete in a State Representative team for all GPS sports like Rugby, Swimming, and Athletics.Each athlete must com plete a medical declaration that states all prescribed drugs, counter medications, and supplements taken over the last week. Officials need to recognise if any of the substances are on the prohibited list, and ensure the athlete holds a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). This form is then signed by the athlete, coach and official and each are given a copy of the declaration. The athletes must agree to submit and comply with testing by an Anti-Doping Organisation, this may be a urine, blood, other body fluids, and hair.Athletes will be tested only once parents have been notified, testing will then take place in the presence of the sports coach at any time. Samples collected will be laboratory tested under the same Policy as the Australian Sports Commission. If any tests are positive they notify School Sport Australia and they will impose their penalties which can be found in there Student Behaviour Team Management Procedures. Penalties which may include being banned from GPS sport, but the school will make the decision as to whether the student will be expelled or not.The second recommendation that should be considered when introducing an Anti-Doping policy should be aimed towards creating awareness in schools through education. All Students from Year 8 to Year 12 must have a class during the sporting season. Athletes that are selected into the GPS teams must be re-educated. Education: All GPS schools must meet and agree on an Anti-Doping curriculum content and implementation time table. The curriculum must include the awareness of: * The health risks involved in drug use Cheating and by taking drugs you are gaining an unfair advantage * The consequence of being caught doping I will use the Individual level of Figueroa’s framework to justify why I have considered testing procedures as one my recommendations that need to be in place for GPS schools. The individual level is very personalised and involves our own attitudes, values and beliefs. The factors tha t influence a student to take drugs at the individual level is pressure to perform at a high level. They become targeted by the dealers and the access to drugs becomes more prevalent.To use the Cranbrook School boy as an example, he knowingly took steroids but because there were no anti-doping testing procedures in place he then thought that it was fine to be a cheat, because he didn’t believe he would get caught. If all young sportsmen were randomly being tested and they knew from the first declaration form that they signed that what they are taking is or isn’t prohibited. This will eliminate taking drugs. The first recommendation will not rid us of the pressure or accessibility but more so deter from such factors.It does not seem very stereotypical for a GPS student to be taking drugs for it goes against all GPS schools beliefs and culture of sportsmanship and honesty. This is why I have chosen my second recommendation to be education. The Cultural level of Figueroaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s framework is concerned with the assumptions, norms and values within the GPS culture, as I have mentioned before the stereotypical GPS student when educated with the recommendation in place would have been taught to say no to drugs and doping, hence reinforcing the schools moral values.Supported by the recent press article, â€Å"Schools urged to spell out risks of sports drugs† The Age May 18 2013. The reasoning behind selecting only the athletes that made a representative side comes down to cost, and effort. It would be too difficult to test every student who makes a firsts side and it would cost too much and the extensive paper work would be too much for any sports administrator. By educating all grades from years 8-12 it fills in the gaps of the first recommendation.Gymnastics is said to be the ‘clean sport’ having only 3 Olympic doping cases, all of which have said to be accidental where the gymnast has taken medication unknown to the fact that they are a banned substance. I believe that the gymnastics have such little doping cases because â€Å"98 percent of the athlete members are under 18 years of age. † Because of the younger age, gymnasts coaches have to go through a criminal background check to be allowed to coach, and parents are much more involved in the gymnasts sporting decisions. â€Å"parents are to be given the highest degree of onfidence that their children are not only receiving good care and proper instruction, but also are safe from negative and improper conduct. † With the amount of care that is given to the gymnasts it shows that the constant cycle between parents and coaches reduces the amount of doping in the sport. In my experience in school sport I can say that this relationship between parents and coaches also exists, with the coaches usually being teachers who have all been through background checks to get the job at the prestigiious GPS school.So why are we still seeing drugs used in sch ools? I have confidence that the reason for this is because there is no testing in place and their athletes are not scared or threatened about the risk of taking the drugs because they feel they won’t get caught. School athletes are also unaware. As a student I have not been lectured about drugs in sport and I am unaware of the consequences and risks of taking drugs. I believe the two recommendations I have made, implementing a testing procedure and educating students should be introduced at Toowoomba Grammar School and all GPS schools.Through greater awareness of the moral values together with a serious threat of being caught through testing and the resultant penalties, drug use at school will be prevented. I believe if students from Year 8 start to learn that taking performance enhancing drugs is wrong then by the time they have reached a professional level they are very aware of the policies and less inclined to use drugs and suffer the consequences. Alarming statistics su ch as these quoted below form research conducted in America would be prevented with the adoption of the proposed recommendations. Monitoring the Future† study revealed that there has been a significant rise in the number of  steroids  among the school age children community from 1991-2002. In this survey, 22 percent of 8th graders, 33. 2 percent of 10th graders, and 46. 1 percent of 12th graders said that it is â€Å"fairly easy† for them to obtain  steroids.

