Cocaine (1423 words) Essay Example For Students

Cocaine (1423 words) Essay CocaineCocaineWhen you reach into the refrigerator for a Coca-Cola, do you ever wonder where it got its name? You might be surprised to find out! When coke was created 120 years ago, it contained cocaine (Bayer 27). At the time scientists did not realize that cocaine was addictive and dangerous. Scientists today know that cocaine is among the strongest stimulants known, and trying the drug even one time can cause heart attack, stroke, and even death. Even the most in shape athlete could die from one use (Bayer 26). The history of coca leaves began hundreds of years ago in South America. The Indians of Peru and Bolivia chewed coca leaves so that they could work hard in high altitudes and need little food. It was not until the late 1700s that the coca plant was brought to Europe, and cocaine was not actually created until 1855 when a German chemist named Albert Niemann extracted a compound from coca leaves and named it cocaine. It was not long after cocaine was discovered that it became a common household item (Woods 32). In the 19th century in The United States, cocaine was included in many different over the counter medicines and tonics (Woods 33). Also a wine named Vin Mariani, which contained cocaine as one of its ingredients, was widely marketed. Among the famous people to indorse the wine were Pope Leo III, author Jules Vern, and inventor Thomas Edison (Woods 33). One of the first doctors to prescribe cocaine to his patients was Sigmund Freud. Freud thought that cocaine could be used to cure opium addiction and alcoholism. In reality, though, he was only substituting one addiction for another. Freud wrote a paper on the affects cocaine had on himself. He found that the only really safe and proper medical use was as a painkiller (Woods 33). Most of the coca plants in the world are grown in Peru and Bolivia by Indians that have learned to make coca paste (when coca leaves are mixed with kerosene) from the plant (McFarland 31). The paste that is made is then shipped to Columbia where it is made into a powdered substance. After the cocaine is made into powder it is shipped to the United States and other parts world (McFarland 32). Drug families in Columbia control most of the cocaine trafficking. They use special planes and boats to carry cocaine from Columbia to Caribbean Islands and southern Florida. They send some on land, by truck through Mexico into the United States (McFarland 32). Most of the cocaine brought into the U.S. goes through Los Angelas, Houston, New York, and Miami (Cocaine Use 3). From these locations trafficking gangs connect with street gangs to distribute most of the cocaine. Gangs including the Crips, Bloods, and Dominican, Cuban, Haitian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican groups control most of the sales. Cocaine is only about percent 80 pure when it reaches the gangs, and only 60 percent pure when it hits the street. This is because gangs cut it with other substances such as sugar, PCP, speed, corn starch, and talcum powder to save money (Cocaine Use 3). Between 1981 and 1996 the U.S. Government has spent more than $80 billion fighting the drug war. Government agents continuously patrol our southern border, from Florida to California, in an effort to ward off large scale drug smuggling. Thus far, their efforts appear futile (Bayer 33). Cocaine is a strong central nervous stimulant. It speeds up the bodys work, and affects the part of the brain that produces strong feelings of pleasure. It makes the user feel powerful and full of energy, and they no longer feel tired. In experiments, monkeys that were allowed to have all the cocaine they wanted, took it until they died. Cocaine has stronger physical affects on the body and brain than almost any other drug. After cocaine is taken, the heart beats 30 to 50 percent faster and the body temperature rises. The strongest physical affects cocaine has, though, are on the brain. The human brain has 30 million nerve cells, which are separated from each other by tiny gaps called synapses. When messages are ready to be sent, chemicals flow into the synapses between one brain cell and another. Cocaine causes these chemicals to remain in the synapses longer, causing the brains messages to be sent quicker. This then makes the body react to things much quicker and sometimes over rea ct. Another part of the brain that cocaine affects, is the reward pathway. Behaviors that are necessary to survival like eating, drinking, and sleeping activate this pathway, and are rewarded so that the person continues to do them. An addictive drug like cocaine activates this same passageway, and that is why the person continues to use the drug. .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 , .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .postImageUrl , .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 , .