A Reality of Presence Essays - Emotions, The Bluest Eye, Free Essays

A Reality of Presence Essays - Emotions, The Bluest Eye, Free Essays A Reality of Presence A Reality of PresenceMarch 1995 In The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison shows that anger is healthy and that it is not something to be feared; those who are not able to get angry are the ones who suffer the most. She criticizes Cholly, Polly, Claudia, Soaphead Church, the Mobile Girls, and Pecola because these blacks in her story wrongly place their anger on themselves, their own race, their family, or even God, instead of being angry at those they should have been angry at: whites. Pecola Breedlove suffered the most because she was the result of having others anger dumped on her, and she herself was unable to get angry. When Geraldine yells at her to get out of her house, Pecolas eyes were fixed on the pretty lady and her pretty house. Pecola does not stand up to Maureen Peal when she made fun of her for seeing her dad naked but instead lets Freida and Claudia fight for her. Instead of getting mad at Mr. Yacobowski for looking down on her, she directed her anger toward the dandelions she once thought were beautiful. However, the anger will not hold(50), and the feelings soon gave way to shame. Pecola was the sad product of having others anger placed on her: All of our waste we dumped on her and she absorbed. And all of our beauty, which was hers first and which she gave to us(205). They felt beautiful next to her ugliness, wholesome next to her uncleanness, her poverty made them generous, her weakness made them strong, and her pain made them happier. When Pecolas father, Cholly Breedlove, was caught as a teenager in a field with Darlene by two white men, never did he once consider directing his hatred toward the hunters(150), rather her directed his hatred towards the girl because hating the white men would consume him. He was powerless against the white men and was unable to protect Darlene from them as well. This caused his to hate her for being in the situation with him and for realizing how powerless her really was. Also, Cholly felt that any misery his daughter suffered was his fault, and looking in to Pecolas loving eyes angered him because her wondered, What could her do for her - ever? What give her? What say to her?(161) Chollys failures led him to hate those that he failed, most of all his family. Pecolas mother, Polly Breedlove, also wrongly placed her anger on her family. As a result of having a deformed foot, Polly had always had a feeling of unworthiness and separateness. With her own children, sometimes Id catch myself hollering at them and beating them, but I couldnt seem to stop(124). She stopped taking care of her own children and her home and took care of a white family and their home. She found praise, love, and acceptance with the Fisher family, and it is for these reasons that she stayed with them. She had been deprived of such feelings from her family when growing up and in turn deprived her own family of these same feelings. Polly held Cholly as a mode on sin and failure, she bore him like a crown of thorns, and her children like a cross(126). Pecolas friend Claudia is angry at the beauty of whiteness and attempts to dismember white dolls to find where their beauty lies. There is a sarcastic tone in her voice when she spoke of having to be worthy to play with the dolls. Later, when telling the story as a past experience, she describes the adults tone of voice as being filled with years of unfulfilled longing, perhaps a longing to be themselves beautifully white. Claudia herself was happiest when she stood up to Maureen Peal, the beautiful girl from her class. When Claudia and Freida taunted her as she ran down the street, they were happy to get a chance to express anger, and we were still in love with ourselves then(74). Claudias anger towards dolls turns to hated of white girls. Out of a fear for his anger the she could not comprehend, she later tool a refuge in loving whites. She had to at least pretend to

The Pros and Cons of Solar Power

The Pros and Cons of Solar Power The prospect of generating pollution-free power from the sun’s rays is appealing, but to-date the low price of oil combined with the high costs of developing new technology have prevented the widespread adoption of solar power in the United States and beyond. At a current cost of 25 to 50 cents per kilowatt-hour, solar power costs as much as five times more than conventional fossil fuel-based electricity. And dwindling supplies of polysilicon, the element found in traditional photovoltaic cells, are not helping. The Politics of Solar Power According to Gary Gerber of the Berkeley, California-based Sun Light Power, not long after Ronald Reagan moved into the White House in 1980 and removed the solar collectors from the roof that Jimmy Carter had installed, tax credits for solar development disappeared and the industry plunged â€Å"over a cliff.† Federal spending on solar energy picked up under the Clinton administration, but trailed off again once George W. Bush took office. But growing climate change worries and high oil prices have forced the Bush administration to reconsider its stance on alternatives like solar, and the White House has proposed $148 million for solar energy development in 2007, up almost 80 percent from what it invested in 2006. Increasing the Efficiency and Lowering the Cost of Solar Power In the realm of research and development, enterprising engineers are working hard to get solar power’s costs down, and expect it to be price-competitive with fossil fuels within 20 years. One technological innovator is California-based Nanosolar, which replaces the silicon used to absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity with a thin film of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS). Nanosolar’s Martin Roscheisen says CIGS-based cells are flexible and more durable, making them easier to install in a wide range of applications. Roscheisen expects he will be able to build a 400-megawatt electricity plant for about a tenth of the price of a comparable silicon-based plant. Other companies making waves with CIGS-based solar cells include New York’s DayStar Technologies and California’s Miasolà ©. Another recent innovation in solar power is the co-called â€Å"spray-on† cell, such as those made by Massachusetts’ Konarka. Like paint, the composite can be sprayed on to other materials, where it can harness the sun’s infrared rays to power cell phones and other portable or wireless devices. Some analysts think spray-on cells could become five times more efficient than the current photovoltaic standard. Venture Capitalists Investing in Solar Power Environmentalists and mechanical engineers aren’t the only ones bullish on solar these days. According to the Cleantech Venture Network, a forum of investors interested in clean renewable energy, venture capitalists poured some $100 million into solar start-ups of all sizes in 2006 alone, and expect to commit even more money in 2007. Given the venture capital community’s interest in relatively short-term returns, it’s a good bet that some of today’s promising solar start-ups will be tomorrow’s energy behemoths. EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E.