Animals and Their Environment

Animals and Their Environment To understanding individual animals, and in turn populations of animals, you must first understand the relationship they have with their environment. Animal Habitats The environment in which an animal lives is referred to as its habitat. A habitat includes both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of the animals environment. Abiotic components of an animals environment include a huge range of characteristics, examples of which include: TemperatureHumidityOxygenWindSoil compositionDay lengthElevation Biotic components of an animals environment include such things as: Plant matterPredatorsParasitesCompetitorsIndividuals of the same species Animals Get Energy From the Environment Animals require energy to support the processes of life: movement, foraging, digestion, reproduction, growth, and work. Organisms can be categorized into one of the following groups: Autotroph- an organism that obtains energy from sunlight (in the case of green plants) or inorganic compounds (in the case of sulfur bacteria)Heterotroph- an organism that uses organic materials as a source of energy Animals are heterotrophs, obtaining their energy from the ingestion of other organisms. When resources are scarce or environmental conditions limit the ability of animals to obtain food or go about their normal activities, animals metabolic activity may decrease to conserve energy until better conditions prevail. A component of an organisms environment, such as a nutrient, that is in short supply and therefore limits the organisms ability to reproduce in greater numbers is referred to as a limiting factor of the environment.   The different types of metabolic dormancy or responses include: Torpor- a time of decreased metabolism and reduced body temperature in daily activity cyclesHibernation- a time of decreased metabolism and reduced body temperature that may last weeks or monthsWinter sleep- periods of inactivity during which body temperature does not fall substantially and from which animals can be awakened and become active quicklyAestivation- a period of inactivity in animals that must sustain extended periods of drying Environmental characteristics (temperature, moisture, food availability, and so on) vary over time and location so animals have adapted to a certain range of values for each characteristic. The range of an environmental characteristic to which an animal is adapted is called its tolerance range for that characteristic. Within an animals tolerance range is an optimal range of values at which the animal is most successful. Animals Become Acclimated to Survive Sometimes, in response to a prolonged change in environmental characteristic, an animals physiology adjusts to accommodate the change in its environment, and in doing so, its tolerance range shifts. This shift in tolerance range is called acclimation. For example, sheep in cold, damp climates grow thicker winter coats. And, a study of lizards showed that those acclimated to warm weather could maintain a faster speed than lizards not acclimated to those conditions. Likewise, the digestive systems of white-tailed deer adjust to the available food supply in winter versus summer.

An Email Asking for Recommendation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Email Asking for Recommendation - Essay Example This author stresses that his professor might know him well and have a regard of his capabilities in order to write a recommendation letter for him. "I am a person with the lively curiosity in business and seeking a guidance on competing effectively for internship in the Farmer School of Business in Miami University. I am interested in the organization called CABO, which is the China-America Business Organization that works as a networking program between the students from China and other countries. They are studying business in the Farmer School of Business and have an interest in doing business in China. A CABO organization works with other multi-national business institutions. Its staff cooperate with the other professionals in order to increase the level of education of its members outside the class studies. A CABO organization tries to create such opportunities for students so they could succeed in international business; it creates job opportunities, offers internship programs in China and the U.S. and facilitates communication between students from China and U.S. For me personally, it is a great opportunity to develop my professional and personal sides. Please let me know if you are comfortable to discuss any questions and provide me with the further information, which will help you to write your recommendation."