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:hover , .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:visited , .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:active { border:0!important; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:active , .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213 .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua8976e308ac6841f9fd801e044aa0213:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: surgery EssayCocaine also has very strong affects on the minds of its users. There is a feeling of well being when high on cocaine, but when the high goes down, the mood can change quickly to depression. Cocaine users think that they are invulnerable, and that they do everything right. In reality, although they may do some things better, they can not do anything that requires thought. Many users talk a lot when they are high, and most of what they are saying makes no sense. Many users of cocaine repeat the same tasks over and over without realizing it. Some users become angry, wild, or out of control, and hurt other people. Other users become paranoid and feel everyone is against them, so they stay away from people. Longtime users begin to see, feel, and taste things that are not actually there (Bayer 18). Addiction is the side affect to worry about the most. There is no cure or quick fix for addiction; stopping the use of the drug completely can only control it. Staying off of drugs is very hard, and cocaine is one of the most addicting, but it can be done with the right help. Testing for the presence of cocaine, and other drugs, in the human body, is big business these days. As a prerequisite for employment, and to keep the workplace drug free, many government agencies, and private corporations, spend millions of dollars, each year, in order to test new, and current employees, for signs of cocaine usage. My dad, Gregory Brulz SR., is a Technical Service Representative, employed by Roche Diagnostics Corporation. Roche is one of the worlds largest pharmaceutical manufacturers, and supplier of biomedical testing instrumentation, to many of the clinical laboratories, and hospitals, that perform drug testing. Aside from testing prospective employees for casual cocaine use, these laboratories also perform clinical testing, to aid in the treatment of cocaine addicts, and abusers. My dads job is to set up the test instrument operating parameters, perform testing to ensure that the instrument, and tests, meet federal (FDA), and laboratory regulatory guidelines, and train the instrument operators. On most diagnostic analyzers, human urine is the medium tested, in determining the quantity of cocaine present in a human body. The concentration of cocaine present in the urine, can also be used to interpret the frequency of usage by the individual, and assist in the clinical treatment process. On the analyzer, the urine is mixed with chemical aggregates, called reagents. A high intensity light is projected through a clear plastic cup, containing the urine- chemical mixture. When the mixture contains the drug in question, the reaction created by the drug-chemical reaction absorbs the amount of light projected through the mixture, in proportion to the amount of drug present. The quantity of light absorbed is converted to a specific concentration, presented in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of urine. The presence of cocaine is considered negative up to 300 ng/ml (Roche 22). These analyzers can process several hundred individual urine samples per hour. Even at this rate, many laboratories strain to keep up with the demand for cocaine testing. Hundreds of years ago, Indians in South America discovered the coca plant. In 1855 cocaine was first extracted from the plant. Cocaine became a household item in the 19th century until a man named Sigmund Freud tested the drug on himself and realized that it was dangerous. Today, all over the country, cocaine destroys young lives every day. It is a dangerous, addictive drug, and using it once can kill you. It damages the brain, and messes with the mind. Knowing the facts about cocaine can help people stay healthy and drug free, and may even save lives. .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 , .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .postImageUrl , .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 , .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:hover , .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:visited , .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:active { border:0!important; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:active , .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3 .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue7e82dd3a9022827002a8afcac6221a3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Breaking Down The Metamorphosis EssayEconomics Essays

