Monday, September 30, 2019

Magic Springs

Khiana Carr Professor Ansbro ENGL 1010 16 November 2012 Magic Springs Many family and friends love to visit and enjoy the many attractions and fun from amusements parks. Every state and city has at least one good loveable memory about it. The hot and enjoyable attraction in Hot Springs, Arkansas is the awesome water and amusement park Magic Springs and Crystal Falls. There are many activities to do in Hot Springs like the following: shopping area, cite seeing in the mountains, the spa, and more. Most people go to enjoy the exciting attractions of Magic Springs, a place the entire family could enjoy.Magic Springs and Crystal Falls, Magic Springs for short, is a combination of an amusement park and water park all in one. Magic springs have everything for the family entertainment, including an Amphitheater for a variety of musical events and more. The park is open weekends from April through October and daily late-May through mid-August. The owner has really put in a lot of work to make the park what it is today. One can learn the history of Magic Springs, the many rides and thrilling descriptions there are, and many reviews from satisfied visitors.For those who love Six Flags and Disney World would also love Magic Springs. Magic Springs opened around 1978 in July in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In the beginning the park was going through a quite bit of financial problems. The park was sold in the mid 1980 to a businessman by the name of Melvin Bell. Soon after the inventors had landed into a huge pile debt, then Bell was forced to close down the park in 1995. The park was up for sale in an auction and reopened in 2000 as Magic Springs and Crystal Falls.The new management by CNL Lifestyle Properties and operation by Amusement Management Partners, LLC turned the park into an ongoing attraction for many. Ever since, Magic Springs has gotten innumerous visits from people all the country. Magic Springs is an amusement park offering a lot of attractions for the whole family, from fearless daredevil to the gentlest cat. There is a total of 20 rides throughout the park including the water rides. For the thrill seekers there are a good select few one would love to take for a ride. The top three amazing thrilling rides are the Gauntlet, the Hawk, and the Arkansas Twister.The Gauntlet is a â€Å"eight-story drop into a whirling dervish of inverted loops and mind-blowing bends† (Magic Springs), it is a 2,2000 feet 50 mph ride that will for sure take anyone on the ride of their lives. The Hawk is a 70feet 13 rpm speed exciting twirling machine that will take a person to new heights. The ride has many loops and turns and even rotates360 degrees clockwise and counter-clockwise throughout the ride it might even stop, while you hanging upside down! The Arkansas Twister is a wild 50 mph 3,300 feet heart pounding thrill.It is a 90 feel drop rollercoaster with all the heart racing effects, â€Å"to experience Magic Springs, one must experience the Arkansas T wister† (Magic Springs). With accommodating all the thrill seekers of the world Magic Springs have rides for little children as well. The two most enjoyable kiddie rides are the Li’l Leapin’ Lizard and Looney Ballooney. The Li’l Leapin’ Lizard zooms into the air and gently returns to the ground, just enough excitement for the little ones. A ride that reaches the sky and beyond is what all the kids want to go on, all the kids love being in the spinning hot air balloon Looney Ballooney.The park has many separate rides that ignite the fun in every member of the family, but there are a couple family rides everyone can enjoy together. The number one family favorite is the Old No. 2 Logging Company Log Flume. The ride takes off as it twists and turns into a water maze that ends with a splash of cooling water. Last but not least, the many water rides and pools. All the rides are loveable for every family member, which is what keeps the satisfied visitors c oming back for more. The park has had many reviews and has been rated A+ by the BBB business review and more.The happy visitors left wonderful reviews of Magic Springs. On satisfied customer said, â€Å"Me and my family enjoyed the water and the gospel concert held at the park that day. I plan to get the season family passes next year we had so much fun† (Trip advisor). â€Å"I live not too far from Hot Springs and have heard how cool it is to go, but finally made my way there with other friends and family. It was an awesome experience. There are plenty of areas for small children and plenty of rides adults are able to enjoy. My personal favorite was the Gaunlet, so much so I rode it twice. † (Trip advisor).The Gaunlet is the number one favorite of all rides at Magic Springs. â€Å"The park was VERY clean, the workers we encountered were friendly overall, and there were NO lines. We rode every ride that we wanted to at least once and many of them twice with no waiting . Every ride was up and running. We went to Crystal Falls after that to cool off and stayed until it closed at 6 pm. It was wonderful as well. Not crowded at all and a great variety of play/pool areas for all ages† (Trip advisor). â€Å"Love the rides, the music, the water and the water rides! Lots to do here. You can spends days and never get bored! (Trip advisor), it is very self-explanatory that the Magic Springs is a very enjoyable place for fun in the sun. In conclusion, Magic Springs and Crystal Falls have been recognized for family entertainment they have attracted people all over the country. Hot Springs have plenty of activities for any family member. Magic Springs have gotten a lot of good reviews and awards from the public. The water park is extraordinary the rides are full thrilling fun; the park is really a lot of fun in the sun. Including the Amphitheater, the amusement park has a lot of famous concert performances.The new owners of Magic Springs and Crystal Fal ls have really turned out the new park for the best. All the heart racing roller coaster to the gentle carousel does well accommodating to the entire family. The many reviews and increasing number of visitors show that the Magic Springs will not be losing any business any time soon. Works Cited â€Å"Magic Springs and Crystal Falls – Hot Springs, Arkansas – combination family amusementpark and water park. † www. city-data. com. 2012. 06 Nov. 2012. www. citydata. com/articles/Magic-Springs-and-Crystal-Falls-Hot. html â€Å"Magic Springs & Crystal Falls. Magic Springs & Crystal Falls. Web. Np. Nd. 06 Nov. 2012http://www. magicsprings. com â€Å"Magic Springs Water and Theme Park. † – Hot Springs. Web. Np. Nd. 06 Nov. 2012http://www. arkansas. com/attractions/detail. aspx? id=23423. Magic Springs & Crystal Falls, Hot Springs. † Magic Springs & Crystal Falls. N. p, n. d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. http://www. tripadvisor. com/Attraction_Review-g60856-d2 74499Reviews-Magic_Spr ings_Crystal_Falls-Hot_Springs_Arkansas. html Going up up away Ready to ride. People in front ready for the Arkansas Twister to take off! my sister ready to swim. On the way tooooMagic Springs!!