SOCIALIZATION ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SOCIALIZATION - Assignment Example It seems clear I am not a carbon copy of my parents. I suspect that the greatest socializing influences on my values and beliefs have been my religion, the city where I grew up, and my school. I am a Muslim, from United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East. I spent my childhood and teen years in Abu Dhabi, and went to an international school. I meet many people for whom religion is just something they were born into and direct no effort toward. For me, being Muslim is an active organization of beliefs. By active, I mean it is more than rules and doctrine. It is a way of life that is visible every day, every choice, every relationship with others. I pray toward our holy city, Mecca, and I am reoriented and refreshed in my soul. I pray because God is God, and I feel a part of something very beautiful. I feel the effect of our prayers on the world is a helpful thing. It is a time for quiet, a time for connection to Allah and to the Prophet, (peace be upon him). No matter where I am, in the world, and no matter who are my friends and what are my influences, I pray and know, again, who and what I am. Islam is a religion of which I feel proud. When I read the Holy Qur’an, I am connected into a history of my people and instructions for how to live a right way. Islam is a religion that is not confined to the region of my birth, but has spread all over the world. Some people misunderstand and think it is a religion of conflict, but actually it is a way of peace. We Muslims greet each other in peace, and return the blessing of peace when we are greeted. This greeting is a cultural symbol. It includes us with the Muslim we are greeting and with all Muslims because that idea of inclusiveness is part of the phrase we speak. Muslims have contributed many good things to the world. From the invention of algebra and hospitals to the building of the Hamarabi and the Taj Mahal,

Managing Ethichs and Social responsibility Research Paper

Managing Ethichs and Social responsibility - Research Paper Example In relation to the conception of business ethics along with social responsibility, Business Ethic Management (BEM) is viewed to be a process of analysing as well as minimising ethical issues or problems with the application of certain specific programs and effectual practices. There are varied important elements that are applied by different organisations for minimising ethical problems or issues that include formulating effectual mission statements and establishing standard code of ethics. It has been apparently observed that the people involved with an organisation are provided with business ethics related education as well as training in order to effectively operate their respective business activities in accordance with organisational objectives. Moreover, business operations of an organisation are required to be audited as well as reported in an appropriate manner in order to effectively analyze business performances by a significant level (University of Bahrain, n.d.). News Int ernational or NI Group Ltd (NI) is regarded as one of the renowned as well as the biggest publishers of famous British newspapers. The well-known newspapers published by NI are The Sunday Times and The Times. These newspapers which publish by the organisation are considered to be the best in consideration to quality. Furthermore, another well-known newspaper of the organisation named The Sun is regarded to be one of the most read newspapers in the UK that accounts to seven million readers per day (NI Group Limited, 2012). This discussion will emphasize upon analysing ethical as well as social issues that faced by NI. Moreover, the discussion will further focus upon the techniques as well as the standards that adopted by the organisation in minimising all these identified issues that are pertaining within the organisation. Ethical and Social Issues of NI NI is one the famous newspaper publisher in the UK that faced several issues or problems which have been identified to hamper the p erformances as well as the business ethics of the organisation at large. The organisation has faced the problems due to corrupt practices that were performed for investigating certain crime related activities or news reports. The major ethical problem that faced by the organisation is the phone-hacking investigation procedure. Moreover, the staff members of the organisation were also alleged that they were involved in accessing messages of general public along with comprising the celebrities as well as the politicians (Davies, 2009). Furthermore, one of the staff members named Clive Goodman as well as two other members of NI was identified to be involved in tapping the phone calls of Prince William, a member of royal family (Day, 2006). There was another event that hampered the ethical standards of the organisation considering the case of Milly Dowler who was murdered. In regard to this case, the members of NI were alleged that they erased messages from Milly Dowler’s mobile phone with the intention of acquiring future messages (Muller, 2012). Furthermore, the organisation is also charged with the crime of providing bribery to public officials for acquiring important information

