Thursday, October 31, 2019

Religious Diffusion in The Early Medieval Era Assignment

Religious Diffusion in The Early Medieval Era - Assignment Example Religious diffusion is a well-attested phenomenon that is scholarly considered controversial. Baghdad grew speedily into the â€Å"world’s navel† when caliph al-Mansur of the Muslims was established as the Abbasid Dynasty’s capital city. The spread of the Islamic religion gives us an excellent example of how both the empire and the religion intertwined to develop the foundation of modern social geography in the world. On the other hand, Chinese Buddhism or Christianity for which most empires acted as the major expansion drive; Islamic itself is the religion, which led to formation of many empires . The Islamic ascent from Arabia unified all the territories, which were between the other universal religions (Christianity and Buddhism) and unified the world in unpredictable forms. The only empire that resisted these universalizing faiths was the Tang Empire. Both Christianity and Buddhism resembled one another in important ways. Christianity could emphasize on how things of these earth are not essential, urging people to concentrate on their spiritual destiny as well as focusing on the divinity. It served as a major cultural revolution in the entire history of the west. Unsurprisingly, Christianity just like Buddhism brought essential monastic movement whereby people especially the holy ones decided to live in a spiritual manner as well as serving their religion . In essence, Buddhism teachings exemplarily show cultural diffusion took place in the medieval world history.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

E-Business and e-Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

E-Business and e-Marketing - Essay Example The whole world has become a small place because of internet. Everyone can have all the information pertaining to any field or subject using internet. There have been significant advancements in technology over the years and it had a significant impact and changes on the people's way of leaving. It has brought about changes in the way people access different kinds of information online and the ways in which they communicate with each other. World Wide Web is also having its significant impact on the ways through which businesses are now being conducted in different organisations all over the world. The term e-business can be referred to as the utilisation of internet technology for the improvement in efficiency of business processes conducted by various organisations. It has also resulted in the establishments of different new kinds of business models. E-Business is believed to have emerged during the mid 1990s (Maruyama). It was mostly concerned about bringing enterprise systems tha t existed then to the internet audience in general through internet or World Wide Web. E-Business now can be found at the mainstream of most of the organisations. E-Business helps in the improvement of business performances through the use of information technology and thereby facilitates connection between customers and suppliers at every step in the value chain. Hence it could result in significant shift or changes in the field of technology, business and the society as a whole along with the changes in interactions between them. As regards technology, information technology has been revolutionised over the past years. It has its impact in almost all the economic sectors and in every sphere of our lives. The processing power relative to the digital technologies is expected to have a rapid increase because of decline in the cost associated with the advancements of technology in future (The Levin Institute). As a result of new technological advancements, most of the business transac tions are expected to be done over internet which would lead to the reduction in the transaction costs as well. The job structure is also expected to change and more people can use internet sitting back at home and performing their business tasks. More and more people would shift towards jobs offered online which could be done at their convenient place and flexible work timings for the employees as well. With the growing expansion of World Wide Web, different new technologies like location-based technologies and radio frequency identification (RFID) are expected to lead to the development of innovative applications resulting in the evolution of networks which can be termed as "Internet of Things" (OECD). In the longer run, small sized wireless sensor devices which are embedded in different objects, facilities and equipments are most likely to get integrated with internet with the help of wireless networks. This would enable interconnectivity anytime and anywhere. The future capaciti es and uses of technologies which bridge the virtual worlds with the physical world are supposed to result in significant societal changes as well as bring about increased economic benefits. Economic activity is becoming faster, cheaper and efficient as a result of World Wide Web.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Mauritius Islands As A Destination

