Domestic Production of Marijuana and the Implications of Legalization Essays

Domestic Production of Marijuana and the Implications of Legalization Essays Domestic Production of Marijuana and the Implications of Legalization Paper Domestic Production of Marijuana and the Implications of Legalization Paper Widespread marijuana production and use, and lately, the calls for its legalization have created a stir in recent years. As such, there are a lot of things we need to know in order to understand this issue. What is the current state of marijuana domestic production? Who are the players in the legalization issue and what are its implications? This paper posits that legalization is being pushed primarily by business wanting a share of the market which is currently dominated by illegal organizations and users who wish to ease the moral and legal restrictions on its use. As such legalization will increase domestic marijuana production. Overview of the Domestic Marijuana Production Current Domestic Marijuana Availability Canabis has earned its status as the most valuable cash crop today. In 2006 alone, the current gross value of the estimated 68. 1 million marijuana plants in the U. S. stood at $35. 8 billion, far exceeding the value of legal, essential crops such as wheat. Outdoor marijuana made up 82. 8% of total production with a corresponding value of $31. 7 billion. Indoor marijuana accounted for 5. 2% pegged at $4. 1 billion (Gettman, 2006). Weed is typically for local consumption but its export is also viable. The annual supply of domestically produced weed is estimated between 8. 7-21. 8 million kilograms, a manifold increase since the 80’s (Gettman, 2006). Marijuana growing has been found everywhere. However, Alabama, California, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia rank as the top ten producers (Gettman, 2006), despite intensive eradication operations by the DEA. Large-scale production outdoors is easy and inexpensive with minimal plant care. Radical improvements in quality or potency have been achieved with advancements in technology such as the hydroponic system. As such, potency rates (measured in total plant THC content, the main mind-altering component) can now reach as high as 8. 77% from the 1. 5% average in the ‘70s (NDTA 2008). Local marijuana is expensive compared to other countries. According to one site, the average price for a quarter ounce of weed is $40 for low quality, $50 for medium quality and $80 for high quality and has remained steady for the past years (e-stoned. com). This proves that there is an established consumer base, proof that it is a very lucrative business and tax free too! Current Domestic Marijuana Consumption Among all the available illegal drugs, it is the most commonly used with consumers from all ages, genders, race and economic status (DEA website). However, use is most common among young people with its treatment as a recreational drug. There is no current government data on the actual number of marijuana users but the results of latest DHHS drug use survey show that there were 2. 1 million Americans, mostly minors, who used marijuana for the first time in 2006, a figure that has not changed dramatically since 2002 (NSDUH 2006). An estimate by one group using the current estimated supply and average consumption/user puts the number of American marijuana users at 15 million (NORML. com). This corresponds to 5% of the total population. The Global Youth Network also ranks the U. S. as one of the top 6 marijuana using countries in the world. Who Controls the Domestic Marijuana Production and Distribution? DEA 2008 reports show the involvement of drug trade organizations from Cuba and Asia in marijuana trafficking all over the country and they are now into indoor marijuana production as well, with expansions targeting the northern states. Mexican DTO’s, on the other hand are targeting outdoor marijuana production in the eastern states and marijuana smuggling in the border areas. Although there are freelance dealers who operate small-scale, widely commercial grade marijuana cultivation and sale, the wider, more systematic production and distribution targeting densely populated areas is controlled by drug-trade organizations. In addition, there is also a proliferation of internet pharmacies that offer marijuana (Scott hearing on the DEA’s Regulation of Medicine). Medical or Research Grade Marijuana Legal high potency Cannabis is used for FDA-approved studies or as prescription medicine. Medical marijuana is now legal in 13 states, permitting doctors to prescribe high-potency marijuana to increase the appetite of patients suffering from AIDS, alleviate pain or decrease the pressure in the eyes of glaucoma patients among others. Research grade marijuana cultivation is currently exclusive to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Medical marijuana is produced only after acquisition of a license. In the case of California, which was the first state to legalize, patients/care providers are allowed possession of 6-12 plants or a maximum 8 ounces of dried marijuana (SB 420). Further, possession in excess of this is permissible if prescribed by a doctor. Counties and municipalities can also impose local ordinances that allow possession/cultivation beyond the limits set by state law. Further, the joint efforts at marijuana cultivation by patients/caregivers as well as marijuana dispensaries are also allowed (SB 420). The Legalization of Marijuana In 2001, the U. S. Supreme Court voted unanimously not to allow the use of medical marijuana and the drug remains in the DEA Schedule 1 (DrugFreeAmerica. com). However, states can adopt state-wide laws with regards to Canabis. Of the 13 states that legalized medical marijuana, 6 of them have further adopted decriminalization. There are 6 other states that decriminalized but did not legalize marijuana. Fourteen qualify â€Å"drug use in driving† as a criminal offense while 20 states issue marijuana tax stamps (NORML. com). Legalization efforts range from lobbying for the legal cultivation and use of marijuana for medical and research purposes to its commercial production and distribution alongside other substances like alcohol or tobacco. Subsequently, decriminalization aims to apply the individual freedom of