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Binge Drinking Among College Students and Consequences Essay

Binge drinking is a problem that has continued to have a toll on the lives of college students despite efforts by the government and school administrators to curb the trend. Many studies have been conducted to reveal the facts behind binge drinking in colleges and campuses. It is clear that for the problem of binge drinking in colleges to be resolved, it must all start by understanding the factors that influence college students to engage in this behaviour and the impacts that binge drinking have had on the lives of college students. This is because students who do engage in binge drinking have their reasons to justify their behaviour but often have failed to recognize the magnitude of risks that they are exposed to by binge drinking. Among the government initiatives to reduce this problem has been to increase the national drinking age though this has not had much impact on the level of binge drinking among college students according to several studies. It is worth noting that many students have been indulging in binge drinking with the excuse that it is normal as per the culture in their colleges. There are other factors that influence college students to binge drink including environmental, social, developmental, and cognitive factors. Though most students who binge drink defend their behaviour by citing the positive side of binge drinking such as curbing stress and elevating self-confidence, the consequences are often costly and regrettable. This essay provides an argument on the factors that influence college students to indulge in binge drinking, including the various false beliefs about alcohol consumption. In addition, the essay will shed light on the consequences of binge drinking and show that contrary to the tendency of college students to glamorize binge drinking, it is a risky and costly endeavour. Binge drinking has been defined as heavy episodic alcohol consumption in which men end up taking five or more drinks in a si tting while women take four or more drinks in a sitting (Nelson and Wechsler 287). The prevalence of binge drinking on college campuses has remained high, posing serious health, academic, social, and legal implications. In order to understand binge drinking, it is worth mentioning that drinking is measured in terms of frequency or quantity. While quantity refers to how much, frequency is concerned with measuring how often consumption takes place. A drinking behaviour qualifies as binge drinking if large quantities of alcohol are consumed within a short time frame (Binge Drinking). By looking at the history and prevalence of binge drinking among college students, it leaves no doubt that changing drinking age over time has had little impact on the prevalence of drinking on college campuses. Beer drinking among college students is not a new phenomenon as tales dating back to 19th century are told of college students engaging in drinking. A survey conducted by Yale University researchers in 1949 gave an idea of the prevalence of drinking on college campuses. The survey found that 6% of women and 17% of men engaged in drinking more than once per week. In the 1960s and 70s the minimum drinking age in many states was set at 18 to agree with the requirement that those joining the military ought to be old enough to drink (Dietz 88). However, this action only paved way for increased drinking on college campuses given that now drinking was legal. The government had to act swiftly to arrest this trend and in 1984, the minimum drinking age was set at 21. Even then, the level of drinking remained almost the same as most college students had attained this age and thus regarded themselves as being entitled to drink (Krock). Drinking rates over the past 20 years have remained relatively at the same level and now it is estimated that 80-90% of college students are into drinking. Heavy drinkers constitute 15-25% of college students and 44% of college students report frequent or occasional binge drinking (Dietz 88). These statistics are indicative of the fact that binge drinking is a problem that is deep rooted in other factors such as the kind of cultures in colleges, environmental, cognitive, and developmental factors. Therefore, altering the national drinking age while it has shown positive impacts in the general population in terms of decreasing the prevalence of binge drinking, cannot offer a comprehensive solution to the same problem in colleges (Krock). The culture of drinking on campus has contributed a great deal to the high prevalence of binge drinking. While acknowledging the fact that unique cultures exist among individual colleges, these individual cultures harbour certain sub-cultures that encourage excessive consumption of alcohol. Within these sub-cultures, a common message is perpetuated that drinking is a normal and essential component of social interaction. Therefore, many college students conduct themselves in a manner that agrees with what the prevailing culture dictates (Ho pe and Ham 727). The culture of drinking on college campuses is composed of a number of elements. The first element is drinking events which encourage students to indulge in drinking to mark certain events (Dietz 89). In the same way that universities and colleges have a strong sense of tradition, the drinking culture has deep roots in most colleges. Therefore, many students engage in binge drinking in the process of honouring certain events that to them require people to drink in order for the commemoration to have real meaning (Dietz 89). In as much as the culture of drinking in many colleges and universities is difficult to do away with, it has only served to make students make the wrong decision of involving themselves in heavy episodic drinking characteristic of binge drinking. The bottom line is that in the disguise of marking particular events, many college students involve themselves in binge drinking thus exposing themselves to detrimental consequences. Drinking games is an element of drinking culture in colleges that have contributed to the high prevalence of binge drinking. In some colleges, students have tended to glamorize the aspect of drinking alcohol to the extent that drinking gam es are held in which students compete in drinking alcohol. Some drinking games are highly competitive while others just dictate rules regarding how much participants are expected to