The Investment Detective - Finance Case 17 Study

The Investment Detective - Finance 17 - Case Study Example The project’s Payback period, Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) are some of the key criteria that can be used. However, NPV provides the best ranking criteria, since IRR is only applicable when there are series of cash flows that indicate results in an initial outlay followed by future inlay (Baker, 2011). A series of cash flows that do not satisfy this requirement, will not give appropriate results with the IRR method. IRR method also gives percentages which do not include the magnitude of cash flows (Baker, 2011). Payback method normally overlooks the time value of money. This is one of its main drawbacks in ranking projects. The drawbacks of Payback period and IRR method make NPV the best method for capital budgeting (Baker, 2011). Project 2 and 6 relate to actual venture capital project in which, bulks of cash inflows are realized at the end of maturity period, but some cash inflows can also occur at the beginning of the period (Baker, 2011). Project 4, 7 and 8 relate to an investment in machinery where positive cash is generated at a certain period of time. After some times, they can be sold so as to generate more cash. Additional cash flows are incurred at the beginning of the period to keep the machinery going (Baker,

The Use of Hand-held Cameras in “After Life” Essay Example for Free

The Use of Hand-held Cameras in â€Å"After Life† Essay Hirokazu Kore-eda’s â€Å"After Life† portrays the importance of making beautiful memories that would last forever. It is about death but deals more with choosing the best memory a dead person can remember and wants to remember for the rest of eternity. Twenty-two souls came to a â€Å"waystation† between life and death where they were asked to choose one precious memory. After choosing a memory, it would be recreated and filmed by the â€Å"staff† at the station. The â€Å"staff† were also dead persons who were not able to leave the place because of difficulty in choosing the memory they want to take with them. In this movie, hand-held camera techniques are used in a concrete pattern to recreate the dead peoples memories. The cameras were also used to record their interviews wherein they try to explain and give details of their specific memories. This was especially seen with the prostitute, pilot, and Tatara Kimiko. According to Kore-eda, he used scripted and unscripted dialogs in the film by non-actors and professional actors (Derek, 1998, n. p). He actually included non-actors to relate their real memories. In the beginning of the movie, characters were filmed with fixed cameras and they were seen having a hard time choosing their memories. However, with hand-held camera scenes, they were able to choose their memories easily. Although in the scenes where hand-held cameras were used seemed as informal scenes compared to the others, the characters can be seen talking comfortably. It seems that they were having a normal conversation as opposed to a formal interview. The characters were more at ease with the hand-held cameras. This might be because hand-held cameras do not seem as intimidating as those normally used in making movies. Also, when these cameras are used, it can only seem as though a home movie is being done and not a formal movie. The first scene where a hand-held camera was used was when the prostitute was having tea with Takuro Sugie, one of the counselors. They had their conversation in a casual way while drinking tea. The hand-held camera technique started when the counselor showed a picture of a demolished hotel to her, which was a part of her chosen memory. The counselor then found out that something was not right. Soon thereafter, he realized that the prostitute lied about her age. Feeling guilty, she admitted that she lied and even related that she was not with anyone that day and was actually waiting for a man. The hand-held camera focused on her while she was telling the truth, and this showed the development of her character. The second hand-held camera technique appeared on the pilot and Kawashima’s conversation. Kawashima brought pictures of airplanes so he could figure out and recreate the pilots memory and the specific plane that the pilot flew that day. The third hand-held camera technique was when Tatara Kimiko was drawing a red dress on the paper, which she would present to Kawashima. She seemed to be using an unscripted dialog because she was seen struggling to recall her memories. Because it is very natural to forget some things, this was considered unscripted. In the scene, the hand-held camera focused on the red dress that she was sketching because it was the most important part of her memory and would be used on the set to recreate her memory. Hand-held camera techniques appeared throughout the movie while the memories were being recreated. The cameras tried to capture every detail of their stories and facial expressions so that real emotions can be seen by the viewers. In Tatara Kimiko’s scene where she was trying to teach a certain dance to a little girl, the camera followed her every move and kept the focus on her face rather than the little girl learning the dance. This scene is considered unscripted because she tried to remember the dance and even changed some of the details because she was not able to remember the exact details of the dance. The hand-held cameras tried to record her real story in a natural way and she would not have the chance to make up things because this would be easily seen on hand-held cameras. The movie â€Å"After Life† demonstrates hand-held camera techniques that will allow the viewers to get close with the characters. Compared with other cameras, hand-held cameras are able to show the real emotions and sensitivity of the characters. This is seen in scenes where characters tend to talk in an unscripted way in order to capture the real story and recreate this on the set. Real emotions can be seen when individuals are on their most unguarded moments. This is when people do and say things that they normally keep to themselves because they feel that no one is listening. Although it may seem to be an invasion of ones privacy, it is a very good way to record a persons true character, which would help make a great recreation of a memory. Hand-held cameras make it easier for viewers to understand the development of the characters of the movie. This movie shows how important memories are to a persons life. It is hard to choose one memory from all the years of existence of one individual but it is harder to remember the specific details of that one memory. It is like a dream where everything is blurred and only a certain moment or conversation of the whole memory can be remembered. Moreover, the pressure of choosing one special memory out of all the memories a person can have to take in eternity is also hard. Certainly, one memory is not enough. Because memories are hard to remember, which makes it hard to recreate, hand-held cameras contribute greatly in the making of this movie. There are just some things that can be only seen through the lens of a hand-held camera and this is what makes â€Å"After Life† a

