“(Medical)  Heroin”

In my own words heroin is an illegal drug that is a chemical blend formed from morphine, which is a natural substance that is taken from a poppy plants seed. This drug is usually in a white or brown powder that can be injected into a vein which is considered mainlining, injected into a muscle, placed on tinfoil and inhaled as smoke through a straw or snorted as powder via the nose. Heroin is a narcotic powder (C 21 H 23 NO 5) that was formerly used as an sedative/pain killer. In 2011, 1.6% of people used heroin at lest once, but 23% who used it became dependent on it.   Heroin abuse is associated with many serious health conditions which include fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, and infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. The problem is how is medical heroin better than something regular heroin users have.  They are both harmful and people are still addicted to it.  Although when given by a doctor, it prevents  the crime of getting it off the street and its more likely to be clean.

Addiction is not something that the world takes lightly. There is no fast cure and the treatment is not easy.  A person’s brain creates dopamine which is spread from a neurotransmitter to send signals to other nerve cells. This plays a distinct part in the brain’s reward circuit.  The reward circuit plays a big role in the involvement of reinforcing behavior, motor control, and various hormones.  With the continuous use of the drug, the brain will adjust itself to the exceeding amount of dopamine. This in turn will force the brain to make less of it and/or reduce the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it.  With the reduction of the natural high, addicts must use the drug to replace it. Even after someone quits, one small relapse can bring them back to square one because the addiction will always be there.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/heroin

http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/heroin/

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/heroin/what-heroin

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-use-addiction

The Misunderstanding of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Rock ‘n’ roll is often misunderstood due to how it is commonly portrayed in our society. This genre of music is almost always associated with dark forces and the occult, which in reality, is a prime example of “judging a book by its cover”.  As an unknown writer once said, “We live in a very superficial society. It is very easy to fall into the trap of looking only at the surface of people, things, and ideas without taking the time and effort to delve deeper into them.” A seemingly unrelated topic that works nicely as an analogy for this misjudgment is the treatment of Blacks throughout history.  At its surface, Rock ‘n’ roll does show signs of being solely based around darkness. However, underneath that surface is a wide collection of songs pertaining to the most eclectic of topics. Black people are judged because of their skin color, even though they are human beings just like everyone else. Until people open their minds (or their ears), and truly pay attention to who Black people are as individuals and what Rock ‘n’ roll truly signifies, they are left with demeaning and unfair images that are nowhere near the actuality.

An in depth look into Rock ‘n’ roll shows a melting pot of widely unrelated topics, most having nothing to do with dark forces and the occult. The anti-war and anti-violence sentiment of the 60’s can be heard through songs like Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son”, which attacked militant patriotic behavior and the individuals who supported the fight without getting their own hands dirty, and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U. S. A.”, which addresses the harmful effects that the Vietnam War had on Americans. Rock ‘n’ roll also has quite few songs about love, some coming from bands that would not normally be associated with the theme- including “Forever” by Kiss (which details a man’s realization that his love for a certain girl will last forever), and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses (which was inspired by a poem band mate Axl Rose wrote about his girlfriend at the time). And one of the best proofs that Rock ‘n’ roll was not centered on darkness is a little song by Jimmy Buffet called, “Cheeseburger in Paradise”. This song has no double meaning, and is entirely about a man’s love for cheeseburgers. There is absolutely nothing dark forces in it, which can be said for a majority of Rock ‘n’ roll songs.