drink (Dietz 89). Nevertheless, the fact is that whether a drinking is highly competitive or not, by the virtue of portraying drinking as totally harmless, such games have encouraged binge drinking to the detriment of many students. It is true to say that in order to create opportunities for excessive drinking, students in many colleges have perpetuated drinking games entrenched in the culture of drinking. A good example of a drinking game in colleges is Beer Pong in which 6-16 cups partially filled with alcohol are taken by each team. The person playing the game is expected to throw a ping-pong ball aiming at the opponent’s cup across the table. If the ball lands into the partially filled cup, the opponent has to drink the content. The team that runs out of cups first is considered the loser (Dietz 89). By considering the nature of such a game, it is prudent to note that its objective is to encourage excessive drinking judging by the number of cups involved. Therefore, students who get involved in such games more often than not end up binge drinking in the name of having fun but in reality exposes themselves to negative consequences. Another important factor which makes college students to indulge in binge drinking is the kind of choices they make in terms of the groups they want to identify themselves with given that college students are eager to have a sense of belonging. One study targeting to investigate how college students seek to have a sense of belonging revealed that those students who joined Greek organizations drank consistently and more heavily than those who did not join Greek societies (Hensley). Greek societies are known to be prevalent in colleges and often entice students to join them in order to gain a sense of brotherhood or sisterhood. However, many students who agree to join these organizations are exposed to a life of excessive drinking in the disguise of obeying induction rituals. Eventually, the life of excessive drinking becomes part and parcel of these students (Dietz 90). While it is understandable that many students joining college are eager to identify themselves with particular groups or organizations, it is expected of them to make prudent decisions which would not compromise their studies and their lives in college. Unfortunately, many students have ended up in binge drinking through making inappropriate decisions only to realize when things go terribly wrong. Athletics is also another element of college culture whereby, students take the moment as an excuse for drinking but then end up binge drinking. When students drink excessively during sporting events, they often cause incidences and fall in trouble with authorities. Drunken fans are known for causing chaos during and after games irrespective of the game outcome. Consequently, property may be damaged and both bystanders and the rioters suffer serious injuries (Dietz 91). For students who binge drink because of sporting events, it is just a flimsy excuse and the consequences are often regrett able. Therefore, drinking games, sporting events, traditional drinking events, and Greek organizations are the elements of the culture of drinking on college campuses which make many students involve themselves in binge drinking. Unfortunately, the notion that alcohol is essential for complete social life on campus is a misconception whose consequences are harmful. Apart from the culture of drinking, college students are influenced into binge drinking by environmental, developmental, and cognitive factors. Regarding the environment, logic dictates that the way someone behaves is more often than not influenced by what is going on in the surrounding. Therefore, when students drink in environments where people have carried alcohol to drink, drinking games are being played, hard alcohol is available in plenty, and the people around are intoxicated; binge drinking can always be predicted. On the other hand a drinking environment where drinking is taking place in a family setting, in the context of dating or where food is available, studies have shown that in such environments, binge drinking is very unlikely (Dietz 92). Though this suggestion carries weight, it is paramount to reckon that studies that have been done on such environmental implications on the likelihood of binge drinking have been largely correlational. What this means is that though the first kind of environment may contribute to the occurrence of binge drinking, it is also a possibility that those students who indulge in binge drinking are already present in such an environment. Therefore, it would be difficult to determine for instance whether playing of drinking games in such an environment resulted from the presence of binge drinkers or whether students ended up binge drinking because of being in an environment where people played drinking games (Dietz 92). Nevertheless, it leaves no doubt that depending on the kind of environment that students expose themselves to, the likelihood of binge drinking either increases or decreases. Cognitive factors constitute another influential force which has led many college students to develop binge drinking behaviour. The cognitive influences are deeply rooted in misleading beliefs about alcohol, the notion that binge drinking is something that is acceptable, and misinformation about the effects of excessive alcohol consumption. Regarding the false beliefs or myths that some college students confidently hold on to, there are those who believe that everybody is engaging in binge drinking and thus experiences similar negative consequences (Binge Drinking). This is a misguided thought because a significant percentage of college students do not engage in binge drinking. At the same time, the negative consequences experienced by those who indulge in binge drinking vary and cannot be the same. For instance, according to the direct effects model, binge drinking consequences are determined by both the drinking beliefs and the binge drinking tendencies. Going by this model, students who hold more risky myths such as â€Å"everybody is doing it† is more likely to experience harsher consequences. This is because; such students are often lured into thinking that binge drinking cannot make them suffer physical harm. Consequently, they are more likely to involve themselves in highly risky behaviours after binge drinking and hence experience more severe consequences compared to those who do not hold such a myth (Turrisi, Wiersma and