High-Risk Drinking in College Athletes and Nonathletes - Free Essay Example

The article High-Risk Drinking in College Athletes and Nonathletes Across the Academic Year from the journal, Journal of College Counseling which is written by Diana M. Doumas, Rob Turrisi, Kenneth M. Coll, and Kate Haralson, explores heavy drinking and alcohol-related consequences between freshman student-athletes and non-athletes. Student-athletes are at a higher risk of it than non-athletes; social and personal problems are related to greater drinking (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 163). Therers a big difference between student-athletes and non-athletes which may lead to a higher risk of drinking. According to this article, student-athletes automatically have more stress than non athletes because their expectations/demands are greater. These expectations include how well they perform as an athlete and also they have to meet the demands of their professors. While non-athletes only have to worry about academics and maybe clubs. Plus, athletes have to create time for their social lives, but not only that, they still have to stay in peak condition for their sport throughout the year. Another reason the article states for the heavy drinking in student-athletes is that they have special status as athletes that the non-athletes most likely dont have. This status gives the student-athletes a greater chance to be invited to social functions like parties where there usually is drinking (Doumas et al.,2007,p. 164). The authors hypothesis about high-risk drinking in freshman college students was that freshman student-athletes would drink more and have more drinking-related consequences than non-athletes (Doumas et al.,2007,p. 165 170). The researchers examined the freshman for this study because they believed that freshman had the highest risk of being exposed to drinking due to previous research done on this topic. In addition to the hypothesis stated before, they also wanted to examine the difference of drinking habitats (if they increased or decreased) from the fall term to the spring term of their freshman academic year (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 170). The reason why they wanted to do this was that no other research was done on this topic that had looked into the difference of alcohol consumption between the fall and spring term or a t least gone into detail like they did. The sample used for this study was a survey from 455 freshmen that attended a university and those participants were split into the student-athlete group or a non-athlete group depending on if they played sports or any sports-related clubs (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 165). Each person was given questionnaires that ask questions related to the use of alcohol and the consequences that come with alcohol. To calculate the amount of drinking the student-athletes did versus the non-athletes they used quantity of alcohol drunk and the frequency of drunkenness from Thursday to Saturday for a typical week (Doumas et al., 2007, p. 166). To examine the alcohol-related consequences they used the YAAPST, which was a questionnaire that asked about the negative consequences that occurred in the past year that related to alcohol, and they split up the consequences into four categories (academic, interpersonal, physical, and dangerous) and each of them used specific questions from the YAAPST questionnaire (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 167). The results of the study were that student-athletes do indeed drink more and have more drinking-related consequences than a non athlete (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 169). The results also showed that the status of an athlete had a drastic effect on how many times a person drank alcohol (or went to a social function) so this backs up the idea that being an athlete has a greater chance and more opportunities to be in unfamiliar social situations. The results for the difference of heavy drinking between the spring term versus fall term were that drinking quantity, the frequency of drunkness, and the consequences all increased from the fall term to the spring term (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 169). According to the authors, the increase is most likely due to the fact that alcohol prevention programs are presented before the fall term begins and no other programs are presented after that; therefore, the effects of the program decline as the year goes on which explains the increase (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 169). Analysis Overall the research that was done about the high-risk drinking of freshman student-athletes versus non athletes was pretty excellent. There were many things that were done well and some things that could be improved for future research. One aspect of the research that was done well was the fact that they used a high amount of students that took the surveys. This means that the results would be more accurate and if the researchers didnt use as many students then the results would have been less accurate. Another thing that they did well was that the gender of the participants was pretty much the same. If the gender was drastically different in each group (athletes and non athletes) then it may have affected the results of the study. Something else that was done well was the fact that they split up the alcohol-related into different categories, which made the research on that aspect of the study more specific and accurate. However, in future research they should add more alcohol-related consequences to the categories; for example, they can use the different types of sports the students played and what consequences ca me with that. There are some things that can be improved about this research. First, they should use a more variety of questionnaires for the measurement of drinking quantity and the frequency of it too. A bigger variety would give the researchers more specific information and in the end possibly a more accurate result. Another thing that can be improved is that this study didnt follow the same students from the spring term to the fall term, which could have thrown off the results about the increase of drinking from fall to spring (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 171). If the students were followed then the research could have a stronger and more accurate result. A limitation of this study is that it can only show that alcohol drinking prevention programs need to have better timing; it doesnt give a specific program that would or it doesnt when the best time is for them (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 171). This study is geared towards colleges and college counselors to be specific. It shows that di fferent and more steps are needed to be taken to reduce the amount of drinking in students especially athletes. According to the study, the prevention programs need to have better timing or at least there should be more of them throughout the academic year. The research also shows that programs should have more variety in them; for example, most programs that presented are like lectures and the article conveys that feedback from a person or parent programs are more likely to be effective than the lecture-based ones (Doumas et al., 2007,p. 171). This study/research is valuable to colleges and future research should expand upon this and study some parts of it in more detail. Though there are many things that can be improved on this study but that doesnt change the fact that it gave valuable information to college counselors about alcohol drinking among students and what group of students have the highest risk for it. The counselors can use this information to create better prevention programs and have a better sense of timing because of this study. Overall the research was great and it studied a topic that is usually underlooked.

