Responsibilites of a Catholic Citizen Essay - 579 Words

â€Å"Be not afraid,† were Pope John Paul’s first words as the official Bishop of Rome, although they were very simple, they were more powerful than any natural disaster in the world. They were just the right words that were needed to change the lives of many people throughout the world. Being a Catholic Citizen in today’s free society, we have many responsibilities. Some being: to make known to the world of how precious God’s gift of life to us really is, to spread the faith, and to donate not only money but also there time to those in need. God gave us precious life and free will, but meant for us to use our free will to protect His precious gift, not destroy it. In today’s society, there are too many choices. Abortions, poverty, and†¦show more content†¦Since not everyone can see how precious God’s gift of life is, all the way from the unborn to the elderly, the Catholic Citizens today can show them and be proof of it. Catholic Ci tizen’s today can also spread the faith, by going out into our community. The saying has always been, â€Å"actions speak louder than words,† which means we must go out and actually make a difference. Some activities that would require more time and effort would be to go to soup kitchens, and not only help out but visit with the people, also by going to nursing homes and visiting with the patients, this will let them know that people still really do care. There are also many other projects that require less time, but still make a difference, for examples, going to a local park and picking up trash, or start recycling and try to promote it elsewhere. Even though we can make a difference spiritually, it is also a good way to spread the faith, by going out and showing the community that we actually are making a difference. Another factor that Catholic Citizen’s can do in a free society is to donate time and money those people in need. Sometimes in life we must put our own wants and needs behind and think about those people less fortunate than us. Also we can help those in need by stopping racism, just because not everyone looks alike doesn’t mean we should discriminate them, because that is what makes the world so beautiful. Since weShow MoreRelatedDalit Feministic Quest in Bamas Sangati2762 Words   |  12 Pagesand dialect associations. It is difficult to ensure the feelings   of the source language to the target language especially in Dalit literature, because it has its own politics and a significant role. The regional writers played a major role and responsibilites in the society. English is seen as the power of legemony of   translating the Dalit works from Tamil language,but the problem is its difficult to marganalize the themes from the original text. English language  has to be spiced not so much to cater

Parenthood Making A Profit Of Fetal Tissue - 1742 Words

Amanda Downs Mrs. Steinhoff Research Writing 25 February 2016 Is Planned Parenthood Making a Profit of Fetal Tissue? The Center of Medical Progress has accused Planned Parenthood of selling and profiting off of aborted fetal tissues, which is illegal. Planned Parenthood has been caring for people for years now. The background of Planned Parenthood abortions is just like any other organization, and from what they say, and the way they follow the same policies. The videos that feature Planned Parenthood officials buying and selling fetal tissue makes people believe that everything that they see from the videos is all true. Planned Parenthood defends themselves by using the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993. Background†¦show more content†¦The most common in-clinic procedure is called aspiration. Many people choose this method of abortion because it is safe and effective. It costs up to $1,500. Some risks to an in-clinic abortion are: infections, allergic reactions, blood clots in uterus, failure to end pregnancy, injury to organs, and heavy bleeding. Therefore these si de effects may cause women to choose the abortion pill. An abortion pill begins as soon as a women takes a pill. There are two medicines used in the pill to end the pregnancy; mifepristone and misoprostol. This method works 97 out of 100 times. After taking the pill a women would have a follow up appointment to see if the abortion was successful. If it was unsuccessful, an in-clinic abortion would be needed. It costs about $800 dollars. Minnesota requires that under the age of 18 both parents must be told of the abortion decision 48 hours prior to the procedure. A judge can excuse this requirement as well (Planned Parenthood | Official Site.). Planned Parenthood Controversy Videos David Daleiden made a video, â€Å"Human Capital- Episode 2: Inside the Planned Parenthood Supply Site†, explaining what Planned Parenthood does with the aborted fetus’. The video was paid and published by The Center for Medical Progress, who accused Planned Parenthood of selling fetal tissue. The video also shows what the fetus looks like, and how old the fetus was. The disturbing photos also

Patronage Behavior of Indian Rural Consumers Free Essays

The study has been conducted by Rajnish Tuli and by Amit Mookerjee in 2004. The study is entitled Retail Formats: Patronage Behavior of Indian Rural Consumers and has been published in the South Asian Journal of Management in its July to September 2004 issue. The purpose of the research is to investigate the customer and behaviors that marketers must consider in catering to rural consumers. We will write a custom essay sample on Patronage Behavior of Indian Rural Consumers or any similar topic only for you Order Now The research focused on response and patronage behavior of rural consumer in their evaluation of retail outlets in India, and the decision factors influencing such behavior. In particular, the retail formats that were investigated were village shops and haats. The study presents that shopping activity cost and product purchase cost were the most influential variables for the village shot retail format. Moreover, it has been found that â€Å"bargain† and promotion incentives cause them to buy from other markets. The information derived from the study shall be useful in crafting effective product placement marketing efforts. 2) Explain the business problems under investigation. The research aims to determine the reasons for the behavior and patronage of retail outlets by rural consumers. In determining such factors, retailers would be able to draft appropriate marketing strategies that influence these variables. The study proceeded with identifying the differentiators of village shops and haats in terms of various perceptual dimensions. Specifically, the study assessed the factors which affected the decision of rural consumers to either purchase from a village shop or at an outshopping center. Moreover, it is not only limited to physical attributes, but rather on psychosocial traits that affect their decision to purchase and patronage. These advantages are congruent with consumers’ value. The following are the specific objectives that the study addressed (expressed in verbatim): 1) To identify the relevant decision variables influencing the rural consumers’ patronage behavior towards existing retail setup; and 2) To identify the most critical decision variable, which differentiates the perception of rural consumers towards the retail setup. There were several decision variables involved in the study, including access route, traveling cost, product variety, price of a particular item, credit facility, credit period, bargaining facility, bargaining gains, product quantity, returns and adjustments, and promotions. Access route pertains to the presence of geographical connections among settings or places. The study hypothesized that there is no significant difference in the perception of access route associated with the two shopping centers. The next dimension, traveling cost, refers to the cost of getting to the shopping center. It is hypothesized that there is no significant difference in the traffic barrier related to the two shopping centers. The third dimension, product variety, refers to the number of products offered by the center. The price of a particular item is defined as the economic value perceived by the consumer in purchasing a specific product from an outlet. The next dimension is credit facility which pertains to the concession accorded to consumers in purchasing from a center. Another variable is credit period which pertains to the length of time allowed for a consumer to pay off his purchase. Bargaining gains is defined as the reduction in the cost that a consumer may have access to as an outcome of negotiation with the retailer. Product quantity refers to the amount of merchandise that a consumer may avail of in choosing a center. Another variable is returns and adjustments, which pertains to the ease with which returns or defective goods are dealt with. Finally, promotions are the incentives provided by the retailer to consumers for increased brand usage and patronage. 3) Identify the parties involved in conducting the research. The respondents of the study were from 12 gram panchayats from villages in Western Uttar Pradesh and South Uttaranchal. The villages were selected using purposive sampling, with the following inclusion criterion: with more than 1000 population, having a strong retail setup with a minimum of 8 retail outlets. Tea was the product used in assessing purchase decision. 4) Describe the methods involved to conduct the research project. The dimensions utilized in retail store selection have been assessed by rural consumers in the current study. The questionnaire required respondents to make assessments through a 7-point Likert scale. A pilot study has been undertaken to evaluate the scale reliability, resulting in the dropping of two variables, namely, peer shopping behavior and retailers’ attitude. The respondents of the study were from 12 gram panchayats from villages in Western Uttar Pradesh and South Uttaranchal. The villages were selected using purposive sampling, with the following inclusion criterion: with more than 1000 population, having a strong retail setup with a minimum of 8 retail outlets. Tea was the product used in assessing purchase decision. The statistical tests that were used for the analysis included the mean, paired t-test, discriminant analysis and factor analysis. These all helped determine the pertinent factors that differentiated the two retail outlets. References Tuli, R. Mookerjee, A. (2004). Retail formats: Patronage behavior of Indian rural consumers. South Asian Journal of Management, 11(3) 57-73. How to cite Patronage Behavior of Indian Rural Consumers, Papers