Mauritius Islands As A Destination The destination marketing plan will be based on a small island, which is not even visible on the world map, called Mauritius. It is a volcanic island of lagoons and beaches in the Indian Ocean, it is known for its stability and racial harmony among its blend of population. It is an island situated at about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar and about 3,943 kilometres south-west of India. (Blunt 2005) It has more that 150 kilometres of beaches and the lagoon is protected by the worlds third largest coral reef. Its population is estimated to 1,2 million which forms a blend of cultures from India, Africa, Europe and China. Mauritius was discovered by a Portuguese sailor, Don Pedro Mascarenhas. It was occupied by the Dutch (1598 1710), French (1715 1810) and British (1810 1968). It gained its independence on the 12th March 1968 and its Republic status on 12th March 1992. It has a democracy based on the British democracy. The currency used there is the Mauritian Rupee, made up of 100cents and its capital city is Port Louis. The Mauritian economy is dependent upon the textile, tourism and sugar industry. Currently the destination is attracting tourist mainly from European Countries and the destinations current mission to keep its loyal customer and promote in countries where people are not aware of Mauritius as a tourist destination. They want to maintain the image of Mauritius as being a paradise to their current markets. The Destination would want to regain the French market following the chikunguya disease, to attract more tourists from American countries and become the number one tourist destination in the Indian Ocean. Jobber (2004:210) defines segmentation as the identification of individuals or organizations with similar characteristics that have significant implications for the determination of marketing strategy. In other words it means dividing a segment into sub-segments because customers differ in tastes, needs, attitudes, lifestyles, family size and composition. Identifying these submarkets will help the destination to serve its customers with similar requirements efficiently and effectively. The more a destination knows about its customers the better they will be able to satisfy their needs. A segment is identified by dividing them according to the purpose of travel, the buyers need/motivations and benefits sought, the buyers behaviour, their psychographic profile, the price of the ticket and the demographic, economic and geographic profile. The identified segments for Mauritius were people aged 25 and upwards with a medium to high income per year, because the price of a ticket for the destination is around  £600  £700 and the life cycle identified was newly married couples, full nest II, empty nest I and empty nest II. It has been found that it is mostly leisure tourists that come to the destinations and their motivation honeymoon, young married couple seeking paradise for their honeymoons, looking for a quiet place, this applies to retired people, families willing to escape the European winter and seeking sea and beach holiday, individuals seeking for water- sports and tourist coming for cultural interest. Most of the tourists coming to Mauritius are Loyal and spend a lot during their stay. Regarding price, tourists are quite sensitive to this variable when the price is high less tourist travel to the destination when the price is reduced more tourists travel. Price is also an indicator of the perceived quality, s o when playing with the price variable one should be careful of the quality that it is going to reflect. Market Positioning Position is about the perceived image of the destination by customers compared to other nearby destinations. Customers has this perceived image of Mauritius being paradise when they look at the brochure and see the white sandy beaches and the turquoise ocean. This perceived image would help to make the island the number one destination in the Indian Ocean. Marketing Mix/branding image The marketing mix is defined as a combination of controllable variables that can be used to achieve the desired levels of sales in target markets. This combination is known as the 4 Ps, which includes product, price, place and promotion. Product In terms of the tourism industry, the product covers the complete experience from the time a tourist reaches their destination to the time he/she leaves. Therefore the tourism product is a mixture of attraction and facilities at the destination, facility and destination. The role of marketing is to increase awareness of the product, improve their presentation and their delivery to customers. One has to bear in mind that when a customer buys a tourism product they are actually buying the expectation of benefits; it is the benefits that are the product. Thus the product should match customers needs. The tourism product comprises of five components: Destination attractions and environment Destination facilities and services Accessibility of the destination Images of the destination Price to the consumer (Middleton 1994) The destinations approach to the product mix will be doing a market research to see what customer perceptions of the product are and used the information meet their needs. It can also be done on non-users to see what attraction or facilities the destination will need to build up. To attract more customers the destination will introduce packages made by tour operators such as when tourists staying in certain hotels they will have free admission at certain attraction. This type of package will particularly suit families. Extending the usage of the products will help to achieve this strategy as well, such as offering one free night to customers if they are staying for a weekend. The destination could also introduce an airline, like Ryanair in Europe, which would do flights in the Indian Ocean only, such as flights from Mauritius to other island in the Indian Ocean at a low price. Price Tourism businesses deal with different segments at the same time and they frequently use different price for the different segments. Pricing is a very complex decision due to the high degree of competition and the inaccuracy in forecasting levels of demand. It may vary not only because of the industrys characteristics but also due to other factors such as weather, terrorism and strikes. There exists no universal way of pricing, price will always vary. Pricing acts as an indicator of quality, thus it can be used to assess quality before purchase. The characteristics that affect pricing are the following: Perishability: Intensive capital investment Cost of intensive staff employed Customers characteristics Regarding pricing the destination will use a low pricing strategy at the beginning to encourage long-run demands, capture market share from competitors and discourage any potential new entrant to enter the market. If it is observed that there is a high proportion frequent customer, this means that the customers are satisfied with the product and customer loyalty has been created. Then price could be raised at a reasonable level to maximise profits. The price could also be lowered during off-peak season to attract customer and non-users as well that could try the destination. Special price could be given to newly married couples for their honeymoon, if they did like the destination by word of mouth they will tell it to their other friends who might use the destination for their honeymoons. (Ernie 1992) Place Place is the element of the marketing mix which includes channel of distribution and physical distribution. Channel distribution includes tour operators, retailers and travel agents. Channels should be chosen according to the other the other three marketing mix. Choice of location, which is the point of sale, should be well located to increase the flow of customers (Ernie 1992) Since we already know who our target markets are the destination will choose tour operators which specialize in their target market and travel agencies that are located where their target market are. For instance if the destination is targeting at families they will choose a travel agent that is specialize in that market and located in area where families live. Since the destination is aiming at non- users they will have to find an operator in these countries. Promotion Promotion mix consists of four elements: advertising, personal selling, publicity and sales promotion. They are designed to create excitement and interest about the destination. These elements should communicate similar, consistent and non-conflicting messages to each of their target markets. (Ernie 1992) The aim of the destination is to increase advertising in targets market countries and in non-users countries as well. Mass media advertising and aggressive advertising will be used to send the message that Mauritius was made first and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius. This message will be sent through the use of televisions, radios, newspapers and billboards. Market research could be use here to see what image our target markets have of the destination and use it for the advertising. The destination will advertise in trade magazines to reach tour operators and travel agents. The destination will use travel agents as an intermediary for personal selling and they could also be used as a way of promoting the destination. Using sales promotion would help to achieve the objectives mentioned earlier, the destination will use price promotion, special merchandise use to promote the destination and familiarization tours for travel agents. Price promotion could be used w hen there is festival going on at the destination, such as the Independence Day, which would include discount on attractions, restaurants and hotels. Selling merchandise such as T-shirts, key chains and souvenirs will help to promote the destination by word of mouth when tourists go back to their countries, this might encourage prospective customers to visit the destination. Familiarization tours are free trips for travel agents to let them experience the tourist destination before the customers. This would be for travel agents operating in an area where there non-users of the destination, the travel agents would be able advise non-users on the destination. Promotional impact can be managed by carefully managing the four elements of the promotion mix. TALC Tourism Area life Cycle Tourism Area Life cycle a framework concept by Buttler (1980) highlights the tourism attractions and resources of a particular country. It mainly involves according to Butler (1980) a six stage evolution of tourism namely exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation and post stagnation. . Mauritius Island can be classified between a Development stage and stagnation in the TALC (buttler 1980) more people are reaching Mauritius (see tourist Arrival stats) by years, more people discover the destination, and the word spreads about its attractions and the amenities which are increased and improved ( development) with the approach of the carrying capacity* (define below next content) stagnation rise with the social and environmental limits. Buttler (1980) mentioned that a rise from Exploration to Stagnation happens very rapidly, as implied by the exponential nature of the growth curve. As this is the case for Mauritius in a rise of infrastructure, development in Technologies, improving services for quality customers. For Instance carrying capacity clearly explains the rest of the situation. Carrying Capacity Definition of carrying capacity Carrying capacity can be defined as the maximum number of people who can use a site without an unacceptable decline in the quality of experience gained by visitors (karma;2001 65) .Lime(1976) points to a substantial expansion of the meaning of carrying capacity from a focus on numbers of visitors to the entire topic of how to plan and manage a particular recreation resource . Findings in Carrying capacity Carrying capacities are usually determined for the planning area involving features of key attractions, development sites and even the tourist transit point. The carrying capacity analysis implying the institution of upper limits on development in other words, the number of tourists in terms of days, feedbacks and market forecasts, Moreover, carrying capacities can be established both for the developing as well as developed tourist destination.( Kamra;2001:68) he also argues that carrying capacity analyse most the number of tourist arrivals to the number of inhabitants in the destination area, in a result they found to be genuinely measuring the elements of socio-cultural environment and physical. More elements such as economical and infrastructure issues are to be seen as a part of the carrying capacity. A source of pollution can be a source of major problem in an environmental aspect, for example the beaches in Mauritius are well preserved by the government and by the hotels themselves, pollution (land) might affect the tourism industry, if not taken into consideration it might result to a decrease in tourist arrivals in the destination, this one major issue can be classified as being a physical more on that is the preservation of wild life animals, the animals in Mauritius Island such as the kestrel and the Mauritian Parakeet are unique in the species, preservation of those natural resources have large impacts on tourism industry. Economical benefits are mostly crucial for the government of Mauritius, as this is tourism industry is being as a major source of income, tourism industry also bring employment for the local communities for example hotel resorts have been built in the coastal areas. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT SWOT, is a tool use to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the destination. The aim of SWOT is to isolate the key environmental factors that are important to the destination. Strengths: Distinctive and exotic environment Mauritius is known for its exotic environment and its natural park. The opening up of new hotels Lately in Mauritius there a lot of new hotels opening up, this is an advantage for the island because now they accommodate more tourists than before. High purchasing power for tourists  £1 = Rs 63.6447, which means that with  £1 UK tourist could more things in Mauritius than in their country. (Anon 2006) Excellent service provided by hotels The tropical island is not also known for its physical asset but also for the high quality service provided by hotels. (Anon 2005) Weaknesses: Diseases Lately in Mauritius there has been a disease, chikunguya, which is caused by mosquito bites and because of this the number of French tourist has declined. Language Barrier Although the official language is English, not all Mauritian speak English and It is hard for tourist to communicate since most of the tourists are English speaking. Long haul flights The flights to Mauritius from Europe, America and Asian countries is a 12hr flight, which is very tiring. Opportunities: Exploit Golf tourist market It has notice that golf tourist spend a lot when they come to Mauritius, thereby Mauritius try to attract more golf tourist to maximise their revenues. Growth in Spa tourism New air routes such as flight to Russia has been open thus creating a new market and if exploited wisely could bring in more revenues for the island. Increase in the number of flight to Mauritius There are now two new airlines doing the flights to Mauritius, TUIfly Nordic and Corsairfly. (Chateau 2006) Threats: Competition Future competition from the surrounding islands might be an issue; Mauritius will have to find a way of gaining the competitive advantage over them. Tsunamis Following the tsunami that hit Indonesia in December there were some minor effects felt in Mauritius. Since that time there are still some tourists that feel it is unsafe to visit the island. (Anonb 2006) Recommendations: Mauritius Island has the best possible ability to become the pioneer in Tourism industry in the Indian Ocean , The Government of Mauritius understand very well the importance of Tourists for the Economy, the improvement of the Hotels infrastructure is to be made ( now in process 2008-2010 project) , the preservation of the wildlife park such as the rare animals and rare plants species, the introduction of a new airport also under future planning of the Government, the size of tourists arrivals is increasing with years and several discounts on Air Fares are available. 2665 words

Friday, October 25, 2019

Iron Increases Heart Disease :: essays research papers

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) has afflicted man throughout history. Diet and hereditary factors obviously are the key components in developing this condition. Foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats are often implicated in hastening or aggravating heart disease. Many disease states such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension have also been shown to increase a persons chances for CAD. Heart disease usually affects persons over age 60, but can be seen in people who are much younger for various reasons. This disease remains the number one cause of hospitalization and death in the adult population in western society (McCance and Huether, 1994). The purpose of this literature review is to investigate research dealing with the subject of increased serum iron levels and the prevalence of CAD. Medical journals were primarily used for research data due to the nature of the subject and the need for in-depth analysis. While it has the highest prevalence of any disease, women experience only 30-50% of the coronary artery disease incidence and mortality of age-matched men (Meyers, 1996). Many feel that this may be due to the protective effect that estrogen has on the blood vessels of females. There may actually be a direct correlation to reduced serum iron levels due to menses. Whereas men " build-up" iron in the blood, women cleanse themselves of iron buildup on the monthly basis. Meyers (1996) also states that oxidation, the process in which an atom increases its positive charges (Miller and Keane, 1992), of low density lipoprotein cholesterol is important in atherosclerosis, and since oxidation is catalyzed by iron, it has been hypothesized that the lower iron stores of women reduce their risk of CAD through lessened lipid peroxide, a by-product of oxidation. Numerous studies have been conducted to actually see if a relationship between serum iron or serum transferrin, (serum iron concentration divided by total iron-binding capacity), and heart disease or myocardial infarction, (heart attacks) exists. Sempos and Looker, (1994) used a total of 4518 men and women to conduct the first study of its kind on the subject of iron and CAD. Frequent serum iron levels, collected from 1971-74, and followed up through 1987, showed the risk of CAD was not related to serum transferrin levels in white men or women. Indeed, an inverse association of total body iron stores and overall mortality was shown, that is moderate to high serum transferrin associated with lower mortality.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Brazil’s Communication Essay

Every country has unique, distinctive ways in which they interrelate and communicate with each other within their country. A country’s means of communication can be verbalized through verbal, non-verbal, and interpersonal communication channels. In the country of Brazil most people are not Hispanic but Latino, although many immigrant communities are from Europe, Africa, and Japan. The official language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese; however, Spanish, English, and French are other languages that are also spoken in Brazil. When greeting they expect a firm handshake with strong eye contact. When doing business in Brazil don’t be taken aback if they stand very close to you when speaking. Moving away may be interpreted as rejection. Brazil also uses many forms of non verbal communication. Much of this body language is comprised of culturally derived behaviors. When speaking to one another, it is not normal to take turns speaking. People will interrupt a conversation and will often speak at the same time as their peers. Another verbal communication pattern that Brazil practices is using first names when addressing a person. Also, one’s tone of voice is often high pitched when conversing with one another. Although daily conversation is conducted in a louder voice, it is not meant to express anger or hostility to anybody. In addition, verbal communication in Brazil is viewed as being theatrical and overly animated by other countries who are more reserved. In Brazil, physical appearance and surroundings are important and provide visual cues as to one’s status and tone of conversations. In many Latin countries, communication tends to be predominately oral rather than through written word. However, from the business aspect, when sending something in written format it is usually a good idea to follow up with a phone call or a visit in person. Over the last two decades, the telecom industry world over has grown and evolved at an incredible pace and has significantly changed the way people interact. Brazil Telecom offers long distance telecommunications services hrough some 8,034 million lines and 281,800 public telephones to customers in Brazil. Oi Telecom, formerly known as Telemar is the largest telecommunications company in Brazil, it was established in 2008 and has become the biggest company in Brazil on the Telecommunications sector. This company is present in 4600 cities in Brazil and it has influenced the price drop in the national level of the same services offered by competitors due to strength of its operations in the country.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Influence of Role Models on Children