Timeline of the Ancient Maya

The Maya were an advanced Mesoamerican civilization living in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and northern Honduras. Unlike the Inca or the Aztecs, the Maya were not one unified empire, but rather a series of powerful city-states that often allied with or warred upon one another. Maya civilization peaked around 800 A.D. or so before falling into decline. By the time of the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century, the Maya were rebuilding, with powerful city-states rising once again, but the Spanish defeated them. The descendants of the Maya still live in the region and many of them continue to practice cultural traditions such as language, dress, cuisine, and religion. The Maya Preclassic Period (1800–300 BCE) People first arrived in Mexico and Central America millennia ago, living as hunter-gatherers in the rain forests and volcanic hills of the region. They first began developing cultural characteristics associated with the Maya civilization around 1800 BCE on Guatemalas western coast. By 1000 BCE the Maya had spread throughout the lowland forests of southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. The Maya of the Preclassic period lived in small villages in basic homes and dedicated themselves to subsistence agriculture. The major cities of the Maya, such as Palenque, Tikal, and Copà ¡n, were established during this time and began to prosper. Basic trade was developed, linking the city-states and facilitating cultural exchange. The Late Preclassic Period (300 BCE–300 CE) The late Maya Preclassic Period lasted roughly from 300 B.C. to 300 A.D. and is marked by developments in Maya culture. Great temples were constructed: their facades were decorated with stucco sculptures and paint. Long-distance trade flourished, particularly for luxury items such as jade and obsidian. Royal tombs dating from this time are more elaborate than those from the early and middle Preclassic periods and often contained offerings and treasures. The Early Classic Period (300 CE–600 CE) The Classic Period is considered to have begun when the Maya began carving ornate, beautiful stelae (stylized statues of leaders and rulers) with dates given in the Maya long count calendar. The earliest date on a Maya stela is 292 CE (at Tikal) and the latest is 909 CE (at Tonina). During the early Classic Period (300–600 CE), the Maya continued developing many of their most important intellectual pursuits, such as astronomy, mathematics, and architecture. During this time, the city of Teotihuacà ¡n, located near Mexico City, exerted a great influence on the Maya city-states, as is shown by the presence of pottery and architecture done in the Teotihuacà ¡n style. The Late Classic Period (600–900) The Maya late Classic Period marks the high point of Maya culture. Powerful city-states like Tikal and Calakmul dominated the regions around them and art, culture and religion reached their peaks. The city-states warred, allied with, and traded with one another. There may have been as many as 80 Maya city-states during this time. The cities were ruled by an elite ruling class and priests who claimed to be directly descended from the Sin, Moon, stars, and planets. The cities held more people than they could support, so trade for food, as well as luxury items, was brisk. The ceremonial ball game was a feature of all Maya cities. The Postclassic Period (800–1546) Between 800 and 900 A.D., the major cities in the southern Maya region all fell into decline and were mostly or completely abandoned. There are several theories as to why this occurred: historians tend to believe that it was excessive warfare, overpopulation, an ecological disaster or a combination of these factors that brought down the Maya civilization. In the north, however, cities like Uxmal and Chichen Itza prospered and developed. War was still a persistent problem: many of the Maya cities from this time were fortified. Sacbes, or Maya highways, were constructed and maintained, indicating that trade continued to be important. Maya culture continued: all four of the surviving Maya codices were produced during the Postclassic period. The Spanish Conquest (ca. 1546) By the time the Aztec Empire rose in Central Mexico, the Maya were rebuilding their civilization. The city of Mayapan in Yucatà ¡n became an important city, and cities and settlements on the eastern coast of the Yucatà ¡n prospered. In Guatemala, ethnic groups such as the Quichà © and Cachiquels once again built cities and engaged in trade and warfare. These groups came under the control of the Aztecs as a sort of vassal states. When Hernà ¡n Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521, he learned of the existence of these powerful cultures to the far south and he sent his most ruthless lieutenant, Pedro de Alvarado, to investigate and conquer them. Alvarado did so, subduing one city-state after another, playing on regional rivalries just as