The misunderstanding of Rock ‘n’ roll can be paralleled with the unfair treatment of Blacks throughout history.  Opinion on them is commonly based on their skin color instead of who they are as a person. Take Solomon Northup, the free African- American who had to endure twelve years as a slave. As a few writers from the Encyclopedia Britannica have said, “Solomon received some education and worked on his family’s farm as a child. He married Anne Hampton in 1828. In 1834, after selling their farm, the couple moved to Saratoga Springs, New York, where they worked odd jobs to support their three children. Northup also established a reputation as a talented fiddler.” Contrary to the popular belief of the time that African-Americans were savages and naturally inferior to White Americans, Solomon Northup was a hard worker who was able to create a mostly stable lifestyle for his family, and even became a renown musician. Unfortunately, he was lured by two men who judged him based off of his skin to travel to Washington DC, where he was drugged and sold into slavery. For the next twelve years he worked as a slave for different masters, who did not believe that he was a free and educated African-American. He was being judged by his skin, not his true self. After finally securing his freedom, Northup ended up writing his memoir, which revealed to the world his side of the story. Another Black individual who was much more than he appeared to be on the outside was Thomas-Alexandre Dumas. The father of famed writer Alexandre Dumas, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas defied expectations and led an adventure of a life. As Tom Reiss, author of The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, says in an  interview with NPR’s Scott Simon , “He’s a black man, born into slavery, and then he rises higher than any black man rose in a white society before our own time,” and that, “He became a four-star general and challenges Napoleon, and he did it all 200 years ago, at the height of slavery.” In a time when Blacks were commonly found to be slaves, this one man was able to break expectations by becoming a respected general for the French army. And although his life story ended in an unfortunate manner, thanks in part to a ploy by Napoleon (who disliked Dumas for being successful and the opposite of him physically) to get rid of him, Dumas’ influence lived on, especially through some of his son’s most popular characters, such as Edmond Dantès and the musketeer d’Artagnan. Both Solomon Northup and Thomas-Alexandre Dumas highlight the “judging of a book by its cover” that took place in history,  which in turn mirrors the misunderstanding of Rock ‘n’ roll.

Rock ‘n’ roll is a Black person enduring the negative biases of people of different skin color. It is a misunderstood genre of music, incorrectly portrayed in society. And at its most basic level, Rock ‘n’ Roll is a book judged by its cover.

Works Cited

New Source Cole, Rachel, David Fiske, Rachel Seligman, and Clifford Brown. “Solomon Northup.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

New Source Simon, Scott, and Tom Reiss. “‘The Black Count,’ A Hero On The Field, And The Page.” NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

Unknown. “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover.” Modern Day Adages. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

Sports Injuries

Proper practice and training leads to a healthier athlete with less chance of injury.  Athletes these days are much more prone to injuries then a non-athlete.  There are all different injuries that can happen to a an athlete in which sometimes can end their careers.  When we think about a common injury that happens frequently, we can think of a pitcher in baseball tearing his UCL in his arm requiring Tommy John Surgery.  The thing is these are not the only injuries that happen to people.  A non-athlete can get injured as well but with a lesser chance.  When an injury happens, we all look at the success rate of coming back as the same athlete.  There are all different types of different injuries to different sported athletes.  What if we could look at one surgery that some say should get done before the injury even happens because it makes the athlete stronger.

We compare football to baseball injuries and see that yes they both do happen but they are strangely different type of injuries.  Looking at the sports at first we realize basic things right away.  In football, no one uses there arm to throw something besides the quarterback and when it comes to baseball, every single player on the team uses there arm every play.  Looking at this, we know that there are different injuries in which baseball usually has arm injuries as football usually doesn’t have many arm injuries at all.

Examples of injuries in both sports that are very common are a torn UCL in baseball and a torn ACL in football.  Looking at both injuries, we find that they are the some of the longest recovery times post operation in all sports.  The time that happens after surgery from an injury is called post operation.  During this time an athlete rehabs and rests to let the body try to get back to full strength.  There are all different time lengths for all different types of injuries.  For example, Tommy John surgery usually leaves an athlete out of commission for at least 9 months as to if someone in football gets surgery on something as much as a torn meniscus can have them out for as short of a time at 6 weeks.  As a person gets injured, everyones bodies are different and can heal faster or some can take longer then others so nothing is ever set in stone.

We could say that there as many leading causes behind sport injuries such as overuse, stops and twists, falls, improper equipment, new or increased activity, fatigue, unilateral movements, and technique and posture.  All these reasons are different causes behind an injury to an athlete.  Being an athlete, you need to be in the best shape of your life and push your body harder then it should be pushed at some points which why athletes are ore prone to injury.  There are ways to prevent injuries but some things we can control.  WE see sometimes that there are injuries that happen to someone just randomly because they took a wrong step.