Literary approaches :: essays research papers

Literature †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Choose six of the following approaches and find one article for each approach. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Writing:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One page per article   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 pgs summary Critical approaches important in the study of literature: MORAL/INTELLECTUAL †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Concerned with content and values †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Used not only to discover meaning, but also to determine whether works of literature are both true and significant. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To study lit from this perspective is to determine whether a work conveys a lesson or a message and whether it can help readers lead better lives and improve their understanding of the world. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Answer these questions:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What ideas does the work contain?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How strongly does the work bring forth its ideas?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What application do the ideas have to the work’s characters and situations?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How may the ideas be evaluated intellectually? Morally? TOPICAL/HISTORICAL †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stresses the relationship of lit to its historical period †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Investigates relationships of this sort, including the elucidation of words and concepts that today’s readers may not immediately understand. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Common criticism is that in the extreme, it deals with background knowledge rather than with lit itself. NEW CRITICAL/FORMALIST †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Focuses on literary texts as formal works of art, and for this reason it can be seen as a reaction against the topical/historical approach. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most brilliant in the formal analysis of smaller units such as poems and short passages. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Discussions of point of view, tone, plot, character, and structure are formal ways of looking at lit from this point of view. STRUCTURALIST †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stems from the attempt to find relationships and connections among elements that appear to be separate and discrete. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attempts to discover the forms unifying all lit †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Important because it enables critics to discuss works from widely disparate cultures and historical periods. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furnishes an ideal approach for comparative lit and the method also enables critics to consolidate genres such as modern romances, detective tales, soap operas and film. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Best in the analysis of narratives and larger units. FEMINIST †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holds that most of lit presents a masculine/patriarchal view in which the role of women is negated or at best minimized. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Seeks to raise consciousness about the importance and unique nature of women in lit. ECONOMIC DETERMINIST/MARXIST †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Features individuals in the grips of the class struggle. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Often called proletarian lit †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emphasizes persons of the lower class – the poor and oppressed who spend their lives in endless drudgery and misery, and whose attempts to rise above their disadvantages usually result in renewed suppression. PSYCHOLOGICAL/PSYCHOANALYTIC †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Provided a new key to the understanding of character by claiming that behavior is caused by hidden unconscious motives. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Treat lit somewhat like information about patients in therapy. ARCHETYPAL/SYMBOLIC/MYTHIC †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Presupposes that human life is built up out of patterns, or archetypes, that are similar throughout various cultures and historical times.

