Monday, August 31, 2009

Need for new music

Give me a list of your most played songs. . .
recently discovered. . .
brand new songs. . .
because well honestly, I'm too lazy to look for myself. [=

I nearly broke my damn elbow

I was going into the restroom and hit my elbow with the door, directly on some nerves that were apparently connected to my pinky and ring finger on my left hand. I could not use these two fingers for a good thirty minutes. Thank God though, I am right handed and my studying session for Sensation and Perception went only momentarily interrupted by my screams of pain. [=

Harmonization or Prohibition

My first Addictions and Cravings class we were showed a video of an Australian show that was openly discussing drug use. On the show was teenagers who were either users or nonusers of drugs, parents of individuals who had overdosed and subsequently died of drug use, and researchers of drugs. Unfortunately, there was no government official present despite an invitation. The debate was centered around the idea of whether illegal drugs should be made legal through the process of harmonization where the government practices control of the drugs and the use of them or if prohibition of illegal drug use should be continued. The teenagers, especially two girls, argued that the drug use among their friends and fellow party goers was largely underestimated and in fact the majority of party goers are drug users. They defend their so called "recreational drug use" (this is what they called going out 2-3 times a week and using drugs each time) because they believe that it is a lot better, safer, and more convenient then drinking alcohol. They believe they practice in a recreational manner because they took the drugs "safely" meaning they only accepted drugs from people they knew and only took the drugs around people they knew. Despite the fact that I completely disagree with their point of view, I am in support of harmonization. The parents argued obviously for continued prohibition and the researchers were seemingly in between. Because I am in support of harmonization does not mean that I support drug use. I, in fact, do not use drugs and do not believe that anyone should use drugs regardless of whether or not that person is an addict or a recreational drug user. For this. . .I will be using the term recreational drug user as an individual who occasionally uses like the girls. They use the drug but their lives do not center around it, they are not dependent on it. Addicts are individuals who's lives center around the use of the drug, they are desperate to get their hands on it and will go to any length to get some.

Let's start with the ads against drugs that are displayed by the government as a No Tolerance Policy on drug use. The parents on the show felt that the ads are not targeted towards the teens and the drug users. Instead these ads are targeted to the parents, encouraging them to become involved in the lives of their children to ensure their safety and non drug use. The teens felt that these ads were also not targeted towards them because they think the ads are targeted for novice users, individuals who have just started or who have yet to start and are considering it. Both teens and parents do not feel they are successful in their goals. The teens just see the ads as shock tactics and that they are unrealistic, possibly as a result of their invincible and "this will never happen to me" attitudes. The consensus was that they just are working as effectively as they should be, that they were a waste of time and money. Personally, I believe the ads are not working as effectively as they should be either. I do believe that they are having an impact on keeping those novices away through the use of shock tactics and information on what could happen, but I believe that teens are in the mindset of whatever you tell them no to do, they are just going to go out and do. They could almost be seen as challengers to teens in the sense that they encourage them to prove the statistics wrong and demonstrate that they really are "invincible" and that the results that were shown in a commercial really aren't realistic. I do not think we should stop using them by all means, I just think we need something else to help out. Basically the sense of confidence and invincibility in the recreational user and drug addicts is not going to change as easily as a shocking ad. You have to wonder, exactly what will it take for them to realize the true consequences of their behavior?

Did you know that marijuana is seen as the safest drug to use? It is easily identified as a "soft drug". Unfortunately it is much more damaging then a lot of people realize. In fact, habitual use of the drug can result in psychosis. that