Melanin-Based Racial Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Melanin-Based Racial Prejudice Essay Do you think humans are born to be judgmental? We usually make judgments based on what we see first, and most of the time an important factor is skin color. Social racism is known as the discrimination or intolerance of people of other races or skin colors. Racism occurs in many ways; however, it is not always obvious. Where did this type of behavior begin? Racial prejudice has many causes and effects from and on society that are inevitable. There are many ideas thrown around as to how racism began, though the truth lies in the historical facts. From slavery, to imperialism, to wars, we have always felt superior towards others with different skin colors and races. â€Å"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.† (Mandela, 1994). Racism has been a part of history for as long as humans existed and has been enhanced by early capitalism’s use of slaves for plantations and colonies. Back then, the colonists and imperialists used it as a way to show domination, but it resulted in dividing the modern world. A main factor of this division is that people who believe in stereotypes detest any communication with other races, causing a defense mechanism against them, and finally creating tension and animosity. History is proof that colored people have been treated unfairly and tortured over centuries. â€Å"Black† has always been perceived as negative. Black cats are told to be a sign of omen, black clothes are worn to funerals, and hell is pictured as a deadly place filled with darkness; these have all caused misinterpretation and created a wrong impression in people’s minds. Last, but unfortunately not least, pictures from The Holocaust -a genocide where about six million Jews were killed by the Nazis under the command of Germany’s Adolf Hitler- still haunt us (Mukherjee, 2014). Just as kids grow up imitating their parents, upcoming generations will grow up to be racists in a society where each individual thinks they are superior to everyone else if they have lighter skin. It is a never ending cycle that will most probably end in bullying. Children who grow up watching discrimination happen everywhere around them will end up feeling a need to bully classmates of othe r races. Racial discrimination has had several effects on society and employment. Studies have shown that  people with darker skin colors usually have trouble achieving ordinary goals like a job that pays well, a house in a nice neighborhood, and all the basic necessities. Why should a person with a darker skin tone suffer to obtain these essential rights and needs? The unemployment rate for African Americans in 1995 was 10.1 percent compared to 4.7 percent for white Americans (Berry, 1995). It is widely known that colored people face higher rejection rates when applying for jobs and are usually put second to whites with similar credit characteristics and also get paid less (Ross Yinger, 1999). In addition, racism is associated with poor mental health. Studies show that the victims of bullying based on their skin color are at a greater risk of developing a range of psychological and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. These conditions can contribute to more serious mental disorders. Therefore, eliminating racial prejudice is vital to improving mental health and emotional stability. Even though all that is happening, proper awareness is still not being taken into consideration. Racial discrimination is often practiced subconciounsly because societies from all around the world have successfully managed to mind wash generation a fter generation. In movies, for example, people do not realize that the African Americans usually die first. In crime scenes, they are usually the criminal. As a result of this, children are unintentionally forced to believe that dark skinned people are bad. Statistics show that majority of the public believe that African Americans are not accurately portrayed in movies. The use of offensive words regarding the Natives has become very common, as well, especially in modern rap songs. Rappers include offensive and extremely racist words in their lyrics. Another example is advertisements, and how they stress on promoting whitening beauty creams. The racism in this is not obvious, but it is obscene for the people who are not fair skinned. Finally, as a cause of predictable racism, an innocent African American man named Michael Brown was shot fatally by a police officer earlier in August this year. The protesting citizens of Ferguson remain at unrest until this very day due to the injustice that had occurred. In a nutshell, social racism has had many causes and effects throughout the years due to the growing complexity of the world around us. Racial prejudice is surely not a biological characteristic. In other words, humans do not  differentiate between races because of their genetic makeup. In an ideal world, racism would be eliminated and justice would take over. To cut a long story short, why should the amount of melanin is someone’s skin define them? Resources Mandela, N. (1994). Long walk to freedom: The autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Boston: Little, Brown. Mukherjee, R. (2014, June 18). Top 10 Reasons why Racism Still Exists List Crux. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://listcrux.com/top-10-reasons-why-racism-

Regarding Indefinite Administrative Detention Essay example -- Politic

Regarding Indefinite Administrative Detention Blind patriotism and resounding public support of President Bush’s ‘War’ on terrorism after the events of September 11 th have allowed considerable leeway to be taken by the Federal Government in terms of indefinite detention of non-U.S. citizens in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But all the flag waving seems to have helped a lot of people dismiss the idea that, even though the detainees taken from Afghanistan in the past year are not U.S. citizens, they remain innocent until proven guilty according to American legal principles. One might ask: ‘if the suspects haven’t been proven guilty in court (or the remarkably prosecutor-friendly military tribunals), how can they be, for all intents and purposes, imprisoned while innocent (without violating numerous constitutional, statutory, and international laws)?’ The answer is that, because the detainees have NOT been charged with any crime, they are held as enemy combatants. Once deemed a threat to national security by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, they are subject to the restrictions of Wartime Internment: â€Å"according to the Geneva Conventions, captured combatants may be detained without charges until the end of active hostilities.†(Mariner) The procedural laws governing detention of aliens lie in a complex net of statutes declaring the rights of the government to detain aliens under different situations. When Donald Rumsfeld says that the end of active hostilities will come â€Å"when we feel that there are not effective global terrorist networks functioning in the world† (Mariner), the importance of looking at exactly what the Supreme Court has to say about detention regulations becomes increasingly clear: indefinite detention could v... ...tizens as a fair, just, and prudent tactic to serve the goal of winning a seemingly impossible, rhetorical war.(Mariner) But while the moral issues revolving around preventative administrative detention remain, the court in fact resolved Zadvydas in an ethically sound, legally justifiable manner. WORKS CITED Carter, Lief. 2002. Reason In Law: Sixth Edition. New York, NY: Longman. Mariner, Joanne. May 28, 2002. Indefinite Detention On Guantanamo. Retrieved October 19, 2002, from http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/mariner/20020528.html Ramasastry, Anita. Oct. 5, 2001. Indefinite Detention Based Upon Suspicion: How The Patriot Act Will Disrupt Many Lawful Immigrants’ Lives. Retrieved October 19, 2002, from http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/ramasastry/20011005.html Zadvydas v. Davis, et al. U.S. Supreme Court. Argued, Feb. 21, 2001. Decided, June 28, 2001.