choice and eliminate the penalties for marijuana-related offenses. Lobby work for federal legalization has resulted in H. R. 2592, initiatives and referendum polls in the various states. The Arguments for Legalization and Counterviews The primary arguments for legalization are 1. marijuana has medicinal properties, 2. marijuana will bring in more revenue and save taxes on the federal marijuana eradication drives, 3. marijuana is relatively harmless and 4. legalization will actually decrease marijuana use. That it does have medicinal properties for specific ailments is already proven by initial research and actual practice. That marijuana will contribute to state revenue along with cigarettes is also not debatable. An economist calculated that the state of California can put up $1 billion from taxing a joint for $1, up to $400 million retail sales taxes and save $156 million from law enforcement (CANORML. com). That the federal government has been largely unsuccessful in its well-funded marijuana eradication drives also holds true as indicated in various news reports. That marijuana legalization will actually decrease its use will depend on a lot of factors. It might lessen the number of first time users if we reason that alcohol consumption was at its peak when it was illegal. However, habitual users will continue to be a steady market. Finally, that marijuana is a safer alternative to harder drugs, alcohol or even coffee is relative. Federal government agencies and anti-legalization groups also argue that there are alternative drugs for the same that cause no â€Å"highs†. They also present the immediate and cumulative ill-effects of marijuana while the more liberal call for more extensive research on it for commercial, federally approved medical use. For people who put premium on their health, using marijuana or any other addictive substance for that matter might not be acceptable. The government’s main reasons for not budging on the issue besides citing the health effects of its use include the membership of the U. S. in international treaties banning marijuana (Scott hearing on DEA’s Regulation of Medicine). Some Proponents of Marijuana Legalization There are 2 prominent groups campaigning for legalization. The Marijuana Policy Project is the advocacy arm of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS. org), the first pharmaceutical company aiming to break NIDA’s monopoly over research grade marijuana by funding the construction of a medical marijuana production facility in the University of Massachusetts. This is the first step in a 5-year marijuana drug development study worth $5 million (MAPS. org). The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, a non-profit public-interest advocacy group representing the interests of millions of responsible American marijuana smokers, started its advocacy way back in 1970. Working with the NORML Foundation, it currently has community/school chapters in 45 states and in 7 other countries. Active in lobby work and media campaign, it also provides legal assistance to people charged with marijuana offenses. It favors the Democrat campaign as it hopes to have a more favorable response to pro-legalization from Congress. Conclusion Marijuana’s promising medicinal values is a minefield for pharmaceutical companies which would explain their financial involvement in and all-out support for the pro-legalization advocacy. The equally promising possibility of being granted the right to choose to use marijuana without fear of being punished legally and morally anywhere in the country is motivation enough, given the vast number of users. Politicians will also be happy with more taxes and guaranteed votes. Legalization, especially at the federal level, will affect production by stimulating legal private enterprises involved in medical/research grade as well as commercial marijuana production. Canabis will become another profit commodity which does not need much effort in marketing with the intensive campaigning by pro-legalization groups that target recreational users and patients as well. However, the effect of legalization on illegal production remains to be speculated but it will surely lose a portion of the occasional users market to legal marijuana producers. Finally, the greatest challenge and burden will fall on parents and law-enforcement agencies in how they can successfully educate children to prevent future marijuana addiction. For one, legalization makes further access to marijuana a whole lot easier because unlike other drugs that are manufactured in laboratories, this is planted everywhere. References Clint. Marijuana Prices in the USA. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from e- stoned. com/rec/44-Marijuana-Prices-in-the-USA/ Economics of Canabis Legalization. Retrieved February 13, 2008 from norml. org/index. cfm? Group_ID=4421 Gettman, John. (2006). Marijuana Production in the United States (2006). Retrieved February 12, 2008 from The Bulletin of Cannabis Reform, drugscience. org/bcr/index. html National Drug Threat Assessment, 2008. (2007). Retrieved February 12, 2008 from http://149. 101. 1. 32/dea/concern/18862/2008. pdf National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (2006) Retrieved February 12, 2008 from oas. samhsa. gov/nsduh/2k6nsduh/2k6Results. pdf MAPS DEA Lawsuit. Retrieved from Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Drugs, maps. org/mmj/DEAlawsuit. html#6 Marijuana Overview. Retrieved February 13, 2008 from the Drug Enforcement Agency, http://149. 101. 1. 32/dea/concern/marijuana. html Medical Excuse Marijuana. (2008) Retrieved from DrugFreeAmerica, dfaf. org/marijuana/excuse. php Putting a Value on Cannabis. (2008) Retrieved February 12, 2008 from National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, norml. org/index. cfm? Group_ID=4424 Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Retrieved February 13, 2008 from the Office of Applied Studies-SAMSA, oas. samhsa. gov/nhsda. htm Rep. Robert C. Scott Holds a Hearing on the Drug Enforcement Administrations Regulation of Medicine. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from maps. org/mmj/dealawsuit_congressional_hearing. html Senate Bill 420. Retrieved February 13, 2008 from albanyca. org/archive/pdf/022007_8_1_AttF. pdf

