Illegal Drug Control

Those questions are addressed in this report which reviews drug ppolicy and results in Australia. In 1998, United Nations Member States met in a Special Session of the General Assembly and agreed to take tougher action to reduce both the illicit supply of, and the demand for, drugs before 2008. Australia has taken that pledge seriously. In 1998 it introduced a â€Å"Tough on Drugs Strategy† that aims to reduce drug supply, trafficking, and demand as well as the harm caused by drugs. This Strategy seems to be working: drug use levels have dropped significantly. Indeed, the turn around has been dramatic.To improve global efforts to contain the threat posed by drugs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) seeks to increase the body of knowledge available to ppolicy makers. That includes collecting success stories. If Australia continues to build on its recent progress, it too could become a success story and provide inspiration and valuable lessons for other countri es. This report, following a ssimilar UNODC study of Sweden’s drug ppolicy (2006), aims to contribute to a growing body of evidence that will help countries bring their drug problems under control.Antonio Maria Costa Executive Director United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 3 In response to increases in drug abuse in the 1990’s Australia implemented a vigilant drug control strategy. As this report makes clear, drug control has long been a priority of recent Governments and effective changes in recent years were due to pro-active, empirically-based drug control strategy, and a well developed system of services at the state and local levels. This report analyses the developments and changes in Australia’s drug policies over the last decades and their impact.Australia implemented a rather repressive drug control ppolicy from the beginning of the 20th century. This worked well until the 1970s. Australia shifted to harm-reduction approaches as of the mid 1980s, wit h a sthrong emphasis on prevention and treatment. This helped Australia to avoid a large-scale injecting drug use (IDU) related HIV/AIDS epidemic. In contrast to alcohol and tobacco where Australia achieved remarkable demand reduction through prevention activities, drug abuse continued rising and reached alarming levels by 1998.In 1998 Australia introduced a National Illicit Drugs Strategy â€Å"Tough on Drugs† which strengthened the supply control aspects without weakening demand-side interventions or giving up harm-reduction approaches. In the case of heroin, the strategy focused clearly on a reduction of supply. There followed higher heroin prices, lower heroin purity and ultimately substantially lower levels of heroin consumption. Drug related deaths declined, as well as drug related crime.WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING PROVIDES THE CLEAREST INDICATION OF A DRUG ADDICTION?Answer at this question at  https://donemyessay.com/unit-5-review/Use of other drugs also declined, both am ong the general population and among secondary school sstudents- mainly due to improved prevention and treatment activities and more funds made available by the authorities to drug control in general. The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) incorporated many of the leading drug experts of the country and strengthened calls for higher budgets in the fight against the drug problem. Australia's drug ppolicy has been based on a broad ppolicy mix of supply reduction, demand reduction and harm minimisation policies. In addition, Australia has made commendable efforts at advancing the knowledge base for policy making. The country has consistently conducted in-depth research and evaluations of its various strategies and programmes – subsequently adjusting them according to efficacy. This concentration on empirically-based ppolicy formulation continues to demonstrate positive results. The drug ppolicy was largely bi-partisan in nature as the States as well as the federal Gover nment participated in its formulation and implementation (Until recently, the individual States were governed by different political parties than federal Australia). A new Australian Government, elected in late 2007, is yet to leave its mark on domestic drug strategies.