Cortes had done. At the same time, European diseases such as measles and smallpox decimated the Maya population. Colonial and Republican Eras The Spanish essentially enslaved the Maya, dividing their lands up among the conquistadors and bureaucrats who came to rule in the Americas. The Maya suffered greatly in spite of the efforts of some enlightened men like Bartolomà © de Las Casas who argued for their rights in Spanish courts. The native people of southern Mexico and northern Central America were reluctant subjects of the Spanish Empire and bloody rebellions were common. With Independence coming in the early nineteenth century, the situation of the average indigenous native of the region changed little. They were still repressed and still chafed at it: when the Mexican-American War broke out (1846–1848) ethnic Maya in Yucatà ¡n took up arms, kicking off the bloody Caste War of Yucatan in which hundreds of thousands were killed. The Maya Today Today, the descendants of the Maya still live in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and northern Honduras. Many continue to hold to their traditions, such as speaking their native languages, wearing traditional clothes and practicing indigenous forms of the religion. In recent years, they have won more freedoms, such as the right to practice their religion openly. They are also learning to cash in on their culture, selling handicrafts at native markets and promoting tourism to their regions: with this newfound wealth from tourism is coming political power. The most famous Maya today is probably the Quichà © Indian Rigoberta Menchà º, winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize. She is a well-known activist for native rights and occasional presidential candidate in her native Guatemala. Interest in Maya culture was at an all-time high in 2010, as the Maya calendar was set to reset in 2012, prompting many to speculate about the end of the world. Sources Aldana y Villalobos, Gerardo and Edwin L. Barnhart (eds.) Archaeoastronomy and the Maya. Eds. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2014. Martin, Simon, and Nicolai Grube. Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya. London: Thames and Hudson, 2008. McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. Reprint edition, W. W. Norton Company, July 17, 2006. Sharer, Robert J. The Ancient Maya. 6th ed. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2006.

Microeconomics Issues of Rising Oil and Gas Prices...

Introduction In this text, I concern myself with the contents of two articles based on recent microeconomics issues. During the last two months, the price of gas in the U.S. has been on an upward trend. Taking into consideration recent happenings on the international scene, this trend could have been triggered by many different factors. The articles I make use of in this case discuss the rising oil and gas prices. Discussion While the first article I concern myself with predicts an increase in gas prices, the second article confirms an increase in the price of oil. From the onset, the first article, titled Increased Gas Prices? Dont Blame Unrest in Egypt, points out to readers that they could soon find themselves digging deeper into their pockets for a gallon of gas. However, even though it acknowledges that the unrest in Egypt could be to blame for the increase in gas price, it warns against apportioning all the blame to the said unrest. 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A Woman of No Importance, Final Act free essay sample

Wilde uses many dramatic effects throughout the play to shock and amuse the audience and many of them can be seen in this final scene. The fact that this conversation between Mrs Arbuthnot and Lord Illingworth takes place in Mrs Arbuthnot’s house, her personal space and territory puts her at an advantage and it shows that Lord Illingworth is surrendering his usual control over his situations By Lord Illingworth referring to Mrs Arbuthnot as ‘Rachel’ we are again made aware that we are listening to two people who have a strong past relationship. She calls him ‘George Harford’ while he uses her name far less often that in the persuasive Act 2. During this scene, Lord Illingworth speaks with awareness of the legal situation, he knows he can never make Gerald legitimate but he is willing to leave him property â€Å"What more can a gentleman desire in this world? † and Mrs Arbuthnot’s response of â€Å"Nothing more, I am quite sure† turns this in to a class confrontation. When Mrs Arbuthnot says â€Å"I told you I was not interested, and I beg you to go. † this is a threat to conventional society and the audience would have been shocked by this. She treats Lord Illingworth as he once treated her, in purely financial terms and she tells him that Gerald no longer needs his money, â€Å"You come too late. My son has no need of you. You are not necessary. † She then goes on to explain to him that Gerald and Hester are in love and