Hughes 343). Another myth among binge drinkers is that binge drinking enhances sexual performance and sex appeal. The fact is that binge drinking predisposes students to risky sexual behavior in which some students may engage in unprotected sex which can lead to the contraction of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (DeSimone 2). In fact binge drinking causes disorientation and those who engage in it are incapacitated from making rational decisions when they are drunk. The belief that their sex appeal is enhanced is misguided. There is also the belief among those who attempt to justify binge drinking that binge drinking is a remedy for stress and that it can enhance social interaction. On the contrary, binge drinking has been associated with hangovers and even suicidal thoughts. Binge drinking does not enhance social interactions but instead it triggers quarrels, arguments, fights, and incidences of blacking out and vomiting (Wechsler). Others believe that alcohol is not harmful to the body. Again, such a belief is the total opposite of the fact since alcohol consumption has been associated with serious health consequences including alcohol poisoning. The other aspect of cognitive influences is that some students will engage in binge drinking because they perceive the behavior as acceptable in the eyes of their parents and friends. In other words, they find consolation in the idea that binge drink is not bad after all since their parents and friends do not show any disapproval of the behavior (Dietz 94). Developmental factors also help to explain why college students engage in binge drinking. It is worth noting that once students reach this level of maturity, they naturally develop the desire to be regarded as mature adults who can make independent decisions and be responsible for the consequences of their actions. Therefore, binge drinking behaviour among many college students emanate from this desire to assert their adulthood. Moreover, college students are usually at their prime physically and thus they feel much confident in terms of being able to withstand the impacts of drinking alcohol which may also lead them into drinking excessively (Dietz 91). Though regarded as normal development, the fact that college students are likely to regard as adult hypocrisy anti-drinking messages from people, only puts them at more a vulnerable position. It is also noteworthy that college students are at a stage of critical social and emotional development. For instance, this is a time that they experience a higher level of autonomy since their parents are not around to monitor them. This increased freedom makes many students to make autonomous decisions and often experiment with behaviours that their parents had forbidden them. Moreover, many college students are still continuing with the process of devel oping their identity and in the process, often indulge in behaviours such as binge drinking in search of more sensational experiences (Hope and Ham 727). Peer influence is usually at the centre of identity development as students try to fit in new environments with a sense of belonging. Therefore, given that in many colleges students are confronted with a drinking culture, it is not a wonder that some result to binge drinking. However, many students fail to realize that with more freedom comes the need to be more responsible. This is because too much freedom without a sense of self-control or restraint is harmful. In this regard, in as much as certain developmental factors are normal, it cannot be justified as the excuse for engaging in heavy drinking. Binge drinking has a wide range of negative consequences which many college students fail to foresee before plunging themselves into the risky behaviour of binge drinking. Some students do not think that binge drinking can lead to any immediate negative consequence while others lean on the belief that alcohol does not pose harm to the body at all. Such notions are null and void given th at bingers are often caught in a wide range of crises such as engaging in unplanned or unprotected sex and getting into trouble with the authorities. In addition, bingers are more likely to engage in dangerous acts such as driving while drunk than nonbinging drinkers. Drunk driving is a major cause of car accidents and many young people have lost their lives because of it (Nelson and Wechsler 290). Some of the beliefs about the benefits of binge drinking among college students include the idea that by binge drinking, one can get more sexual opportunities. On the contrary, binge drinking only serves to make bingers behave irresponsibly and engage in risky sexual behaviours such as unplanned or unprotected sex. Consequently, some may contract STIs and HIV/AIDS which is a very high price to pay for being irresponsible. Unwanted pregnancy is another possible outcome of binge drinking which adds to the social burden and compromises the studies of the affected student. Contrary to the notion that binge drinking helps to relieve stress, one of its notable consequences has been the increased risk of committing suicide among college studen ts. Given that 67% of suicide incidences in colleges result from alcohol abuse, the idea that binge drinking causes relaxation is a nonstarter (Wechsler). The health consequences associated with binge drinking are severe. For instance, liver cancer is a fatal illness which can lead to death if not treated early. Another terrible consequence of binge drinking is alcohol poisoning which is a health condition that is not reversible once it occurs. This is a fact which is contrary to what people believe that alcohol poisoning can be reversed by drinking black coffee, walking, sleeping, or taking a cold bath. Time is the only factor that can determine whether the condition will get better or worse. However, due to the high level of alcohol in the blood, there may be no time for the alcohol level to decrease. Instead, the increase in blood alcohol level may continue even after quitting drinking. Consequently, death can result from interruption of breathing functions or the patient may choke on his/her vomit while unconscious (Do You Understand Binge Drinking?). Binge drinking causes students to be left behind in school work and academic performance of binge drinkers is rendered poor. For instance, due to hangovers and disorientation that comes with excessive drinking, students often fail to complete their assignments or to attend