Injuries do happen to athletes.  They are all different in different sports and there are different reasons why they do happen each time.  Its never good when they do happen and it is sad to see but it is a part of being an athlete.  There are ways to prevent these from happening but not in all cases.  Injuries are all different, it is important to know how to make your body in the best shape for all different sports so that these injuries do not happen.

Work Cited

“Regressive Tax”

In my own words, I describe a regressive tax as a tax that affects and taxes the poor more than it does to wealthier citizens. This tax can be either income, sales, or property. A regressive tax can be a tax on food, clothing, or even prescription medication.

So if the government imposes a tax on certain sales, it may sound regressive. But if the tax is only on luxury items then it is not regressive. If the sales tax does not tax  basic items that people need, the cost of essential items will not go up. People who have low incomes will not be affected by the tax of they only buy essential items (groceries, clothing, and prescription  medication).  These items listed in the previous sentence are exempt from the New Jersey 7% sales tax. This sales tax will go down to 6.875% on January 1, 2017.

The sales tax only applies to to luxury items. This includes, but is not limited to: prepared meals, tobacco, alcohol, and candy.  If someone chooses to pay a tax then it is not regressive, it is voluntary. A tax only on luxury items is not a regressive tax because it does not place more of a burden on the people who can least afford to pay the tax. I think that New Jersey should not lower its sales tax at all. It should be left at 7%. This is a fair tax because it does not place a tax burden on the people with low income. I would not define the sales tax in New Jersey as regressive.

Works Cited

Does Aggression Equal Violence?

Aggressive behavior does not necessarily mean violence. For decades, politicians and parents have been blaming violent video games as the catalyst for violent behavior in those who play them. A year ago, the American Psychological Association released a study indicating that video games do increase aggression and decrease empathy and sensitivity. At face value, one might think that this proves the claims correct, and that video games do incite violence out of its audience. However, this study does not quite prove that. The study says violent video games increase aggressive behavior, but there is still no correlation between this changed behavior and outright violence.

To better understand what I mean, one must better understand what aggressive behavior entails. According to the University of North Carolina, aggressive behavior is a persistent pattern of behavior that causes or threatens harm to people. Aggression is seen in many forms. There are verbal forms such as taunts and threats. Physical forms such as tantrums, throwing, and fights. Covert forms such as lying, stealing and drug use. Besides, these there are many other types. The fact of the matter is that some forms of aggression are less severe than others. Without a doubt, any form of physical aggression can easily lead to violence, but other forms such as lying or taunting are less clear. With such a broad spectrum of what is considered aggression, saying violent video games causes aggressive activities is a weak argument in blaming them for violent crimes.

To elaborate, someone who plays violent video games might end up being more prone to taunt others. They may even lie or steal more often. There is even the potential that these games could lead to a violent crime, but each form of aggression listed above is very different. Whether it be verbal or physical, noticeable or subtle. There is nothing that truly links one form of aggression to another, besides them just being a form of aggression. Violent video games may only increase one form of aggressive behavior, or it could increase all of them. Despite the research done, there is not enough to pinpoint violent behavior as an effect of increased aggression. In turn, this also means there is not enough to indicate violent behavior as an effect of video games.

Works Cited

American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association, 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

Fraser, Mark W., James K. Nash, Maeda J. Galinsky, and Kathleen M. Darwin. “The Making Choices Program: Social Problem- Solving Skills …” University of North Carolina. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

What’s the Difference?

Sports can bring all kinds of people together. There can be many individuals on one team, or a sport can even be played with just one person, like tennis for example. The Olympics bring hundreds of countries together to see which is better at playing games than others. People all over the world play many different kinds of sports. Running, balls, nets, balls, keeping score,  courts, and fields are just a few aspects all sports have. Some sports are very similar to each other too, like softball and baseball or tennis and badminton. Sports like tennis and badminton are also a pair of sports that are modified towards each other. They both have the same concept, but many differences. Softball and baseball both have the same general rules, like needing to get three outs and using a ball to pitch to a batter. They both have a first, second, and third base that runners run to so they can score. Though these basic and simple rules are a few aspects what these sports have in common, their differences are increased.