Philosophy of Religion Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is religion necessary in maintaining a happy and successful family? Yes, religion plays a vital role in good family structure. Whenever religion is taken seriously and applied to family life, there is a definite prosperous and positive outcome. When families attend church together, there is a closer bond between family members and it is highly probable that family members who attend religious services push toward higher moral standards which in turn, builds a more solid and moral household. When the man observes religion in the home, he takes on the role as head of the household and creates harmony with other family members by providing for his family and treating his family with respect. When the woman recognizes her role in the home as a religious follower, she will also respect her husband and nurture her children as she is taught through religion. The children will do their part in their home by respecting both parents and also by using good moral values. Many people find it hard to understand why it is important to practice religion in homes since we rarely witness this in recent history but by following the laws of God, we lead ourselves and our families in the right direction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Should parents stay together when they feel that their marriage is one that has lost passion? Yes, it is important for families to work together in resolving marital problems in order to have a happy family. Children need the support of both parents working in unison and married couples should seek outside support if necessary such as members of the church if they feel they can’t work through the unhappiness in the marriage. The high divorce rate in America has broken down families and has increasingly left children in broken homes when on most occasions, the problems could have been worked through. The Bible gives us many guidelines concerning marriage and if we heed God’s Word, then it is highly possible for broken homes to be mended in order for children to grow up in a stable environment. If more parents would work harder at their marriage instead of getting divorced, family life and the quality of life would be much greater for everyone in the family.

Is Thinking Displayed In Al-Qaeda Writings and Statements Primary Religious or Ideological In Form?