How Does College Athletic Recruiting Work The Complete Process

How Does College Athletic Recruiting Work The Complete Process SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you are a high school athlete who aspires to compete in college sports, you should know about the college athletic recruiting process. Even if you don’t end up getting a scholarship, many intercollegiate athletes who don’t receive aid are still recruited to participate in sports at the collegiate level. The college recruiting process can be confusing. There are tons of recruiting rules that vary by division and the process for each prospective student-athlete can be extremely different. In this article, I’ll explain the various steps of the college recruiting process. I’ll provide important advice for prospective student-athletes so that you’re able to reach your collegiate and athletic goals. The Biggest Steps in the College Recruiting Process Making Contact With Coaches: Generally, for most student-athletes, the process really begins when you have your first conversation with a college coach about possibly playing for him or her. Campus Visits: One of the many benefits of being a recruited athlete is having the opportunity to visit multiple college campuses and have all your questions about athletics and academics answered. There are two types of visits: official and unofficial. On official campus visits, your transportation to the college, meals, and entertainment are paid for by the university. Visits From Coaches:College coaches can visit you at school, practice, a game, or in your home when they're recruiting you. Coaches use these visits to evaluate you and to try to sell their program to you. Scholarship Offers:For most student-athletes, the scholarship offer comes near the end of the recruiting process. Typically, a coach will call you to extend an offer of athletic aid. Depending on the sport you play and the college that is recruiting you, you can be offered a full or partial athletic scholarship. Signing the National Letter of Intent: Signing a letter of intent marks the end of the college athletic recruiting process. The letter is an agreement that you will enroll in a certain school in exchange for athletic aid. At this point, coaches have to stop recruiting you, and if any coaches contact you, you have to let them know you've signed a letter of intent. Now that you have a basic understanding of these steps, I'm going to walk you through the entire college athletic recruiting process. Keep in mind that the process and timeline will be somewhat different for each individual athlete. For example, some recruited student-athletes don't apply to a college until after they have taken an official campus visit. Others have already applied, been accepted, and have received a scholarship offer by the time they go on their official visit. Parts of the Process Can Vary Widely Depending on your sport and how heavily you're being recruited, the college athletic recruiting process can vary widely. Top level recruits, especially in the high profile sports of football and men's basketball, will be sent tons of letters, receive tons of phone calls, and may be offered athletic scholarships before they even enter high school. They won't have to take much initiative in their recruiting process. For recruits who are not as well-known nationally, they will have to be more proactive in the recruiting process, and they'll often have to sell themselves to college coaches to get a scholarship or a guaranteed spot on a team. Additionally, the sport you play also has a huge influence on the process. In some sports, there are literally over a thousand colleges with a team in that sport. If you're being recruited in one of those sports, you want to know what you’re looking for in a school and narrow down your college list early in the process to avoid being overwhelmed. For other sports, your options are already limited based on the number of colleges with that sport. I was a gymnast in college, and currently, there are only 16 NCAA men's gymnastics programs. When I was looking at colleges, there were a few more than that, but I had a much easier time narrowing down my college options than most simply because I knew I wanted to compete for an NCAA gymnastics team. Honestly Assessing Your Abilities and Aspirations By your junior year, if you’re interested in participating in varsity intercollegiate sports, you should start figuring out what type of school you want to attend. What division would best suit your interests and abilities? What are your athletic priorities? Getting a scholarship? Getting playing time? Competing against the best competition? Playing for a certain coach? Fitting in with the other personalities on the team? Having access to the best resources? What are you looking for in a college outside of sports? Once you know what you want, the recruiting process will become much easier. Then, as you start looking at each school individually, you can determine if it matches what you're looking for. Don't be afraid to ask questions to coaches, current team members, academic advisers, and admissions representatives to get the information you need to make your college decision. However, if you're being recruited, especially if you're a top recruit, college representatives may only tell you what they think you want to hear. Do your own research as well. Have Your High School Coach Work For You Talk with your high school coach during your junior year. Ask for his or her honest assessment of your ability to play college-level sports. See what he or she would be willing to do and could do to help with the recruiting process. Many high school coaches have relationships with college coaches and can help start the recruiting process for you. Also, if there are specific schools you're interested in, see if your high school coach can reach out to the coaches at those colleges. How and When College Coaches Can Initiate Contact With You The rules vary by sport and division, but the general rule is that college coaches can’t talk to you before the end of your junior year. However, many schools will send you information via mail as soon as you’re on their radar. If you receive a recruiting questionnaire and you have any interest in that school, make sure you fill it out and send it back. If you’re a priority recruit, the coach will call you in the spring of your junior year or the summer before your senior year. July 1st before your senior year is the date when coaches can initiate contact for most sports for Division I colleges. Once college coaches are permitted to talk to you, the general rule is that they're allowed to contact you once per week. Keep in mind that just because you get mail or a phone call from a coach doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get a scholarship offer. Initiating Contact With Coaches Most student-athletes will have to initiate contact with coaches if they want a scholarship or want to participate in intercollegiate athletics. I highly recommend that you take a proactive approach to your recruiting process. When To Contact Coaches There is no exact right time to contact college coaches, but the general rule is that earlier is better. Typically, prospective athletes will contact coaches during their junior years or the summer before their senior years. Even though there are rules regarding when and how much a coach can contact you, there are no rules stopping you from contacting a coach whenever and however often you deem necessary. Use your discretion, though. If a coach is not responding to you, don’t continue contacting him or her. How to Contact Coaches The most common way to initiate contact with a coach is through e-mail. Your initial e-mail should express your interest in the school along with key information about you: your academic accomplishments, your athletic accomplishments, including awards, stats, and experience, and any attributes that would make you a good fit for that school or team. Additionally, the e-mail should contain a link to a video. The video should be relatively short, only a couple of minutes long. Show highlights from games and possibly practices that demonstrate your athletic abilities and readiness to participate on the collegiate level. If you do a team sport, make sure it’s clear who you are in the video. Also, have a full game tape ready, in case one of the coaches requests it. Feel free to a call a coach to express your interest. Even though it may be hard to get a coach on the phone if you're not already on his or her recruiting radar, you can always try or leave a message. Ask what the coach needs from you to be considered for a scholarship or a spot on the team. Furthermore, you can make a profile on a recruiting website. Examples of recruiting websites include BeRecruited, NCSA, and CaptainU. Some of their services are free and some require you to pay. The recruiting websites make sure you’re sending the right information to coaches, and they can provide you with contact information for college coaches. While these websites can be rather helpful, they’re not essential. Make sure you're contacting college coaches. Camps Some sports and schools offer summer camps that the coaches attend. These camps can provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your athletic abilities to the coaches. Some of these camps are open and some are by invite only. The effectiveness of camps in helping you get recruited varies widely by school and sport. Some camps are just designed to make money and some are actually used by coaches to evaluate prospective student-athletes. Make sure that you research a camp before you or your parents spend money to attend. Applying Generally, the application process is the same for student athletes and non-student athletes. The main difference is that depending on the sport and how heavily you’re being recruited, you may be encouraged to apply early. And, your application may be processed sooner. Often, recruited athletes will learn of admissions decisions before the rest of the admitted students. Also, for recruits, your application may have some identifying marker indicating that you’re a recruited athlete. That’s so the admissions committee knows you're a recruit, and while it helps, it’s no guarantee of admission. Typically, the admissions committee will be alerted to how heavily you’re being recruited as well. During my recruiting process, for a couple of the schools that were recruiting me, I didn’t have to write a personal essay. Back in my high school days, I was rather happy to get out of writing those essays. For Stanford, my alma mater, I had to complete the same application as the rest of the students, though. Now I'm having flashbacks to writing my personal esssays. Good times. Campus Visits Once you get past the mail and the phone calls, the next step is to visit the campus. At this point, you may or may not have already been admitted to the college. There are two types of visits: unofficial visits and official