When baseball is compared to baseball, the obvious difference is the gender of each sport. Baseball has boys on the field and softball has girls. There is no actual law that says girls can’t play baseball and boys can’t play softball, but this is mainly just how it is. Another difference is the size of the field. Both sports have dirt and grass, but the softball field is smaller than the baseball field. In baseball, the standard base distance is 90 feet from base to base, but in softball they are 60 feet apart. The fence in softball are usually about 220 feet or so. Baseball’s fence is about 400 feet from home plate. The pitching distance from home plate is also different. They softball mound is only 43 feet from home, and the baseball mound is 60 feet. The baseball mound is also higher because of the extra dirt under the mound, where as in softball it is flat. This effects each sport’s pitching as well.

The size of the balls are a big difference as well. The baseball is only 9 inches in circumference , and the softball is 12 inches and it is yellow too. This effects the weight of each ball. The bats that each sport uses also have differences. Maximum bats for softball are 34 inched long and weigh 24 ounces. Baseball bats have the maximum length of 34 inches and weigh 32 ounces. Though the length is the same, the weight is an important factor.

Even though there is are many differences in baseball and softball, there are also many differences in tennis and badminton. These two pairs of sports are both very similar, but require different skill levels. There is also a huge difference between the sports tennis and badminton. These sports are very similar to softball and baseball because they both are sports with the same aspect, but with different difficulty levels. Tennis and badminton are both played with a racket. Though tennis is played on a 78 feet long court, while badminton’s court is only 44 feet long, they are very different.

Tennis rackets are much heavier than a badminton racket. A tennis racket may weigh about three quarters of a pound; while a badminton racket is only just a quarter of a pound. This difference might change that athlete’s need for strength in their arms. To say that one sport is harder than the other is very difficult. A tennis player having to play a badminton match will have difficulty and vise versa.

Overall, for softball and baseball, the pitching makes the most difference. The elevated mound in baseball makes the pitch have to move downward to get into the strike zone. The baseball pitch also is thrown with an overhand motion. Softball pitching is completely different. This kind of pitching is thrown with the windmill, underhand motion. The mound is not elevated in softball. Because it is a flat surface and the ball is released low, the ball must go upward to make it into the strike zone.

All of these factors are important in playing the game. These are also important to take into when a batter is up to bat. Though these sports have big differences, they have the same concepts. Due to this amount of differences, there must also be different difficulty levels as well. This would make one sport more difficult than the other.

Works Citied

CK”s Baseball 4U, B. C. (2014, February 27). What’s the Difference between Baseball and Softball? Retrieved October 30, 2016.

H. (2014). Difference Between Tennis and Badminton. Retrieved November 23, 2016

Mann, B. A. (2011, September 30). Baseball vs. Softball. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

The Difference Between Baseball & Softball | iSport.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016.

The United States has been known for helping out foreign countries in a time of need, starting back to the first World War. But when it comes to war should we rethink the idea of helping out a country or go in with no hesitations. For when doing so there maybe repercussions for our acts, and worry more towards the protection of our own people before strategizing a plan to save other countries people. A question our government should ask themselves about foreign affairs is what US should get involved in and what they should leave up to the United Nations or other countries to intervene with.

The threats we receive from terrorist attacks should be our governments top concern , countries that are helping out the issue in Syria and bringing in some of the people of Syria are being hit by terrorist attacks. The US has been involved with many problems due to terrorists. People fear that their lives may be at risk, if The US is aware of the risks they put on there own people should they still get involved or let others step in and US just give help.