At the end of the Baroque Period in the eighteenth Essay Example For Students

At the end of the Baroque Period in the eighteenth Essay and nineteenth century art was divided into two distinct categories, Romanticism and Realism. Romanticism, the passion-filled works illustrating stimulating accounts of specific events with symbolic gestures emerging from the scene, separated itself from the more politically correct stance taken by Realists. A fine example of Romanticism is Gricaults Raft of the Medusa. The brutal scene, set afloat on the wild seas, is emphasized by the chiaroscuro modeling of the lump of figures in the center of the raft. The X form of the composition draws your eye all around the composition. The eye starts at the top right with the Revolutionary figure holding on to a piece of cloth in the colors of the French Revolution and then is drawn down the diagonal. Gricault then depicts the striving, the dying, and the dead as they overlap each other in a fierce struggle to survive. The eye is then drawn up and down the dark opposing diagonal. This whole scene is then placed on the mighty ocean to delineate the fact that the raft is a metaphor for France being on a hostile ocean of depravity. The Grande Odalisque also typifies Romanticism. Ingres, using example such as the Mannerist Parmaganinos Madonna with a long neck, takes the artistic license to elongate the figure of this Turkish harem girl. Influenced by the neo-classical revival Ingres draws upon the Greek technique of flat linear forms and depicts his model in an impossible position allow us the view of both her shoulders and her breast; the figure is given an extra three vertebrae in order to maintain this position. Ingres endows a feeling of sensuality into the figure instead of the paint. The chromatic effect of the composition pulls the harem girl to the front as she is the only warm color in the piece. Ingres also gives her a very exotic feel with her accessories: the peacock fan, velvet drapes, and other exorbitant furniture. Ingres also uses Raphaels typical female head and a gaze that says, You have just interrupted me, but you dont know what you interrupted further intriguing the voyeur. In contrast to the almost mystical passion and intrigue of Grande Odalisque is Rue Transnonain. This lithograph by Daumier is realism in the truest sense. Daumier depict the social injustice of the innocent killing of all the workers in a housing block. Daumier draws in the viewer with the initial scene of a man in his pajamas lying dead against his bed. The viewer is then drawn to pay closer attention to the work. In careful examination of the piece the viewer sees a baby crushed under the man with just its head and arms coming out from under the weight of this man. There is a pool of blood forming from the baby which intends to play on the viewers sympathy eliciting violent emotions of hatred towards the butcher who took the lives of these innocent people who were obviously sleeping as indicated by the attire and disarray of the bed. The awful scene depicted in Rue Transnonain. elicits emotions and a need for social reform. The Third Day of May, by Goya is an example of a transitional piece which reflects both Realism and Romanticism. In this piece Goya depicts a specific incident in which a number a civilians in Madrid were rounded up in killed in retaliation for the deaths of French soldiers a few days before. Painted during Goyas Black Period the tenebroso conflict of the light fighting away at the dark sky is extremely dramatic and the chromatic effect from this adds to the suspense and drama of the situation at hand. Goya also puts the victim of this murderous rampage in a white shirt to symbolize innocence, strongly drawing on the Romantic style. But Goya also uses the harsh reality of the dead body and the pool of blood accumulating on the ground to make a social commentary on the death of these men, drawing on the school of Realism. .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 , .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .postImageUrl , .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 , .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:hover , .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:visited , .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:active { border:0!important; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 { 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; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:active , .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .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; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39 .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udfea8e9f8c762cdeafe337afe52e9b39:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Good Man is Hard to Find - Foreshadowing EssayCourbet, considered by many the father of realism, also uses techniques of both schools. To illustrate, in Burials of Ornans, Courbet depicts a funeral scene with an intense feel for the emotions felt by the mourners. Unlike the superhuman or subhuman actors on the grand stage of the Romantic canvas, this Realist work move to the ordinary rhythms of contemporary life. (Gardners, p. 898) Courbet, though, also incorporates the romantic landscape into this piece with the broad sky at dusk composed of grays and the last yellows of the setting sun. The truly impassioned, yet somber, landscape draws out a heartfelt sympathy for los s that the mourners are feeling independent of any expression that a figure may have. Romanticism and Realism played a major part in the development of art and had a direct influence on one another. The division of art during this period is definitely due to the enlightenment and the revolutionary times, in which heated debates between moralist of the Romantic school and the scientific naturalist of Realism and the combinations and the divisions of the two schools. The art of these times paralleled the economic divisions. The industrial revolution helped fuel the fire of the rivalry making the rich richer and the poor poorer; the art always reflecting the differences in the classes and their attitudes about the quality of life in their day and age.

Short Story Situational Irony free essay sample

Situational irony is when a character’s actions have the opposite of their intended effect. There are clear instances of situational irony found in the short stories, â€Å"Prodigal Son†, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi†, and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. All of these stories have characters that found themselves in an unexpected circumstance. The biblical story, â€Å"Prodigal Son†, is about a father who plans to leave his sons an inheritance after he dies but his younger son asked his father for his share of the fortune early. The son was granted his money but knew he could no longer claim his family as his own. The young man moves to another country and lives a lavish lifestyle that only lasted a short while. He soon ran out of money and was starving during a famine. The son returns to his father, not asking for forgiveness or to be called his son, but asking to work as his father’s servant. We will write a custom essay sample on Short Story Situational Irony or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Prepared to live amongst the pigs, the son was shocked by his father’s warm welcome. His father dressed him in a fine robe, a ring and shoes. There was a fattened calf for the son and all his friends to feast on at his party to welcome him home. The son’s plea to live as a servant and stay with the pigs after being selfish and greedy was ironic because his father was joyed by his return and gave him more than expected. The son thought he would return to be a worker and was happily surprised to return to be accepted back by his father. â€Å"The Gift of the Magi†, by O. Henry, is about a couple that was living a modest life but wanted to buy something special for each other on Christmas. Della only had $1. 87 to buy Jim a gift and she needed a way to come up with more money. She found place that was willing to buy hair. Della had long, flowing hair that beautifully cascaded down to her knees and she took much pride in it but she cut it off to sell for twenty dollars. Della now had enough money to buy Jim a platinum chain for his cherished gold watch that had been in his family for generations. Jim came home later that night and was surprised to see Della with no hair. She was hurt by the look he gave her because she only cut her hair off for him but she didn’t know the real reason why he was looking at her that way. When she opened her gift from Jim, she was surprised with a set of beautiful combs she has had her eye on for a very long time. Jim had to sell his watch to buy her the combs, so he had no watch for his chain and she had no hair for her combs. The presents they bought for each other showed love and sacrifice and that’s better than any gift money could buy. The situational irony is that Della was selfless in giving up what she loved in order to give Jim something to better his most precious belonging just to find out he did the same for her. In the short story, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, there is a woman who’s physician husband, John, rented a house for the summer and puts her in an upstairs room so she can recover from temporary nervous depression. John believes if she does not strain herself with work she will rest up and be back to her normal, healthy self. His wife did not agree with this tactic and although she was not happy in the room she was forced to stay in all day, she stayed. She noticed her temper had gotten much worse with John as time went on and she struggled to maintain her happiness being stuck in the room with the ugly yellow wallpaper. After weeks of being cooped up in the dingy room, she started to see things. She saw someone with a broken neck and bulbous eye that crawled all over the walls. She was up with terror every night finding horrifying things hidden in the wallpaper. Eventually she found a woman that seemed to be stuck in the wallpaper. She locked herself in the room and refused to leave once the lease is up. The woman circles the room scratching off the wallpaper in order to set the woman free. Once john goes into the room, he is blown away by the craziness he is witnessing. His wife dragging herself around the room having scratched all the paper off claiming that she is now set free. John’s original intention was to help his wife who was suffering a slight depression and his course of action caused her to go into a complete psychotic breakdown. The irony is that John secluding his wife for her own good was actually the force pushing her downfall. The three short stories discussed are all clear examples of how an author can use situational irony to add an unanticipated twist in the plot. When the characters intentions don’t match the result, it adds a surprise no one was expecting.

How a bill becomes a law essays

How a bill becomes a law essays As a child growing up one of the topic I found most interesting was Law. The reason being was I wanted to be a lawyer. I spent a lot of my JHS years watching shows like the Practice etc. When I was given the opportunity to do a report for my government class I could not decide on what to do my report. I constantly hear people complain and criticize the law. Ive quoted everyday citizens saying that it must have been some idiot who passed a law like that. But the reality is it is not one person who passes a law but it is several people. It take a lot of time and debating to go through with passing a law. Therefore the topic I chose was: How a Bill becomes a Law The road a bill takes in becoming a law is a long and tedious process. First, the proposed bill goes through the House of Representatives. Once the bill has been approved by the House, it is then begins its journey through the Senate. After the bill has been endorsed by the Senate, the houses of congress then meet in conference committees to prepare the bill to be sent to the White House. To summarize, the path the bill takes to become a law is a fairly complex impediment. Now to begin, the bill must primarily go through the obstacles of the House. First, a sponsor introduces the bill by giving it to the clerk of the House or placing the bill in a box called the hopper. The clerk numbers and gives a title to the bill and is then entered in the House journal and in the Congressional Record in a procedure called the first reading. Immediately following the first reading, the Speaker of the house assigns the bill to a certain committee. The House has about twenty standing or permanent committees of which each has jurisdiction over bills in a specific area. The committee then studies the bill by hearing the testimony of experts or other interested people. In some cases, a subcommittee conducts the study. The committee may revise and release ...