they don’t need his money because Hester already has money of her own. Lord Illingworth asks where they will go and Mrs Arbuthnot’s reply â€Å"We will not tell you, and if you find us we will not know you. You seem surprised. What welcome would you get from the girl whose lips you tried to soil, from the boy whose life you have shamed, from the mother who dishonor comes from you? † is very melodramatic and it also relives the fact that Lord Illingworth tried to kiss Hester and this is when Gerald found out that he was his father, â€Å"Lord Illingworth you have insulted the purest thing on Gods earth†. This leaves Lord Illingworth to admit that he wants Gerald, â€Å"Rachel, I want my son. † Wilde uses many props in this scene, the main one being the letter Gerald has written to Lord Illingworth imploring him to marry his mother. The audience know what is written in the letter before Lord Illingworth does and this adds drama and tension because the audience are waiting for the big reveal and to see what happens. This letter also links back to the letter that Lord Illingworth sees in Act 2 and says â€Å"What a curious handwriting! It reminds me of the handwriting of a woman I used to know years ago. † and his dismissal of it so simply. The stage direction of ‘Mrs Arbuthnot watches him all the time’ is very important because she wants to see his reaction. Ironically his proposal of marriage after reading Gerald’s letter uses similar language to Mrs Arbuthnot’s when explaining to Gerald why she would refuse him, for her marriage would be a ‘sacrifice’ and for Lord Illingworth it would be a ‘surrender’. For Mrs Arbuthnot to say this at this point in the play would have been very uncommon for the time because the audience would be expecting a happy ending, for the fallen women to marry the father of her child or for it to end like a melodrama, in tragedy. For the first time, Mrs Arbuthnot is triumphant against Lord Illingworth with the repetition of his own words when she says, â€Å"Children begin by loving their parents. After a time they judge them. Rarely if ever do they forgive them. † Lord Illingworth is clearly surprised at this response and then resorts to cruelty. His parting speech creates an exciting climax as the censorship of the time wouldn’t allow anyone to say the word ‘bastard’ on the stage. Wilde’s stage direction of Mrs Arbuthnot’s use of the glove â€Å"Mrs Arbuthnot snatches up glove and strikes Lord Illingworth across the face with it† is a very good use of a prop because in the time this play was written a glove was a very masculine item and being hit with one was a sign of violence and confrontation. The audience is allowed a shock, due to the word about to be spoken and then they get a relief as the taboo is maintained by Mrs Arbuthnot cutting Lord Illingworth off before he can finish his sentence because she will not let him say the word because she doesn’t want to hear him say this about her beloved son. The villain is punished and Mrs Arbuthnot’s respectability is ma intained. All of this is typical of a melodrama and we the audience now feel something has been accomplished. Wilde’s use of stage directions are very well placed and are very dramatic, especially the last few lines of this scene when Mrs Arbuthnot ‘falls sobbing on the sofa’ and it reinforces that this play is a melodrama because people are not usually this dramatic in normal everyday life. Gerald and Hester now return to Mrs Arbuthnot and we have the image of ‘a man and a woman in a garden’ which has been mentioned previously throughout the play and is a sign of sex and fertility and in this scene it shows the audience the image of a new family emerging. Due to Hester having changed her views from believing that women who have children outside of the laws of marriage should be punished, â€Å"A woman who has sinned should be punished, shouldn’t she? † And that the children should also carry this shame, â€Å"Yes, it is right that the sins of the parents should be visited on the children. It is a just law. It is God’s law. † to her now saying â€Å"I was wrong. Gods law is only love. † Because she is in love with Gerald and has managed to listen and understand all of the things that Mrs Arbuthnot has had to face to bring up Gerald alone. At the end of the play when Gerald sees the glove lying on the floor Mrs Arbuthnot picks up and changes the title line of the play and once again mirrors Lord Illingworth’s statement about seeing the letter from Mrs Arbuthnot, â€Å"Oh! o one. No one in particular. A Man of no importance. † Unmarried and defiant she enters into a fresh and better world although the 19th century attitudes to marriage are still upheld in a way because even though she has won against Lord Illingworth and she has managed to keep Gerald and now has the love and respect of Hester the audience are still left with the image of them being exiled to America, where they have less strict views on illegitimacy and have more freedo m.