Couple Interview Marital Challenges Essay Example

Couple Interview Marital Challenges Essay Example Couple Interview Marital Challenges Essay Couple Interview Marital Challenges Essay I interviewed John and Cindy about their marriage and the challenges they’ve faced together as a married couple. I am encouraged by their relationship and have decided to use their relationship as a model for my second interview. John and Cindy have been married for almost 5 years. In addition to this union, there is McKenna, Cindy’s son. They are a blended family, of course, and are part of the more modern structure of families in our society. When reflecting upon their ideas about marriage, prior to actually being married, I noticed that Cindy’s outlook was positive. She knew she would be married one day and looked forward to it. Even though she was in a long-term romantic relationship prior to meeting John, that relationship wasn’t what she considered a foundation for a good marriage. Her former boyfriend was good friends with the family and spent a great amount of time with them. Cindy also spent a great deal of time with his family as well. This allowed them to witness each other’s family of origin. However, the time that John spends with her family, she says, is different. It’s full of quality and genuine caring for her people. John also added that Cindy’s first meeting with his mother and sister exceeded his expectations. They took to her right away and have had a good relationship ever since. As a matter of fact, several of his family members have traveled from their home states to stay with them for weeks at a time. I decided to ask about the differences between men and women, and if either of them has heard of the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by author John Gray, the feedback was instant. They both chimed in with the same answer. John has always believed that men will never understand what goes on in a woman’s mind. Cindy believes that men are a different species, and not necessarily human. They way men and women problem solve, in her opinion, are polar opposites. However, when she comes to John with a problem or a task she tries to remember that she asked him for help. He doesn’t need to have the solution dictated to him; she must trust him to help in his own way. She also believes that there is more than one way to solve a problem, and it doesn’t matter whose way is used, as long as the problem is solved. I take this piece of advice to heart, as I’ve been told that I am impatient and a bit of a control freak. John states that he tries his best to work out his own dilemmas because he knows that Cindy has a stressful full-time job, and she’s also a full-time mom to McKenna. Between her schedule and McKenna’s extra-curricular activities, John doesn’t like to add anything extra on her plate if he doesn’t need to. That, he says, is the reason he takes such a large role in McKenna’s activities. It brings a sense of peace to the home when he knows his wife and son’s needs are met. Our next subject was the topic of â€Å"deadly habits† that ruin a relationship. Another excellent example of their understanding is Cindy’s approach to getting help with household chores. Instead of nagging John to take out the garbage, which is initially what she used to do, she tried a different approach. Now she asks him once or twice, and if he doesn’t get to it, she kindly lets him know how uncomfortable she is with trash sitting and the extra work it makes for her in the long run with cleaning the mess or airing out the lingering odor. She admits that she doesn’t go overboard because she is a â€Å"junky† person and doesn’t want to look like a hypocrite. John, however, has fallen into her pattern of â€Å"junkiness,† stating that he used to be quite neat and before he knew it, he had clothes on the floor right next to Cindy’s. And he appreciates her new approach when asking him to complete tasks because he feels respected and needed instead of criticized or scolded like a child. I brought up the topic of the four stages of love and asked both John and Cindy if they were aware that four stages existed. They both replied no, and I proceeded to explain each stage and ask which one they were in. John feels as if they are still in the infatuation stage, based on his love for Cindy. He doesn’t feel as if the honeymoon has ended because he loves her more each day. Cindy feels the same, but recognizes realistically that they are in the connection stage. She said they have gone through the discovery stage and now focus on staying together and constantly working to better their relationship. While it does still feel new to her, she takes into consideration the challenges they’ve overcome and the challenges that await them in the future. One of the many challenges couples face is dealing with financial issues. Cindy makes a great living and had done so prior to meeting John. And the same goes for him. But Cindy realized, upon marriage, that John was better at managing finances than she was. After being independent for many years it was an adjustment for her to have someone else make suggestions to her on saving money or cutting back on her spending. However, trusting her husband and seeing the way he managed his own money, she took his advice and is glad she did. They consult on big purchases and realize that not every dollar spent has to be accounted for to the other person. They, especially Cindy, realize that being on one accord in money matters benefits the family. It’s not about one person’s money anymore. It’s their money regardless of who makes more or who spends it. Being that John and Cindy are both in their early 40’s, I asked both of them if they felt there was an ideal age to get married. Cindy believes there isn’t an ideal age to get married. If she had met John fifteen years ago and still feels as she does now, she would have married him then. However, she is thankful that she was able to do all the things she loved doing as a single woman such as traveling, going out with girlfriends as she pleased and shopping. She’s also thankful from a parental standpoint because her habits changed after having McKenna. She was able to satisfy her single self, and can now be happy and content being a wife and mother without feeling as if she missed out on anything. John says he was content not being married or even being on the path to marriage. He feels there is no ideal age to get married. When you’re ready, you’ll know it, no matter how old or young you are. He shares Cindy’s sentiments on satisfying his single self prior to meeting and marrying her. He is content with what he accomplished on his own and now loves that they accomplish things together. From the many topics we discussed, on and off the record, I am so inspired by John and Cindy’s approach to love and life. I enjoy being in their presence because they radiate a positive vibe. I don’t enjoy being around couples that argue or have tension between them. It’s uncomfortable for me and can change the mood of the environment. I have listened to both of them intently and have related their challenges to challenges I’ve had. The approach they take toward each other is remarkable. They have a mutual respect that goes beyond loving each other. They respect each other as individuals with their own respective levels of intelligence. I appreciate the example they provide to me and to other people they encounter. I know Cindy very well and it has really pleased me to watch her grow in love with someone who compliments her so well. I have seen the subtle changes she’s made such as cooking. I’ve also seen the more apparent changes, such as the reduction in her stress level. Talking to them and watching their words in action has redefined my beliefs in marriage. I don’t have many examples of a happily married couple. But knowing that Cindy and John are in my life makes it easier for me to have a blueprint of what marriage can be.