Now to my argument for harmonization. I believe the government should maintain the use of drugs after decriminalization. Age limits, amounts available, purity, what is in the drug, comorbid use can all be regulated among RECREATIONAL USERS ONLY. I do not ignore the fact that although it would be nice to remove all the drugs from the streets and hands of gangsters, the control is still a business. Whoever has the cheapest is where the ADDICTS will go to. Despite the fact that there will always be the street drug dealers, I am relying on the fact that recreational users will not trust the street drug more than they will trust the government drug. Although they know the consequences of taking the drug, the drug they will be given will be "SAFER" in the sense of purity, because it is CONTROLLED. Recreational users will have the added assurance of a pure drug from a safe source. I also realize that it is a slippery slope between recreational use and addiction, but even though I can not come up with my personal ideas on how to regulate that I'm sure something could be managed. I also realize that because there is money behind it and because wherever their is money, people will do whatever they can to get their hands on it, dirty pills will still make it into the government regulated system. I believe that because those individuals who would be behind this scheme would be more concerned with the amount of money in the long run so instead of not caring what is actually in the drug in terms of purity like gangsters and only focusing on the amount of money they can make, I believe the government officials will allow only a certain amount of dirtiness if you will to enter into the purity. I think the government will be more concerned of maintaing their customer case rather than killing them so they will be very careful about their mixing. Government control will ensure that people know what they are taking. Recreational users will not go to gangsters despite the cheaper offerings because they can not be sure of what is actually in the drug being sold. Addicts will go anywhere and to anyone so they are not considered.
We have regulated the use of tobacco. We have regulated the use of alcohol. We have regulated the use of cigarettes, in 1960 60% of the male population alone smoked, after regulation now only 18% smoke. We regulate gambling to a certain extent. I believe that we have successfully reduced the rates of these problems by regulating them so what's so wrong with at least TRYING harmonization. I'm not looking to eliminate drug use. I strongly believe that as long as the world produces the necessary ingredients to create drugs, we will always have them. I am looking to reduce the drug use problem. Prohibition, is not working at it's current state. I am definitely not saying that it won't ever work but it's not currently working so why not try something else? With new government regulation, means a new government branch, which in turn means MORE NEW JOBS. I'm just saying. . .[=

If you do not agree. . .feel free to tell me why. If you do agree. . .feel free to tell me why. If you have any suggestions whether to enhance harmonization or prohibition feel free. Mark and I have discussed this a great deal and I'm sure I have left out a lot, especially the side of against legalizing illegal drugs but hey I'm biased what can I say?!?! Lol. . .I'm definitely open to different points of view though.

oh btw

There will be no 10,000 dollars for me. I was not accepted for the egg donor stuff. ]=

Job Search

I hate looking for a job. I absolutely hate when you send people your resume in answer to an ad and they never fucking respond OR I get extremely pissed when you get a response and it's some bullshit company. Well anyways. . .hopefully I get something soon or the money anxiety is going to start kicking again. I have quite a few bills to pay.

I'm so sick and tired of people not doing their damn jobs or doing what they said they would do. I got a parking ticket while I was volunteering for the Denver Police Dept and they said that they would take care of the ticket and I wouldn't have to worry about paying it or anything. Funny thing is I got a notice in my mailbox they other day saying that I never paid the ticket and therefore it hadn't been taken care of. Now I have to take the time out of my day to call this dumb technician and tell him you said you would get it taken care of, now what's the damn deal? If they come back with some bullshit about how since I am no longer volunteering they will not be able to take care of it I'll be fucking pissed. If that was going to be the case they could have at least had the decency to fucking tell me in time for me to pay it on time and not have it double like it has. Regardless, I ain't paying this shit. This was on volunteer time. . .it was not my fault they did not take care of like they said they would. Fuckers!


I have to study for a Sensation and Perception test that's on Wednesday so I'm out.

/rant

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Egg Donor

I am applying to be an egg donor. Not only could it possibly get me 10,00 dollars but also it would make me feel good about helping a couple or individual who can not conceive. I'll let ya'll know how it goes [=. Back to my homework. Goodnight.

Monday, August 24, 2009

You are the weakest link

So. . .I disappeared on my promise to post about harmonization and the legalization of illegal drugs. . .I still have plans on posting about it definitely however the reason I haven't done it yet is because I got fired from my bailiff position. Don't feel sorry for me because I'm not sad about it happening. I'm extremely PISSED because it was under wrongful terms but because Colorado is an open policy you can be fired for any reason and second because I just found out that I was in a temporary position I also just found out that they will not take my complaints into consideration. I am also furious because I had reported to my manager that I felt harassed and intimidated and I know for a fact that she did not report it like she was suppose to. I know this because I mentioned how I still felt harassed when they were terminating and she pretended that I did not tell her anything. Anyways. . .I don't really feel like going into the details or anything but every reason they gave me for firing me had a legitimate explanation and it was all bullshit. I'm pretty fucking furious long story short. I'm currently busy trying to keep my school work together, searching for a new job, and trying to maintain the rest of my life. I'm definitely happy that I do not have to work in such a petty ass, disrespectful place. Even though I know people experience harassment in every work force, I also know that just because it's in every place does not mean that you have to put it up with it. The city has a nice little BULLSHIT ASS loop hole that saved their asses from another investigation. Anyways, that's why I failed to post my very interesting ideas on harmonization.