A Glimpse of Chinese Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Glimpse of Chinese Art - Essay Example The earliest Shuiyei Guanyin work of art was found in Dunhuang. This was later described the deity on the painting to have â€Å"distinctive attributes of Guanyin† in the Tang dynasty, and the dynasties that followed thereafter. The icon had a â€Å"willow branch† and â€Å"water bottle† in both hands, and it was seated on a rock. The background had a fabulous full moon and the place was filled with bamboo grove. This work had influenced the Chinese culture and art since full moon and bamboo grove have been the symbolic icons in Chinese paintings. This work of art continued to transform and was interpreted into other works of art such as sculptures. This art later on signified the beauty of Chinese art from Indian culture that had the resemblance of the said icon. This has fascinated me in such way that I was able to appreciate how art can live through the years, and represent the stories behind it. This even became a more developed one by having several interpre tations and versions. Art can even prove to connect different cultures together, and yet, it maintains the true meaning and essence of the art for each culture. The horses of the Tang Dynasty are among the most promising treasures and works of art in Chinese culture. This is due to the fact that horses made a significant role during the war since this signified stability of the troop. The Tang dynasty was one of the well known dynasties in China, and their horses were known to be one of the greatest inspirations to come up with ideas on Chinese art. The â€Å"Zhaoling Six Horses† is said to be the inspired work of art from the Chinese custom of â€Å"stone relievos.† These horses were owned by the emperor Li Shimin of Tang dynasty (Dongxia 121-122). These horses were described to be a group of equestrians and that they were wearing clothes suited for the battle, but at the same time neat and steady. The group was not all Chinese by ethnicity, but they all had the readi ness to face war (â€Å"Tang Dynasty†). The â€Å"horses in Tang dynasty† has made an impact on me not just with how they served their purpose back in the Tang dynasty, but as to how they had remained to be a symbolic icon in Tang dynasty. I see them as a proof of stability, and at the same time elegance as they

Taxonomy Comprehension and Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Taxonomy Comprehension and Application - Essay Example By examining each Character separately, and stating off with Philosopher Aristotle, he has been renowned for Philosophical Works - later to be regarded ad Scientific. He has been and is still remembered to have Initiated the Study of Living Organisms -including Himself. This is the area where his Work has been Most Admired. He made enough efforts to discover the Relationships among the Living Organisms. As a Behaviourist, he was keenly interested in knowing something about Which category behaves how. And, possibly, what influences it to do so. His Crown of 'Father of Science' - is Prime enough to illustrate his Research and Academic Weight in the World of Learning. So, Aristotle looks at the relationship of Living Organisms in their Quest for Livelihood. Aristotle is also interested in establishing Sense of Belonging, characteristic of any Creature. This he does by Classification of things - organisms in this sense. Not only does Aristotle stop there. He goes further to study Plants and illustrate their differences in Species. So his Kin Interest the Origination of Species has sparked off a lot of Ambition among both the Philosophers. And, actually, his innovations have led to complicating the Understanding of the Difference between Religion or Philosophy and Science. The Context of... The study of these two inter-related Philosophers -and Hence, Schools of thought, is paramount for purposes of Study (Research) and day-to-day reasoning inherent among the People on this Planet. As the Ideas that flowed from these Brains has been and lives to be remembered. By examining each Character separately, and stating off with Philosopher Aristotle, he has been renowned for Philosophical Works - later to be regarded ad Scientific. He has been and is still remembered to have Initiated the Study of Living Organisms -including Himself. This is the area where his Work has been Most Admired. So his Kin Interest the Origination of Species has sparked off a lot of Ambition among both the Philosophers. And, actually, his innovations have led to complicating the Understanding of the Difference between Religion or Philosophy and Science. By way of classical reasoning. It can be seen that Aristotle has a Scientific View of the Subject, Taxonomy - which is taken to mean 'Something that one wishes to convey especially by Language' - which he does by addressing himself to the Realities of Life via the Expression of Organic Life. For purposes of this Topic, however, we need to make another point or two about the way is Emotions and Feelings of Human and Nature afflict his Counter-part who seems to be slightly opposed to his way of viewing nature and what constitutes its components.     

Addressing Nursing Shortages Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Addressing Nursing Shortages - Article Example A recent survey, conducted by the NurseWeek/AONE research advisory council, was aimed at a large population of existing nurses to gauge their perceptions on whether the nursing shortage in America was actually causing problems with the delivery of health care. The results revealed that an alarming seven out of 10 nurses involved in the survey agreed that staffing shortages at many hospitals had actually caused significant problems in the delivery of quality healthcare (Graham, 2002). With this acknowledgment in place, and with the recognition that patients were actively suffering due to insufficient volumes of nursing care, it is important to identify that an inability to recruit new nurses is dramatically impacting patient (and nurse) perceptions about the troubles associated with low levels of competent care givers across the country. However, why are recruitment levels in the field down from previous years? One particular author, in this case, a registered nurse with many years of experience in the field, suggests that the main reason is that public perceptions about nursing positions are that today's potential nursing students do not realize the important role they play in delivering patient care (Begeny, 2004). According to this author, teaching existing nurses as well as incoming nursing students the reality of the connection between care and the patient is a bridge which can be gapped by changing the public perception of the field from one in which people believe nursing is less rewarding today than it was years ago (Begeny). Further, a national funding program known as the Nurse Reinvestment Act is cited as being grossly under-funded, causing individuals who are considering nursing to be worried about potential loan repayment increases as well  as not being able to receive the appropriate funding needed to secure a nursing degree.