An armed Sunni Islamist organization that has the objective and intention to eliminate and eradicate foreign influences from the Muslim countries is Al-Qaeda, which is nowadays is the hot topic in every country and state. Who should be eradicated it depends upon them, whom they deem and consider being infidels. One of the main purposes of this militant organization is to reestablish the caliphate, which is the title given to an Islamic leader in the community of Islam. The philosophy of Al-Qaeda is based on Wahabism, an orthodox conventional Islamic movement started by Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab in the 18th century.Salafism is another orthodox Islamic fundamentalist movement and it followers are the prominent members and militants of this armed group. These two movements of Islam are very dominant in Saudi Arabia, the Western Iraq, and Qatar. The group is generally recognized by its leader, Osama bin Laden, whereas, Ayman al-Zawahiri had also influenced the practice and theory of thi s organization. A common cause of it is linking many collaborative and independent working cells, which may exist in more than one country, resulting in its operations to be un-centralized or not at one place.The September 11 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center, and the Pentagon were the result of the planning and execution of this group, who has committed multiple terrorism acts in the name of Islam. In response, various series of legal and military operations were launched against Al-Qaeda by United States, which were supported by many other countries, including the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – only Islamic country that posses declared nuclear weapons.The United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, NATO, and the United Nations, have officially designated this group as harmful and terrorist organization due to its continuous radical acts in the different parts of the world. In late October 2001, al Jazeera, a Middle-east television netwo rk’s journalist, Tayseer Alouni, videotaped Osama bin Laden’s interview, while he was explaining the origin of his group. In his interview, Osama said, â€Å"The name ‘al Qaeda' was established a long time ago by mere chance.The late Abu Ebeida El-Banashiri established the training camps for our mujahedeen against Russia's terrorism. We used to call the training camp al Qaeda [meaning â€Å"the base† in English]. And the name stayed†. In this interview of 2001, he used the world mujahedeen, which is used to describe the Muslims, who are ready to sacrifice their lives in any war or a meaning of struggle, in the name of Allah, often taken in the words, Jihad. In true Islamic context, it is an Islamic term that was derived from an Arabic root, which means to struggle or to strive.In religious terms, an inner effort and struggle for the mobilization of energies, in order to make one, a pious Muslim spiritually is called Jihad. Secondly, it is an attempt to serve the Islamic community and ummah through the capabilities. In extreme circumstances, it is regarded in military terms through the conquest of enemy’s territory or power. After knowing the true definition of Jihad in its Islamic terminology, a nonprofessional person can articulate that the ideology of Islam, which is being presented by these militant groups are fake and ridiculous.Islam is a religion of peace that requires Muslims to submit their wills to the Almighty Allah, one God. Whereas, no Islamic context or Allah’s words have ordered to kill innocent people and frighten them with the bombings and suicide attacks. Historically, if we investigate into the origin of Al-Qaeda, we come to know that it was originally established in the premises where training was given to thousands of mujahedeen, and they were recruited in Russia by the CIA. In January 2001, the U. S.Department of Justice used the term Al-Qaeda for the first time, when four men were accused in the case of the United States embassy bombings in East Africa, during the year 1998. Again, if we analyze the concept of Al-Qaeda for these militant acts, we can take the example of another part of the previously mentioned interview of October 2001. During the interview, the Al-Qaeda leader was asked regarding his economic sources as it was assumed that it was a fight between the United States and them. In reply, Osama bin Laden said, â€Å"This battle is not between al Qaeda and the U.S. This is a battle of Muslims against the global crusaders. In the past when al Qaeda fought with the mujahedeen, we were told, â€Å"Wow, can you defeat the Soviet Union? † The Soviet Union scared the whole world then. NATO used to tremble of fear of the Soviet Union. Where is that power now? We barely remember it. It broke down into many small states and Russia remained. God, who provided us with his support and kept us steadfast until the Soviet Union was defeated, is able to provide us o nce more with his support to defeat America on the same land and with the same people.We believe that the defeat of America is possible, with the help of God, and is even easier for us, God permitting, than the defeat of the Soviet Union was before†. According to this statement of Osama, this war is not with the United States, which is often assumed by the media, but with the global crusaders. Even if we accept this statement of this militant chief, do innocent people of New York or the students of the United Kingdom are regarded as crusaders in their opinions.This would have really made anybody feel ridiculous of the statement, or of the terrorist actions that are happening nowadays in the world. To take things more theoretically, we should try to gather around more facts. According to Diaa Rashwan, a senior researcher at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, in mid 1990s, a merger between the Bin Laden groups and the Zawahiri’s Al-Jihad groups was t he result of a new name of this group, Qa’edat al-Jihad that means a base provided for the Jihad (the struggle).Once again, the word Jihad was taken as the primary objective and purpose of this militant group, which was totally against the teachings of Islam. The young Muslims were brought into Afghanistan for the training purpose were being brainwashed by these militants, also they were turned into new the Afghani Mujahedeens. In August 1988, according to a document of the Defense Department of the United States, the organization was defined as the establishment of an organization for the recruitment of young Muslims, and turning them into the Afghani Mujahedeen as mentioned previously in our discussion.It was also stated in this document that the main objective of this group was instituting the Islamist states throughout the world, while overthrowing the un-Islamic regimes, which were taken as the enemies of the God. The expulsion of the US soldiers from the Gulf was their one of the targets, and in the end, it was their mission to capture the city of Jerusalem as a Muslim city. If we look into the past, wars have been fought in the name of religion. However, no religion and even in the history of Islamic wars, we have never seen a war, in which innocent people, women and children were killed.From the historical facts and the teachings of Islam given by Allah, a last option was given to the Muslims to fight in the name of their religion, if and only if, there was no other option remained in their hands. We can decide through these statements and discussions that it is a wrong thing to call this militant group as an Islamic militant group. The political and social reasons can be behind the establishment of this group. Personal benefits and leisure have been the cause and motive of this organization. However, it would be very ludicrous to relate it with Islam.The statements and writings of these groups may give a perception of a religion that gives the teaching of spreading blood and hatred in the world. However, their statements are very philosophical and illiterate in nature, if properly investigated and studied. In 1998, the Al-Qaeda leader was interviewed and the tape was shown to the whole world. If we analyze his statements during that interview, Allah was praised by him for the help, by which, America’s greatest buildings were destroyed. He was seen thanking God for His blessings on them, and causing humiliation that was tasted by Muslims since more than 80 years.According to him, Muslims children were being killed in Iraq, Israeli tanks were infesting Palestine, and the blood, honor, and sanctuaries of Islam were being abused by the infidels. Even then, nobody was seen moving a single limb against these infidels. In one of his statements, he said, â€Å"These events have divided the whole world into two sides. The side of believers and the side of infidels, may God keep you away from them. Every Muslim has to rush to make his religion victorious. The winds of faith have come. The winds of change have come to eradicate oppression from the island of Muhammad, peace be upon him†.If we look into this statement, according to him, his world was at the peak of division of the believers and the infidels. Secondly, he had asked