Adobe Photoshop Essay Example

Adobe Photoshop Essay Example Adobe Photoshop Essay Adobe Photoshop Essay In the past, society has treated television, computing, graphic design, radio, games machines, music production, telephones, animation, calculators, e-mail, the Web, photography, film and video as separate technologies. Now that these applications all use digital methods, todays digital media systems can integrate them using the same hardware. A PC can serve as an interactive television, a voicemail system, a music system, a games machine, and so on. Similarly, the same software can be used on a variety of platforms. For example, computer games producers now develop multimedia games that can be played on-line on the Internet, or on a television, games machine or telephone, as well as in the normal way on a standalone computer. The term for the coming together of these hardware and software technologies is convergence. Convergence is possible because of the growth, capacity, and speed of computer components, high-speed communications, and digitising techniques for all the media. DVD is a storage medium that is replacing the videotape, audiotape, computer diskettes and CDs. In the same way, televisions, radios, computer monitors and screens, and visual displays on telephones, games machines and calculators, will eventually converge into one technology. Research shows that Digital Media involvement through video gaming and movie watching has meant there has been a steady increase in levels of obesity in many of the western countries. For example, in America levels of obesity are at an all time high, this is mainly due to the lack of exercise by the American populace. Youngsters not only in America but also in the majority of westernised countries, have totally differing lifestyles to those just 10 years ago. Nowadays youths play video games for hours and days on end, not wanting to play football in the park or join clubs such as the scouts or cubs. Health risks are imminent from playing video games for hours and with very little exercise. Repetitive Strain Injury is likely due to the constant movement in one direction; eyesight deficiencies are probable due to the glare and closeness, which you sit from the screen and back strain is also feasible due to posture instability. These are all negative cultural impacts of what Digital Media has done in our age. Crime is another sector that has been widely affected by Digital Media in both positive and negative fashions. The government and police have huge databases, with images of criminals and fingerprint recognition images, which are a huge aid in collating evidence and combating criminals. The downside to this positive impact is the crimes that Digital Media has created such as Identity theft and fraudulent activities. Impact of digital media on statistics, weather forecasting (not that we can do much still to predict disasters like the recent Tsunami) and entertainment means we can now study whilst on the move, we can watch films whilst we have a meal, we can watch the news happening in a country we are just about to land in. The speed of transfer of information has transformed communication between people at work (e-mails), people at play (instant replays of contentious sporting moments), people at prayer (flat screen displays of Popes blessings to the faithful etc. ), people at leisure (the whole gamut of films, digital broadcasts of TV programmes, interactive participation in TV add-ons, the continuing evolution of games media (X-box, PS3, etc. etc.) Those detractors from digital media forms are like believers that the earth is flat- they are in denial concerning the unstoppable progress of human inventions. Culturally we maintain our classical art examples whilst embracing new technology to create artistic masterpieces in Adobe Photoshop it is just not recognised as legitimate yet. Oscars for screensavers, the Booker Prize for databases and web pages, the Grammys for download quality MP3s Kazaa!! The futures orange? No, the futures digital Bibliography   webopedia.com.