Television Commercial Semiotics Analysis Media Essay

Television Commercial Semiotics Analysis Media Essay In 2004, former Playboy centerfold and American reality television character Anna Nicole Smith starred in a 30-second television commercial for Trimspas diet product X-32. The principal had recently lost a significant amount of excess body weight after having appeared throughout an American reality series that seemed to capitalize on the shock value of her metamorphosis from a Playboy centerfold and fashion model to obesity in the years preceding her re-emergence as a sex symbol, presumably as a result of her use of the advertisers diet products. The dominant elements of the advertisement consisted of Smith attired in flamboyant gowns and posed provocatively in various postures and in conjunction with textual images superimposed over the visual images. A seductive female voice also emphasized the words displayed in the text. The textual component of the advertisement consisted of the words sexy, powerful, and attitude in connection with SPA portion of the manufacturers name suggesting a pneumonic connotation. The only other textual component appears in the form of the phrase Be Envied in the last frame of the commercial. A male voice is also heard saying Cutie; wont you come inside? A semiotic analysis of the commercial would focus on the psychological and social relevance of the sexual imagery and the connotations to gender roles, sexual desirability, and also to suggestions of wealth and privilege. More specifically, the advertisement highlights the reliance on gender roles and gender-based expectations in relation to independence and power, social class, and (especially) pop culture-based recognition and the influence of the link between celebrity, notoriety, and positive product association. Key Visual and Textual Elements of the Commercial and their Connotations The primary visual content of the commercial presents Anna Nicole Smith dressed and coiffed in a style that is apparently intended to draw connections (whether conscious or unconscious) to mid-20th century American film icon Marilyn Monroe, to whom Smith already bears a general likeness. From a semiotics perspective, the visual component of the commercial incorporates at least three distinct aspects of social codes (bodily, commodity, and behavioural codes); two aspects of representational or textual codes (genre and mass media codes); as well as both main aspects of interpretive codes (perceptual and ideological codes). More specifically, the commercial emphasises bodily codes (Aronson, Wilson, Akert, 2003, p.266) associated with sexuality, sexual aggressiveness, and sexual availability as Smith engages in exaggerated sexually provocative postures, gestures, and facial expressions. It also relies heavily on commodity codes (Aronson, Wilson, Akert, 2003, p.266) represented by the high-fashion gown worn by Smith and on behavioural codes (Aronson, Wilson, Akert, 2003, p.266) such as the dynamic between photographer and high-fashion model and the focus of attention on her. In that regard, the behavioural code consists of the portrayal of the respective roles of the photographer engaged in capturing images of the model on a set designed to suggest high-fashion and social privilege. To a certain degree, the use of social codes merges with textual codes, illustrating the basis of the traditional argument in favour of a broader interpretation of all semiotic codes as social codes (Hawkes, 1977, p.104). In that respect, the commercial exploits the perspective of both genre (in the apparent connection to Marilyn Monroe) and in its closely related reliance on Smiths notoriety from her (then) recent television series and her high-profile will contest proceedings over the estate of her deceased former husband, oil and business magnate J. Howard Marshall that eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court a decade after his death in 1996 at the age of 90 (Newman, 2007). It was Smiths controversial marriage to Marshall barely a year before his death and the decade-long media coverage of her claim to his entire estate and the probate contest it precipitated that apparently catapulted Smith to infamy more than anything else (Newman, 2007). Although the case was ultimately decid ed against her in 2006, her claim to the fortune likely generated the popular perception that Anna Nicole Smith represented fabulous wealth and privilege. That image, or more precisely, the consumption of that image by the American public as a function of perpetual tabloid coverage, provided the social framework for the connotations intended for exploitation by the advertiser. Finally, with respect to semiotic coding, the commercial images rely on interpretative coding in the form of both perceptual codes and ideological codes. More specifically, the body postures and facial expressions adopted by Smith throughout the commercial trigger hard-wired psychological responses in the areas of sexual signaling and sexual arousal (Gerrig Zimbardo, 2008, p.276). The obvious intent is to establish a deeper association in that regard than merely conscious absorption of the explicit messages in the commercial. Moreover, ideological coding is used to convey one of the most important take-aways intended by the advertiser to appeal to a hegemonic female audience: namely, through the notion that the product is associated with a departure from traditional ideological views and expectations of females as passive and dependent on males, particularly for their sexual identity and power. This use of both perceptual and ideological coding (specifically in relation to human sex uality) is one of the most powerful and common themes in product advertising; it has been since the dawn of the modern advertising age (Kahle Lynn, 2006, p. 27; Ogilvy, 1982, p.26). Thematic Interaction of Commercial Elements to Convey Meaning The commercial includes superimposed text in the form of three words (sexy, powerful, and attitude) in conjunction with the individual letters in the SPA portion of the manufacturers product. While the relevance of the word sexy is literal, the words powerful and attitude both rely heavily on the discursive concepts originally introduced in the context of semiotics by Michel Foucault (Harvey Evans, 2001). According to that analysis, the choice of language in the commercial fits within a discourse, or representational system that is a function on socially relevant codes and an interpretive repertoire of concepts, values, and myths that give them meaning (Harvey Evans, 2001). The notion of power is clearly meant to appeal to women primed to value or strive for the sexual autonomy of a feminist perspective. Likewise, the notion of attitude also represents an expectation or a right to have things as they wish rather than as they may be expected by society. The only other words that are audible besides those spoken by the female narrator who breathlessly repeats sexy, powerful, attitude are delivered by a male voice who says Cutie, wont you come inside? The relevance of that phrase is also a function of Foucaults discourse concept (Harvey Evans, 2001): it is likely meant to suggest a connection to an invitation (such as from a doorman) to enter an exclusive social club or other opportunity that is only an option for beautiful members of the privileged class. Given the other elements of the commercial and their relation to the discourse pertaining to female sexual independence, it may also be meant to suggest a much more sexually explicit concept as well. The last textual image of the commercial consists of the superimposition of the phrase Be Envied in the last frames. No formal analysis is necessary to identify the discourse upon the strategic purpose of that phrase relies. Specifically, envy is a natural human response with direct connections to perceptual codes as well as to commodity codes (Hawkes, 1977, p.107). In that respect, the impulse of envy is closely connected to the related desire to inspire envy in others (Ogilvy, 1982, p. 119) and, like sexuality, it is a very common (if not universal) discursive feature in modern advertising and product marketing (Ogilvy, 1982, p. 120). The contextual relevance of the phrase is simply that users of the Trimspa product will lose weight and become more beautiful, more sexually desirable, more sexually powerful, and more envied by others in society. Conclusion The 2004 Trimspa X-32 commercial features an extremely recognisable American cultural icon believed to embody beauty, sexuality, wealth, and privilege. The fact that she happened to lose a substantial amount of weight (whether or not with the help of cosmetic surgery as had been rumoured) fit perfectly within the scope of the advertisement. The commercial emphasizes a wide range of semiotic social codes, representational or textual codes, and interpretive codes. It exploits a connection to a another former American film icon as well as several different discursive elements in relation to the modern rejection of traditional roles of and social constraints imposed on women in patriarchal societies. Those semiotic elements merge with explicit connotations associated with promises of enviable beauty and sexual desirability as well as with the exploitation of the human failing represented by the natural impulse to envy others and to inspire theirs.

Aerosol Spray Cans :: essays research papers fc

Aerosol Spray Cans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spray cans produce an aerosol, the technical term for a very fine spray. They do this by means of a pressurized propellant, which is a liquid that boils at everyday temperatures. Inside the can, a layer of gaseous pressure increased, and eventually it becomes so high that boiling stops. when the nozzle is pressed, the gas pressure forces the product up the tube in the can and out of the nozzle in a spray or foam. The propellant may emerge as well but, now under less pressure, it immediately evaporates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First patented in the US in 1941, aerosol spray cans have been used as convenient packages for an ever increasing range of products including paints, insecticides, and shaving cream to name a few. The can is filled with the product to be sprayed and the propellant, a compressed gas such as butane or Freon. The gas is partly liquefied by the pressure in the can, but there is a layer of free gas above the liquid. As the can empties liquefied gas vaporizes to fill the space.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The valve is normal held shut by the pressure in the can, and by the coil spring directly below the valve stem. When the push button is pressed, it forces the valve stem down in its housing, uncovering a small a small hole which leads up through the stem to the nozzle in the button. This allows the product to be forced up the dip tube by the gas pressure in the can. The nozzle is shaped to give a spray or a continuous stream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To produce a fine mist, a propellant is used which mixes with the product. The two leave the nozzle together and the propellant evaporates a soon as it reaches the air, breaking the product in to tiny droplets. The same technique used with a more viscous liquid and a wider nozzle results in a foam. For a continuous stream of liquid or more viscous material, a nonmixing propellant is used, and the dip tube reaches into the product.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The widespread use of aerosol cans using Freon as the propellant led scientists to believe by the late 1970s that the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, which filters out harmful Ultraviolet radiation from the sun, could be destroyed by the large quantities of fluorocarbons in the gas being release into the air. Federal controls were introduced to ban the use of Freon, and other propellants are now employed, notably butane which, however is dangerously flammable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Among young people in United States, conventional drug or alcohol abuse has given away-for an increasing number of teen-agers-to a practice called

Land for Human Needs or Endangered Animals

Some people may own the idea that since animal is inferior to human beings, human has the rights to deprive lands which the animals living in. I can not confute that human needs lands eagerly, however, we still have the responsibility to call back the endangered animals. Species evolved slowly with thousands of hundreds of centuries of development. Certain species has certain type of living. As a result, hardly can it be alive when we suddenly changed its living pace. Certainly we know it, whereas, we are still changing their living place by cutting down trees, polluting the water, and using land which originally belongs to theirs to build metropolitans for us to stay. Now that human can be aware of the danger the animals are facing, we should protect the habitats of endangered animals. Another important reason to protect endangered animals is that they keep the ecological balance of the very area which might be harmed by their extinction. For instance, if people destroy the forests the birds are living in and use it for growing crops, the number of pests will increase sharply, resulting from the decrease of birds. The result is, not only did birds lose their homes, human have also be harmed. Thus, to prevent this kind of tragedy happen, why not try to cut down the demand of land? Maybe you just did a tiny thing, but you made a big progress. Moreover, I think it is cruel to show the specimen of a panda to our descendants, or point to a sample in a museum and tell them this is the Siberian tiger. We are able to see the real one while they cannot, and the cause of this inequality is owing to the destruction of land. What a shame! Therefore, I cannot agree with the idea that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals.