every Muslim to wake up and rush out for the victory of his religion. Even if we accept it, the injustices caused to the Muslims, and the injuries borne by them, no Islamic teachings guided to response in this manner, even with the enemies. If we go back in the history, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last prophet of Allah (as per Muslims believe), and who spread Islam in the Arabia had also fought many wars during his life.We can see the examples of forgiveness which he used to do with the enemies, and even used to forgive those persons who had abused him on the face. From these examples, it can be analyzed that the militant and terrorist acts of this Al-Qaeda g roup is not more than acts of the political wars. The statements of Al-Qaeda group may be primary religious, but in some parts. More fractions were used to humiliate the enemy and disgrace the religion of Islam – this is the reason that makes the Islamic countries to support the war of terrorism.Injustices were also done during this war of terrorism and innocent people became the victims during this period. However, there is no difference between a person who slaps someone and the person who has just slapped him. Every religion that came in this world taught and guided to speak the truth, help the people, and serve the humanity. Therefore, if a group of extremists that arm themselves and kill innocent people and children of the so-called enemies, and call themselves as the true believers is completely wrong.Only radical and illiterate ideology of a religion is represented by these groups and once again, one may not deem them as the representative of Islam. In order to underst and their philosophy in more detail, we should examine their other statements too. A fatwa (binding religious proclamation) was issued and co-signed by Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Sumedh Gawai, and three of the other Islamist leaders on February 23, 1998. This edict was made under the banner of the World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders.Once again, it was very wrong step by them to use the world Islamic, as it only disgraced this religion, rather than giving it honor. In this declaration, it was announced that â€Å"[t]he ruling to kill the Americans and their allies civilians and military—is an individual duty for every Muslim, who can do it in any country, in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem) and the holy mosque (in Makka) from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim.This is in accordance with the words of Alm ighty Allah, ‘and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together,' and ‘fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah†. In the light of this pronouncement, it was compulsory for every Muslim to come out of his home and start fighting with any Jew that comes in front of him. Isn’t that a preposterous proclamation, or should it be taken as a dangerous edict?The most interesting thing that takes your attention is the traditional Islamic scholarly qualifications were possessed by neither Osama bin Laden or al-Zawahiri. However, the contemporary ulema (true interpretators of Islamic teachings) were rejected by these radical extremists and this responsibility was taken upon them by themselves. The September 11, 2001 attacks at New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon was the deadliest and the extreme ones in the American history. Almost 3000 people were killed, which include Christia ns, Jews, and Muslims.This act was an elevated operation of terrorism, and it changed the lives of thousand of Americans. In October 2004, a videotape was released by Al-Jazeera in which Osama bin Laden claimed his responsibility of these attacks and stated his inspiration to be the 1982 Israeli attacks at the high-rises in the Lebanon. Once more, he performed this act of repetition one’s wrong doing reciprocally. Even if Israel had done a devilish act, Islam had taught to forgive and pray for the blessings, even for the enemies. However, what happened was totally different and diverse from the Islamic teachings.In this videotape, Osama bin Laden said, â€Å"As I looked at those demolished towers in Lebanon, it entered my mind that we should punish the oppressor in kind and that we should destroy towers in America in order that they taste some of what we tasted and so that they be deterred from killing our women and children†. It seems from these terrorism acts and the ir statements that this would not stop in the near future, and a war may not be the solution of this issue. Their philosophy, ideology, and psychology are related to their hearts that tends them to react in this state of terrorism.One more example of their statements is the incident of July 13, 2006. In the Srinagar region of Kashmir, a man claimed to be the representative of Al-Qaeda and announced the Kashmiris and the people worldwide of their arrival in this region. The spokesperson also attributed the recent blasts to his group calling them a consequence of the Indian oppression, which was suppressed by the Muslim minorities. These series of different statements showed the image of Muslims and particularly, Islam as a religion of war rather than the peace.These acts can only be the motives of political benefits and advantages as no Islamic teachings guide the Muslims to do the struggle in this manner even against their enemies. Therefore, once again it would be better to declare that these statements and writings can only be a reflection of motives behind personal promotion rather than the religious beliefs and teachings. However, it is still confusing to decide the final decision, because the Al-Qaeda’s nature and extent of its working and operations throughout the world remains a topic of dispute.From the understanding of their statements, we can say that these acts and thoughts are the result of hatred against the United States, Israel, and the other western countries rather than an effort of struggling as per the teachings of Islam. According to their Islamic ideology, these abovementioned countries are taken as the infidels and enemies of Islam. They take it as these countries are trying to abuse the social, economic, cultural, and traditional values of their religion.Many of the Saudi scholars, which were the result of the previously mentioned Wahabism wrote about the United States as the country of corruption, despotism, evil, and aggression. It was considered as a state of spreading abomination and corruption in the world. The resources being used on wines, cigarettes, and sex channels were the cause of their hatred against these western countries. In order to dominate their desire of revenge against these states, they portrayed themselves as the true representatives, scholars, and believers of Islam.Young Muslims were brainwashed and persuaded to sacrifice their lives for the motive of Islam. However, the main objective was to humiliate the enemy rather than to honor the religion. The different proclamations of these extremists, such as, the future conquest of Rome and all of Europe; the state of confrontation with the west; civilians in the infidel states deserve to die; democracy as the religion of the infidels; and seeing the West as God’s enemy are some of the many and various statements given by these extremists.These statements only portray their personal motives behind these acts and not the Islamic ideo logy in any sense. Many experts, writers, investigators and analysts have tried their best to analyze the Al-Qaeda’s position, in the light of their statements and writings, but it is still a topic of argument due to its anonymity. In this discussion, we tried to examine and scrutinize the testimonials of this militant group to decide whether they are playing a role as an Islamic group spreading true religious teachings and beliefs or it is an extremist group that is trying to cope up its problems radically.Conclusively, according to the investigations done by different experts and facts available for the analysis, the Al-Qaeda network does not display or seems to be trying to portray an original picture and ideology, which was given by the Holy Quran and the Messenger of Allah, to the Muslims of the world. References Jason Burke. (2004). Al-Qaeda: a True Story of Radical Islam. I. B. Tauris. Daurius Figueira. (2004). the Al Qaeda Discourse of the Greater Kufr. iUniverse. Bra d K. Berner. (2005). the World According to Al-Qaeda. Booksurge Llc. Olivier Roy. (2004). Globalised Islam: the search for a new Ummah. C. Hurst & Co.Publishers. Robert O. Marlin. (2005). What Does Al Qaeda Want? : Unedited Communiques. North Atlantic Books. Paul J. Murphy. (2004). The Wolves of Islam: Russia and the Faces of Chechen Terror. Brassey's. Dele Ajaja. (2006). The Return of Al-Qaeda: When a Dreaded Terrorist Reaches the Turning Point. iUniverse. David Malone (2005). Bin Laden's Plan: The Project for the New Al Qaeda Century. Trafford Publishing. Phillip Margulies. (2003). Al Qaeda: Osama Bin Laden's Army of Terrorists. The Rosen Publishing Group. Al-Qaeda from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Al-Qaeda Retrieved November 30, 2006