Friends and Amici

Friends and Amici Friends and Amici Friends and Amici By Maeve Maddox English boasts numerous words to convey aspects of friendship. Some are Germanic in origin and others, Latin. An early Old English word for friend was freond. The Beowulf poet tells us that Heorot (Hrothgar’s hall) was filled with friends: Heorot innan wà ¦s freondum afylled. The opposite of Old English freond was feond: â€Å"enemy.† In modern English, the word that initially referred to a human foe has developed into the word fiend: â€Å"an evil spirit.† In the most general sense, a friend is â€Å"a person with whom one has developed a close and informal relationship of mutual trust and intimacy.† In specific contexts, friend can refer to an ally in war, the supporter of a cause, or, with a capital, a Quaker (member of the religious Society of Friends). The adjective for friend is friendly: â€Å"characteristic of or befitting a friend or friends; that expresses or is indicative of friendship or a kind and helpful attitude.† Friendly is also used as a noun to mean â€Å"an ally.† In US colonial times, â€Å"a friendly† was an indigenous person who was on peaceful terms with the settlers. In modern military parlance, friendlies are troops on the side of one’s own forces or those of one’s allies. The abstract noun for the state of being a friend is friendship. The use of friend as a verb to describe the adding of a person to a list of social media contacts (dating from 2004) is still regarded as a barbarism by many English speakers, but friend was used as a verb as early as the 13th century. For several centuries, the verb befriend was in more common use, but the modern use of friend and unfriend as verbs is idiomatic. The use of friend in the context of social media does not negate the usefulness of befriend to refer to a genuine personal contact in which one person helps another. The Latin word for friend, amicus (plural, amici), has given English several additional words to convey cordial feelings: amiability noun: quality of being friendly amiable adjective: friendly amiably adverb: in a friendly manner amicability noun: friendliness amicable adjective: done in a friendly spirit amicably adverb: in a friendly manner amity noun: friendly relations, especially of a public character The legal term amicus curiae  (plural, amici curiae), literally â€Å"friend of the court,† refers to a person or group that is not a party to a lawsuit, but has a strong interest in the matter. An amicus curiae will petition the court for permission to submit a brief in the action with the intent of influencing the courts decision. A brief is a written statement that explains one sides legal and factual arguments. The brief submitted to the court by an amicus curiae is called â€Å"an amicus brief.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)Social vs. Societal20 Slang Terms for Law Enforcement Personnel

Automotive Fair Price by Todd Low Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Automotive Fair Price by Todd Low - Essay Example The time in diagnosing the car is separate from the time used in fixing the car. Spending an hour on the car is more than enough to diagnose the problem. If I need extra time to find a fault, I will need to explain the customer in detail about the additional costs. My technician is appointed to diagnose the car; we are spending business hours in finding the fault with his car. That is an opportunity cost for us because we could be spending those hours fixing someone else’s car and earning money. If an arrangement is made with the customer where the technician drives the car to and from work, and driving during lunch breaks then this will be ethically more acceptable. The equipment, installed in the car, will record and diagnose the problem. The time my technician spends this way is not a burden on business hours. In this case, the total cost would come up for only two hours. The technician spent the first hour diagnosing the problem and did not find the fault. After that, the arrangement is made with the customer that my specialist will keep the car to find the problem. He will be driving the car to and from business and during lunch breaks. When he finds a fault, it will take probably less than an hour to fix it. So one hour for diagnosing and the other hour for fixing the problem would be charged from the customer. This method seems more professional than any of the other scenarios. What if you change every conceivable part that could cause this; would that be professional and ethical? If you cannot fix it, would it be more ethical to charge a nominal fee rather than what is due to you for services rendered? Changing every conceivable part is neither ethical nor professional. This way the customer will have to pay for the time consumed and the cost of new parts. Charging a nominal fee or for the services rendered will be an enormous burden on the client. The technician can use a 'trial and error' method, making educated guesses what the problem could be and then change that particular part.