Company collapses essays

Company collapses essays Over the years, there have been many situations where companies have decided to inaccurately alter its reporting of costs and measurement of revenue in order to achieve a greater level of profitability on paper. This may have come as a result of the increased level of competition within businesses, which also brought about changes within organisations in general, with organisations looking to new costing systems such as Activity Based Costing (ABC) as a means to increase their levels of efficiency and profitability. Traditional costing systems were seen to be highly inaccurate due to the large focus on labour intensive jobs, however as of late, with the move to less labour intensive focused jobs, it has highlighted the importance of the management and accountants role in reporting costs and measuring its revenue accurately and timely. Although there are no enforceable rules, management and accountants are expected to present a true view of the business financial position, in order to provide those involved with the organization a outlook on the state of the business and the level of profitability. With HIH not recording a great level of its costs, and including revenue in which it shouldnt have, this led to a great outlook on the organisations financial position in which it really didnt have. Although this was good in the short run, it eventually led to the collapse of the business, because the way in which costs were reported, and revenue was measured was not acceptable. Critically evaluate this statement: Since there are apparently no enforceable standards and rules for management and cost accounting, whatever the company and accountants want to do in reporting costs and revenue measurements must be acceptable. Evaluating the above statement requires an in-depth look at the main features of the subject which include management and cost accounting. This essay attempts to highlight the...

Technetium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Technetium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Technetium (Masurium)Â   Atomic Number: 43 Symbol: Tc Atomic Weight: 98.9072 Discovery: Carlo Perrier, Emilio Segre 1937 (Italy) found it in a sample of molybdenum that had been bombarded with neutrons; erroneously reported Noddack, Tacke, Berg 1924 as Masurium. Electron Configuration: [Kr] 5s2 4d5 Word Origin: Greek technikos: an art or technetos: artificial; this was the first element made artificially. Isotopes: Twenty-one isotopes of technetium are known, with atomic masses ranging from 90-111. Technetium is one of two elements with Z 83 with no stable isotopes; all of technetiums isotopes are radioactive. (The other element is promethium.) Some isotopes are produced as uranium fission products. Properties: Technetium is a silvery-gray metal that tarnishes slowly in moist air. Common oxidation states are 7, 5, and 4. The chemistry of technetium is similar to that of rhenium. Technetium is a corrosion inhibitor for steel and is an excellent superconductor at 11K and below. Uses: Technetium-99 is used in many medical radioactive isotope tests. Mild carbon steels may be effectively protected by minute quantities of technetium, but this corrosion protection is limited to closed systems because of technetiums radioactivity. Element Classification: Transition Metal Technetium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 11.5 Melting Point (K): 2445 Boiling Point (K): 5150 Appearance: silvery-gray metal Atomic Radius (pm): 136 Covalent Radius (pm): 127 Ionic Radius: 56 (7e) Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.5 Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.243 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 23.8 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 585 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.9 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 702.2 Oxidation States: 7 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 2.740 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.604Â   Sources: CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)

The Organization System - Organizational Change and Stress Management Term Paper - 1

The Organization System - Organizational Change and Stress Management - Term Paper Example The response to the first and the ninth question indicates that physical exhaustion is the major reason which is pushing me towards job burnout while mental exhaustion is also taking over as indicated by the response towards the second and the last question. Everybody experiences job burnout at one point in their career. It is a kind of job stress which affects a person physically as well as emotionally. A person feels utterly exhausted and doubts his abilities and competence. Job burnout was identified in the early 1970s and since then has become a topic of study with researchers and psychologists trying to determine the various causes and factors which often leave a person frustrated and drained. Job burnout is a global problem but is treated differently in different societies. In some countries it is considered a social problem while others treat it as a medical problem. At first it was thought that job burnout was restricted to those workers involved in human services such as nur ses, policemen, social workers and legal workers etc. However, as further studies were carried out, it was noted that job burnout was not restricted to people associated with social and health services only; even entrepreneurs, managers and white and blue collared persons suffered from a deep sense of depression and depletion in their jobs (Schaufeli et al, 2009). Job burnout reduces productivity as the worker begins to question his own talents and abilities and fails to come up with any useful contribution let alone face challenges. Although job burnout is quite common and is a hazard that plagues every occupation, the professionals who suffer from this emotional trauma the most are those associated with the police department and nursing. Pines (2005) devised the Burnout Measure or the BM method comprises of twenty one items pertaining to feelings and attitudes such as physical exhaustion; feeling weak or sickly and losing sleep; emotional exhaustion such as feeling depressed and h opeless and mental exhaustion such as feeling worthless like a failure and disappointed with people (Pines 2005). The answers were judged on a scale of 1 to 7 with responses ranging from never to always. According to Pine, a score of 4 indicates a burnout. The BM is the most commonly used burnout inventory and also enjoys a high internal consistency. A study of correlation between various work stressors and BMS scores in table four showed that the work environment factors contributed strongly towards burnout. The people examined were Israeli Jews and Arabs who were involved in police work force, nursing or were MBA students. Table 4 showed the responses of the police workforce and it is evident that the personnel are experiencing high job burnout which may affect the safety in jails and prisons. Poor working conditions, under staffing which means working under pressure to complete tasks such as cell searches, inmate count, paper work, security rounds and apathy and lack of interest from superiors led to job dissatisfaction and growing negative feelings. The Burnout Measure devised by Pines is the second most important measure of job burnout; the first one being the Maslach Burnout Inventory which according to Schaufeli is the â€Å"gold standard to assess burnout† (Schaufeli et al, 2009). Researchers and practitioners view burnout differently; according to some, exhaustion is the only force behind job burnout

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict - Case Study Example Several peace solutions were made since the PLO was granted the observer status in the UN as the delegate of the Palestinian Arabs in the year 1974. Along with the UNRWA which was set up in 1949 for relief of the Palestinian refugees, numerous UN institutions were set up to support the cause of the Palestinians. The UN General Assembly resolution 3379 in 1975 which declared Zionism to be a form of racism caused the UN to lose the complete credibility as a neutral mediator in the eyes of Israel and the peace process was never an easy task for the international community. Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979 after the US mediation, for which Israel returned the Sinai Desert to Egypt. The secret negotiations in Oslo resulted in an agreement between Israel and the Palestine in which a Palestinian National Authority was established under the leadership of Arafat and the PLO in 1994 and Israel was agreeable to gradually transfer land to this authority. However, theOslo peace proc essgot slowed down as both the parties did not stick to agreements they made and the leadership on both sides failed to build confidence and to prepare their own people for the necessary compromises. Thus, confrontations continued and the peace process gradually dragged on towards the negotiations on Camp David in 2000 which was also a failure. The then US president Bill Clinton presented the 'bridging proposals' in December 2000 which suggested the parameters for a final compromise that included a Palestinian state comprising the Gaza Strip and about 97% of the West Bank, division of Jerusalem and no right of return to Israel for Palestinian refugees. Whereas Israel received this proposal in principle, Palestinian was not ready to accept the suggestion. The two sides failed to reach a settlement in the last minute negotiations at Taba in January2001, in spite of further Israeli concessions. Both the sides, in a joint communiqu, agreed that they had never been so close to an agreeme nt, though issues such as the refugee issue remained. The peace process continued and new negotiations were made in the course of time. "Although both parties accepted the 'Road Map to Peace', launched by the Quartet of US, UN, EU and Russia in 2003, no serious peace negotiations have taken place in recent years between Israel and the Palestinians. Israeli PM Ariel Sharon did take unilateral measures such as the disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but he demanded an end to Palestinian terrorism before he would engage in negotiations with Arafat's successor Abbas concerning final status issues." (The Arab-Israeli Conflict) However, the peace process for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is still going on and the international community is expecting a miracle in the solution of the long struggle and the ongoing dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The most pertinent obstacle among the various obstacles against a final and peaceful conclusion to the Palestinian Isra eli conflic