Elected president Donald Trump has implanted his ideas of Syrian refugees and decided to take our men out or there and close off the gates for letting these Syrians in. Saying that there are already many other countries getting involved with this crisis who have a strong handle on the situation. Also by getting involved we’d open up the doors to much bigger problems such as dealing with Russia. Which Trump goes on to say in The New York Times, “We end up fighting Russia, fighting Syria.” Now by doing so not only are we letting in refugees that we clearly have no idea who we are but also would be going to war with another country just because of our beliefs on society and how these Syrians should be treated.  All that has happen by getting involved with these Syrian refugees should convince the government that the people of America need to be safe and let others intervene and stay out of this disaster. 

Since 9/11 there has been a significant amount of refugees that the US has let in. In an article By Russell Berman in the Atlantic, he asks the question of can isis ruin the refugee program, through out the article he claims that “And within that population, three people have been arrested for activities related to terrorism. None of them were close to executing an attack inside the U.S., and two of the men were caught trying to leave the country to join terrorist groups overseas.” Even though those do not seem like giant numbers you have to look at it in a different perspective that if they were caught doing a terrorist acts there are many more of them out there who may not have been caught. As well as we don’t have a perfect government as does no one else which leads to asking that there are many more groups of people creating an ideas of terroristic attacks who have yet to been caught, even though we may not find them the only way to prevent future attacks is by not letting in future refugees.

A giant problem that countries letting in refugees have to figure out is the fake passports for allowing these Syrians into the countries. After the bombing in Paris the French had found a the passports of the bombers and they had no information of this man ever being allowed into the country. “The fingerprint was not in the French database, the senator said, and therefore officials believe the man was among a group of refugees and migrants.” France could have prevented this tragic accident from happening, the US should learn from there mistakes and realize many people in France who very hurt by this attack. Protect there people and do whatever it needs to ensure the safety of the people and one way to ensure that is by cutting off the borders to these refugees.

Work Cited

Miller, Jake. CBS “How do Americans feel about U.S. involvement in foreign crises?” Sep 14, 2014. Oct 30,2016. Web                                                   http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-do-americans-feel-about-u-s-involvement-in-foreign-crises/

Sanger, David. The New York Times “Donald Trump Likely to End Aid for The Rebels Fighting Syrian Government.”  Nov. 18 2015. Nov 19 2016. Web                                                   http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/world/middleeast/donald-trump-syria.html

Berman, Russell. The Atlantic “Can ISIS Terrorists Really Infiltrate The Syrian Refugee Program?” Nov 18 2015. Nov 20 2016. Web.   http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/can-terrorists-really-infiltrate-the-syrian-refugee-program/416475/

Amanpour, Christiane. CNN. ” Passport Linked to Terrorist Complicates Syrian Refugee Crisis” Nov 15 2015. Nov 20 2016. Web                                                                                               http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/15/europe/paris-attacks-passports/

DBT Should Help, Not Hurt

In its purest form, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is very regimented and time consuming. Clive J. Robbins and Zachary Rosenthal describe the therapy, originally developed by Marsha Linehan, as requiring multiple group and individual therapy sessions weekly, skills training, phone coaching, and meetings among a person’s team of therapists. I do not subscribe to this definition, described in the DBT section of Acceptance and Mindfulness in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. DBT is, essentially, whatever dialectical behavior skills a person needs in order to improve their life.

Marsha Linehan (as relayed to me by clearviewtreatment on borderlinepersonalitytreatment.com) found that there are five different types of dysregulation that occur in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). These are emotion dysregulation, interpersonal dysregulation, self dysregulation, behavioral dysregulation, and cognitive dysregulation. On the whole, each type is characterized by some sort of dysfunction in each aspect of a person’s life. DBT was created to treat this dysregulation, which, though commonly found in patients with BPD, can affect anyone at any time.

According to the website of Sierra Tucson, there are four main principles of DBT; these are “1. The primacy of the therapeutic relationship, 2. A non-judgmental approach, 3. Differentiating between effective and ineffective behaviors, and 4. Dialectical thinking.” These principles, specifically the first two, apply to both patient and therapist, assuring that all parties are comfortable with and prepared for what is to come. The third and fourth dictate what the patient will learn. Dialectical thinking leads to radical acceptance by teaching patients to become aware of their own judgements and accept them, according to Rachel Gill of ilovedbt.com.