The Modern Information Technology

The information age is the age we live in today, and with the information age comes an age of ethics. When we deal with the new technologies introduced every day, we need to decide what we must consider ethical and unethical. We must consider all factors so that the use of the information readily available to many persons is not abused. â€Å"Information technology will be the most fundamental area of ethical concern for business in the next decade† (Houston 2). The most widely used tool of the information age is the computer, whether it be a PC or a network of computer systems. As we enter the information age the newness and power of information technologies tests the ethics of the average person, not just the criminal and causes thousands of computer crimes to be committed daily. The most common computer crime committed daily, some aware and many not, is the illegal sharing of computer software. Software is any of the programs used in operating a digital computer, as input and output programs, as defined by Funk and Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary. When you purchase computer software, you purchase it with the understanding that it will be for se on a single computer, once installed on that system, it is not to be loaded on any other computer. However many people are not aware of this understanding, and many load a program on a couple of computers or on a whole network of computer systems not aware that they are committing a crime. Even though you probably will not be prosecuted for loading a program on a friends computer, this is where your ethics come in. Do you consider anything when you share a program with others? If not then consider the programmers of the software who are denied compensation for their developments every time you distribute a iece of software. â€Å"Why is it that people who wouldn't think of stealing pack of gum will copy a $500 piece of software† (Houston 3)? A popular form off illegal software distribution is throughout the online world. Whether it be the Internet, America Online, CompuServe, Prodigy, or a BBS (Bulletin Board System), software â€Å"pirates† thrive freely online. These so called â€Å"pirates† operate by uploading pieces of software, commonly referred to as â€Å"warez†, into an online service's database then sending through e-mail the rights to download them. â€Å"The Information Superhighway has opened the door to a new kind of highway robbery – the home shoplifting network† (Mattia 43). When you access a online service, you are identified through an account which most commonly consists of a user ID and password. The password is so you only can access the online service with your user ID. Many people online use their own accounts to access their service, but many steal and use the accounts of others or make fake accounts. When online, these account â€Å"pirates† many times trick other users into giving their passwords to them by impersonating an employee of the online service. Others can hack into the online services mainframe computer and steal thousands of accounts. Probably the most common method of getting online without paying is the use of fake or fraudulent accounts. These are made by giving false information when attempting to gain access to an online service. Name, address, phone number, and billing information, such as checking account or credit card number, are all falsified in obtaining an online account. With these stolen and fake accounts, software â€Å"pirates† have virtually unlimited time to download their â€Å"warez† without any charge to them. Many people don't consider the people behind the creation of software when they illegally distribute it. The developers of software are not properly compensated for their work because of the extent of software piracy. No one can argue with a software company's desire, and right, to make sure everyone using their products has paid for it (Furger 73). The numbers add up, it is estimated that in 1994 alone that software companies lost $15 billion from illegal software copying (Maremont 65). It is not only illegal, but clearly unethical to distribute software knowing hat the people behind the software are experiencing the downfalls of Every time software companies cannot compensate their programmers for their work, more people are out of a job. Consider this, you enter a store and purchase an item, during this transaction you give your name and phone number. The person you have given this information to then enters it into a computerized database. After this person has collected a sufficient amount of names, they then sell it to a telemarketing firm for a profit. This action is legal, but is it ethical. Do you want your name sold without your consent? Most people don't because they don't want to be bothered by sales persons on the telephone. Also, your address could be sold and you put on a mailing list. Then its an issue of do you want your mailbox filled with junk mail. This action is unethical for the simple reason of consent. If the person had just gained consent to enter the names into his/her database then he would not have committed and unethical act. One conclusion from studies sponsored by the National Institute of Justice is that persons involved in computer crimes get form skills and interests at an early age. Usually they are introduced to computers at home or in school and usually start their â€Å"career path† with illegally copying software (McEwen 2). As young people interact with hackers, they incorporate the beliefs of the hackers into their own. Many of these unconventional beliefs of young hackers about information and computers leads them to a career in computer crime. Many times it is the lack of education by parents and schools that helps to make these beliefs all the more true to a young person. Computer criminals have their own set of beliefs about information and computers. Their beliefs are based on obvious unethical reasoning. For example, hackers believe that computerized data are free and should be accessible to anyone. They also believe that passwords and other security features are simply obstacles to be overcome in obtaining data that should already be available and while data should never be destroyed, there is nothing wrong with viewing and transferring data for one's own use (McEwen 2). One member of the Legion of Doom, a nationwide group of hackers who exchange information about computer systems and techniques o break into them, has said, â€Å"Hackers will do just about anything to break into a computer except crashing a system, that's the only taboo† (McEwen 2). The key to stop computer criminals from forming is education. It is often times the case that people commit computer crimes without even know they are doing so and the reason for this is the lack of education. Few schools teach computer ethics, and parents of arrested hackers are usually unaware that their children have been illegally accessing computer systems (McEwen 2). Colleges and universities do not usually include computer use and abuse in their ourses, arguing that it is the responsibility of the schools. On the other hand, many secondary school educators are not sure about what should be taught and are reluctant or unable to add ethical computer education to many subjects in the curriculum. Textbooks on computer literacy rarely mention computer abuses and individual responsibilities. Educators and software developers have worked together to prevent software piracy in educational institutions. In 1987, the Software Copyright Committee of the International Council for Computers in Education (ICCE) developed a policy to guide educators. The policy call on school districts to teach staff the provisions of the copyright law and both staff and students the ethical and practical implications of software piracy. This policy has been adopted by many school districts across the country (McEwen 3). In recognition of the problems arising with the illegal and unethical use of computers, criminal justice forces have begun to crack down on computer criminals. In 1989, three computer crime studies were sponsored by the National Institute of Justice. One of these studies examined different organizational approaches for computer crime nvestigation and prosecution, another documented the experiences of several dedicated computer crime units, and the third developed a computer crime investigation handbook (McEwen 2). Computers are a permanent fact of life in work places and classrooms across the country. More businesses are likely to incorporate policies on information access and confidentiality in their employee orientation and training programs. Many schools and universities, responding from pressure around them, are beginning to incorporate computer ethics into their courses.