Finance Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance Paper - Essay Example Bahamas for example has 301 licensed banks whereas the British Virgin Island only has 7. Offshore banking has a countless number of rewards, ranging from low to no taxation, to greater privacy and anonymous accounts, as well as protection against financial instability. With that being said, I would like to emphasize what these banks also offer. Offshore banking has aided terrorist by laundering their financial resources, allowing them to fund terrorist activities that are partially impossible to detect. It also highlighted in the collapse of the company Enron, where the company used offshore banks to avoid paying millions of dollars in US Tax. Offshore financial centers have very significant reasons for their existence. These financial resources provide financial services; these financial services can be divided into three broad groups: (i) Private investments, (ii) Asset protection, (iii) Estate planning (Higgins, 2000). Private investments are the significant part of the offshore f inancial centers. In the private investments, investments are handled and managed with an intention of reducing the potential tax liabilities. Additionally, private investments are done to increase the protection which is granted or provided under the legal confidentiality provisions. Asset protection comes with the use of international jurisdiction. In this category, with the help of international jurisdiction, the residence of client is separated; and asset protection helps protecting the income and assets from political, legal and fiscal risks. Estate planning is about assets and their administration. In estate planning, mostly assets, all types of assets, are properly administrated with the help of legal and fiscal jurisdictions (Higgins, 2000). With the help of financial institutions; like, international business corporations (IBCs), insurance companies, mutual funds, offshore corporations, and some of the recent gaming companies, a large and huge amount of funds are deposited in OFCs. With these available funds, different types of investment are made to generate some economic and financial contributions in the economy. Little work has been done to understand and determine the role and contribution of offshore banking in the creation and generation of employment and employment opportunities. It is the creation and availability of employment opportunities by the OFCs that provide the importance and significance of offshore banks as far as their role for the development of economy is concerned. Any sector is valued and measured in the economy on the basis of its contribution to the economy. Mostly, there are two ways in which this contribution is measured and analyzed: One, the money contribution of offshore banking. This means the amount of tax paid by the offshore banks in the economy determines and measures its value for the economy. There is another contribution given and provided by the offshore banks. That is of economic nature- creation and generatio n of employment opportunities. Various examples are available that clearly indicate and highlight that offshore banks are licensed. After getting license, they have established various branches in different parts of the world. A large amount of investment has been made to make offshore banking functional and useful.

Despairing Companionship Essay Example for Free

Despairing Companionship Essay â€Å"Modern Love,† a poetic sequence by George Meredith, describes a skeptical opinion on the idea of modern love. Meredith’s devastating tone, complex similes and metaphors, and dark imagery convey a sad and regretful outlook on the love of this time. â€Å"Modern Love† is riddled with a tone full of regret and heartache, making this modern love seem more like the opposite of love. The speaker says â€Å"she wept with waking eyes† and her â€Å"strange low sobs† were â€Å"strangled mute.† The words describing this woman are full of grief, full of â€Å"vain regret. † Her husband is painfully aware of his wife’s sadness, through her reaction to â€Å"his hand’s light quiver by her head† and her sobs that were â€Å"dreadfully venomous to him.† The speaker’s worried tone shows how much the husband wishes for his wife to be happy, but his actions of loving care and cautiousness do nothing to quell her tears. This makes modern love seem hopeless and full of despair for both the man and his distraught wife. Use of intense simile and metaphor throughout â€Å"Modern Love† also demonstrates a grim view on the concept of modern love. The muffled cries of the wife are called â€Å"little gaping snakes† showing how afraid and vulnerable the husband is to them. The man’s wife has a â€Å"Giant heart of Memory and Tears† which shows the heavy, almost useless organ that the wife carries around within her, empty of love, only able to remember the sadness to which she has been subjected to. Then, the husband and wife are said to be â€Å"like sculpture effigies† in their â€Å"common bed,† lying â€Å"stone-still.† Instead of two lovers talking to each other and loving each other in their bed, a place shared between the two of them, they are â€Å"moveless† and silent. This makes modern love seem empty of joy, empty of companionship, and devoid of love. â€Å"Modern Love† also utilizes imagery to portray the sadness and tension of modern love. The wife is described as lying â€Å"stone-still.† They are both â€Å"moveless† as they look back through their â€Å"dead black years.† Their life is described as â€Å"black,† which provides the image of nothingness, as if there is no memory worth seeing. Their modern love provides no light with which their lives might be made happy. They are seen as â€Å"sculptured effigies,† wishing for the â€Å"sword that severs all.† Instead of wishing for a good relationship or positive time together, they want something to end their marriage, to end the one thing that ties them together. This modern love is not love at all, but a forced binding between two people who want nothing of it. The poetic sequence â€Å"Modern Love† by George Meredith conveys a dark and regretful view of modern love through heartbreaking tone, deep similes and metaphors, and intense imagery.