There are also four treatment modules that go along with DBT’s principles. They are “1. Mindfulness, 2. Distress Tolerance, 3. Emotion Regulation, and 4. Interpersonal Effectiveness.” These go hand in hand with the principles, teaching patients through various methods to accept and handle the reality in front of them. Mindfulness leads to learning distress tolerance and so on, each skill building on the next, teaching patients how to handle their life’s dysregulation.

The workbook Don’t Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens breaks down DBT perfectly to fit most people’s lifestyle. The book teaches individual skills and outlines which situations call for which skills, giving exercises on how a person is going to apply said skills. It builds upon itself, starting with the basics that apply to everyday life and getting more specific as it goes. That is how DBT should be, and that is how I learned to apply it to my own life.

For a person with BPD, life is hard enough already. The disorder is almost entirely made up of life-interfering behaviors such as impulsive actions, dysregulated relationships and emotions, and some symptoms of depression such as lack of motivation. We cannot expect such individuals to keep up a schedule like Robbins and Rosenthal require. However, we should supply them with the skills necessary to improve their daily lives.

For someone without BPD, say, a college student who still shows many signs of dysregulation, life is incredibly busy. No college student has time for class, homework, and a social life in general let alone when paired with multiple therapy sessions a week with phone coaching in between. Along with the lack of time, society still stigmatizes going to therapy as a sign of weakness, which may deter many college students from such a regimented form of DBT. Students will still need to go to therapy, but at a more relaxed pace, giving them more time for it and welcoming less judgement.

A less intense form of DBT is an effective compromise for all recipients of the therapy. Going to therapy once a week and working from a book like Don’t Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens was enough to make a difference in my life, and could do the same for many others. For BPD patients, it requires less effort and is not as overwhelming. For college students, it takes up less time and welcomes less stigma. DBT can be redefined, and this new definition will help many people.

Works Cited

@DbtPeers. “An Introduction to Dialectical Thinking According to DBT.” DBT Peer Connections. N.p., 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

Clearviewtreatment. “Five Areas of Dysregulation in People with BPD – Borderline Personality Treatment.” Borderline Personality Treatment. N.p., 12 Oct. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

“Dialectical Behavioral Therapy & Treatment – Clinical Excellence at Sierra Tucson.” Sierra Tucson. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

Robbins, Clive J., and Zachary Rosenthal. “Dialectical Behavior Therapy.” Acceptance and Mindfulness in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. John Wiley & Sons, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

Van Dijk, Sheri. “Don’t Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens.” Google Books. Instant Help Books, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

Potential Superpowers

Superpower nation possesses the ability to influence worldwide events and project its power on a global scale. Ever since the disintegration of the soviet union, America has been the only superpower. America has been dominating through the combined-means of technological, cultural, military and economic strengths. However, with more and more countries contributing to the global economy and becoming stronger in all the other aspects, there have been rise in the speculations of the next Potential Superpower. Potential Superpower is a term used for the countries who can possibly achieve superpower status in the 21st century; due to their economic potential, large markets, growing military and influence in international affairs. China, The European Union, India and Russia are the most speculated contenders for supremacy, but because of the problems such as poverty, corruption, population explosion and pollution these countries might simply remain emerging powers, as opposed to potential superpowers.

The predictions of the potential superpower are never perfect and keeps on changing with the changing economy of the countries and the power they posses on a global domain. For example, in the 1980s, Japan due to its large GDP and high economic growth was anticipated to be the next superpower.  However, Japan’s economy crashed in 1991, creating a long period of economic slump in the country which is yet to be recovered. As per the world bank annual GDP growth statistics; In 1961 Japan was estimated to reach a GDP of 12.5 by 2015. However, it declined to 0.5 by the end of 2015. Gaining supremacy is a tough task. It’s about gaining stability and keeping it consistent on a global level. Any of the countries who wish to attain the superpower status have a tough road ahead. The government and the people will have to work together and stand out as a strong and a united nation.