lectures. Consequently, their grades continue to deteriorate and their academic life may become a nightmare (Hensley). Such outcomes are contrary to the notion among young binge drinkers that they have the ability to control the effects of excessive drinking. The fact is that the consequences of binge drinking are stronger than one may try to imagine and many students only regret later when it is too late. The second hand effects of binge drinking are also real and come in the form of insults, sleepless nights, unwanted sex advance, arguments, and a ssaults (Wechsler). From this discussion, it leaves no doubt that binge drinking is highly prevalent on college campuses, something that has been contributed by different factors. This is supported by the evidence of many studies showing that despite the national drinking age being increased to 21, binge drinking especially among female students has increased. The consequences of binge drinking are detrimental. This has been witnessed in the form of the escalating cases of road accidents which has cost many lives of college students. Despite the belief among many college students that alcohol consumption enhances social interaction and sex appeal, binge drinking results in quarrels, arguments, and risky sexual behavior. In addition, students who binge drink have often found themselves in trouble with authorities. Poor academic performance due to inability to focus is a big problem among binge drinkers. Contrary to the belief that alcohol releases stress, statistics have proved otherwise. In fact, incidences of suicide have been on the rise among binge drinkers. The notion among binge drinkers that they are able to control the impacts of alcohol is a nonstarter given the high incidences of rape, assault, and vandalism among college students who binge drink. Regarding the culture of drinking in most colleges, this is something that bingers lean on as an excuse for their behavior. Issues of autonomy and the urge to identify with particular groups though real only imply that individual students must make prudent choices amidst the pressure. It all has to start by correcting the misconceptions and wrong attitudes among college students. Nevertheless, binge drinking remains a nagging issue whose consequences are a threat to many generations. Annotated Bibliography 1. Binge Drinking. n.d. Web 25 Nov 2011 . This article presents an argument regarding the way binge drinking has been defined by researchers and helps the reader to understand the controversy surrounding what actually amounts to binge drinking. It acknowledges that binge drinking is characterized by repeated intoxication with alcohol which makes a person become careless and abandon his/her responsibilities. In this case, it is useful in this research paper in terms of shedding light on what amounts to binge drinking and the possible consequences. It also alludes to the fact that binge drinking is still prevalent on college campuses. However, it points out that most of the research results about binge drinking on colleges have not reflected the real picture of the situation. 2. DeSimone, Jeff. Binge Drinking and Risky Sex among College Students. 2010. Web 25 Nov 2011 . This article is useful in this research to the extent of addressing one of the main consequences of binge drinking; risky sexual behaviour. The information in the article is presented in form of a report based on research aimed at finding out the relationship between binge drinking and risky sexual behaviour among college students aged between 18 and 24 years. Its findings that binge drinking increases promiscuity and inability to opt for safer sex such as condom use help to build on the paper’s argument. However, it fails to recognize other numerous negative consequences of binge drinking besides risky sexual behaviour. 3. Dietz, Christine M. â€Å"Development of Binge Drinking Behavior in College Students: A Developmental Analysis.† Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology (2008): 1(1), pp. 86-96. The journal presents valuable information on the factors that influence college students to engage in binge drinking. It extensively addresses the culture of drinking in most colleges which many students lean on as an excuse for intoxicating themselves with alcohol. In addition, the journal discusses the developmental, cognitive, and environmental factors that play a big influential role in binge drinking. The information in the journal is quite useful in this research paper as it presents a broad picture of what has led to the high prevalence of binge drinking on college campuses. However, it falls short of addressing the details of the consequences of binge drinking. 4. Do You Understand Binge Drinking? 2011. Web 25 Nov 2011 . This is an article that explores in a brief but precise manner, what binge drinking is, the myth surrounding binge drinking, and the main health consequences of binge drinking. It helps to build the argument that contrary to what many college students perceive as being invincible to harm, binge drinking is a monster that induces slow death regardless of age. 5. Hensley, Laura G. â€Å"College Student Binge Drinking: Implications for a Constructivist Approach to College Counseling.† Journal of College Counseling (2 001): Vol 4. The journal covers the most fundamental elements presented in this research paper in the form of an argument. It begins by explaining the prevalence of binge drinking and the factors causing this trend such as students joining Greek societies and succumbing to peer pressure. It then highlights the behavioural, health, and academic negative consequences that result from binge drinking. Though the information is useful in building an argument, the journal presents it in form of a report or literature review. 6. Hope, Debra A and Lindsay S Ham. â€Å"College students and problematic drinking: A review of the literature.† Clinical Psychology Review (2003): Vol 23, pp. 719-759. This journal review explores the problem of excessive drinking among college students by citing the findings of a number of studies that have been conducted in the past. It acknowledges the importance of considering frequency and quantity when defining binge drinking. Besides highlighting the consequences of binge drinking, it also explores other aspects such as gender difference in the likelihood of excessive drink ing. Nevertheless, it contributes to the research paper since it also addresses factors such as sensation seeking, personality and environmental factors, and cognitive processes as influencing college students to engage in binge drinking. 