Overview of the Medulla Oblongata

Overview of the Medulla Oblongata The medulla oblongata is a portion of the hindbrain that controls autonomic functions such as breathing, digestion, heart and blood vessel function, swallowing, and sneezing. Motor and sensory neurons from the midbrain and forebrain travel through the medulla. As a part of the brainstem, the medulla oblongata helps in the transferring of messages between various parts of the brain and the spinal cord. The medulla contains myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers. Myelinated nerves (white matter) are covered with a myelin sheath composed of lipids and proteins. This sheath insulates axons and promotes more efficient conduction of nerve impulses than unmyelinated nerve fibers (gray matter). A number of cranial nerve nuclei are located in the gray matter of the medulla oblongata. The upper region of the medulla forms the fourth cerebral ventricle. The fourth ventricle is a cavity filled with cerebrospinal fluid and is continuous with the cerebral aqueduct. The lower portion of the medulla narrows forming portions of the central canal of the spinal cord. Function The medulla oblongata is involved in several functions of the body including: Control of autonomic functionsRelay of nerve signals between the brain and spinal cordCoordination of body movementsRegulation of mood The medulla is the control center for cardiovascular and respiratory system activity. It regulates heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. The medulla also controls involuntary reflex actions such as swallowing, sneezing, and gag reflex. Another major function of the medulla is the control and coordination of voluntary movement. A number of cranial nerve nuclei are located in the medulla. Some of these nerves are important for speech, head and shoulder movement, and food digestion. The medulla also aids in the transfer of sensory information between the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system. It relays sensory information to the thalamus and from there is sent to the cerebral cortex. Location Directionally, the medulla oblongata is inferior to the pons and anterior to the cerebellum. It is the lowest portion of the hindbrain and is continuous with the spinal cord. Features Some anatomical features of the medulla oblongata include: Median fissures - shallow groves located along the anterior and posterior portions of the medulla.Olive - paired oval structures on the medulla surface that contain nerve fibers which connect the medulla to the pons and cerebellum.Pyramid - two rounded masses located on opposite sides of the anterior median fissure. These nerve fibers connect the medulla to the spinal cord, pons, and cerebral cortex.Fasciculus gracilis - a continuation of the bundle of nerve fiber tracts that extend from the spinal cord to the medulla. Injury to the Medulla Injury to the medulla oblongata may result in a number of sensory-related problems. These include numbness, paralysis, difficulty swallowing, acid reflux, and lack of movement control. Because the medulla controls vital autonomic functions, such as breathing and heart rate, damage to this area of the brain can be fatal. Drugs and other chemical substances can impact the medullas ability to function. An opiate overdose can be deadly because these drugs inhibit medulla activity and the body becomes unable to perform vital functions. The chemicals in anesthesia work by acting on the medulla to decrease autonomic activity. This results in a lower breathing rate and heart rate, relaxation of muscles, and  loss of consciousness.​