A role model is someone looked up to and held in high esteem. They are often emulated and referred to for guidance. Children being very influential can be heavily affected by their role models. A role model for a child is someone seen as big and great in their eyes. Whoever the role model may be, children will pick up actions, words and mannerisms from them. It affects them in every way, how they deal with people, their dress, and vocabulary and how they aspire to be.Role models can have positive or negative effect on children depending upon the role model and others' definition of what is good and what isn't. * Where do children get their role models from? Depending upon the environment, personality of and upbringing of the child, their role models can differ greatly. Some children's role models are pop singers and actors, they are often ones that are popular in media culture and invariably the children's friends would have had an additional effect in affirming the role models.Some role models are noble, in that they are healthy to be role models for the child; uch noble role models include parents, family members, people who do a lot of charity work or work with animals and people who help communities. These role models are formed from knowledge about them, from the child's environment or from hearing stories about them from others. Children learn from their environment and are well-known to be like sponges that soak up all what they see and hear. How role models affect children Vocabulary Some negative role models that often swear or use derogatory words can affect the children who take them as role models by influencing them to start swearing and use ad language or curse words. Alternatively positive role models can help in teaching children to be polite in speech. Dress Children can seek to copy the fashion of their role models; this is usually the case for role models obtained from the media, cartoons, TV presenters, movies or pop singers.These role model s are also affirmed by other children at school, often making it fashionable and cool to be like a certain singer. This can cause children to dress inappropriately for their age and cause temper tantrums. Again it does depend who he role model is, therefore it could be a positive change or modest way of dress which does not seek to harm the child in anyway.Behaviour Popular role models popularized by the media today such as various pop singers do not always have the best of ethics or values that parents wish their children to have. A child can start to emulate the behaviour and attitude of the role model influencing what the child does and if they get into trouble or not. On the other hand, if the role model is one which parents consider positive, this can have positive effects on raising he child with good mannerisms and encouraging them to do well.Role models can greatly affect children from their dress, way of thinking, speech and behavior. A role model can have a positive or neg ative effect upon the child. Popular role models taken by many children today are often those publicized by the media such as various pop singers, sports stars or actors. Children can be deeply influenced by role models, so it is important that parents try to otter positive role models which will benefit their children in all ways possible.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Glorious Revolution vs. Salem essays

Glorious Revolution vs. Salem essays The Glorious Revolution For years the colonies had considered themselves self-ruled. In fact, very few of the colonies had been established as royal colonies, most of them were founded under propriety share holders or by groups of people trying to escape persecutions. The colony of Plymouth had been founded by the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims set down their own laws and ruled over their own affairs, all of this done with out a charter approving it. They followed the Mayflower Compact, the rules that they had set before, they had agreed to rule equally and peaceably. The rule of the time was that basically, the king would grant a charter ensuring that the free men would have a voice in the legislation affecting them. Many colonies would then have elected representatives? rule the affairs. Many colonies also held town meetings in which the people could speak of their own concerns. The government of England was distracted by other affairs of the country to deal with this until 1660 when King Charles II to ok the throne. However, even now, the colonies were left largely undisturbed. It wasn't until around the 1670's that things started change for the colonists. The Lords of Trade and Plantation (a group dedicated to the enforcement of the mercantile system in the colonies) tried to revoke the Massachusetts Bay charter because of their refusal to follow the system. In 1685 King James II replaced King Charles II. One of King James? first acts as king was to unite New England into 1 colony called the Dominion of New England. King James was already under suspicion for being a Catholic and this did nothing to make him popular with the largely Puritan population in the colonies. Having all of New England under 1 governor helped to keep control. King James appointed Edmund Andros as governor in 1686, a decision the colonists abhorred. Governor Andros had permission to raise and lower taxes a...

Monday, October 21, 2019

30 Synonyms for Meeting

30 Synonyms for Meeting 30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting† 30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting† By Mark Nichol Humans, being social animals, have many reasons for meeting and many words to describe doing so in various degrees of formality and format. Here are thirty ways to label a meeting, depending on the particulars. 1. Assembly: a meeting for entertainment, legislation, or worship 2. Caucus: a meeting, often in a political context, to select candidates or policy 3. Clinic: a problem-solving meeting or one at which participants acquire knowledge or skills 4. Colloquium: a meeting at which experts, usually in an academic setting, give presentations on one or more topics and engage in a question-and-answer period 5. Colloquy: a serious, important meeting (also, a synonym for conversation and dialogue) 6. Conclave: a private or secret meeting, especially that of Roman Catholic cardinals convened to select a new pope, or any gathering of an organization 7. Confab: a chat, discussion, or meeting (informal usage) 8. Conference: a meeting for discussing issues or topics of interest to all participants, usually including keynote speeches and a wide variety of sessions on specific subjects 9. Congress: a meeting or session, especially of delegates to discuss and act on an issue or topic 10. Convention: a meeting to bring together representatives of a trade, profession, or interest group, or to assemble representatives of a political party to select candidates and policy 11. Convocation: a meeting of attendees called together, of a college or university’s members, or of clergy (and perhaps laypeople) 12. Council: a meeting to discuss or advise on one or more issues 13. Demonstration: an informal mass meeting, usually held outdoors on public property, to protest about or bring attention to a topic or issue 14. Forum: a meeting that involves a discussion among experts or between them and audience members 15. Gathering: a meeting (informal usage) 16. Get-together: an informal meeting 17. Huddle: a meeting (informal usage) 18. Panel: a meeting at which participants discuss a topic or issue in front of an audience 19. Palaver: a meeting, especially one between disparate parties 20. Parley: a meeting to resolve conflict or negotiate with an enemy 21. Powwow: a meeting or a social event, or a meeting to celebrate Native American culture 22. Rally: a mass meeting to inspire enthusiasm and/or action 23. Round-robin: a small meeting to discuss or decide on a topic or issue 24. Roundtable: see round-robin 25. Seminar: a meeting for disseminating and discussing information 26. Session: a meeting or series of meetings, or a portion of an extended meeting or one of various simultaneous meetings as part of a larger event 27. Summit: a meeting of high-level leaders 28. Symposium: a formal meeting at which several specialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics 29. Synod: a meeting of clergy 30. Workshop: an educational meeting or program Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Barn Burning : Familial Bonds And Ethical Choices Essay -- Family, Mot

In Barn Burning, a 10-year old Sartoris Snopes must choose between sticking to his family and making righteous decisions. His father, Abner Snopes, is a Southern tenant farmer who repeatedly burns down the barns of his landlords, so he and his family never stay in one place for too long. During the course of the story, Sartoris vacillates between loyalty to his father and loyalty to society. Ultimately, Sartoris betrays his father by warning the farm owner that his father will burn his barn, getting his father killed. In his short story Barn Burning, Faulkner uses the various characters and their development to elucidate that a familial bond is a substantial force that is difficult to separate from, but breaking the bond is sometimes crucial in order to do what is right. The different characters in the story facilitate in illustrating that family ties are an enormous force in a person’s life and difficult to break. Above all else, Abner believes that family has to stick together since they are all anyone has. Believing that his son was going to turn him in, Abner strikes his son, explaining, â€Å"‘You’re getting to be a man. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you. Do you think either of them, any man there this morning, would?† (408). Having spent his whole life running, Abner has no relationships with anyone outside his family and fears losing his son. It is clear that he is unable to trust anyone, in this case, not even his own son. However, he trusts his family more than anyone else in the world. Sartoris’s sympathetic mother, Lennie, shares Abner’s emphasis on family and is unable to leave Abner, despite greatly contrastin... ... middle of paper ... ...pair remain, he is no longer scared. Like his father had hoped for, Sartoris was becoming a man, just not in the way his father would have imagined. Despite Sartoris being alone at the end of the story, Sartoris made the right choice, and â€Å"did not look back† (417). Sartoris is now free to pursue justice, no longer burdened by his family. Despite the difficulties one must face in order to break family ties, it is sometimes essential to preserve one’s integrity. Full of grief and despair, Sartoris transitions from being a slave to his father’s atrocities to being a virtuous citizen. Principled like his mother, yet determined like his father, Sartoris accomplishes what none of his siblings were able to do: Sartoris escapes his father’s forceful grasp to regain his integrity as a human being. Sartoris liberates himself from the cycle of crime his family imposed on him.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Marvin v. Marvin Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marvin v. Marvin - Case Study Example The case between Martin v Martin highlights the challenges that marriage couples face. The case was determined in 1976 with the outcome serving as reference point in the US because of the relevance. The case involved two individuals in a non-marital relationship enforced through oral agreement. The couples made several agreements concerning their economic and social status. According to the case, the couples lived and made significant wealth and resources jointly. They had an agreement to share the acquired property and other belongings equally upon dissolution of the union. In 1971, the defendant withdrew the support he accorded the wife and called for the dissolution of marriage. The complainant launched a suit to enforce the agreement that they entered into prior to their dissolution. The complainant told the court that they entered into an oral agreement to work and share the property equally upon dissolution of their relationship (Laskin & Niff, 2010). The court heard the case and determined that individuals in any form of marriage whether implied or express have the right to claim their share. The court found that the complainant’s issues were valid and subjected the defendant to fulfill the agreement. The court stated that couples in non-marital relationships have the right to launch legitimate claims for property based on express or implied marriage contracts. The case gave a clear direction that sought to ensure fairness and equality between couples upon marriage dissolution. Living together contracts involve gay and non-gay couples who form relationship are either formal or non-formal. These non-marital contracts pose several complications when it comes to sharing property upon dissolution of the marriage. The contracts threaten to erode the moral and cultural practices of various societies. As noted by Strong, DeVault & Cohen (2011) these marriages disobey the moral standards that