7. Krock, Becca. Higher drinking age lowers binge drinking for all except college students. 2009. Web 25 Nov 2011 . The article presents important findings from a recent study which revealed that though the national drinking age was set at 21 and has remained so since 1984, the effects on the level of binge drinking among college students have not been significant. However, the article points out that a major decline in the prevalence of binge drinking among teenagers has been noted. The article is relevant to the research paper since it helps the reader to see that altering the drinking age is not enough to curb the issue at hand. The main idea in the article is that since most college students are already 21 years and above, it’s legal for them to drink and the situation is exacerbated by other factors. 8. Nelson, Toben F and Henry Wechsler. â€Å"Binge Drinking and the American College Student: What’s Five Drink?† Psychology of Addictive Behaviours (2001): 15(4), pp. 287-291. The journal article discusses the importance of the clinical five/four measure of binge drinking in evaluating its various consequences. By citing findings about the consequences of binge drinking among college students, the article helps to build the argument presented in this paper. The article notes that there is a huge difference in the severity of binge-drinking consequences between bingers and non-bingers. However, the article does not address the fundamental factors that influence students to engage in binge drinking. 9. Turrisi, Rob, Kimberly A Wiersma and Kelli K Hughes. â€Å"Binge-Drinking-Related Consequences in College Students: Role of Drinking Beliefs and Mother-Teen Communications.† Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (2000): 14(4), 342-355. The information presented in this journal article is highly relevant to the argument since it not only focuses on the false beliefs about alcohol among college students but also the relationship between these beliefs and the consequences. For instance, the article asserts the findings that a direct relationship exists between drinking beliefs and binge-drinking consequences. However, there is no direct relationship between drinking beliefs and consequences when it comes to health matters and physical risk. Overall, the article helps the reader to understand the phenomenon of binge drinking in terms of why students engage in it and the difference in the nature of consequences expected by bingers and the actual consequences. 10. Wechsler, Henry. Binge Drinking on America’s College Campuses. 2009. Web 25 Nov 2011 . In this article, the question of binge drinking is discussed in light of its prevalence which according to the article has remained relatively steady. At the same time, the article notes that more dangerous forms of binge drinking have been on the rise. The far-reaching consequences of binge drinking including alcohol poisoning, poor academic performance, vandalism of property, and physical harm have been highlighted. It helps to underscore the fact that by believing that they are able to control the effects of alcohol, many college students have only predisposed themselves to harm.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Competitive Global Market and Change Research Paper

The Competitive Global Market and Change - Research Paper Example Moreover, the report will also attempt to identify the benefits or drawbacks witnessed by Apple and its employees due to the affect of globalisation. Different Countries Involved Besides, its headquarters in United States, Apple majorly operates in various other countries, such as United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Canada, Italy, China, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France and Netherlands among others. More than 350 Apple stores are established all over the countries across the world (Apple Inc, 2012). Thus, its focus on the development of supply chains and major partners in the business is necessary in order to maintain sustainability in the global markets. Utilization of Outsourcing In the late 2000s, Apple decided to outsource its products from various countries where raw materials are available at cheaper rates. The motive behind outsourcing is to earn significant margin of profit while experimenting in developing creative products. A report by New York Times revealed that 90 perce nt of raw materials used in Apple’s iPhones are manufactured abroad and are outsourced. Major sections, such as display panels and circuitry from Taiwan and Korea, advanced semiconductors from Germany, chipsets from Europe, memory from Japan and Korea and uncommon metals from Asia and Africa which are later assembled and packaged in China. Technological companies depend upon the availability of low-cost materials and therefore, focus on countries that provide the advantage. The outsourcing strategy gained the momentum of growth and subsequently, Apple earned a considerable amount of profit strengthening its foothold in the global markets (Duhigg & Bradsher, 2012). Benefits of Globalisation Similar to many other multinational companies, Apple has benefitted by a large extent due to globalisation. The company shifted most of its production unit jobs to countries where cheaper workforces are available along with legal support and favourable economic conditions. This has been evi dent by a report that revealed only 13,920 employees are associated with the company’s US based plant compared to 27,250 employees working at other countries, i.e. nearly twice more than US. The report further revealed that the American employees took over approximately US $750 million whereas; workers employed abroad took only US $320 million. Thus, the comparison in cost related to wages can be identified as almost double in US compared to abroad (Freeland, 2011). Globalisation has also resulted in the inflow of creative talents from across the world, to which the company gives prime importance. The incredible talents in Apple are encouraged in various ways to develop products that are unique in its class acting as a ‘trend setter’ in the industry. These engineers earn healthy paycheques from the company which are being supported by the cheap costs incurred by the bottom-line employees working abroad (Freeland, 2011). Drawbacks Due to Globalisation Steve Jobsâ €™ main target behind the incorporation of Apple was to become the leader of the industry in terms of creative products. His aim was to dominate the market in regards to sales and have a partially monopolistic environment prevailing in the global markets. However, due to globalisation many competitor brands have used the strategy of manufacturing abroad and reap equal benefits in terms of cheap labour and raw materials. Therefore, the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Guernica and The Death of General Wolfe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Guernica and The Death of General Wolfe - Essay Example The republican Forces which were loyal to the newly elected government, were under the attack from a fascist coup which was led by Generalissimo Francisco Franco (Guernica). Prosperity and stability to the people of Spain was a word of promise by Franco, yet only death and destruction were the subjects of deliverance from his side. Anticipating a bold visual protest to Franco's corruption from Spain's most prominent artisans, colleagues and representatives of the democratic government came to Picasso's place in Paris in order to ask him to paint the mural. Picasso used to avoid politics generally, and used to disdain over political art, though his sympathies clearly fell parallel to the new Republic. The official theme of Paris Exposition is a celebration of the modern technology. The organizers hoped that this vision of a prosperous future will jolt the nations out of the economic depression and social unrest of the thirties (Guernica). With the unfolding of plans, the Aeronautics Pavilion generated huge excitement, featuring the latest technological advances in aircraft design and engineering. As a result, no one would have ever suspected that this dramatic progress would result in such a dire consequence. On the 27th of April, 1937, unprecedented outrageousness was perpetrated on behalf of Franco against the civilian citizenry of a little Basque village in the northern Spain. The hamlet was pounded with high-explosive and incendiary bombs for over three hours because it was chosen for bombing practice by Hitler's burgeoning war machine. The town people were cut down as they eloped from the crumbling buildings. Guernica burnt for three days consecutively and sixteen hundred civilians were killed and wounded (Guernica). By the 1st of May, the information of the massacre at Guernica reached Paris, where more than a million protestors flooded the streets to voice their atrocities in the largest May Day demonstration the city had ever come across. The reports of all the eye-witnesses filled the front pages of the news papers of Paris, leaving Picasso stunned by the black and white photographs. Picasso was appalled and enraged when he rushed through the crowded streets in his studio, and qu ickly sketched the first images for the mural he called Guernica. This brought an end to his search for an inspiration. From the beginning itself, Picasso chose not to represent the horror in Guernica in realistic or romantic terms. He transferred some key figures such as a woman with outstretched arms, a bull, an agonized horse, which were refined sketch after sketch, and then were brought in to the capacious canvas, which were reworked by him several times. He quoted that, a painting is not thought out and settled in advance, however, whilst it

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Old Elevators Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Old Elevators - Research Proposal Example s old elevators; this proposal is made taking into consideration the potential financial support of the state – especially if eco-friendly technology will be used (see the example of the ECO-Space EB technology supported by KONE, 2010). In the Canada’s economic Action Plan published recently by the government (see the website of the Department of Finance but also the Canada News Centre – government of Canada – where a similar initiative is promoted) it is made clear that a significant amount of money will be invested on the modernization and the update of the federal infrastructure – the University could be included in the specific program. It is proposed that the new elevators are of eco-friendly technology in order to guarantee the financial support of the state in their replacement; at the next level, a detailed project of the tasks required for the completion of this project will be submitted so that all funds necessary will be easily estimated in advance. Through this study the following benefits are expected to result: a) modernization of the University’s infrastructure without having to cover all expenses – since the state is expected to support the project, b) implementation of technology that is more friendly to the environment – this initiative could also urge other institutions and organizations across the country to proceed to a similar project. In order to complete this study, the following questions need to be answered: a) which will be the most appropriate technology for the specific organizational sector, i.e. which elevators would be appropriate for the specific environment – the needs of the University but also the market trends would be taking into consideration for replying to this question, b) which is the average cost of the new elevators – a market research should be developed for replying to this question, c) which would be the financial support of the state – i.e. would the state cover the whole cost or just part of