An Islamic Micro Finance Bank To Help Enterprises

An Islamic Micro Finance Bank To Help Enterprises The Conventional Micro-Finance programs have shown little interest in religious and cultural sensitivities ,also excludes the poorest of the poor and are inadequate to full-fill the needs of 37.4 % poor Muslims of the world. A recent report by CGAP suggests that a large proportion of poor muslims rejects all forms of loans, including Grameen style Microloans on religious grounds, even many Government initiatives have failed because of this reason. Islamic Finance industry is an industry with rapid growth but has shown little interest in Micro-Finance and poverty alleviation aiming for shariah compliance inform and not in spirit. There are many Islamic MF programs currently operational in different parts of the world, but they are regional and country based programs, this research paper will focus on the development of an International Micro-Finance Bank (not Program) with deepest local penetration. Interest based loans may lead prospective entrepreneurs to refrain from pursuing activ ities as cost of failure is too high. Islamic Economics goals of equality, fairness, social solidarity through risk sharing, property rights, and sanctity of contracts; entrepreneurship, partnership, income generation through productive activity for poverty alleviation are completely in sync with basic principles of any Micro-Finance program. Aim and objectives: The purpose of my research is developing a sustainable and universal business model of an ideal full-fledged Islamic Micro-Finance Bank? by examining working technique and mode of operation of Islamic Banks(and of Banks working on No Interest principle) and of Micro-Finance programs ( both Islamic and Non-Islamic) and merging the working principles of both to come with a business model of a Universal World-Wide Micro-Finance Bank strictly following and working on principles of Islamic Finance. An Islamic Micro-Finance Bank will provide thousands of entrepreneurial poors access to Micro-Finance- especially those who fear breaching their religious beliefs. Islamic Micro-Finance Bank will seek to finance business activities which will lead to the economic empowerment of the poor, rather than merely lending to the poor for consumption. Literature review: Islamic Finance : Islamic Finance refers to a system of Banking that is Consistent with Islamic law(sharia) principles. This system reflects Islams teachings on wealth distribution, social and economic justice. The basic principles and practices of Islamic Finance date back to the early part of the seventh century. (Islamic Finance : A Euromoney Publication, 1997). Prohibition of Riba(interest). Risk Sharing. Social Mission. Prohibition of Speculative Behaviour. Sanctity of Contracts. Shariah- approved activities. Islamic Financing Techniques: Islamic financial institutions have developed several financing techniques that are applicable according to the nature of the commodity or business and finance period of the project. The principal financing techniques, murabaha, mudaraba, musharaka, and ijarah, are described briefly below: The first technique, murabaha, is the most popular and widely used Islamic financing instrument. Murabaha involves the resale of a commodity after the lender adds a specific profit margin (often referred to as the ËÅ"mark-up), which is paid by the borrower who agrees to buy that commodity. Usually, repayment is made in instalments to the financier, who pays the price to the original supplier of the commodity. This type of finance is commonly used for financing assets or working capital inputs, such as raw materials, machinery or equipment. For murabaha to be Shariah-compliant the financier must own (or procure) the commodity first and then resell it, the commodity should be a tangible one, and the buyer must know and then agree to the purchase and resale prices. Under mudaraba, a second type of contract, two parties are involved â€Å" the financier, who provides all the money, and the entrepreneur who uses his or her skill to invest the money in an attractive business venture. The profit from the mudaraba contract is shared by the financier and the entrepreneur according to a pre-determined ratio. Importantly, profit-sharing rates are a percentage of the profit and not a lump sum payment. In the case of a loss, providing it has incurred in the normal process of business and not due to neglect or misconduct by the entrepreneur, the financier loses all his or her money, while the entrepreneur merely loses his or her time and effort. Musharaka, a third financing instrument, means partnership in Arabic and can be understood as an equity participation contract. Both parties provide capital and are involved in the management of the funded venture. Profits are shared between each partner according to the ratio of his or her investment. If the venture suffers a loss, each partner loses according to this same ratio. Neither mudaraba nor musharaka are popular mechanisms in the context of microfinance as the thorough reporting and transparency requirements surrounding the just distribution of any profit or loss can result in substantial operating burdens and costs on small businesses which are generally unaccustomed to formal accounting and reporting. Ijarah, a fourth primary finance instrument, is similar to leasing. Under this arrangement, an entrepreneur short of funds approaches a financier to fund the purchase of a productive asset. The financier may buy the productive asset and rent it out to the entrepreneur. The financier retains ownership of the asset and is responsible for its maintenance. Importantly, and like any other contract, an ijarah contract must fulfil all of the conditions of a valid contract stipulated by the Shariah. Thus, the contract should be clear, should be by mutual agreement, the responsibilities and benefits of both parties should be clearly detailed and the agreement should be for a known period and price. Islamic Micro-Finance Bank is something very very new and in fact there is only one Islamic Micro-Finance bank currently in the world(Nigeria) and that too was launched recently on 15th of April 2010,recently State Bank of Pakistan has laid down guidelines for the establishment of any Islamic Micro-Finance Bank. My research problem is somewhat related with poverty as a whole and poor muslims around the world will be the main focus of the solution, because solution that is applicable for muslims is certainly available to every individual in the world. First, I will talk about why there is a need of Islamic Micro-Finance and then about the need of a Full-Fledged Islamic Micro-Finance Bank. About 65% of the SMEs (muslim owned) who had never applied for bank loans were uncomfortable with the interest based loan products being extended by banks. While this may not be a conclusive evidence for the extensive demand for Islamic finance products as it is not clear that whether these responden ts need the loans etc, however generally the respondents do highlight the interest (Riba) based banking products as one of the reasons for their reluctance to access bank loans. About 75% of the farmers in Muslim dominated countries who did not take bank loans and 55% of all the farmers expressed their dislike of interest based products and said that they donÃ… ¸t want to take the interest bearing bank loans. Although this finding signifies the need for introduction of Islamic Agrifinance Products, however the finding may be somewhat biased as a large number of these farmers also considered lack of collaterals/defects in title deeds and non-cooperation by revenue department as the key hurdles in obtaining banks loans. Nevertheless there is substantial demand for Sharia compliant agri-finance products and if offered most of the farmers would be willing to avail the facility. Conventional microfinance had also been questioned on its overall desired impact since the poors are subjected to very high interest rate of up to 30%. Some even argued that disbursing credit to the poor to make financial gains out of the same cannot be the aim of the microfinance institutions. Interest charged is rather oppressive for their poor receivers, thus fails to achieve the noble objective of microfinance. According to various studies, a notable number of the recipients were also found to be well above the poor category. Islamic Micro-Finance , on the hand, utilizes Islamic financial Instruments which are based on PLS schemes rather than loan. Conventional microfinance institution focused mainly on women as their client. On the hand, Islamic Micro Finance Institution should not only be focusing on women but must also be extended to the family as a whole. Moreover, Conventional Micro-Finance used group lending as a way to mitigate risk in their operation. Islamic Micro-Finance may also use similar technique, but they can also develop Islamic ethical principles to ensure their clients pay the payment regularly. Now, talking about why there is a need of an Islamic Micro-Finance Bank, well there are many Islamic Micro-Finance operational in different parts of the world run and managed by different organisations like Sanadiq at Jabal-al-Hoss; Muassasat Bayt Al-Mal in Lebanon; Hodeidah program in Yemen. IBBL, SIBL in Bangladesh; Akhuwat in Pakistan; Sahulat , Manara in India. Amana Ikhtiar in Malaysia; BPRS , BMTs in Indonesia. FINCA in Afghanistan. Azaovad Finance in Northern Mali. But my question is that why we cannot have a Global Islamic Micro-Finance Program when is there is such a huge of this, microfinance programs are designed keeping in mind the needs of local people and how to serve them better, but if this is done with an International approach then experiences gained in one region will be very beneficial in addressing the problem of other regions, it will be very helpful in the diversification of risk and also SMEs will be share to share expertise and experiences of one another and can work to build and ecosystem of mutual co-operation and empowerment. Also the increasing demand for alternative micro credit products by the less privileged members of the society against the conventional banking practices, now requires a whole financial system rather than a program or a bank as individual entities, marriage of two is much required need of the time and a new approach designed on the strict guidelines laid down by Quran for Islamic Finance is recommended, adapting Classical Islamic Contracts to modern Islamic Micro-Finance is easier than for mainstream Islamic Finance. I want to develop a Islamic Micro-finance Bank with muslims as prime focus but only for muslims because What we are commissioning today represents our contribution towards providing an alternative banking for Muslims and non-muslims alike. Poor person is a poor person and this has nothing to do with her/her religion, and poverty can only be alleviated if we consider all poors of the world as one and work global make No poverty? a reality. The number of Islamic Micro-Finance initiatives remains limited, less than 1% of the total global microfinance outreach, there is for a number of reasons increasing in interest in developing microfinance programmes based on Islamic Financing principles. Since, Islamic Microfinance is a new area, because little research has been conducted on its impact, outreach of such programmes has so far been limited. So, research with the aim of developing a new approach to Islamic microfinance is completely justified. Research Methodology and Method(s): My research methodology will be based on a lot research and study of Islamic Finance laws approved by Quran, their practical application in the real world scenario, how they are applied by different Islamic Banks and Micro-finance programs in their working, how differently they are applied in practice, analysis of shortcoming of different Islamic Banks and Micro-Finance programs. Study of how Islamic banks weathered current GFC, what were their advantages and disadvantages. How an Islamic Bank is started( rules and regulations in different countries) and how an Islamic Micro-Finance program works( relative to different regions), establishing a common ground for Islamic Micro-Finance bank, framing rules and policies for an ideal Islamic Micro-Finance Bank. Research and study of banking system in Japan( interest rates are negligible) and of JAK Bank Sweden(work on NO interest principal), how they operate , from where and how they fund themselves, how their modus operandi will sustain in an Islamic Finance environment. Data will be collected basically from internet because much of the work has not been done in the area of Islamic Micro-Finance Bank, interviews and discussion with the experts in field of Islamic Law and Islamic Finance, thorough study of Quran( Islamic laws and Financial laws).Study of books on this topic, discussion and advice from experts on Risk Management and Diversification and how i can apply them in Islamic Finance. Extensive of all available sources of information Islamic Finance and Micro-Finance. Structure and plan: Chapters in the Dissertation will be as Follows(Final Structure Can Change): CONTEXTUALISING ISLAMIC FINANCE Error: Reference source not found (Number of days taken to complete the chapter) Modern revival of Islamic financeError: Reference source not found Islamic economic foundationsError: Reference source not found Ethical dimensions of Islamic economic systemsError: Reference source not found Benefits of Islamic bankingError: Reference source not found Islamic economic principles do they promote or stifle growth? 9 DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF ISLAMIC FINANCEError: Reference source not found Principles of Islamic financial systemsError: Reference source not found Prohibition on speculation or risk (gharar)Error: Reference source not found Prohibition on usury (riba) and hoardingError: Reference source not found Prohibition on usury (riba) and interestError: Reference source not found Profits as distinct from usury (riba)Error: Reference source not found APPLICATION OF ISLAMIC BANKING TO MICROFINANCEError: Reference source not found Interface of Islamic Banking Principles and MicrofinanceError: Reference source not found Islam and microfinanceError: Reference source not found Social and development roles of Islamic banksError: Reference source not found Informal Banking and Debt transfer (hawala)Error: Reference source not found Is Islamic microfinance truly Islamic?Error: Reference source not found ISLAMIC FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES AND PRODUCTSError: Reference source not found Financial productsError: Reference source not found Islamic MortgagesError: Reference source not found Conventional Banking through the ËÅ"back door?Error: Reference source not found Need for regulationError: Reference source not found ISLAMIC MICROFINANCE IN PRACTICEError: Reference source not found Expansion of microfinance in the Arab worldError: Reference source not found Islamic microfinance in the Arab worldError: Reference source not found Experiences in YemenError: Reference source not found Experiences in BangladeshError: Reference source not found Resistance to the Grameen BankError: Reference source not found MicroFinance and Islamic Values 13 Japanese Banking System and JAK Bank Sweden13 Framing Regulations and Strategies For an Ideal Islamic Micro-Finance Bank 14