Hotel Resorts in Orange County California Research Paper

Hotel Resorts in Orange County California - Research Paper Example This research aims to evaluate and present Orange County California and their offerings to the visitors. As also stated in the introductory section of this research paper, Orange County is composed of some of the most attractive tourists’ destinations within the world. Among the various reasons that attract huge number of tourists to the county, the advantage of location is one. The county is bordered on the north by Los Angeles and San Diego has surrounded the county along the south. Towards the east of Orange County, San Bernardino County and Riverside County are situated along with the Santa Ana Mountains. Most importantly, the boundaries of the county towards the west are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Due to the features of the location in which the county is situated, the tourists who visited this tourist spot can share the experience of warm climate throughout the year. As the Pacific Ocean is very near to Orange County, the tourists and local people enjoy the beauty of various enchanting and charming beaches. There are a number of cities present within Orange County, both large as well as small. Anaheim in Orange County is known as the ‘home’ of Disneyland and is second in the list of the most populous cities in California. The home of Knott’s Berry Farm in the county is Buena Park and this city paves the gateway of the county to Los Angeles. Apart from these two important and popular cities of Orange County, there are also several cities that add up to the beauty of the county. Fullerton, Surf city, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach, Santa Ana and Seal Beach are the most popular cities of the county. (County of Orange, 2011). The hotels and resorts section of Orange County offers several attractive destinations to the tourists. In the South Orange County, Aliso Creek Inn & Golf Course offers an ideal tourist location for families and tourists are made to feel every comfort of home in this hotel. Americas Best Value

The Joy of Graduating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Joy of Graduating - Essay Example In addition, during summer, just like her then oncoming sophomore year, she went through a course on international law and took in an internship which lasted 50 hours (Lombardi 1). Danielle was named a valedictorian, which she did not expect. According to the author, a valedictorian season has just ended and students are receiving accolades for being the best performers academically in the school. However, the path to that honor has become more competitive lately. A number of aspects such as the rise in the number of high school scholars, inflation of grade, strong competition for acceptance in collage and a well-informed student body have transformed the game. One of the characteristics of the valedictorian is that they strategize to win, by taking an intense load of A.P courses that are weighted during calculation of the average grades. Some of them keep off from creative courses, such as art or photography, since in creative courses, grading can be biased while having a grade B can mess their target. In most of the cases, enthusiasm for valedictorian honors has resulted into lawsuits. For example, in Danielle’s high school, a high school senior is said to have sued the district in an attempt to be declared valedictorian (Lombardi, 1). Some valedictorians end up suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome like Ms. Hornstine, who is claimed to have maneuvered the system and her claim brought an outcry in the society. Later, her acceptance to Harvard was nullified following allegations that her articles for the local daily were plagiarized (Lombardi, 1). Most of the valedictorians end up sharing the position. For example, this year, Susannah and Brett are the co-valedictorians in Horace Greeley High School. Even though nobody would speak to give evidence, stories about competed grade point means spread and brought hatred. However, Susannah and Brett showed a united front, explaining how they

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Job Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Job Description - Essay Example The main duties in this job include assessing and treating injured sportsmen; staying up-to-date with the latest research in this practice; and educating and advising athletes on prevention strategies (The Sport Science Resource para1). This job also includes duties such as assisting with basic knowledge in strapping, massage, and response to severe sports injuries to individual athletes and sports teams. It involves working for a wide range of individuals and organizations, such as professional sports teams, basketball players, tennis players, golfers, and college/schools athletics programs among others. This job is attractive in a number of ways, particularly the salary. It is one of the highest paid jobs in the country. The earnings of a sports medicine doctor much depends on the athletic program of the employer. It is estimated that a median salary of a sports medicine doctor is between $172,000 and $397,000 per year (American College of Sports Medicine 4). Apart from attracting impressive salary, Sports Medicine is a job whose vacation has few comparisons. These earnings are often accompanied by other benefits such as insurances, disability plans, retirement benefits, and bonuses. Considering the hard work involved and high earnings in sports, it is likely that professional athletes and sports teams go for expensive vacations in high-end destinations. While in this vacation, they usually go together with their sports medicine doctors. Also, training can take them to different destinations which may double up as vacation. Often, the employers, who can be individuals or sports tea ms, cater for the travel expenses. Besides, the field of sports medicine offers its professionals a great opportunity for advancements (The Sport Science Resource para2). As a sports medicine doctor gains more experience and training, he or she is likely to advance further in terms of career and earnings. Like most professions, it has

Storm King Mountain Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Storm King Mountain Case - Essay Example ged use of aggressive tactics, and were categorized as ‘watch out situations,’ the firefighters continued to take the bold step of building fire line downhill upon receiving confirmation from their leader, Mackey, that the area was good enough with less vegetation, and not much risk from existing fire. The crew members relied completely on Mackey’s judgment as they trusted in his abilities more than their conviction of adhering to the guidelines. Attributable to their can-do attitude, the firefighters ignored most of the rules because their ultimate aim was to stop fire from spreading. They did not regard these guidelines as procedures to be used in firefighting; rather, they relied more on their critical judgment based on experience and situational constraints. Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model (JCM) explains employee behavior based on four motivational aspects namely, job characteristics, critical psychological states, personal and work outcomes and growth-need strength. The JCM framework helps in understanding managerial functions as well as the psychological processes associated with work that are associated with employee behavior and outcome of employee actions. This model emphasizes the role of job design that ultimately leads to experienced meaningfulness of work, experienced responsibility for the outcomes, and knowledge of the results of work activities (Debnath, Tandon & Pointer, 2007). A team leader can determine what skills would be best to perform a specific job and deploy staff accordingly. In addition, the task to be performed needs to be identified in advance besides having complete understanding of how the task or job impacts the employees and/or other stake holders. Identification of skills and tasks to be accomplished will also help the leader assess the extent to which the staff may be empowered to take their own decisions. While autonomy is an effective way to motivate staff, the level of autonomy requires a

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Joy of Graduating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Joy of Graduating - Essay Example In addition, during summer, just like her then oncoming sophomore year, she went through a course on international law and took in an internship which lasted 50 hours (Lombardi 1). Danielle was named a valedictorian, which she did not expect. According to the author, a valedictorian season has just ended and students are receiving accolades for being the best performers academically in the school. However, the path to that honor has become more competitive lately. A number of aspects such as the rise in the number of high school scholars, inflation of grade, strong competition for acceptance in collage and a well-informed student body have transformed the game. One of the characteristics of the valedictorian is that they strategize to win, by taking an intense load of A.P courses that are weighted during calculation of the average grades. Some of them keep off from creative courses, such as art or photography, since in creative courses, grading can be biased while having a grade B can mess their target. In most of the cases, enthusiasm for valedictorian honors has resulted into lawsuits. For example, in Danielle’s high school, a high school senior is said to have sued the district in an attempt to be declared valedictorian (Lombardi, 1). Some valedictorians end up suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome like Ms. Hornstine, who is claimed to have maneuvered the system and her claim brought an outcry in the society. Later, her acceptance to Harvard was nullified following allegations that her articles for the local daily were plagiarized (Lombardi, 1). Most of the valedictorians end up sharing the position. For example, this year, Susannah and Brett are the co-valedictorians in Horace Greeley High School. Even though nobody would speak to give evidence, stories about competed grade point means spread and brought hatred. However, Susannah and Brett showed a united front, explaining how they

Storm King Mountain Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Storm King Mountain Case - Essay Example ged use of aggressive tactics, and were categorized as ‘watch out situations,’ the firefighters continued to take the bold step of building fire line downhill upon receiving confirmation from their leader, Mackey, that the area was good enough with less vegetation, and not much risk from existing fire. The crew members relied completely on Mackey’s judgment as they trusted in his abilities more than their conviction of adhering to the guidelines. Attributable to their can-do attitude, the firefighters ignored most of the rules because their ultimate aim was to stop fire from spreading. They did not regard these guidelines as procedures to be used in firefighting; rather, they relied more on their critical judgment based on experience and situational constraints. Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model (JCM) explains employee behavior based on four motivational aspects namely, job characteristics, critical psychological states, personal and work outcomes and growth-need strength. The JCM framework helps in understanding managerial functions as well as the psychological processes associated with work that are associated with employee behavior and outcome of employee actions. This model emphasizes the role of job design that ultimately leads to experienced meaningfulness of work, experienced responsibility for the outcomes, and knowledge of the results of work activities (Debnath, Tandon & Pointer, 2007). A team leader can determine what skills would be best to perform a specific job and deploy staff accordingly. In addition, the task to be performed needs to be identified in advance besides having complete understanding of how the task or job impacts the employees and/or other stake holders. Identification of skills and tasks to be accomplished will also help the leader assess the extent to which the staff may be empowered to take their own decisions. While autonomy is an effective way to motivate staff, the level of autonomy requires a