Reducing College Tuition Essay

Abstact There is a need to reduce the cost of college tuition in America. The rising costs threaten the ability and desire of students to attend college, but there are ways for both parents and students to make going to college more affordable. The Need to Reduce College Tuition With the cost of education on the rise, students are asking that time aged question, will they be able to attend college? The answer is yes, and without taking on the burden of overpriced tuition fees and loans. Attending community college has become a trend across the country and offer continuing education with little to no direct cost to students. Dual enrollment options, where a student can take a class that counts towards both high school and college credits are becoming increasingly popular with a large proportion of these students enrolling through two-year colleges and universities. Economic downturns are also believed to attract many students to community colleges, acting as a more affordable route to higher education at a time when money is tight and jobs are scarce. In 2007, 6.3 million students enrolled in community colleges in the United States, representing 34 percent of all undergraduates, and 46 percent of all undergraduates at public institutions. (25 Ways to Reduce t he Cost of College Tuition, 2006) Community college enrollments have grown considerably over the last half-century, reflecting a general increase in demand for postsecondary degrees seen in this period. However, little attention is given to the fact that community colleges have quietly gained not only in enrollments, but in public institution market share as well (25 Ways to Reduce the Cost of College Tuition, 2006). Colleges and universities are not in a position to give you a discount on the cost of tuition. What they can do, however, is offer you gift aid in the form of scholarships, grants and work-study programs to reduce your out-of-pocket cost of attendance. Even if you’ve been awarded some gift aid from the school in your financial aid award letter, there may be additional aid available that the school can use to attract desirable candidates (Negotiating Your College Tuition, 2012). Once you’ve been accepted to a colleges or university, look at their published tuition rates and your financial situation. While public colleges will generally have a lower tuition, keep in mind that private, non-profit colleges are more dependent on tuition money, so they may be especially willing to make a deal with you – receiving less tuition money from a student is better than receiving no money at all, and you should always ask about other monies that may be available through programs and scholarships. If you do not ask, the school will not divulge this information willingly (Negotiating Your College Tuition, 2012). President Obama offered a plan Friday to reduce the costs of higher education by increasing the amount of federal grant money available for low-interest loans and tying it directly to colleges’ ability to reduce tuition (WP Politics, 2012). In an impassioned speech before 4,000 students at the University of Michigan, Obama delivered an election-year pitch to the type of youthful audience that buoyed his 2008 campaign, saying his administration was putting colleges â€Å"on notice† that they must rein in soaring prices. (WP Politics, 2012). â€Å"You can’t assume you’ll just jack up tuition every single year,† Obama said to cheers at Glick Field House (Obama, 2012), the school’s indoor football facility. â€Å"If you can’t stop tuition going up, your funding from taxpayers will go down. We should push colleges to do better; we should hold them accountable if they don’t† (Obama, 2012). With all the talk during the run for president, it will be great to see if all the plans for college tuition being lowered are true. We have thousands of students graduating from colleges across the country, and if they cannot find jobs that will pay them enough to pay back student loans, they will find themselves drowning in debt, and this will not be good for the student or the economy. These people will not be able to establish credit, buy a home or even purchase a vehicle. They will fall further in debt as the interest rate on the loan accumulates. This is why tuition fees need to be reduced, so even if a student does not come straight out of school with a high paying job, they will be able to make affordable payments on their loans without being overwhelmed. Tuition fees are scary. References 25 Ways to Reduce the Cost of College Tuition. (2006, September). Retrieved from Center for College affordability: http://centerforcollegeaffordability.org/uploads/25Ways_to_Reduce_the_Cost_of_College.pdf Negotiating Your College Tuition. (2012). Retrieved from Campus Explorer: http://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/422D4AF3/Negotiating-Your-College-Tuition/ WP Politics. (2012, November 02). Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-outlines-incentive-plan-to-reduce-college-tuition-costs/2012/01/27/gIQAc92fVQ_story.html