visits. Unofficial Campus Visits An unofficial visit is one that you pay for yourself. What the coach plans for you on your trip often depends on how heavily you’re being recruited. Sometimes the coach will just speak with you briefly and then you’re on your own. For unofficial visits, schools can’t provide money for meals, transportation, or entertainment. However, you can receive up to three free game tickets. That's a pretty nice benefit, especially if you play a sport where game tickets are hard to come by. You can take an unlimited amount of unofficial visits and take them at almost any time, except during so-called â€Å"dead† periods when coaches can’t have contact with prospective student-athletes. Make sure to clear any unofficial visits with coaches before you make them. Feel free to ask a coach about taking an unofficial visit, regardless of how much contact you’ve had with the coach or if the coach has been recruiting you. Official Campus Visits For official campus visits, the trip is paid for by the school. Transportation, meals, and entertainment are covered for the prospective student-athlete. Official visits can last no more than 48 hours. NCAA rules dictate that you’re allowed five official visits and no more than one per school for Division I schools, but you can take an unlimited number of official visits to Division II schools. You can start taking official visits beginning on your first day of classes during your senior year of high school. If you attend junior college or do not enroll in a college after graduation, you can take an additional five Division I official visits starting October 15th following your senior year of high school. Before any official visit, though, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and submit your ACT or SAT test score and high school transcript to the school you plan to visit. Sometimes scholarship offers will be made before official trips, and sometimes they’ll be made after. If you’re offered an official visit, you're definitely a top candidate for a scholarship. Also, even though Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships, they do offer official visits. If you have the opportunity, I strongly recommend that you take official campus visits. On your official visit, you may be given the opportunity to watch practices, attend games, tour the campus, speak to academic advisers, sit in on classes, and hang out with the members of the team. I thoroughly enjoyed my official campus visits. Just to give you an idea of how much campus visits can vary, I'll describe a couple of mine to you. When I went on my recruiting trip to the University of Illinois, I was put up in a hotel suite and taken to a fancy Japanese restaurant. I had a scheduled meeting with an academic adviser and I was taken on a tour of the campus by an official campus tour guide. A few weeks later, I went on a recruiting trip to Temple University. On that trip, I stayed on the couch in one of the team member's apartments and ate cereal for most of my meals while I was there. I got a driving tour of the campus from the coach and there was no meeting with an academic advisor. However, I did get to see the Liberty Bell and eat an authentic Philly cheesesteak sandwich. I enjoyed my Temple trip, but it differed greatly from my Illinois trip. Illinois was just a more well-funded program and had a larger recruiting budget. Unfortunately, Temple dropped its NCAA men's gymnastics team in 2014 and is now continuing as a club sport. I got to experience life as a college student at Temple for 48 hours. Visits From Coaches Sometimes coaches will visit you at your school, in your home, or at one of your practices or games. There are rules that dictate when coaches can visit you. Typically, a coach will visit either to evaluate you or because you’re a top recruit and he or she is trying to sell you and your family on the school. Sometimes it’s a combination of both. If a coach is visiting you, it’s definitely a good sign about your prospects of receiving a scholarship or offer of admission. Scholarship Offers Usually after conversations with coaches and campus visits, a coach will extend a scholarship offer. Scholarships can be full (covering the full cost of attendance) or partial. Remember that you don’t have to accept or decline the offer right away. You should take your time to think about your options; choosing where you go to college is a big decision that you shouldn't make hastily. Also, even if you verbally accept an offer, the verbal agreement isn’t binding. You can change your mind up until you sign your scholarship offer. Additionally, for many sports, you won't receive a scholarship offer until you gain admission to the university. Again, this can vary depending on the sport, school, and how heavily you're being recruited. Typically, the coach will continue to contact you throughout the whole recruiting process and after a scholarship offer is extended. Your recruitment is not done until you have signed your National Letter of Intent. There are early and late signing dates that you have to sign by that vary depending on your sport. National Letter of Intent The National Letter of Intent is a binding agreement that says you will enroll at a specific school for the next academic year in exchange for athletic aid. Normally, you'll have to sign the NLI along with a scholarship offer from the school. If you don’t follow the terms of the agreement and enroll in the school, you’ll generally have to sit out a year of competition if you go to a different school and you’ll lose a year of eligibility. Almost always, the school won't issue you a formal scholarship offer and NLI until after you've been accepted to the university. However, there are instances where a school has to rescind its acceptance if you fail a class or end up not meeting certain requirements of the university. If you don't gain admission to the school, you'll be released from the agreement. Additional Advice for Prospective Student-Athletes Focus on Your Academics Many prospective student-athletes neglect the importance of academics in the recruiting process. Not only do you have to be eligible to compete, but also you still have to gain admission to the school. College coaches often won't recruit students who they don't think are qualified academically for their schools, regardless of these students' athletic skills. If you’re being recruited athletically, you will receive some preferential treatment when your application is processed, but the school still has to determine if your academics are good enough to be accepted. Especially at top academic colleges, your academics should be on par with non-student athletes if you want to have a legitimate shot at admission. The amount of preferential treatment you receive in the admissions process varies depending on the school, your sport, and how heavily you're being recruited. Especially for so-called â€Å"minor† sports (anything other than basketball and football at most schools), being recruited may only give you a minimal boost in the admissions process. Do Everything Earlier For recruited athletes, the timeline for when you should do things to prepare for college is sooner than for other students. You should start studying for your ACT or SAT by your sophomore year. You should have reached your SAT or ACT target score by the end of your junior year. Remember that college coaches won’t want to spend time recruiting you if they don’t think you’ll be admitted. Also, you should be able to show coaches that you’ve taken college prep classes, passed AP tests, and have good standardized test scores before the start of your senior year. Furthermore, you should narrow down your college list by the end of your junior year so you know which coaches to contact. Don’t wait until the second semester of your senior year to start sending out e-mails. It will be too late by then. Colleges will likely have offered their scholarships and filled their open spots by then. Be prepared to complete your college applications early. Depending on your sport and recruit status, you may have to complete multiple college applications in the early part of your senior year, months before many of your peers. Research the Schools You're Considering Regardless of whether you've started the recruiting process or not, you should research the colleges you think you may want to attend. For each of these schools, learn about the campus, the majors offered, the athletics facilities, and any other information that you think may be relevant in making your college decision. Also, most college websites will have information specifically for prospective student-athletes. This information will provide specific rules regarding recruiting and there may be information regarding the recruiting process for that school. Often, you’ll be able to fill out a recruiting questionnaire directly from the website. Make Sure You're Eligible All NCAA athletes have to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center . You’ll have to send in your transcript and SAT/ACT scores. What's Next? If you're looking to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics, review the list of NCAA Division I schools. If you want to research colleges, use the best college search websites. Also, I recommend you check out this post on how to get into your top-choice college. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Image-based Advertisement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Image-based Advertisement Analysis - Essay Example   The Ethos of the advert is questionable, considering the fact that; while the advert is targeting to reach the African clients of the Air France travel company, the author of the advert did not have the courtesy of using an African model. Instead, the advert has used a white model to reach the target customers who are Africans, an indication that Air France does not really perceive the African clients it targets, as owning the airline image. The ethos of the image-based advertisement would have been courteous and appropriate if a black woman model was used as the image in this advert, since it could indicate that Air France really values the African clients, to the extent of allowing them to own the company’s image. On the contrary, the advert has applied the image of a white model, and ‘Africanized’ her through wrapping her head with the characteristic African headscarf mostly worn by African women of class. This creates an ethos contrast surrounding whether the author of the advert really understood the African people, culture and values. Would it not have been more appropriate to portray the image of an African woman-model against a white background? This also raises the question; did the author of the advertisement really have the cultural authority to speak to an African audience? On the other hand, the pathos of the image-based advert is effective in appealing to the emotions of the African air-travel clientele as the target audience of this advertisement.