A new Spacesuit for Starliner Astronauts

A new Spacesuit for Starliner Astronauts The astronauts are also trendy The media always talks and writes about the latest fashion for men and women of some business jobs, but what about the latest trend in clothes for the astronauts? Do you know that the new high quality spacesuit was unveiled for the Starliner Astronauts recently? Boeing presented its new spacesuit The representatives of the company Boeing informed about their new production - a new spacesuit, which is more comfortable and simpler, than the previous one. It is very good, as the more complicated design can have much more chances to break easily. The designers realized that some parts of the old spacesuit are just unnecessary. This suit meets all the requirements of NASA for functionality and safety. It introduces all the up-to-date innovations. Among the advances of the spacesuit`s design are: vents, which allow astronauts to be cooler, touchscreens-sensitive gloves, which are made of material, that makes such interaction with touchsceens real, visor, and helmet incorporated into the suit. It is lighter and more flexible due to the new joint patterns and advanced materials. The peculiarities of the new Starliner suit There is more material in the knees and elbows, so the astronauts will be able to move easier. The astronauts will be able to move easier, as there is much material in the knees and elbows. This new material allows water vapor to pass out of the suit, which makes it cooler. You can adapt the shape of the suit when seated or standing thanks to the strategically located zippers. There are some special communication systems under the helmet. The booties are also the inalienable part of the whole spacesuit. The new spacesuit will definitely keep the astronaut alive, which is the most important aspect. It is as safe as it is functional. The full suit weighs about 20 pounds with all its accessories. It was tested by the astronauts to make sure, that their work in the spacecraft will be easy and efficient to complete. This spacesuit has a function of the emergency backup to the spacecraft`s redundant life support systems. The new spacesuit was modeled by Chris Ferguson, who is a director of Crew and Mission Systems for Boeing and a former astronaut. The space technology is definitely moving forward This latest suit technology will be used by the astronauts, who are going to head into orbit aboard Boeing`s Starliner spacecraft. They will be taken to the space station by operational Commercial Crew missions. NASA will be able to have more time for its research and science. NASA doesn`t want to pay Russia a lot of money for their spacesuits and rockets in order to launch US astronauts. There are two companies – Boeing and SpaceX, which made a contract with NASA. They should launch the astronauts to the International Space Station as soon as 2018. Nowadays, Boeing is testing the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which will be able to carry up to seven astronauts, and SpaceX is working on the Dragon spacecraft. This new spacesuit is one of the most important parts of the Starliner system. It is aimed at protecting the whole generation of the astronauts, which will have the opportunity to reach such destinations, as Mars or asteroid.

Statutes and Enforcement, Organized Crime Coursework

Statutes and Enforcement, Organized Crime - Coursework Example Use of the RICO standard is what allowed Galante's employees and associates to be charged; under that statute, even belonging to his organization is a crime (Abadinsky, 2010, pp 369). Galante's organization was a group of companies involved in trash hauling, also called carting. He was the owner of twenty-five companies that among them controlled approximately eighty percent of the waste-hauling market in Connecticut and eastern New York state. At least forty other companies were found to have connections to Galante's organizations, and Galante himself was found to have connections to larger organized crime enterprises (FBI, 2008). One of the individuals charged as a member of this group was a member of the Genovese crime family, a group in New York City involved in several other cases of extortion and illegal gambling rings (FBI, 2008; Department of Justice, 2010). Also involved were several public officials, including a former mayor of Waterbury CT, Joseph Santopietro, â€Å"a fed eral drug agent, and a Connecticut state trooper† (FBI, 2008; News-Times, 2008). Galante's group was guilty of racketeering due to their organization of what the FBI calls a â€Å"property rights system† (FBI, 2008). ... This set-up caused an imbalance in the bidding system for the customer contracts, since the companies involved in this organization communicated with each other to rig the bidding. The lack of competition led to higher costs for the customer accounts; since these were primarily municipal customers, this meant higher prices for the individual taxpayers in these districts (FBI, 2008). Federal agents used wiretaps to determine which companies were connected to Galante's organization, and which were victims. Some of the phone calls that were intercepted even allowed them to warn potential future victims about the scheme. The key to the investigation was the use of an undercover agent working for a victim company. The undercover agent was eventually hired by one of Galante's companies as a salesperson, giving him unparalleled access to Galante's operation. The other method used to collect evidence against Galante was an analysis of his and his companies tax records (FBI, 2008). Galante wa s indicted by a grand jury at the same trial as twenty-eight of his co-conspirators, and was held awaiting trial without bail, though all others charged by the same jury posted bond. The charges at this point included â€Å"racketeering, extortion, conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, witness tampering and tax evasion† (News-Times, 2008). Galante was eventually convicted of â€Å"racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud† (Koonz, 2009). He was sentenced to the maximum federal prison term, eighty-seven months, and then an additional year under a plea bargain for violations of state campaign finance laws (News-Times, 2008). Additionally, all twenty-five of Galante's companies were forfeited to the federal

Chapters question for Essentials of Health Behavior, Social and Essay - 6

Chapters question for Essentials of Health Behavior, Social and Behavioral Theory in Public Health book Mark Edberg - Essay Example An example of a strategy that can keep an intervention going consists of a number of measures. The first measure is to ensure that those who are involved in the intervention are trained to properly implement the intervention. This is followed by incorporation of community-based stakeholders who will support the program, followed by search for necessary resources for the intervention. It is also necessary to develop a link with similar intervention programs. This strategy ensures availability of resources and technical knowledge that keep an intervention going (Edberg, p. 100). Trying to implement a school based intervention policy faces a number of political issues that needs decision making and influencing others to accept the decision. The approval of the school board is one of the political issues that affect intervention as no policy can be implemented without the board’s consent. Successful implementation of an intervention also requires support from the school. This can only be achieved by political means. Similarly, choosing from many policies is another issue because resources are limited and not all policies can be implemented at the same time. Another political issue is acceptance of the policy by external stakeholders such as the community (Edberg, p. 105). The connection between schools and their communities that might affect selection of programs is the existence of the community as the schools’ environment and as a stakeholder to the schools. Because the schools are within the community, their policies are affected by behavior among students and their parents or guardians who come from the community. Another connection is the community’s interest in its children’s affairs in schools and the community’s future generations (Edberg, p. 104, 105). The major connection between workplace and the community is their ability to affect each other through employees. Workplace