Utilitarianism in Health Care Issues Essay Example

Utilitarianism in Health Care Issues Paper I will then explicate the main points of virtue theory. Following that, I will argue that the tenets of virtue theory instead works In favor of letting the miners keep their Job. As well, I will explain the utilitarian theory, and follow that by arguing that utilitarianism, as well. Would favor the continued operation of the coalmines. Health Canada argues that coalmines in Belleville, Nova Scotia, need to be closed down as it has extremely harmful effects on its workers. The former states that working in mines leads to an increased chance of contracting pulmonary disease. While it Is true that keeping the mines open leads to economic benefits, these benefits are outweighed by the adverse health effects that the miners In turn suffer as a result of their inherent working conditions. Health Canada states that to allow the workers to work in such conditions creates ill-health and consequent unhappiness (Argument for Paper 2 11. 9). Therefore, it is more beneficial for the workers in the long run that the mine be shut down, as any economic stress suffered by the workers would be compensated for by the workers moving away from the gizzards source in order to find new Jobs elsewhere. We will write a custom essay sample on Utilitarianism in Health Care Issues specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Utilitarianism in Health Care Issues specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Utilitarianism in Health Care Issues specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Further, as most the workers are middle-aged and unlikely to continue working for much longer, Health Canada recommends that the mines be closed as soon as possible. This would also have the result in increasing the workers happiness levels, as by moving away to seek other employment, they would be less exposed to the health hazards and therefore maximize their health and freedom (Argument for Paper 2). Modern Virtue theory argues that we should determine what makes a person good or bad by whether he or she has certain virtues In their character. For example, traits such as courage, honesty, generosity, In a person, If they have these traits, would make the person count as a good person. Virtues as well are such that they must not be too extreme towards either the positive end, or towards the negative end. For example, the virtue courage is a virtue because it is a middle ground between being a coward or being extremely impulsive. As such, the virtues are virtues such that if it is good for a person to possess such a character trait, then it is a virtue. When applying virtue theory to the case of shutting down coalmining In the town of Belleville, we must then In this case consider the moral character of both the authorities who are trying to shut down the mining, as well as the miners whose jobs are affected. In the case of the authorities, while they might regard themselves as having the good virtues, such as of honesty and courage, of their attempt to shut down the mines, I feel that the ultimate outcome of this intent does not reflect the virtues that are supposed to have created this shutdown, and therefore the traits are not morally good Let us KICK at ten two vultures AT nonsense Ana courage. I wall TLS examine honest. Are the authorities being truly honest with the miners by alerting them to the potential health danger of exposure while playing down the other dangers such as unemployment, loss of benefits, the additional stress of relocating and having to look for new Jobs, and so on? It seems like they are not being wholly truthful, as they have failed to highlight the other potential health dangers of closing down the mine. As well, I find that the Health Canada authorities are not being truly virtuous when it comes to the moral trait of courage as well, as their cause to shut own the miners Jobs and relocate them is not a worthy cause. This is because the negatives of performing such an act outweigh the positives when it comes to benefiting the miners. We could therefore conclude that while Health Canada might be performing a courageous act by asking the miners to relocate, it is not for a worthy cause, and therefore their behavior is invidious. Let us consider this case from a utilitarian perspective. I will first explicate on the theory of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a philosophical theory which states that that which is right is what brings the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest maximum number of people. The act that manages to fulfill this criteria is the act that is then morally right. As a result, whenever we consider what is a morally right action to do, we have to keep in mind that the action that would make it so that the accumulated level of happiness in the majority would be higher than the accumulated number of unhappiness in a majority. As well, utilitarianism is bias- free, in that the happiness levels of your close friends and family do not take priority ever the happiness levels of the neighbors next door, or of people in countries that you have never visited and will never know. I argue that under the principles of utilitarianism, closing the mines would ultimately be a morally wrong act to befall the miners, and consequently, the majority. While the closure promises long term benefits, we must remember that most of the miners being affect are 50 years old or older. This means that in terms of long term health effects, they are unlikely to be able to enjoy it in time or, even if they o live long enough to get the benefits of reduction to exposure, these benefits are only likely to last a few years before they pass away. This then does not seem like it would benefit them, or the families that are depending on them for sustenance, as the short term and possibly long term effects of closing the mines means that they would not be able to support themselves financially. In short, the negative potential for happiness is a certainty, while the positive potential for happiness is only theoretical.