Investigation and Report about the sports betting industry related to Essay

Investigation and Report about the sports betting industry related to key issues - Essay Example Moving Overseas 19 7. Conclusion 20 References 21 1. Introduction Sports betting industry in the United Kingdom has gained considerable significance in the economic structure of the country for the past few decades. It is due to the growing participation of the industry in the total earnings of the economy, that the industry is being termed as one of the potential industries of the current and future era. For instance, the total revenue earned from sports betting industry in the year 2007 was valued at ?2.5 billion with more than 10% of the total UK adults participating in the bets regularly (William Hill, 2011). However, the sports betting industry in the UK is currently witnessing a fall in the total revenue earned due to which many betting organisations, such as William Hill, are tending to expand their business in the US and other countries (Davidson, 2011). The discussion of the report will be based on the trends of the UK sports betting industry for the past few years. In this regard the report will focus on describing the expansion and growth trends of the industry considering its performances for the past four years, i.e. 2007 to 2011. The report will further attempt to identify the various factors to influence the potential customers in participating in sports betting. Analysis of these issues is likely to assist in identifying the future prospects of the industry. Furthermore, the report shall intend to analyse the advantages of moving overseas in terms of tax incentives and lower costs. 2. Research Methodology The research method implemented in this paper is based on the qualitative research method. The reason to select qualitative research approach is due to the time consuming and complex nature of quantitative researches. The data in this paper has been gathered from the secondary sources available online. Due consideration has been provided to the aspect of reliability of the data obtained. In this regard, only news, organisational and governmenta l websites have been considered. Although, the findings of the research focuses on the statistical data to reveal facts regarding the Sports Betting Industry of the UK, the discussion of the paper has been based on the descriptive analysis of the findings adhering to the characteristics of qualitative research. 3. The Expansion and Growth of the UK Betting Industry 3.1. Current Structure of the Industry The market value of sports betting industry in the UK is recorded to be almost ?400 million in the financial year of 2010-2011 (UK National Statistics, 2011). It is worth mentioning that the sports betting industry in UK includes itself as a major facet of the gambling industry. It can be well-recognised from the graphical representation of the current data below. [GGY is the abbreviation of Gross Gambling Yield] Source: (Gambling Commission, 2010). Two types of betting operators can be identified in the industry, namely the on-course betting operators and the off-course betting oper ators. The betting industry is regulated by the Gambling Act 2005 (William Hill, 2011). Currently, there are 590 individuals who are provided with the license of on-course betting operators and 681 individuals as off-course betting operators. The industry is subjugated by five top operators, i.e. Ladbrokes, William Hill, Gala Coral Group, Betfred and Tote that contribute over 80% of the total betting shops (Gambling Commission, 2010). The statistical data

