I Study to Fight Another Day

Everything was in absolute silence. There was the uncanny aura somehow pre-empting a serene calmness before the devastating storm. The waiting seemed endless.My fingers started fidgeting one another. My eyes kept pacing from one inch of the corner to the other corner. But somehow, I could not even recognize what I was looking at or where. My mind started swimming in an endless array of uneasiness. It was already about to commence. This war was inevitable, I told myself. Then, suddenly, a faint noise began to unfold louder and louder. The bell had rung. The war for survival was at hand and the battlefield was my school.In front of me was the school building. However, it looked and felt more like a concentration camp ready to eat me alive. I took a deep breath and placed one foot in front of the other. This was it.There was no turning back. As I passed the huge brown doors, I knew this was the point of no return. I saw the other students, my comrades, walking along the corridors. I saw the emotions on their faces. I did not need them to tell me how they felt. I was scared too.The eerie hallways took longer to walk through. I was not expecting this. As I continued to trudge, I imagined myself in cuffs and chains like a deathrow inmate. It felt as if I was being beckoned towards the electric chair. I was suddenly pulled away from my thoughts when I felt a slight bump from the side.More and more soldiers like me were drowning the hallways. The place was beginning to get cramped. Amidst all the confusion, I spotted a familiar face at 10 o’clock about twenty paces away.My heart started to race faster. It was him, my one true heart’s desire. I panicked as I got conscious of how I messed up I looked. He was about to turn his face towards me. I saw the ladies’ bathroom to my left and dashed inside like my life depended on it. I was lucky. I dodged a fatal bullet.Inside the ladies’ bathroom, I fixed myself and put on my battlegear. The colour o f my lips was just right. My hair was stylishly groomed. And my make up was flawless. I was ready. I checked my supplies. My books, notebooks, lap top, pens, pencils, cell phone, make up, hair brush, nail filer, and lipstick were all there. Everything was accounted for.I ran across the hallway and into the classroom. The others are all positioned. I sat behind thinking that it would be safer. But I was wrong. A middle-aged man entered the room like at typhoon ravaging anything in its path. His voice resonated throughout the room.As his mouth opened, I only understood two words, â€Å"surprise quiz.† I somehow knew it. This was an ambush and we fell right through it. There was nothing left to do but fight. But little did they know that I actually came prepared. I valiantly used my pen against all questions. As the saying goes, the pen was mightier than the sword.My platoon sustained a lot of casualties that day but I survived. I did not get a medal of valour but an 87% was goo d enough for me.The rest of the year seemed as if it was all put together into one big beating. There were a lot of small skirmishes as my professors bombed my class with quizzes every now and then. But I managed to overcome them despite always being caught in the line of fire from one class to the other. As the end draws to a close, the tension was getting stronger and the atmosphere was turning chaotic.Everyone, students and professors alike, were preparing for the culminating event, the â€Å"world war†; the finals. The grand war happened without people being aware that it had already ended.No one knew the outcome. Not until a few weeks or a month’s time. But one thing was certain, everyone was happy that it was over. I was relieved to realize that I was still standing. I knew there were still more battles to come.But as for now, I was happy to know that after the countless and gruelling days and nights, it was time for me to go home. I realized that I did not only study to fight for another day, but I actually lived to fight another day.