A Comparison Between Jane Eyre And Fanny Price Essays -

A Comparison Between Jane Eyre And Fanny Price A comparison between Jane Eyre and Fanny Price There are many things that can be compared between Jane Eyre and Fanny Price, and I will focus on the fact that they are both orphans that grow up to be independent women. The two are so different yet also so much the same. In the following analysis, I will compare these two characters and decide who can be viewed as the stronger character. To start, we can say that both Jane and Fanny are orphans. They are both sent to live with family and destined to become outcasts from the start. Jane is not readily accepted by her family. This is also true of Fanny. They are only similar in the fact that they are orphans. Fanny's character is different from Jane because Jane is an independent individual. Fanny is much more reserved and independent, while Jane has a much more outspoken personality. Jane Eyre struggles to resist those around her from changing her. Her self-devotion causes her many sufferings, but she survives these and becomes a stronger woman. Jane grows up in a Victorian period where women were not seen as equals. She was born an orphan into a family that had no more room to love another child. Jane faced much resentment in the house, but being the strong-minded character that she is, she confronts Mrs. Reed. She says, ?I am not deceitful: if I were, I should say I loved you; but I declare that I do not love you: I dislike you the worst of anybody in the world.? Jane Eyre grows up questioning authority. She is an independent soul with an independent mind. She will not tolerate being walked over. She shows her strength in all aspects of her life including her love for Rochester. The fact that she is an orphan shows us how the absence of a mother contributes to the void of nurturing, therefore, giving the character possession of internal strength and independenc e. In Mansfield Park, Fanny can be seen as an orphan as well. She is sent to Mansfield to live with her relatives because her mother is unfit to take care of her. She grows up at Mansfield rejected by her Aunt and as an outcast among her cousins. She is independent but not outspoken. She only finds true friendship with Edmund. She struggles in the beginning to overcome her homesickness, and her longing for her relationship with her brother. Edmund is the only vice that sees her through her struggle. She is not as outspoken as Jane, but she is as strong-minded. She knows what she wants and if she could stand up for herself, she can obtain it. Her determination helps her to gain strength. Self-respect dominates the theme of Jane Eyre, whereas in Mansfield Park the story deals with more moral issues concerning class and family. In Jane Eyre, the idea of gender and class structure is very evident between Jane and Rochester. She is a hardworking governess and he, her much wealthier employer. In Mansfield Park, Fanny's interest in Edmund also tests society. For any kind of interest in each other would be wrong during that time. The story itself tests society in ways of the characters going against the ?duty? of their lives. For example, Edmund is jumping out of the lineage by wanting to become a clergyman. Also, his attraction to Fanny and hers to him was considered immoral in 19th century England because of their relationship. Returning back to Jane, we can see how society could feel that her romance with Rochester was wrong. But even Jane is independent enough to leave him when he threatens her beliefs. She remains true to her beliefs, no matter what. Even when that means spending three days wandering around and almost dying for her choices. One theme that remains true to both novels is that both stories defy the norms of society. In Mansfield Park, the characters go against all duties and the idea of the structure of family. The theatrical in the book even furthers their attempts to do everything against what it right and moral at that time. In Jane Eyre, there are some

IMPACT OF MISSIONARY ZEAL essays

IMPACT OF MISSIONARY ZEAL essays Religious beliefs and the zeal of Missionaries and Preachers had an undeniable influence on Americas history since the first explorers set foot on this continents shores. Religious was used as a tool to justify individual goals and to provide society with the justification for slavery. Slavery provided great economic gain to the south and religion was manipulated to allow southerners to ease their conscience. Literature of the time particularly the work of Uncle Toms Cabin brought the distortion of Christian teachings to light; giving voice to the inconsistencies and inequities of the slave system compared Biblical teachings. Impact of Missionary Zeal on American History The North American continent was first occupied by missionaries from Spain, France and England; their quest for new lands and riches was the driving force behind the missionaries and the countries that sent them. Religious conversion of native peoples was a pretext used by the missionaries to justify their coming to the new land. The early colonization by the Spanish and the French had two goals. The first goal was riches and their second goal was actually a goal of the Catholic Church. This goal was to Christianize the natives. While few natives genuinely accept Christianity, missionaries set up numerous churches and missions. Through the church and the Christianization of the natives each country hoped to gain control over the labor of the natives and the resources of the area. Early Europeans had very similar motives, the desire for new lands, riches and control; although Europeans such as the British, Dutch and Germans had religious freedom to gain by the move to the new continent. The Puritans were a group of religious reformers who left England in the middle 1600s; they shared a common Calvinist theology and were highly critical of the Church of England and English society and government. In coming to America they ...