Jesus or Caesarion Essay Example for Free

Jesus or Caesarion Essay Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar (June 23, 47 BC – August 23, 30 BC), better known by the nicknames Caesarion and Ptolemy Caesar, was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, who reigned jointly with his mother Cleopatra VII of Egypt, he was nominally the sole pharaoh. Caesarion was proclaimed a god, son of god and King of Kings. Caesarion, who was said to be Cleopatras son by Julius Caesar, was sent by his mother, with much treasure, into India, by way of Ethiopia. However, Caesarions guardians, including his tutor, either were themselves lured by false promises of mercy into returning the boy to Alexandria or perhaps even betrayed him; on the ground that Octavian invited him to take the kingdom of Egypt. The final conflict between Mark Antony (Marcus Antonius) and Octavian (future Emperor Augustus), Antony shared control of the Republic in a triumvirate with Octavian and Lepidus, but Lepidus was forced into retirement by Octavian in 36 BC, leaving Antony and Octavian as rivals. Two years later, in 34 BC, Antony granted various eastern lands and titles to Caesarion and to his own three children with Cleopatra. After losing the Battle of Actium to Octavians forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of a snake bite on August 12, 30 BC. She was briefly outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh by his supporters, but he was soon killed on Octavians orders, who would become the Roman emperor Augustus. Had Caesarion executed in Alexandria, following the advice of Arius Didymus, he advised Augustus to execute Caesarion, with the words ouk agathon polukaisarie (its not good to have too many Caesars) Augustus (Octavian) (September 23, 63 BC – August 19, 14 AD) is the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. Augustus died in 14 AD at the age of 75. He may have died from natural causes, though there were unconfirmed rumors that his wife Livia poisoned him. He was succeeded as Emperor by his adopted son (also stepson and former son-in-law) Tiberius. Alexander Helios (25 December 40 BC possibly between 29 BC 25 BC) was a Ptolemaic prince and was the eldest son of Greek Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. Cleopatra Selene II (25 December 40 BC-anywhere from 9 March 5 BC to 6), also known as Cleopatra VIII of Egypt or Cleopatra VIII was a Ptolemaic Princess and was the only daughter to Greek Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. Ptolemy Philadelphus ( August/September 36 BC – 29 BC) was a Ptolemaic prince and was the youngest and fourth child of Greek Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt, and her third with Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. Octavian took him and elder siblings Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II from Egypt to Italy. Octavian celebrated his military triumph in Rome, by parading the three orphans in heavy golden chains in the streets of Rome. The chains were so heavy they could not walk, prompting reactions of sympathy from the Romans. The three siblings were taken by Octavian and given to Octavia Minor, Octavian’s second elder sister and the siblings father Mark Antonys former wife. Tiberius (16 November 42 BC – 16 March 37 AD), was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Pontius Pilatus, known in the English-speaking world as Pontius Pilate, was the fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36. He is best known as the judge at Jesus trial and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus. As prefect, he served under Emperor Tiberius.

The Mexican Peso Crisis Essays -- Economy Economics Mexico Essays

The Mexican Peso Crisis This paper argues that the Mexican peso crisis of December 20 should have been expected and foreseeable. In the year preceding the crisis, there were several indicators suggesting that the Mexican economy and peso were already under extreme pressure. The economy bubble was ballooning to burst so much so that it was simply a crisis waiting to happen. Evidences Signaling the Crisis 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decreasing Current Account Deficit versus Increasing Capital Account Balance Mexico was running an increasing current account deficit from US$7.5 billion in 1990 to US$23.4 billion in 1993. This indicates an excess of private investing over private savings. However, the country was able to maintain an improving fiscal account from US$3.6 billion deficit in 1990 to US$0.7 billion surplus in 1993. The deficit in current account was financed through capital funds from abroad resulting the capital account to increase from US$8.4 billion in 1990 to US$33.8 billion in 1993. The over-dependent on foreign capital flows had made the Mexican economy very vulnerable to any sudden and major flux of this capital fund which was very much dependent on the investors? confidence level in the Mexican economy. The fact that majority of the capital funds was in the form of portfolio capital instead of foreign direct investment (FDI) had also worsen the situation. The ratio of portfolio capital to FDI had increased substantially from 1:1.3 in 1990 to 1:6.5 in 1993. Given the volatile nature, portfolio capital tends to respond with greater speed to changes in the environment. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depletion of International Reserve The central bank of Mexico has built up at high level of international reserve. The huge reserve was the result of the Mexican government?s policy of exchange intervention to prevent large fluctuation in the peso. In the beginning of 1994, the reserve amounted to US$26.4 billion but was depleted to a low US$6.7 billion in Mid Dec, flagging red light that the exchange mechanism had been pushed to the limit and the government can no longer hold on to the pegged peso to US dollar. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increasing Fed Rate but Decreasing Mexican Interest Rate Federal funds rate has risen the fifth time in 1994 on Nov 1994 and reaches 5.5%. This resulted in stronger dollar against peso as the quantity of US dollar reduced. This signaled problems for Mex... ...ssibility of a devaluation of the peso  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Euromoney, Mexico?s ranking among borrowing countries improved between March and September 1994 Conclusion The decreasing current account, increasing capital account, depleting international reserves, declining real GDP growth and increasing dollar-denominated tesobonos all pointed towards the vulnerability of the Mexican economy. In view of the repeated political unrests, Mr. Woo and the others should have expected this crisis. But they based their decisions on surface information and market sentiments that had over-valued the market potential. References : The Mexican Peso Crisis : the Foreseeable and the Surprise Nora Lustig, Brookings Institution, June 1995 Mexico 1994 versus Thailand 1997 Thailand Development Research Institute, 1997 Exchange-Rate Regimes, Speculative Attacks and Currency Crisis University of Essex An Early Warning System for Financial Crisis Dominic Barton, Roberto Newell and Gregory Wilson, Mc Kinsey & Company, 2003 The Impact of the Mexican Crisis of 94-95 on the Maquiladora Industry Paul Cooney, Queens College What NAFTA Brought to Mexicans? Jim Callis, March 1998