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman Essay

How is tension created in the extract and how does it make the reader feel for Lyra? In northern light Philip Pullman takes the reader on an exciting journey which has unexpected conclusions that catch their imagination. Suspense is built up throughout as Lyra’s life is in danger. The story outlines the feelings of Lyra as she goes on the thrilling voyage. Philip Pullman has created imagery by using adjective and adverbs to give it life. In the extract tension is created and Lyra’s feelings have been expressed as she worries for Roger. The extract shows the reader a bit about Lyra’s personality. â€Å"En’t you heard of the Gobblers?† This shows that she is not well educated as her English is not correct. â€Å"†They en’t real, Gobblers. Just a story.†Ã¢â‚¬ They are!†Lyra said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Suddenly she felt very afraid. Pantalaimon as a fierce lion, sprang in her arms and growled† In these lines Philip Pullman expresses Lyra’s character; she is portrayed as someone that wants her own way and does not like it if someone argues against her. She also can be violent seeing that she got very aggressive when she heard the bad news and pantalaimon turned into a lion. â€Å"And then something else had hit her heart: where was Roger!† This sentence is very powerful as the short sentence make the reader feel as if they were Lyra. â€Å"In Mrs Coulter’s flat, everything was pretty. It was full of light†¦. and the walls were covered in delicate gold and white striped wall paper†¦. it seemed to Lyra’s innocent eye, with pretty little china boxes and shepherdesses and harlequins of porcelain.† Phillip Pullman portrays Mrs Coulter as a very nice typical lady. He represents her flat by creating a picture of a clean, open and bright place. Lyra will not suspect a thing as she seems so nice and friendly. Pullman has created a lot of tension as the audience will be worried for Lyra and what Mrs Coulter will do to her. Page 72 and the extract together create an extra special touch to the novel because they create a great deal of suspense. Lyra is being convinced by Mrs Coulter to be her partner on the journey she is going on however Lyra has no realized that she is the one that is kidnapping the children. In the story before Lyra is telling her friends about someone who eats children and at that point the audience will be pulled into the story but they don’t know if Lyra will be caught by her. As the story continues Lyra meets Mrs Coulter who is the kidnapper. Now the tension really builds. â€Å"Mrs Coulter said â€Å"So Lyra I’m to have an assistant, am I† â€Å"Yes† said Lyra simply† Now that Lyra will be assisting Mrs Coulter the audience will start to worry for Lyra. Philip Pullman uses tension very effectively as he has created suspense right from start to the end as Lyra faces many problems. He has even used imagery to portray the mystical world. He has portrayed Lyra’s character very effectively as the reader know now what her personality is like. The reader gets an understanding of how Lyra’s life has been up until now. Overall the story is a nice one because the reader goes through an adventure including sadness and happiness.

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Literature Review - Essay Example In addition, domestic politics and international politics are perceived to be dissimilar, and their structures are also quite dissimilar. Also, the domestic political structure is defined by the rule of which it is ordered, the specifications of its functions, and the distribution of its capabilities. According to the article, domestic political structure is centralized and hierarchical. Hierarchical means that there are specified rules that impose laws onto the followers. Also, society in the domestic sense is functional and ordered. There are no world leaders who pass total laws onto the citizens. Every state has its specified rule and ideas on what it wants to undertake. The globe is disconnected because of the lack of an overall government. The author brings up a comparison to the economy to highlight how international political structures emerge even in their anarchic state. Waltz states that units’ own interests are individual and spontaneous in origin. Units converge wi th similar ones to enhance their productivity. In the existing world, this is consistent with the fact that some states unite with others for reasons such as security and safety. They are looking for their stability by depending on a different state. It is also argued that international political structures are found on the basis of states because states are the most significant actors in the world of politics. States play a tremendous part in foreign relations, foreign policy, and trade, so international politics is found on the basis of the states. Particularly, international politics resemble units and states following identical patterns of actions. Finally, it is argued that anarchic or international forms, similar to states or units interrelate with one another, while in hierarchic or domestic forms, different states or units interact (Waltz 47). Contribution to the Field The article has contributed to the field in a number of ways. The article explains that not all states are identical in their views of how international politics should be handled or in their forms of government. It also explains how different nations do not fight one another. This is achieved through the employment of power. In the view of the article, the states with the most supremacy are those with the utmost capabilities. This means that the whole structure of the political system can be altered with modifications in the capabilities of specific states. For instance, a country like Britain has sufficient technology, money, military arms, and intelligence. These are all the essential capabilities to solve problems or take over small nations (Waltz 38). The article shows that a state’s capacity to achieve so much is what gives the state power. In addition, the only way significant things can be achieved is by states with magnificent capabilities. This is one of the foremost reasons countries such as the United Stated of America and Britain get involved in peacekeeping missions in countries, for example the Middle East, Bosnia, among others. These unsafe states tend to battle more because they are not sure about other states. The article helps the students in the field to understand the actions of powerful states. Because these states are the most powerful and secure in the world, it is their responsibility to keep the world stable and satisfied (Waltz 39). It explains why they have the