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

What Is Critical Thinking Essay Example for Free

What Is Critical Thinking Essay Critical thinking to me means a way of thinking that helps us understand what has been observed or being observed. With being a critical thinker it allows us take charge of our minds and our thoughts. It’s also a way to help us to analyze, reasonable and reflective thoughts. Distinguishing from your willingness and your feelings are the awakening of oneself and should always be an experience for you in the realm of knowing that once the mission is complete you will then have acquired more knowledge for oneself. While reading, Elder, L. (2007, 09). The Ctitical Thinking community. Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking. Retrieved 09, 2007, from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-and-definition-of-critical-thinking/411 it states that â€Å"Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use.† Just knowing that once you identify and evaluate the evidence it will then allow you to start the ability to apply logic and reasoning for the situation at hand. With having the ability of taking charge of your mind and thoughts defines to me what critical thinking really means. While continuing my research I noticed that there where so many different ways that Critical Thinking was mentioned. I found in Michael Scriven and Richard Paul. (2003). Defiing Critical Thinking. (http://www. criticalthinking.org/University/univclass/Defi ning.html, that its clear to me that in order to get down to the bottom of what is really Critical Thinking means is to take the word â€Å"Critical† which means â€Å"inclined to find fault or to judge with severity, often too readily or it means involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.†, Found on the dictionary.reference.com site. Then take the word â€Å"thinking† which means the action of using ones mind to produce thoughts or involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit and that’s found in the http://www.merriam-webster.com site. While taking the two words by themselves I came up with critical thinking is to making a judgment to find truth through formed thoughts and the ability to using logical reasons.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Benefits of Postnatal Debriefing