The French Revolution

The French Revolution Napoleon Justin Walker Nationalism is the devotion of people to the interests of its nation or the love of one's country to stay independent. Nationalism played a major role in the downfall of Napoleon in that he wanted an empire and his opponent's wanted independence.As Napoleon was conquering lands and creating a vast empire his troops stressed in the far lands that they conquered life, liberty and equality. Although Napoleon did not realize, it triggered nationalistic feelings among the conquered nations.Spain, who was an ally of France, disobeyed Napoleon's decree. Then in 1808 Napoleon overthrew the Spanish royal family and made his brother Joseph king of Spain. However, everything that Napoleon did such as put in a foreign ruler, take away noble privileges offended Spanish pride and created nationalistic feelings. The people of Spain revolted in 1808. The French troops stopped the riots, but the nationalistic spirit was not lost.Louis XVI who reigned from 1774 to 1792. Vergenne s..."They were intent on having a greater say in how the money should be spent, and determined to curtail the absolutist ambitions of the monarch."‚  (2) The third estate was made up of the bourgeoisie, wage earners and peasantry. They were the majority of the population and resented the privileges of the nobles. They were antagonized by the excessive financial burdens that fell upon them. The bourgeoisie and the peasants criticized the tax system. "The bourgeoisie was denied the social status and share in the government that commensurate with wealth. The peasants were becoming more literate and independent and were regarded as a general beast of burden, despised and over-taxed."‚  (3) By 1789, these resentments, coupled with inefficient government and an antiquated legal system, made the government seem increasingly unresponsive to the French people. The pressure mounted on the government to reform.