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Mechanical Dynamic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mechanical Dynamic - Research Paper Example Designers now face a higher challenge of product development and thus they require better tools and equipment for testing. Mechanical dynamics is one important and useful factor today. Dynamic mechanical was established initially as a simple heating and air conditioning company which started out in Sacramento. The major requirement was to make its customers happy through the use of it. It started out in 2003 with one operation which basically led to its growth. It was used in the commercial sector widely. Michael V the owner of dynamic mechanical was basically associated with construction industry. It started off with majorly the heating and cooling equipments followed by training the employee to work in order to meet the requirements. The system is required to work at peak efficiency. The technology used for testing, analyzing dynamics of mechanical structure and modeling is of high importance. The modes of vibration here play a very important role as it is the major link between th e testing and the method used for analysis. There are basically four options and alternatives which are taken , taking forces and motion in mind. Design is one of the major concerns faced. Styling of the machinery is another important aspect which needs to be in mind which includes the sizes and shapes which are of great importance. The entire layout matters not only the outer part. The outward appearance is not only important the entire mechanical system is of great importance. Structure should be such which can withstand forces and which can also transmit forces; a static analysis is carried out to make sure that the forces are strong. The suspension spring of the automobile should have enough strength to support the body, engine along with the weight. In order to have proper motion there are rotating and moving part which are setup in the system. There are some problems which are known as the kinematics. There are many shafts, pulleys, chains, cams, rotating gears and many other instruments which will go through many changes they will have to develop major relative motions so that the engine can run properly. The designer has to make sure that the structure go through proper affects of forces and motion, this thing depends a lot on the dynamic environment however there are many factors which affect this which include the forces and motion which come together and that finds out some major problems which include the problem of vibration and noise (Measurement and the analysis of the dynamics). These problems which are caused by the inertial forces along the structure behavior of the structure and these problems are extremely difficult to solve. The dynamic structure is divided into two classes for the purpose of modeling the dynamics. These two classes include the elastic and rigid bodies. There are many elastic structures whose dynamics are simplified to a very large extent through significant loss of accuracy with major assumptions that they are assembled t ogether through springs and damper elements in a very rigid way. Straightforward manner is used to analyze the system through the use of Newton’s second law which is crucial for masses in the system. Modes of vibration cannot be observed physically and they can not be identified by major people. Linear dynamic model also plays an important role here and it is defined through this. Mathematical model and its development depicts an important link which is between these modes of vibration and the elements of the modeling

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Global Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Global Financial Crisis - Essay Example Firstly, the credit crisis played a significant role in determining the global financial crisis. Kolb (2010), brings out the point that, as at mid 2007, a great number of investors in the USA had lost trust in the value of mortgages as the government had offered loans to too many people that could not manage paying back the debts. In response, liquidity was evident, which resulted to the US disbursing more funds to the financial market. By 2008, the situation worsened, as the stock markets had totally disintegrated. Nanto (2009) argues that the stock markets were extremely unstable. For fear of the worst, the investors did not have any trust in the government and opted to withdraw. This argument concurs with that of Keynes theory that specified that, spending by the government is the major reason behind UK’s crisis. In the case of employment, Keynes (2006) reported that employment rates increase the amount of spending and that wages must be kept constant. Secondly, yet another factor that led to global financial crisis is that, the US government had granted loans to many individuals, even those who could not pay the debts, which put the market at a higher risk of collapsing. Igan et al (2010) uttered that the value of the mortgages dropped with the borrowers being left with losses to count. The banks were faced with a lot of deficits to deal with, forcing them to repossess their assets that were of lesser value. Chacko et al. (2011) attribute excessive lending to the major contributor of the global crisis, as the banks found it tasking to deal with the liquidity issue, and the low lending rates due to misappropriate lending by the banks. Lack of proper regulation measures in terms of lending - unethical behavior, cost the globe financial crisis that could not be solved in a day. It is vital that Fredrick’s thoughts are applied in the case of solving the crisis in UK. In his work, he notes prices must be well monitored so as to avoid inflation in a country. However, his thoughts do not match with those of Friedman (2004) who believes in a free market, devoid of barriers from the government. Thirdly, the collapse of Lehman Brothers on 14th September, 2008, marked a new phase of the financial crisis (Savona, Kirton & Oldani, 2011). Due to their collapse, net capital inflows in the financial market reduced, as well as in the domestic stock markets. Griffiths &Wall (2008) attest to the fact that, the concerned governments, just like business economics states, had to come up with solutions to rescue their financial institutions. The housing and stock markets were in a terrible situation. Furthermore, Doyle (2008) notes that, though the Lehman failure had no direct implication on the domestic financial status, massive changes were experienced in the external market status. Large capital outflows were experienced, external commercial borrowings decreased, and acquiring credits became more difficult. Statler & Shrivastava (2012) reve aled that by December 2008, the US reserves recorded losses of an approximate thirty three billion from fifty four billion. On another point of view, Aizenman & Jinjarak (2010) emphasized that UK is one of the countries at its peak in terms of spending on reducing the impacts of the 2008 crisis. The government employed the fiscal policy approaches in an endeavor to handle the crisis, as well as a free floating exchange rate to curb inflation. Maximilian (2009) accentuated that fiscal policies spare the country from a decrease in the demand for domestic goods. The UK government in addition, reduced its expenditures and increased the taxes from seventeen