Benefits of Postnatal Debriefing 215133 POSTNATAL DEBRIEFING STILL VALUED BY WOMEN Introduction Providing debriefing for women in the postnatal period is believed by many midwives to help women to adjust to their childbirth experiences, and to help reduce postnatal psychological morbidity. The evidence base is equivocal in relation to the efficacy of these kinds of interventions, which are typically delivered by midwives in clinical practice. This essay will review several pieces of research relating to postnatal debriefing associated with the psychological distress and potential post traumatic stress disorder associated with childbirth. It will look at the quality of evidence available and discuss some of the parameters of the arguments surrounding the provision of postnatal debriefing, listening and counselling services. It will also make recommendations for practice in relation to this kind of provision, and in relation to future research. Discussion Lavender and Walkinshaw (1998) carried out a randomised trial of a postnatal ‘debriefing’ service provided by midwives, to see what effect it had on psychological morbidity after childbirth. The authors comprise one midwife and one obstetrician, and the midwife has a postgraduate degree, suggestive that they have the skills to carry out and report on such a study. Using a randomised trial design is aimed at filling an apparent gap in the research at the time of the study, in relation to this area of practice (Lavender and Walkinshaw, 1998). This study was carried out â€Å"in a regional teaching hospital in northwest England, and used a sample of â€Å"one hundred and twenty postnatal primigravidas†, who were â€Å"allocated by sealed envelopes to receive the debriefing intervention (n 4 56) or not (n 4 58).† (Lavender and Walkinshaw, 1998 p 215). The study involved the collection of baseline intrapartum and demographic information in order to assess a wid e variety of variables in the study (Lavender and Walkinshaw, 1998). The intervention is described as follows: â€Å" Women randomised to the intervention participated in an interactive interview in which they spent as much time as necessary discussing their labour, asking questions, and exploring their feelings. One research midwife, who had received no formal training in counselling, conducted the interviews, which lasted between 30 and 120 minutes, the duration being guided by the needs of the respondent. Hospital notes were available throughout the interview so that direct questions could be answered. No interview schedule was defined, since the interviews were respondent led.† (Lavender and Walkinshaw, 1998) This approach raises several points. To being with, it is positive that there is such transparency in explaining the intervention, even if the intervention is brief, because it allows the reader to understand the nature, it aids replication, and it demonstrates the lack of specialist knowledge required to perform the intervention. Secondly, it shows that a research midwife, who was not a counsellor, was carrying out the intervention. And thirdly, it demonstrates a woman-focused, midwifery-oriented approach, in that the interviews were respondent led and the length was not limited. Such an approach reflects midwifery philosophies which makes the article useful for midwifery practice. Lavender and Walkinshaw (1998) used an established data collection instrument, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, which was administered by postal questionnaire 3 weeks after delivery. Using an established data collection instrument adds strength to the study, but there is a small amount of unreliability about postal questionnaires, because there is never any guarantee that they are filled out by the person they are sent to. Using the pre-tested scale allowed the authors to compare the proportion of women in each group with anxiety and depression scores of more than 10 points, using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, both of which are acceptable statistical applications for these data. The 95% response rate ensured a good sample size (Lavender and Walkinsahw, 1998), although the study would have had even more statistical significance if it could have been carried out across more than one site. The benefits of this intervention were established by the study, but the authors raise some concerns, including concern at the high levels of morbidity detected, and question whether using the chosen scale was appropriate for measu ring psychological morbidity after childbirth (normal or abnormal) (Lavender and Walkinshaw, 1998). This study is limited now by its age, and by being superceded by more recent studies. Kershaw et al (2005) carried out a prospective randomised controlled trail with two arms, which compared debriefing methods after birth which were aimed at reducing fear of future childbirth. As can be seen, this studied a more specific intervention, in relation to a very specific outcome, rather than measuring psychological morbidity per se. This would make it more applicable to specific aspects of practice. This study was also carried out in one site, and the authors provide details of the hospital site, which this author would question due to the issue of confidentiality. Kershaw et al (2005) focused on mothers whose first birth was an operative delivery, and gained ethical approval. More details about the ethics of this study would have enhanced its quality. Kershaw et al (2005) provide their inclusion and exclusion criteria, but do not discuss controlling for other variables. They also use a pre-established measurement tool to assess the fear of childbirth experienced by the stu dy participants (Kershaw et al, 2005). They do subsequently present demographic information, and they use a range of suitable statistical tests, explaining the significance of these, which makes it easier for the novice reader to begin to assess the quality of the data analysis. This again was a debriefing intervention carried out by midwives in the postnatal period (Kershaw et al, 2005). However, unlike the previous study, this one differed because the debriefing was held on two separate occasions, and sessions were held at home (Kershaw et al, 2005). Another significant element of this study was that the midwives involved received training in critical incident stress debriefing (Kershaw et al, 2005). The authors justify their study as follows: â€Å" In this study fear of childbirth and post-traumatic stress were measured rather than maternal depression and general health. It was decided not to measure maternal depression as research has suggested this is frequently associated with factors not related to childbirth. Women were allowed sufficient time to debrief, sessions lasted up to an hour and a half.† (Kershaw et al, 1508). This shows some strengths, including a focus on specific psychological features, rather than on general health and depression, which can be difficult to assess. Although the authors state women were allowed sufficient time for the session, this study does not reflect the kind of midwifery philosophy that the Lavender and Walkinshaw (1998) study did. The findings from this study do not support the use of this particular intervention in this particular population. â€Å"The findings of this study demonstrated in the short term no significant difference in the WDEQ fear of childbirth scores and IES emotional distress scores. These findings show community-led debriefing is not proven to be of any value in reducing women’s fear of childbirth following an operative delivery.† (Kershaw et al, 2005 p 1508). However, this study may not be the last word on this kind of intervention, and there are limitations, including the focus only on women who had operative deliveries, focusing on one site, and in the intervention itself. Maybe the nature of the intervention, and the training provided for midwives, was limited. The authors agree that a longer-term evaluation might show different results (Kershaw et al, 2005). It might be that the data collection tool was inappropriate, as with the previous study. However, this study, as with the previous one, does establish the usefulness and facility of midwives providing postnatal support of this kind. Kershaw et al (2005) show that midwives identified those women who would be needing debriefing, but this author would argue that midwives are not experts in mental health, and limiting debriefing to those identified by midwives as at higher risk might miss important cases. Reading between the lines of this study seems to imply that this intervention is valued by midwives and by patients, despite the findings of the statistical analysis. Small et al (2000) carried out a randomised controlled trial of midwife led debriefing to reduce maternal depression after operative childbirth, again, focusing on women who are viewed as potentially at higher risk of mental health morbidity postnatally. This study was carried out in a large maternity teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia, unlike the previous two studies, which were carried out in the UK. Small et al (2000) had a sample of 1041 women who had given birth by either caesarean section (n = 624) , by assisted vaginal delivery using forceps (n = 353) or vacuum extraction (n = 64), and these women were randomised to the intervention group or the control group (Small et al, 2000). The sample size was statistically calculated for significance, which is a strength of the study. The methodology is clear and the randomisation process described. The intervention â€Å"provided women with an opportunity to discuss their labour, birth, and post ­delivery events and expe riences† (Small et al, 2000 p 1044). Although there is a woman-centred focus in this study, only 1 hour maximum was allowed for the discussion, which this author would suggest is a severe limitation of this intervention in relation to woman-centred debriefing. The midwives were not trained but described as experienced and skilled. The main outcome measures were â€Å"maternal depression (score >13 on the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale) and overall health status (comparison of mean scores on SF ­36 subscales) measured by postal questionnaire at six months postpartum† (Small et al, 2000 p 1044). Again, established scales are being used to lend strength to the study. Small et al (2000) found that â€Å"more women allocated to debriefing scored as depressed six months after birth than women allocated to usual postpartum care (81 (17%) v 65 (14%)), although this difference was not significant (odds ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval 0.87 to 1.77)† and â€Å"they were also more likely to report that depression had been a problem for them since the birth, but the difference was not significant (123 (28%) v 94 (22%); odds ratio = 1.37, 1.00 to 1.86).† (p 1043). According to this study, the authors demonstrated that midwife led debriefing following operative births was not only not effective in reducing maternal morbidity (in particular, psychological morbidity), at the six month point after delivery, but that it may have been a contributing factor to emotional health issues for certain women (Small et al, 2000). This author would suggest that it might be the nature of the intervention that is the issue here, because it was provided in hospital, soon after birth, and may not have been particularly woman-centred. Cultural differences between Australian women and UK women cannot be ruled out; neither can cultural differences in models of care and practice. Priest et al (2003) carried out a randomised single-blind controlled trial, stratified for parity and delivery mode, to test whether critical incident stress debriefing after childbirth reduces the incidence of postnatal psychological disorders, also in Australia, in two maternity hospitals. They had a large enough sample size, consisting of 1745 women who delivered healthy term infants between a specificed time period, with 75 allocated to the intervention group and 870 to control group (Priest et al, 2003). Again, the study design is transparent, and the randomisation process clear. As with the previous study by Small et al (2000), the intervention was carried out soon after delivery, but this intervention consisted of an individual, standardised debriefing session based on the principles of critical incident stress debriefing. The intervention is described briefly, and it is stated that the midwives were trained in the intervention (Priest et al, 2003). However, the intervention i tself and the training is not really described in great detail, which affects replication of the study. The intervention is based on theories which are not specifically developed for childbirth trauma, but that have been adapted, and this may be a weakness. As with the other studies, recognised outcome measures are used. Priest et al (2003) found that â€Å"there were no significant differences between control and intervention groups in scores on Impact of Events or Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scales at 2, 6 or 12 months postpartum, or in proportions of women who met diagnostic criteria for a stress disorder (intervention, 0.6% v control, 0.8%; P = 0.58) or major or minor depression (intervention, 17.8% v control, 18.2%; relative risk [95% CI], 0.99 [0.87–1.11]) during the postpartum year. Nor were there differences in median time to onset of depression (intervention, 6 [interquartile range, 4–9] weeks v control, 4 [3–8] weeks; P = 0.84), or duration of depression (intervention, 24 [12–46] weeks v control, 22 [10–52] weeks; P=0.98).† (p 544). This leads to the conclusion that this single session of midwife led, specific debriefing was ineffective as a means of prevention of postnatal psychological disorders (Priest et al, 2003). While the authors conclude that the intervention had no ill effects (Priest et al, 2003), this author finds these findings significant in their lack of support for the intervention, and would suggest, again, that it may be the nature of the intervention that is leading to these kinds of results. Gamble et al (2005) carried out a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a counselling intervention after a traumatic childbirth, based on a midwife-led brief counselling intervention for women deemed at risk of developing symptoms of psychological symptoms postnatally. This was a smaller study group, with only 50 in the intervention group and 53 in the control group, and the intervention was also provided as face to face counselling within 72 hours of birth, as with the previous study, but also had a telephone counselling session at between four and six weeks postnatally (Gamble et al, 2005). The allocation/randomisation process is described, but the midwife was not blind to the randomisation, which may represent a potential source of bias. Established data collection scales were used as with all the previous studies: â€Å"Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) , Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) , and Maternity Social Support Scale (MSSS)â €  (Gamble et al, 2005 p 13). Gamble et al (2005) measured the following outcome measures: posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, self-blame, and confidence about a future pregnancy. Gamble et al (2005) provide great detail about the underpinnings of the therapeutic intervention, and there is a midwifery/woman-centred focus to the intervention (and, by association, to the study). Gamble et al (2005) found their intervention to be effective in reducing symptoms of trauma, depression, stress, and feelings of self-blame. All of these studies fall within the scope of good standards of evidence for practice, but find marked differences between studies in relation to efficacy and non-efficacy of interventions. There may be a number of reasons for this. Only one study suggests potential negative effects of this kind of intervention, but this was not conclusive and warranted further investigation. However, the literature around this subject does seem to predominantly suggest that such interventions are useful for women following birth. Axe (2000) suggests that women can use such support to help them cope with the difference between their expectations and experiences of birth. Robinson (1999) argues for the increasing occurrence of post traumatic stress disorder following traumatic childbirth, and suggests that this is under-diagnosed and represents a significant maternal morbidity which needs addressing, a suggestion also found by Ayers and Pickering (2001). Creedy et al (2000) state that â€Å"posttraum atic stress disorder after childbirth is a poorly recognized phenomenon,† and that â€Å"women who experienced both a high level of obstetric intervention and dissatisfaction with their intrapartum care were more likely to develop trauma symptoms than women who received a high level of obstetric intervention or women who perceived their care to be inadequate† (p 104). Therefore, the focus on debriefing may not be the only way forward to improve psychological morbidity – there may be a need for research to explore ways of reducing the trauma that occurs in the first place. Czarnocka and Slade (2000) suggest that there may be opportunities for prevention of post traumatic stress and psychological morbidity after birth, through providing care in labour that enhances perceptions of control and support. One study demonstrates that negative experiences of interactions with maternity staff can contribute to psychological morbidity (Wijma et al, 1997). Kenardy (2000) suggests that it is the nature of the debriefing that may be ineffective in those studies that have found such results. Gamble et al (2002) also suggest that the kind and timing of the debriefing warrants further investigation. Hagan et al (1996) did not find any reduction in psychological morbidity following this kind of intervention. Alexander (1999) suggests that some of the problems may be linked to the lack of clarity and understanding that exists about these processes, which are neither necessarily formal psychological counselling nor a simple sharing session. Yet there does seem to be some indication that these kinds of supportive therapies are found to be useful by women and by midwives. Westley (1997) describes providing women with the opportunity to talk about their birth experiences, and have their questions answered, as useful, a finding supported by Smith et al (1996), Phillips (2003), Inglis (2002), Dennett (2003), Charles (1994), Charles and Curtis (1994), Baxter et al (2003), and Allott (1996). Certainly, a range of literature established post-traumatic stress disorder as a potential and/or real psychological morbidity for women having had a baby (Ayers and Pickering, 2001; Creedy et al, 2000; Laing, 2001; Menage, 1996; Robinson, 1999; Ballard et al, 1995; Crompton, 1996). Psychological debriefing interventions may be effective in preventing or managing post traumatic stress disorder in a range of situations (Rose et al, 2004), but there would seem to be some dangers inherent in some of the interventions found in the literature ( Kenardy, 2000; Madden, 2002). Conclusion It would appear from the randomised controlled trials analysed here that while some evidence supports postnatal debriefing as a means of reducing psychological morbidity, significant evidence shows no correlation between postnatal interventions of this kind and improved emotional health outcomes. However, anecdotal evidence and other literature suggests that midwives and women find some benefit from opportunities to talk about their childbirth experiences. Some of these simply allow women an opportunity to talk and to ask questions about what happened to them. This leads to the conclusion that such interventions require much more research, preferably research which includes detailed, qualitative evaluations of interventions, and interventions which are specifically designed for this client group. However, this author would also recommend that such interventions be provided, as they are not proven to do harm in the majority of studies, and represent a woman-centred approach to good mi dwifery care. References Alexander J (1998) Confusing debriefing and defusing postnatally: the need for clarity of terms, purpose and value. Midwifery 14: 122-124. Allott H (1996) Picking up the pieces: the post-delivery stress clinic. British Journal of Midwifery 4(10): 534-536. Axe S (2000) Labour debriefing is crucial for good psychological care. British Journal of Midwifery 8(10): 626-631. Ayers S, Pickering A D (2001) Do women get post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of childbirth? A prospective study of incidence. Birth 28(2): 111-118. Ballard C G, Stanley A K, Brockington I F (1995) Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth. The British Journal of Psychiatry 166: 525-528. Baxter J, McCrae A, Dorey-Irani A (2003) Talking with women after birth. British Journal of Midwifery 11(5): 304-309. Charles J L (1994) Birth afterthoughts: a listening and information service. British Journal of Midwifery 2(7): 331-334. Charles J, Curtis L (1994) Birth afterthoughts. Midwives Chronicle 107(1278): 266-268. Creedy D K, Shochet I M, Horsfall J (2000) Childbirth and the development of acute trauma symptoms: incidence and contributing factors. Birth 27(2): 104-111. Crompton J (1996) Post-traumatic stress disorder and childbirth. British Journal of Midwifery 4(6): 290-294. Czarnocka J, Slade P (2000) Prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress symptoms following childbirth. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 39: 35-51. Dennett S (2003) Talking about the birth with a midwife. British Journal of Midwifery 11(1): 24-27. Gamble J A, Creedy D K, Webster J, Moyle (2002) A review of the literature on debriefing or non-directive counselling to prevent postpartum emotional distress. Midwifery 18: 72-79. Inglis S (2002) Accessing a debriefing service following birth. British Journal of Midwifery 10(6): 368-371. Kenardy J (2000) The current status of psychological debriefing. It may do more harm than good. British Medical Journal 321:1032-1033. Laing K G (2001) Post-traumatic stress disorder: myth or reality? British Journal of Midwifery 9(7): 447-451. Lavender T, Walkinshaw S A (1998) Can midwives reduce postpartum psychological morbidity? A randomized trial. Birth 25(4): Dec 215-219. Madden I (2002) Midwifery debriefing – in whose best interest? British Journal of Midwifery 10(10): 631-634. Menage J (1993) Post-traumatic stress disorder in women who have undergone obstetric and/ or gynaecological procedures. A consecutive study of 30 cases of PTSD. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 11: 221-228. Menage J (1996) Post-traumatic stress disorder following obstetric/ gynaecological procedures. British Journal of Midwifery 4(10): 532-533. Page L (1996) Positive care in childbirth. British Journal of Midwifery 4(10): 530-531. Phillips S (2003) Debriefing following traumatic childbirth. British Journal of Midwifery 11(12): 725-730. Robinson J (1999) When delivery is torture – postnatal PTSD. British Journal of Midwifery 7(11): 684. Robinson J (1998) Dangers of debriefing. British Journal of Midwifery 6(4): 251. Rose S, Bisson J, Wessely S (2004) Psychological debriefing for preventing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 1. Chichester: John Wiley Sons. Small R, Lumley J, Donohue L, Potter A, Waldenstrà ¶m U (2000) Randomised controlled trial of midwife led debriefing to reduce maternal depression after operative childbirth. British Medical Journal 321:1043-1047. Smith J A, Mitchell S (1996) Debriefing after childbirth: a tool for effective risk management. British Journal of Midwifery 4(11): 581-586. Wessely S, Rose S, Bisson J (1999) A systematic review of brief psychological interventions (â€Å"debriefing†) for the treatment of immediate trauma-related symptoms and the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder. In: Cochrane Collaboration. Cochrane library. Issue 4. Oxford: Update Software. Westley W (1997) ‘Time to talk’ listening service. Midwives 110(1309): 30-31. Wijma K, Soderquist M A, Wijma B (1997) Post traumatic stress disorder after childbirth: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 11: 587-597.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