Active Directory & DNS Servers

Scenario:I am working at two branch offices and have been tasked with where to place the Active- Directory Integrated DNS Servers and what type to use. One of the branch offices is very small and (5 users) and has a very slow network connectivity. Do I need a DNS Server and, if so, which type of zone should it hosts? The second branch office is much larger (about 30 users) and has better network connectivity. Does this office need a DNS Server and, if so what type of zone would you recommend?Response:Dear Junior Admin; I really appreciate the opportunity to assist you in regards to implementing Active Directory & DNS Servers in your â€Å"Windows† environment. Let me start by saying that without DNS your network will more than likely not function because clients will not be able to resolve names to (IP) addresses, also DNS enables network devices such as printers and computers to communicate on the internet or locate one another within the organizations local network. Based o n the given scenario, you have made an excellent choice of configuring the â€Å"Active Directory Integrated Zones† because Active Directory has the following benefits: Fault Tolerance – Redundant copy of DNS zone information can be stored on multiple servers. Security – DACL can be modified by specified user groups.Zones are Multimaster – zones can be updated in more than one location. Efficient Replication – Zone transfers are replaced by more efficient Active Directory replication. Maintain use of secondary zones – if needed.Note: Since Active Directory-Integrated Zones follow a multimaster update model which means all zones contain a read/write copy of the zone and can make changes to the zone information, â€Å"primary and secondary distinctions are not necessary.† The smaller Branch office with (5) users will require will house what would normally be your Secondary Server, utilizing the Active Directory with Integrated Zones wil l compensate for the slow network because it will avoid forcing queries across a slow wide area network link. The larger Branch office with (30) users certainly requires the utilization of DNS & Active Directory Integrated Zones† and will house what would  normally be known as your Primary Server and Primary Zone If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me at [email  protected]

The Time I Went to Cabo San Lucas Mexico

The time I went to cabo San Lucas Mexico There once was a time that I went to cabo San Lucas Mexico with my family. The reason that this trip was so special too was because I got to spend a whole week with my grandparents, aunts and uncles and most importantly my parents. When we first got we went to are rooms and put are thing down then went right down to the pool. I can still remember the way the pool look and felt because I got cut on one of the tiles in the pool. One there reasons I liked the pool so much is you could just sit there and watch the sun set.Then the next day I went fishing on the beach that was so cool casting out a fishing line and sitting there waiting with family there beaches are so beautiful and nice like the ones you see in TV commercials. I haven’t even got to the best part they have a little cruise called sunset cruise. You rode on a pirate ship and watch people fight and watch the sun go down. I was a lot like the movie call peter pan. This little cr uise was so special because in a hurry and I got locked out of my room I forgot to wear shoes so I was without shoes that whole night.There is one restraints that you have to go to when you are there I mean they have unreal food. They have huge tacos filled with anything you want with beans, rice and a side salad. I can taste it now. I also remember the time I went with my grandparents to the beach after the sun went down with one of my uncles. You have experienced nothing until that happened I mean the sand nice and cold between your toes swimming in the ocean you feel so free and wild. That is why cabo San Lucas Mexico is so special to me. I have a lot of good memories there with my family.

101 Intro to Solution Argument Professor Ramos Blog

101 Intro to Solution Argument Quick Write What are some problems that would benefit from us researching and writing about them? Solution Argument Prompt Research Argument Topics These are very general topics to consider. For our project, we will be arguing solutions to problems. The problems can be from the list below. Legalize Drugs Rap Lyrics promote sexism Gun Laws Universal Health Care Planned Parenthood Death Penalty Miss Information Protesting Freedom of Speech Gas taxes Border Wall Make drugs illegal Marijuana Laws Trump Same-sex marriage Trans Bathrooms Free College Trains vs Autos Animal Testing Participation Trophies Prostitution should be legal Homework is good or bad? Try minors as adults Driving age raised Drinking age lowered Paternity Leave Logos Famous Arguments Martin Luther Kings I have a Dream Speech Is his speech successful? How does he build Ethos? Where does he use Pathos? Identify uses of Logos. The Danger of a Single Story Novelist  Chimamanda Adichie  tells a story about how she found her authentic voice and warns against a single story. Where did she use Ethos, Logos, and Pathos? How persuasive is she?

The Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War

The Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War On Sept. 13, 1847, the American army assaulted the Mexican Military Academy, a fortress known as Chapultepec, which guarded the gates to Mexico City. Although the Mexicans inside fought valiantly, they were outgunned and outnumbered and were soon overrun. With Chapultepec under their control, the Americans were able to storm two of the city gates and by nightfall were in tentative control of Mexico City itself. Although the Americans captured Chapultepec, the battle is a source of great pride for Mexicans today, as young cadets fought bravely to defend the fortress. The Mexican-American War Mexico and the United States had gone to war in 1846. Among the causes of this conflict were Mexicos lingering anger over the loss of Texas and the US desire for Mexicos western lands, such as California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Americans attacked from the north and from the east while sending a smaller army west to secure those territories they wanted. The eastern attack, under General Winfield Scott, landed on the Mexican coast in March of 1847. Scott made his way towards Mexico City, winning battles at Veracruz, Cerro Gordo, and Contreras. After the Battle of Churubusco on August 20, Scott agreed to an armistice which lasted until Sept. 7. The Battle of Molino del Rey After talks stalled and the armistice was broken, Scott decided to hit Mexico City from the west and take the Belà ©n and San Cosme gates into the city. These gates were protected by two strategic points: a fortified old mill named Molino del Rey and the fortress of Chapultepec, which was also Mexicos military academy. On September 8, Scott ordered General William Worth to take the mill. The Battle of Molino del Rey was bloody but short and ended with an American victory. At one point during the battle, after fighting off an American assault, Mexican soldiers crept out of the fortifications to kill American wounded: the Americans would remember this hateful act. Chapultepec Castle Scott now turned his attention to Chapultepec. He had to take the fortress in combat: it stood as a symbol of hope for the people of Mexico City, and Scott knew that his enemy would never negotiate a peace until he had defeated it. The castle itself was an imposing stone fortress set on the top of Chapultepec Hill, some 200 feet above the surrounding area. The fortress was relatively lightly defended: about 1,000 troops under the command of General Nicols Bravo, one of Mexicos better officers. Among the defenders were 200 cadets from the Military Academy who had refused to leave: some of them were as young as 13. Bravo had only about 13 cannons in the fortress, far too few for an effective defense. There was a gentle slope up the hill from Molino del Rey. Assault of Chapultepec The Americans shelled the fortress all day on September 12 with their deadly artillery. At dawn on the 13th, Scott sent two different parties to scale the walls and assault the castle: although resistance was stiff, these men managed to fight their way to the base of the walls of the castle itself. After a tense wait for scaling ladders, the Americans were able to scale the walls and take the fort in hand-to-hand fighting. The Americans, still angry over their murdered companions at Molino del Rey, showed no quarter, killing many wounded and surrendering Mexicans. Nearly everyone in the castle was killed or captured: General Bravo was among those taken prisoner. According to legend, six young cadets refused to surrender or retreat, fighting to the end: they have been immortalized as the Nià ±os Hà ©roes, or Hero Children in Mexico. One of them, Juan Escutia, even wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and leaped to his death from the walls, just so that the Americans would not be able to take it in battle. Although modern historians believe the tale of the Hero Children to be embellished, the fact is that the defenders fought valiantly. Death of the Saint Patricks A few miles away but in full view of Chapultepec, 30 members of the St. Patricks Battalion awaited their grim fate. The Battalion was composed mainly of deserters from the US army who had joined the Mexicans: most of them were Irish Catholics who felt that they should be fighting for Catholic Mexico instead of the USA. The Battalion had been crushed at the Battle of Churubusco on August 20: all of its members were dead, captured or scattered in and around Mexico City. Most of those that had been captured were tried and sentenced to death by hanging. 30 of them had been standing with nooses around their necks for hours. As the American flag was raised over Chapultepec, the men were hanged: it was meant to be the last thing they ever saw. The Gates of Mexico City With the fortress of Chapultepec in their hands, the Americans immediately attacked the city. Mexico City, once built over lakes, was accessed by a series of bridge-like causeways. The Americans assaulted the Belà ©n and San Cosme causeways as Chapultepec fell. Although resistance was fierce, both causeways were in American hands by the late afternoon. The Americans drove the Mexican forces back into the city: by nightfall, the Americans had gained enough ground to be able to bombard the heart of the city with mortar fire. Legacy of the Battle of Chapultepec On the night of the 13th, Mexican General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna, in overall command of the Mexican forces, retreated from Mexico City with all available soldiers, leaving it in American hands. Santa Anna would make his way to Puebla, where he would unsuccessfully try to sever the American supply lines from the coast. Scott had been correct: with Chapultepec fallen and Santa Anna gone, Mexico City was well and truly in the hands of the invaders. Negotiations began between the American diplomat Nicholas Trist and what was left of the Mexican government. In February they agreed on the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war and ceded vast tracts of Mexican land to the USA. By May the treaty had been ratified by both nations and was officially implemented. The Battle of Chapultepec is remembered by the U.S. Marine Corps as one of the first major battles in which the corps saw action. Although the marines had been around for years, Chapultepec was their highest-profile battle to date: the Marines were among those who had successfully stormed the castle. The marines remember the battle in their hymn, which begins with From the halls of Montezuma†¦ and in the blood stripe, the red stripe on the trousers of the marine dress uniform, which honors those who fell at the Battle of Chapultepec. Although their army was defeated by the Americans, the Battle of Chapultepec is a source of much pride for Mexicans. In particular, the Nià ±os Hà ©roes who bravely refused to surrender, has been honored with a memorial and statues, and many schools, streets, parks, etc. in Mexico are named for them.

The United States and the Asia-Pacific region Essay

The United States and the Asia-Pacific region - Essay Example Apart from that, the United States provides its key allies with technological assistance to enhance their defense. Military cooperation in the form of combined drills helps Asia-pacific powers such as Korea to be well equipped to extend the mandate of the U.S in the area. By offering security assistance, America hopes to equip its allies to deal with their security directly.America has the political and military ability to bring warring parties in the region to a common table. This process is essential in diffusing tension. This is a diplomatic approach that the country pursues based on several considerations. For instance, the region has some of the countries with the biggest military might, including nuclear weapons (Vicziany 13). The military developments in the region is immense and acts of aggression are likely to cause massive impacts. A move towards production of weapons of mass destruction on a large scale not only threatens the region but also the world. America uses its inf luence to avoid the proliferation off destructive weapons.   Based on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) OF 2010, the U.S is keen to get Asia-pacific countries to scale down on their nuclear developments (Long 89). It is essential for the military undertakings to be controlled to avoid war rhetoric or threats. The United States, while seeking to use its diplomatic appeal aims to get an alliance that stands strong to neutralize threats to the stability of the Asia-pacific region. High on the priority list of America.