Extended School Year Services (ESY) for Students with Special Needs

Extended School Year Services (ESY) for Students with Special Needs ESY, or Extended School Year, is additional instructional support for students with disabilities, required by the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Why is ESY necessary? Some students with special needs are in jeopardy of not being able to retain the skills they have learned during the school year unless given additional support throughout the summer. Those students eligible for ESY will receive an individualized program to support their learning and retention of skill throughout the summer holidays. What does IDEA say about ESY? Under (34 CFR Part 300) in IDEA Regulations (not the Act): Extended school year services must be provided only if a childs IEP team determines, on an individual basis, in accordance with 300.340-300.350, that the services are necessary for the provision of FAPE to the child. The term extended school year services means special education and related services that- (1) Are provided to a child with a disability- (i) Beyond the normal school year of the public agency;(ii) In accordance with the childs IEP; and(iii) At no cost to the parents of the child; and(2) Meet the standards of the IDEA  Ã‚  (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) How can I determine if a child qualifies? The school, through the IEP team, will decide if the child will qualify for ESY Services. The decision will be based on a variety of factors which include: the childs rate of progressthe degree of impairmentthe childs behavioral and/or physical problemsavailability of resourcesthe vocational and transitional needs of the childthe childs ability to interact with non-disabled childrenand whether the service requested is extraordinary rather than usual in consideration of the childs condition. It is important to remember, the key to qualifying is the childs regression during school breaks, these should be well documented and records or any supporting data should be on hand for the team meeting. The school team will also take into consideration the childs previous history, in other words, did having summer holidays mean re-teaching skills again upon school startup? The school team will look at previous regression. It is important to note that most students dont retain all skills taught, hence a spiraling curriculum. The degree of regression must be relatively extreme to qualify for ESY Services. How much will I have to pay? There is no cost to the parent for ESY. The educational jurisdiction/district will cover the costs. However, not all students with disabilities will qualify. ESY services are provided only if the child meets certain criteria determined by law and the specific districts policy. What are some of the services provided?The services are individualized based on the students needs and will vary. They could include, physical therapy, behavioral support, instructional services, take home packages for parental implementation with consultative services, coaching, small group instruction just to name a few. ESY does not support the learning of new skills but the retention of those already taught. Districts will vary in their form of services offered. Where can I find more information about ESY? You will need to check with your own educational jurisdiction as some states vary in their standards regarding ESY. You will also want to read the section noted above in the IDEA regulations. Be sure to ask your district for a copy of their ESY guidelines. Note, that you should look into this service well in advance of any school break/holiday.

Social Information Processing Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Information Processing Theory - Essay Example Media-Richness Theory agrees with Social Presence Theory because it classifies CMC as incapable of expressing rich verbal and non-verbal cues. Walther differs in opinion to these theories because he believes that, as long as sufficient social messages are exchanged and subsequent relational growth is attained, CMC can also produce close relationships. Walther proposes the Social Information Processing Theory which states that through CMC, people exchange interpersonal information, form impressions, and decide how to use these impressions to form or not form close interpersonal relationships. Social Information Processing Theory helps understand how I formed close relationships with people in my G+ communities, specifically Elena and Hermie. I have recently been active in G+ communities, especially those involved in health and fitness. Walther is right to say that even if CMC does not present exactly the same cues as face-to-face communication, online users compensate by using cues th at are available to them. Cues refer to a wide range of verbal and non-verbal impressions that are not always directly stated but rather personally observed. Impression formation, according to Social Information Processing Theory, refers to the formation of mental images about other people. When I interconnect with my G+ community members, my impression from them is formed through what they share with our community, whether they are words, or words with images, or any article, blog entry, images, and videos that say something about their ideas, beliefs, practices, and aspirations. From reading and seeing these expressions of themselves, I can form impressions of their personalities. For instance, Elena, one of my Health community members, is the same age as I am, but she studies in India. She is overweight and very much interested in losing weight through changing her lifestyle and mindset about beauty and health. I know her goals through my interactions with her through our communi ty and the health news and health changes she shares with us. Hermie is older, 55 years old, and she lives in the U.S., but, like Elena, she is into healthy and natural living. I like her because her posts are funny and inspiring. She shares inspirational messages and stories from other people and herself through our G+ communities. I understand the personalities of Hermie and Elena through the direct information we share with one another and form impressions about them through these online interactions. In turn, people who are in my G+ communities can also generate impressions about who I am through my own posts on the communities and on my own G+ account. For instance, when I share something about the benefits of virgin coconut oil and how it can be used for different health purposes, others who view my posts will understand that I am the kind of person who wants and prefers natural products over commercial ones. Elena, for instance, once wrote to me that she has been wanting to f ind something natural to help her lose weight and that since she saw my post on virgin coconut oil, she thinks that drinking two tablespoons of it every day has helped her break her weight plateau. From there, we continuously interact to get different kinds of information from one another. These kinds of information may be personal knowledge and experiences, or any form of sharing that we get from our communities. Social Information Processing