At the Gym Essay -- Literary Analysis, Mark Doty

At the Gym, written by Mark Doty, dramatizes the conflict within the mind of a bodybuilder and his desire to change who and what he is. The speaker observes the routines of the bodybuilder bench-pressing at a local gym, and attempts to explain the driving force that compels him to change his appearance. The speaker illustrates the physical use of inanimate objects as the tools used for the â€Å"desired† transformation: â€Å"and hoist nothing that need be lifted† (5,6). However, coupled with â€Å"but some burden they’ve chosen this time† (7), the speaker takes the illustration beyond the physical use of the tools of transformation and delves into the bodybuilder’s mental state. The speaker ends by portraying the bodybuilder as an arrogant, muscular being with fragile feelings of insecurity. Similar to a church altar where baptisms take place, the speaker begins by depicting the bench press as an altar of change and transformation. Illustrating the setting in this manner suggests that the speaker begins to wonders what drives the bodybuilder to lift an inanimate object repeatedly w...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Coke: Behind the Image Essay -- Soft Drinks Papers

Coke: Behind the Image Almost everywhere I go, I see advertisements for â€Å"The Real Thing.† Even during my trip to Mozambique, a country stricken with poverty where the people rarely speak English, native children knew how to ask for their favorite drink, available just down the road at the street vendor‘s hut. Created in 1885 by pharmacist John Pemberton, Coca-Cola has evolved from a tonic peddled by traveling salesmen to cure headaches and hangovers, to one of the most recognized and most widely enjoyed beverages of all time (Oliver 14). On average, North Americans drink at least one serving of Coke per day (CSPI sc1). With over two million dollars spent every year on advertising and with very competitive prices, Coke is appealing to and affordable for people of all ages and financial situations. Although most people believe that Coke is the ultimate companion to a good time, that Coke promotes freedom and fun, that it tastes good and poses no threat to the health, I now see that with its aggressive advertising and inherent health risks, Coke has a hidden agenda to create young addicts and further people’s illusion of control. In 1885 Coke was originally trademarked as the â€Å"Ideal Nerve and Tonic Stimulant,† containing cocaine, wine and kola nut for flavor, and sold in drugstores (Oliver 13). Later, the wine was removed and the cocaine was replaced with caffeine. The beverage was then bottled and sold â€Å"within arm’s reach of desire,† a new concept by Coke businessmen who wanted Coke to be available wherever people were thirsty (Oliver 14). From the early 1900s on, Coke has kept growing, remaining in the top ten lists for both preferred beverages and highest sales (CSPI sc... ...4. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. Manning, Steven. â€Å"Branding Kids For Life.† Nation 20 Nov. 2000:7. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. â€Å"Myopia.† Nutrition Action Health Letter Dec. 1998:16. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. Oliver, Thomas. The Real Coke, the Real Story. New York: Random House, 1986. Sampey, Kathleen. â€Å"Coke Shifts Not-So-Funny Ad Tack, Reaches For Teens in Next TV Push.† Brandweek 9 Oct. 2000:5. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. â€Å"Save Harry.† Nov. 2001. CSPI. www.saveharry.com/bythenumbers.html 29 Mar. 2002 Watters, Pat. Coca-cola. An Illustrated History. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1978.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Arab community and Mosque

Terrorism, especially Islamic terrorism lately has been regarded as the most outrageous menace of the civilized and modern. In one hand the Islamic fundamentalist groups or organizations like Al-Qaeda are operating at merciless precision against the whole of western civilization, specifically the United States. The focal point of this paper is to act according to the given situation as a Counterterrorism Official with a significant Arab population in a city. The population includes both Arab American citizens and immigrants.Every action taken in the context of security must be evaluated in terms of not only effective measures of eradication of terrorism but also should deal with the aspects of ethical considerations. An effective measure in countering terrorism could have been to move substantial attack and infiltrate the Arab community and Mosque but that would be too irrational and many innocent civilians would be harmed. Alongside it would appear as if this is a new version of Naz i regime. The better mode would be to implant informants among the Arab community.This would be a much better mode of operation as it is ethical to use personal monitoring system rather than use force indiscriminately. Furthermore, the security officials are bounded by ethical considerations other than the need to prevent needless deaths through terrorism and that should be valued. By ethical consideration it is important to understand the need of self respect and human rights and one should always maintain the boundary between civil rights and autocracy.It should be noted that several measures could be taken maintaining the ethical context. First of all, there is the problem of forged documents and counterfeit currency. To negotiate these and to control probable and further infiltrations the authorities must make it absolutely necessary to double check each and every document under double scrutiny that are put forward by any individual of religion other than Christianity. This may appear a bit of racist statement but under the perception of national security this measure should be taken into account.The primary reason of eliminating Christians from this scrutiny is the information that hardly any person of this belief has ever been found involved with fundamentalist Islamic activities. Secondly, eliminating the Christians would ensure a faster mean of scrutiny as, and logically enough, the majority of the demography of United States and United Kingdoms are Christians. By why not eliminate Hindus, Shiks and Buddhists from this schedule?This is because it would be very difficult for security personnel to identify Hindus, Shiks and Buddhist apart from that of an Islamic militant and it is not possible to teach each and every security personnel the basic differences of religion. Next in the line is the problem of Apartments and hiding places. To counter this issuing a social security number of any other identification documents would not serve the purpose alone. To counter these Islamic militants the authorities should ensure that whoever is renting out an apartment or a property or selling the same to a non Christian individual should inform the authorities at once.The authorities should make it a mandatory issue. Furthermore, the authorities should set up enough whispering campaigns to ensure each individual is aware of this menace of Islamic terrorism and should always keep an eye or two on such suspecting parties. Reports should be forwarded immediately if there are indications of such activities. For this purpose the authorities must ensure to maintain a counter terrorism cell in each station. Another very vital tool of operations of the Islamic fundamentalist elements is the high tech means of communication.Though we often say that the internet has opened our eyes to the world and has unlocked our minds for the greater good, it is with this medium, along with telecommunication and short wave transmitter and other communicative means t he Islamic fundamentalists have closed their minds and hearts and zeroed in to destroy anything and everything that are beautiful, sober and just. To present a counterterrorist plan against this misuse of communication system the authorities must make sure that no bit of information is passed unnoticed or without proper scrutiny.For this, if it requires the best code decoders available so be it. If it requires the best possible software system so be it too. After all this is the matter of national security. (Kar, 2006) Information is one of the most important of all features of the terrorist groups. Infiltrators are basically implanted into the geography of a state mainly to gather information about the related state so that it would be possible for these people to gather enough information whereby it would be possible for the terrorist groups to utilize the information to gain access into the strategic location and perform terrorist activities.To negotiate and nullify these activit ies the authorities must ensure to put up wings involved in counter espionage. A wing of domestic counter espionage system is very hard to digest but overlooking this manifestation of the Islamic terrorist group would be resulting into adversity. So it is much needed that the authorities appoint units to monitor and report all possible act of terrorist espionage. Alongside, strategic points of the country should be well protected and supervised on a regular basis.Departments of concerns related to the country’s defense mechanisms should be well protected as well because there are the prime targets of the Islamic terrorist groups. Every other point of strategic points should be kept under thorough watch like stock exchange and other financial institutions for possible scams. This is because it has been found that the end in source of many financial scams result in the hand of different terrorist groups. These groups are always in need of financial assistance and scams are a go od source of acquiring a substantial amount of finance.(Lamb, 2004) All these measures are ethical and effective as far as security is concerned. Thus it can be stated that f used properly it would possible to eradicate the menace of terrorism staying with in the parameters of ethical considerations. References: Kar, P; (2006); Principals of Homeland Security and Related Applications; Kolkata: Dasgupta & Chatterjee Lamb, D; (2004); Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; Wellington: National Book Trust