Cause of Stress among College Students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Cause of Stress among College Students - Essay Example Stating precisely, stress is a physical response that develops the feeling of being upset and imbalances among people and in the modern scenario of the learning, when students at times get frustrated with the demanding situations. Additionally, the students’ life is today considered as highly exposed to the issues of stress to make them prepare for the future uncertainties. However, the students who were already having other health complications such as depression or are rather venerable to it, extreme level of stress can significantly trigger to develop other complications. Besides, the perception of the students over the demand of the situation plays a decisive role   in the having a positive or a negative influence, depending on the fact students perceive to have positive approach towards the demanding situations. Relatively, different factors and scenarios can cause stress among students, wherein the most commonly cited causes of stress include examination pressure, dead line pressure, difficulty in organising the personal and working life, noise, improper environment, difficulty in adjusting the life among the other factors. Relatively, in various instances, the causes of stress gradually accumulated without the other notice and leads to severe threats in the students’ life. Gradually, the unnoticed response and measure to remove the causes of stress will have significant impacts - physical, emotionally and mentally (Olpin & Hesson, 2015). Kai-Wen (2010) investigated different reasons of stress among the Taiwanese students.

Micromint micropayment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Micromint micropayment - Essay Example The scrip ensures there is a permanent relationship between the customer and the vendor. This according to Rivest (1997, p. 45), is inconvenience for a vendor. To perform each transaction, the consumer goes to the broker for exchange of the vendor scrip. In spite of the security features of Millicent System; it is still exposed to cyber crimes. Future systems ought to be improved using public keys for encryption. This can protect sensitive information from reaching intruders. Additionally, network security techniques ought to be applied to eliminate the risk of man-in-the-middle attack. Glassman, S., Manasse, M., Abadi, M., Gauthier, P & Sobalvarro, P 2013, â€Å"The MilliCent Protocol for Inexpensive Electronic Commerce†, Fourth International World Wide Web Conference, Darmstadt, Germany. Rivest, R 1997, â€Å"Electronic Lottery Tickets as Micropayments†, in R. Hirschfeld (Ed.), Financial Crypography: First International Conference (FC ‘97), Anguilla, British West Indies, Feb. 24-28, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Vol. 1318, pp. 307-314). Yacobi, Y 1997, â€Å"On the Continuum Between On-line and Off-line E-cash Systems†, in R. Hirschfeld (Ed.), Financial Cryptography: First International Conference (FC ’97), Anguilla, British West Indies, February 24-28, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Vol. 1318, pp.

Branding Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Branding Analysis - Essay Example Consumers identify a brand's distinctive capabilities based on their perceptions that have themselves been created by the marketers over a period of time. A genuine brand is "the internalized sum of all the impressions received by the customers and consumers resulting in a distinctive position in their mind's eye based on perceived emotional and functional benefits" (Knapp). Attributes: Attributes are things that usually speak about the product. A brand usually conveys attributes of the product in order to inform existing customers and at the same time attract new potential customers. For example, the attributes of Raymond's suits are stylish, fashionable and modern and stitched of high quality premium clothing. Benefits: In order for a brand to be successful in the market, it is necessary that the product attributes eventually transform into both emotional and functional benefits of the same. If the same example of Raymond's suits which was mentioned above is considered attributes like style and fashion will transform into emotional benefits and the quality of clothing will transform into functional benefits. ... Values: Most of the brands associate some value with themselves. For example, the baseline of the brand Raymond - 'The Complete Man,' communicates a value proposition that the clothing makes a man complete and perfect. Culture: Brands also represent a certain culture. Even this aspect can be better explained with the same example of Raymond that we've been discussing all through. Raymond projects a culture of family bonding like father and son, husband and wife along with Indianness like respect for elders etc, in its advertisements. Personality: Brands communicate personality status. Raymond suggests that it is a brand for a man who cares for his family, society, and himself. User: Brands clearly state their user segments. Raymond is targeted at upper middle class and upper class customers. Brand Personality Brand personality is of immense importance to a firm. This is evident from the fact that most companies spend a lot of time, money and energy in brand building along with the brand's personality. It would be difficult for a company to imagine existence without the brand name and brand personality. For example, if a customer is asked to select one of two chocolates kept in front of him/her, one with the Cadbury's brand name on it visible and the other, also a Cadbury's but with the brand name hidden, the customer, in all probability selects the one with the Cadbury's name visible on it. This shows the importance of the brand name. Companies have to understand that brands and their personality mean a lot and are at the heart of any business activity. Hence, it is necessary that a firm has to exercise full control over its brands. It is often felt that most of the companies have a constrained perception about their brands. They tend to feel