Talking about China, In the past few decades China has been identified as the most prominent economic growth and military superpower. China’s rise is demonstrated by its terrific share of trade in its gross domestic product. It has already outpaced USA in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).  Prableen Bajpai, in her article, “The World’s Top 10 Economies,” states that “China is estimated to pull ahead of the U.S. steadily in the following years, taking over the lead position as the world’s largest economy; in fact, in its October 2012 World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) would outpace that of the U.S. as early as 2017.” According to which, china is predicted to outpace U.S. in terms of GDP and be the number one economic superpower in the world. It is only possible if china continues to grow its economy. However, Chinese economy has recently taken a decline,  which is a major concern. Along with the economy, it must also meet its internal and external challenges and make some fundamental political changes. It must deal with its aging population and gender imbalance produced by its one child policy.  Also deal with its water shortage problems, pollution problems and create more and more jobs to deal with the unemployment. It must also make contributions in the field of science, research and innovation and build a stronger military in-order to become the superpower.

The biggest competition of China in the race of being the Superpower is India. India is the biggest democracy in the world and with its 1.2 billion population, mostly consisted of young people, it possesses a great potential. India can benefit from china’s declining economy and can quickly attain the spot of the fastest emerging economies in the world. In an Economic Times Article, “India’s growth rate set to surpass china this year: World Bank,” Kaushik Basu, World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, claims that “With an expected growth of 7.5 per cent this year, India is, for the first time, leading the World Bank’s growth chart of major economies,” which means India will surpass China whose growth rate is 7.1 per cent this year and be the major economy in the world. Along with the economy, the factors that plays in Indias favor are its magnificent resources, its foreign relations, role in international politics, science and technology, Indian Armed forces etc. On the other hand poverty, pollution, unemployment, illiteracy, communal violence, social divide, gender and caste inequality and disputes with its neighboring countries are the factors that don’t play in Indias favor and it will have to pass these hurdles to become the superpower.

The European Union(EU) is also a great contender for the superpower. With its large economy probably largest in the world, large population, high quality lifestyle and low inflation rates it certainly is in a very good position. Despite of that, it hasn’t been very successful in establishing a unified foreign policy and project strong military power, which are essential for a superpower nation. If we consider Russia it only has powerful armed forces at the moment and it hence may never become a superpower. Brazil is another emerging nation with great potential. It has managed to sought a serious global economic and political power, however presently it can only manage to be the emerging power rather than the potential superpowers, with a hope to shape the world in the future.

The World Wars and many other Cultural, Demographic and Geographic conditions have crumbled the superpower nations of the past and continues to crumble the current contenders. It’s difficult for countries to get back on their knees or fight against their problems. The  U.S. has never observed massive industrial destruction or civilian casualties unlike Europe or Asia. Post War it has been able to build up a strong industrial and technological infrastructure, advanced military strength which is the strongest in the world and has managed to retain it since. Other countries have a great potential in being the superpower but their problems are way more drastic and impossible to overcome, at least at the moment. They will have to be a lot more than just the biggest economy if they want to attain the title of the Superpower nation of the world.

(ICFAI), Prableen Bajpai CFA. “The World’s Top 10 Economies.” Investopedia. N.p., 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

“World Economic Outlook Database October 2014.” World Economic Outlook Database October 2014. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

Pti. “India’s Growth Rate Set to Surpass China This Year: World Bank.” The Economic Times. N.p., 11 June 2015. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

Thesis :

Based on current research, these acts of violence involve citizens who are also African American. In this paper, I will discuss how African American males are historically targets of these senseless acts.

Argument:Over the past year , there has been an increase in police involved shootings where many citizens, who are unarmed, are injured by the officers.

Definitions :

• empowerment
• discrimination
• police brutality
• overrated
• violence
• corruption
•  oppression

Work Cited:

1. ThinkProgress.” ThinkProgress. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
2. Williams, Janice. “Police Shooting Statistics 2016: Are More Black People Killed By Officers Than Other Races?” International Business Times. N.p., 26 Sept. 2016. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.