Decision-Making Models And Leadership Theories Of Wal-Mart Research Paper

Decision-Making Models And Leadership Theories Of Wal-Mart - Research Paper Example The leadership concepts and decision-making models will be critically analyzed. Wal-Mart is among the leading American multinational retail corporation that operates warehouses and discount stores (Nandagopal & Sankar, 2009). It has created numerous employment opportunities within the United States and across the world. However, a majority of its workers live below the poverty line due to its poor pay and poor styles of leadership. The company has been criticized by a number of groups such as labor unions. There have been protests against the company’s policies as well as business practices. Racial and gender intolerance is yet another area that sees the company face a lot of criticism Poor leadership is the main organizational problem that has affected the operations of the company. The leadership at the company has been involved in various unethical practices as well as failure to address the issues facing the employees. The management staff is the key stakeholders in the problem. This problem has been going on for a long period of time until a bribery scandal at the company was revealed in 2012. This problem is attributed to poor leadership at the company and it affecting the brand image of the company. The poor leadership at the company has impacted negatively on the other internal stakeholders within the company (Albareda, et al, 2008). The employees of the company have been greatly affected as the management has been unable to address their welfare problems. The employees are being paid poorly despite being subjected to a huge workforce. The values and behaviors of the organization have also been affected by the poor leadership. The ethical values of the org anization have been compromised by the widespread corruption at the company. The public image of the company has also been affected by the corruption scandals and poor leadership.

Australian Gas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Australian Gas - Essay Example Dividends during that time have grown from 52 cents per share to 63 cents per share (93 cents per share in 2005 which includes a special 30 cent dividend). That is approximately 5% dividend growth per year. Earnings per share (excluding extraordinary items) during the last three years has grown from 73 cents per share in 2003 to 79 in 2004 and 84 cents per share in 2005 (the last year full figures are available), which is an average growth rate of just over 7% per year. Underlying profit (excluding significant items) grew from $351 million to $386 million just over 6% growth for the year. EBIT remained steady at approximately 13.6% of funds employed. Total liabilities dropped from $3.4 billion to $2.6 billion a 22% drop. The debt to equity ratio dropped significantly dropping from over 40% in 2004 to approximately 27% in 2005. The price to earnings ratio during the last three years has remained relatively stable as well. In February 2003 the stock was trading at about 10.00 per share and had earnings of 73 cents that gave it a P/E of approximately 14. In February 2004 the stock was trading at just over 11.00 per share and had earnings of 79 which kept the P/E very close to 14 and in February of 2005 the stock was trading at approximately 13.25 per share and had earnings of 84 cents. This caused the P/E to jump slightly to approximately 16 which was still well within the average P/E of other gas and electric companies. RISKSThere are a myriad of risk factors for this company, including (but not limited to): rates being set by the regulatory board that are not in line with company expectations, a vote by shareholders that halts the planned divestiture of AGL energy and AGL infrastructure into two separate entities, the ongoing environmental investigations and standards that need to be met and of course a more consistent weather pattern that lowers the demand for electricity or natural gas.The rates that are currently being considered are in line with industry standards and though there are a number of rate revisions being considered by the regulatory commission the company feels that the recent trend has been for the governing board to take a light approach, not a heavy handed approach to rate increases. This bodes well for the company.The divestiture of AGL energy into a separate entity is viewed by most experts to be a good decision and profitable for the shareholders. Recent surveys show that the majority of shareholders are planning to vote for the divestiture and subsequent merger at the shareholders meeting in October 2006. The company is committed to a clean environment and recently began to draw up plans for the