A Letter to College Freshmen Students :: essays research papers

As a new freshman entering this Community College, you will be discovering and experiencing many new things about the world in which you live and yourself. The jump from high school to college can be a very scary but exciting experience. I have some valuable advice for you on how to make this transition smoother and an enjoyable experience rather than a scary and lonely one. My number one piece of advice is for you to enter this experience with an open mind. If you come into this new situation with a good outlook and a positive attitude, your experience will be a lot more rewarding. Now that you are on your own and have very limited restrictions, it can be easy to slip into bad habits that could get you into trouble. Here you do not have a parent to tell you when to go to bed, or when to study, or not to go out, or not to party, or to remind you to go to class. It is all up to you and your self-control. You must have great self-discipline and a motivated attitude in order to succeed. You have to want to be here and make the best of your experience. This one being your first year in college, you may have trouble concentrating while you study. Some techniques that can help your concentration are being selective, relaxing, and over learning. Being selective means to make choices about what is most important to learn. When you are studying, you should be able to know what may or may not be on the test, your notes for the week can be helpful. In addition, pay attention to charts, tables, and illustrations that you think may appear on the test. Relaxing is a good technique to use because when you are relaxed you are able to absorb more information. One way to relax is to use a breathing technique (inhale, count from one to ten, and exhale, and count from one to ten, and so on). Over learning can help you fight mental vagueness. When you are struggling in a class, it is best for you to learn more than you need to know about the subject. You can use these techniques every time you are studying or when you cannot concentrate. A Letter to College Freshmen Students :: essays research papers As a new freshman entering this Community College, you will be discovering and experiencing many new things about the world in which you live and yourself. The jump from high school to college can be a very scary but exciting experience. I have some valuable advice for you on how to make this transition smoother and an enjoyable experience rather than a scary and lonely one. My number one piece of advice is for you to enter this experience with an open mind. If you come into this new situation with a good outlook and a positive attitude, your experience will be a lot more rewarding. Now that you are on your own and have very limited restrictions, it can be easy to slip into bad habits that could get you into trouble. Here you do not have a parent to tell you when to go to bed, or when to study, or not to go out, or not to party, or to remind you to go to class. It is all up to you and your self-control. You must have great self-discipline and a motivated attitude in order to succeed. You have to want to be here and make the best of your experience. This one being your first year in college, you may have trouble concentrating while you study. Some techniques that can help your concentration are being selective, relaxing, and over learning. Being selective means to make choices about what is most important to learn. When you are studying, you should be able to know what may or may not be on the test, your notes for the week can be helpful. In addition, pay attention to charts, tables, and illustrations that you think may appear on the test. Relaxing is a good technique to use because when you are relaxed you are able to absorb more information. One way to relax is to use a breathing technique (inhale, count from one to ten, and exhale, and count from one to ten, and so on). Over learning can help you fight mental vagueness. When you are struggling in a class, it is best for you to learn more than you need to know about the subject. You can use these techniques every time you are studying or when you cannot concentrate.

A research project to look if bullying is spiralling out of control Essay

For my research project, I decided to look at bullying, which is a contempery issue as over recent months it has received a lot of media attention. My hypothesis was bullying is spiralling out of control. I used a wide range of research methods using both primary and secondary sources of information including questionnaires, interviews and internet research. I also considered ethical issues and problems this research may of encountered Introduction I have decided to do my research topic on bullying. Over recent months bullying has received a lot more media attention for a number of different reasons. One reason is the new form of bullying called Happy Slapping. This is whereby bullies record their victims being physically abused on their mobile phones. Also many serious incidents of bullying taking place such as 15 year old Natasha Jackman who was recently stabbed in her eye, back , head and chest in her school dinner queue. In July of this year the beat bullying campaign was launched, fronted by many famous stars. Bullying was defined as ‘longstanding violence, mental or physical, conducted by an individual or a group against an individual who Is not able to defend himself or herself in that actual situation’. I wish to find out if bullying is spiralling out of control or that people are becoming more aware of how common bullying is. I plan to use a wide range of research methods including both primary and secondary sources. One method I will be using is questionnaires. I will give these to children in year 6 and adults between the age of 40-55 to find out their views on bullying. I will also interview a head teacher of a school to find out her views and I will also interview a primary school teacher. I will use a unstructured format to help me get more information. I will also ask in the interviews about how the schools deals with bullying and if they think bullying is getting worse or society is becoming more aware of it. Secondary methods I will use are internet and newspapers. I will consider any ethical issues that I may come across and try to avoid them by using the appropriate methods. One ethical issue I need to consider is confidentiality of the respondents. Also I need to be aware of emotional damage respondents may have and always be considerate. I will also get full consent from participants to carry out my research and debrief them fully. Literature review Over recent months bullying has been increasingly talked about in the media. Sports stars Kelly Holmes and Rio Ferdinand are among the Celebes who have signed up to the beat bullying campaign to try and tackle bullying in schools. Around one in four primary school children and around one in three secondary school children are bullied at some point in their school life according to official estimates. Children were encouraged to wear a blue wristband as a sign of solidarity. The campaign encouraged children to talk about their bullying problems and to remember their not alone. http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/ni/programmes/breakfast There has also been research done to find statistics about the issue. The NSPCC published a list of key findings. They found 31% of children experienced bullying during childhood, a further 7% were discriminated against and 14% were made to feel different. A quarter of young adults bullied by their peers during childhood reported they suffered long term harmful effects as a result. Also research involving2300 pupils aged 10-14 from schools across England found 30% of children did not tell anyone that they had been bullied. This percentage was higher for boys and older children.

Civil Rights Movements

Who Is It? Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. played a crucial role in organizing many nonviolent events such as the March on Washington and Selma to Montgomery March. These events eventually influenced the Congress to pass both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. also led to dramatic impacts on later laws. Martin Luther King Jr. s the main reason why the 1960s US Civil Rights Movement succeeded, as he fought against de jure segregation and led to the changing of laws; however, this is justified only to a great extent, for he contributed little to social activism. Martin Luther King Jr. successfully influenced many government reforms through the act of nonviolence during the Civil Rights Movement.He was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, a nonprofit organization aiming to redeem â€Å"the soul of America† through nonviolent resistance. In 19 63, Martin Luther King Jr. ed a nonviolent campaign aimed at Birmingham, Alabama, which was known as the one of the most segregated city in the United States during that time. During this campaign, Martin Luther King Jr. advocated nonviolence in â€Å"Letter From a Birmingham Jail†. Later on, the SCLC decided to use young children in demonstrations. However, more than 1,000 children were attacked by police troops. The images of children being assaulted by dogs and water hoses were captured by photographers, which led to a â€Å"national outrage resulting in a push for unprecedented civil rights legislation†.This event drew attention to segregations in the South, and promoted sympathy for civil rights protestors across the nation. Over the next few years, Martin Luther King Jr. organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in and the Selma to Montgomery March. During the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the famous â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech. This march was a success-   the speech cemented Martin Luther King's â€Å"status as a social change leader†, helped inspire people to act on civil rights, and publicized the US Civil Rights Movement across the world.This event also led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an act that banned all forms of discrimination. The next year, Martin Luther King Jr. organized the Selma to Montgomery March to fight against African American disenfranchisement. Following the march, the Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that got rid of the remaining obstacles to voting for African-Americans. By organizing nonviolent marches and campaigns, Martin Luther King Jr. was successful in motivating the passing of important laws that improved problems caused by segregation.The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the major reasons that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Before the act was passed, white people used segregate against minority groups by forming restrictive covenants and practicing gerrymandering. After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th, 1968, riots erupted over the nation. President Lyndon B. Johnson called on the Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968, hoping to stop the riots and pacify angry protesters. This act banned all forms of discrimination in housing sales and rentals. Martin Luther King Jr. as able to influence several acts passed by Congress even after he died, which proves that he is a major reason why the US Civil Rights Movement was successful. Despite Martin Luther King's efforts to fight against de jure segregation, he contributed little to ending de facto segregation. Malcolm X, an African American who also played a key role during the Civil Rights Movement, had different a different way to fight against segregation. He promoted active resistance and violence. As James Cone, the author of Martin & Malcolm & America says, â€Å"Before Malcolm came along, we were all N egroes. After Malcolm, he helped us become black†.Malcolm X taught African Americans to be proud of their heritage, and changed how black people thought about themselves. Several of his followers gathered together and formed the Black Panther Party, and organization that had the same objectives as Martin Luther King Jr, but were willing to use violence to solve the problem. By promoting black power and increasing black voter registrations and Afrocentrism, Malcolm X was able to build confidence in blacks and encourage them to take pride in their African heritage, which shows that he contributed to the success of the US Civil Rights Movement as well.Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. was a major reason for the success of the US Civil Rights Movement. He organized campaigns and marches that inspired people to take action, and influenced the Congress to pass important acts. His death led to the Civil Rights Act of 1968 as well. However, he wasn't the only one who made all of this po ssible. Malcolm X and encourage blacks to be proud of their African heritage, and increased black voter registrations. Thus, Martin Luther King Jr. is the main reason why the 1960s US Civil Rights Movement succeeded, yet this is justified only to a great extent.