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Management and Golden Rule

At work, we should always be aware of the ones that do not appear to be ethical with decisions made for the company. Golden Rule 1 Samuel 19:1-3: How does Jonathan live by the Golden Rule in disclosing this information to David? Saul is on the hunt to kill David, but Jonathan, the son of Saul, is very fond of David. So Jonathan tells David about the plan and tells him to go hide. Jonathan Is living by the Golden Rule by telling Jonathan of the plan, because he feels that he should warn Jonathan as he would Like the same done to him if the tables were turned.In the working place, you should always show your coworkers respect and you would want the same In return. Causes Significant Harm Samuel 16:1-3: Does Samuel have a duty to disclose this Information to Saul? If not, why? No Samuel does not have a duty to disclose this information, because the Lord, the most high, has asked him to do this. The Lord is the highest leader and his rules should be followed. Sometimes you are asked to f ulfill a task at work in confidence.When asked by the team leader, rules should be followed. Chapter Eleven 1. Human Dignity Isaiah 58:3: Why doesn't God hear the prayers of these managers? God doesn't hear the prayers of these managers because they are fasting, but the fasting ends with arguments and fist fights among each other. They cannot expect to be rewarded for these things. Getting along with each other In the office Is essential to get the Job done. One cannot be rewarded when each other cannot get along. 2.Reciprocity Daniel 2:48-49, 6:1-4: Why is Daniel promoted? What admirable characteristics does he display? Daniel was promoted by the King because he was able to interpret his dream. The dream was interpreted correctly, and the King promoted him. Daniel displays dignity and loyalty to the king and all of its wise men. Being loyal to your am members promotes dignity and trust among the workplace. 3. Servant Leadership Mathew 20:24-28: What are the primary characteristics of Jesus' view of leadership?His primary characteristic view is servant leadership. Leadership is based on power and self-interest. Authority is not an avenue for self-promotion but should be used to serve others. Being a leader you should still have respect for your team. 4. Gift Recognition Acts 6:1-6: Why are these seven men chosen to become early church leaders? These seven were chosen because they were spiritual and full of wisdom. These leaders

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Alcoholism and Drinking - Alcoholics Anonymous as an Important Literary Work

Anonymity of alcoholism as an important literary work Anonymity of alcoholism is one of the unrecognized wonderful literary works in the first half of the 20th century. It was first printed in 1939 and went through three editions in which at least 53 plates were printed in more than 90 countries (xxii). The popularity and distribution of the book certainly confirmed this claim. If you check the content of the book, you should also receive this book. This is a rich job, as it conveys the basic human condition, but it is hard to see till it is not publicly spoken at that time. If you do it, that is a good book. But that is not just a matter of speaking The book Anonymous to Alcoholics begins with an introduction letter written by a doctor who was almost monopolistically engaged in alcohol and drug addiction in the 1930's. He believes that alcohol addicts suffer from physical and mental illness, along with the first member of alcoholism. This double disease not only explains why alcohol lacks the ability to control alcohol intake, it also can not choose whether to drink alcohol. When alcohol drinks his first glass wine, the vicious circle of alcoholism begins (according to A.A.). He drank this first drink, because he was mentally interested in alcohol. When he is awake he becomes obsessed with drinking, and ultimately succumbs to temptation and accepts drinking. Alcohol is not mentally caught by alcohol, but physically allergies to alcohol. Alcoholic beverages (or alcoholic beverages) are beverages containing ethanol, which is an alcohol produced by fermentation of cereals, fruits or other sugar sources. Drinking plays an important social role in many cultures. In most countries, there is a law regulating the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Some countries prohibit such activities altogether, but in most parts of the world alcoholic beverages are legal. In 2014, the global alcoholic beverage industry exceeded 1 trillion dollars. Alcohol is an inhibitor, low doses can cause euphoria, alleviate anxiety, and improve social skills. At higher doses, it can lead to drunkenness, coma, coma or death. Long-term use can lead to alcohol abuse, physical dependence and alcohol abuse. Alcohol is one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world, with about 33% being the current drinkers. As of 2016, women drink 0.7 drinks a day on average and 1.7 eyeglasses for men. Many people use the word alcoholism and alcoholism in the same sense. However, alcoholism refers to alcoholism or addiction, and individuals have physical or psychological stress to drink alcohol. Alcohol abuse is a pattern of behavior that people overdrink in spite of bad results. Whether you are alcoholic or whether you are struggling or not, it is important to understand these signs and you know that you are not alone. Thousands of people in all walks of life are fighting alcohol every day, and thousands have decided to call for help. Rehabilitation villag e offers various programs at facilities throughout the country to treat alcohol and other diseases. All you have to do is make a phone call, one of our entry coordinators will be responsible for the rest of the work.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

The Troubled Asset Relief Program Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Troubled Asset Relief Program - Term Paper Example The Need for Relief: Why T.A.R.P. was Created The housing market is generally cited as one of the biggest factors behind the financial crisis that resulted in the need for T.A.R.P. to be created. After a short recession in 2001, housing sales rose, peaking in September of 2005 before dropping by as much as 52% by November 2007 (DiMartino, and Duca 1). In 2001, to counteract a recession, the Federal Reserve proceeded by lowering the interest rate alongside the push from both the Clinton and the Bush administrations for the American public to buy houses (Gjerstad, and Vernon L. Smith). This resulted in the lowering of credit standards, which in turn granted a flood of events such as subprime mortgages, or the lending of money to people generally considered a credit risk, going from 9% in 2001 to 40% in 2006 (DiMartino, and Duca 2). By 2007, the housing market was deteriorating, and delinquency rates on subprime mortgages and the interest-only adjustable rate mortgages were soaring; the big businesses with investors in those subprime mortgages were going under quickly (DiMartino, and Duca 5). The Federal Reserve responded by cutting the interest rate aggressively, from 5.25% to 2%, but the crisis continued (Bernanke). By September 15, 2008, the Treasury Secretary was forced to pay a visit to the White House and tell then-President George W. Bush an awful truth: the financial market was imploding, and unless something was done quickly, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression would result (Halm-Addo 1). Thus emergency measures were taken, and on October 3, 2008 the government was forced to step in and lend assistance, by means of creating the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The Purpose of The Troubled Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) The purpose of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (T.A.R.P.) was, originally, quite simple. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act created T.A.R.P. as well as giving the power to the United States Government to both buy and insure certain types of assets, mainly to protect the average taxpayer (â€Å"The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008†). Specifically, T.A.R.P. meant that the Secretary of the Treasury, with the backing and support of the Federal Government, could then purchase defaulted mortgages or other assets that were weighing on the balance sheets of the subprime lenders (â€Å"The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008†). At the time of being enacted into law on October 3, 2008, no lending between banks was taking place, and in turn, no lending to the consumer was taking place (Massad 1). No lending to consumers meant that no money was flowing into the economy of the country, thus creating a nightmare for all businesses and consumers. Allowing the Federal Government to purchase the debt in exchange for repayment terms would wipe the bad debt from the balance sheets of the banks and allow them to begin functioning once more. T.A.R.P. created several programs which were able to kick-start the American economy. Money was invested in banks through several programs, including one known as the Capital Purchase Program (CPP), which aided banks across the nation (United States Department of Treasury). Through the Capital Purchase Program, the United States Treasury, working with the Federal Reserve and other

Monday, October 7, 2019

Quranic and Biblical Depictions of Sulayman Research Paper

Quranic and Biblical Depictions of Sulayman - Research Paper Example The author of the paper tells that when comparing the two texts, some key differences in the depiction of Sulayman/Solomon is revealed. Firstly, in the Holy Koran, the emphasis was laid on Sulayman's role as a Prophet, whereas in the Holy Bible he is portrayed as a King. And to go with the notion of a prophet, Sulaiman was endowed with supernatural powers such as the power to move wind. The following select quotations from Abdul Haleem's translation of the Holy Koran illustrates this point: â€Å"And (We made) the wind subservient to Sulaiman whereof the morning course was a months journey and the course a months journey." (54:12) "So We subjected the wind to his power, setting fair by his command whithersoever he intended" (38:36) "And unto Sulaiman, We subdued the wind in its raging. It flows by his order towards the land which We had blessed And of everything We are aware." (21:81)† Seen from an Islamic point of view, one need not see any contradiction in designations such as a Prophet or a King, for, in the Islamic tradition, most Prophets happen to be Kings and vice-versa, including Prophet Muhammad himself. Secondly, in the Holy Koran, Sulayman is said to have lived only 53 years; whereas The Bible suggests that he lived longer than that. Other minor differences in the two versions pertain to minor linguistic differences such as King David (the father of Solomon) being referred to as Prophet Daud in the Holy Koran. As for similarities, the historical/religious character in question is said to have gathered knowledge from his illustrious father.