Extra curricular activities at WCC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Extra curricular activities at WCC - Essay Example In addition, WCC requires students to take courses that address global issues and increase awareness of diversity. For students who already have a strong focus on their goals, Associates degrees are offered that specialize in Administration of Justice, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Massage Practitioner, Medical Assisting, Nursing, Paralegal, Physical Therapist Assistant, Early Childhood Education, Education Paraprofessional, and Graphic Design. Each of these degrees requires 90 course credits. For students who don’t want a degree, but instead want to take courses that focus on a narrow choice of occupation, WCC offers 45 credit Certificate courses in Accounting, Business Information Systems, Early Childhood Education, Education Paraprofessional, Medical Assistant, Medical Practice Manager, Network Administrator, Office Administrator, and Technical Support. As you can see, these courses are more for the individual who needs certification for a specific job, or who wants to learn more about a profession in which they may hold an entry level job and are seeking to move to a higher position within their field. This college offers much more than just the opportunity to obtain a degree or a certificate. Many community education programs are offered which target working professionals. These courses are offered during the evenings and on Saturdays and can include cooking, courses to assist small business owners, information to help gardeners, creative writing workshops and even outdoor activities such as fly-tying for local fly fishermen. High School juniors and seniors can take advantage of getting college credits through Washington State’s Running Start Program. This program allows high school students to take college courses during their regular school day in order to get a â€Å"jump-start† on college. Although they have to pay tuition and book costs themselves (or their parents

WWII Uboat campaign Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WWII Uboat campaign - Term Paper Example German boats were equipped with 5 torpedoes and one main gun (Russell 122). U- Boats were mainly constructed for intelligence gathering of enemy movement and for launching special operations. German war planners very efficiently used U-boats to threaten and ultimately target the royal and merchant navy. U-boats sunk Royal navy and merchant ships sunk in huge numbers in different occasions. Restrictions of â€Å"treaty of Versailles† could not compel German navy to do away with submarine tactics during the Second World War (Gannon 47). Besides sinking battleships, boats also sunk an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic waters. U-boats almost compelled Britain war planners to consider surrender in the war. After the completion of German campaign in Western Europe, Hitler’s navy employed all the u-boats in Atlantic for patrolling the waters. This posed great threat to British merchant fleet as very less escort was available to guard the ships against German u-boat attacks. Sub marines had already proved the metal in the First World War but after passing about 20 years the U-boat tactics played havoc in Atlantic waters (Russell 119). U-boats played an important part in world war two, Winston Churchill claimed that U-boat war in Atlantic was so impressive and result oriented that Britain was forced to consider surrender during the Second World War.... German navy decided to target merchant fleets to threaten trade in the Atlantic. Merchant fleets used to travel with inadequate fleet so vulnerability to German attacks was already increased. It was almost impossible for Britain to provide complete protection and aerial cover to fleets throughout their Atlantic route. German navy started analyzing the points on the sea route where these fleets were coverless and no aerial or naval support available to merchant ships (Showell 71). Mid Atlantic was one of the lucrative options for attacking these fleets. The royal Britain navy was already over tasked in different regions of the world. Royal navy was facing challenging situation in accomplishment of the tasks in Atlantic, Far East and the Mediterranean. Therefore, the royal navy was already overstretched in the war. Such huge tasks of royal navy demanded careful planning and use of intelligence and tactics from naval and army commanders (Russell 132). Royal navy was greatly assisted by the French navy in defending the Mediterranean. Germany had 56 boats out of which only 46 were operational at the start of the war. According to the understanding of the famous â€Å"treaty of Versailles† Germany was not allowed to maintain any submarine as part of its naval fleet (Stern 58). Therefore, Germany took other measures by sending the troops abroad for submarine training. The treaty posed no restrictions on training the troops for anti submarine tasks. U-boat commanders were told to target merchant ships in Atlantic to break the backbone of British trade. In august 39, seventeen U-boats were sent to Atlantic Ocean with the mission of patrolling and laying mines (Showell 72). At the start of the battle, u-30 attacked and sunk liner â€Å"thania† casting 112 life causalities

Concepts in Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Concepts in Organizational Behavior - Essay Example At Aberdeen employees function as a group in a team ranging from 3 to 16 manage virtually every aspect of the plants work and reporting. The teams schedule working hours, purchase material and tools, plan working schedules, coordinate with other teams, evaluate team members performance, recommend salary increases, generate reports, and address any problem that may arise on the plant. The Green River operation employ 1100 employees in mining and production processes and supply it's products Internationally. It is assumed that the Green River unit is still managed in the classical management style and the organization with a paramedical structure, with planning and organizing being done by management, and the implementation, control and performance evaluation done by site supervisors. Employees are unionized and work according to old standard job descriptions. Green River employees earnings are among the highest within the FMC group. When taking the above information into consideration it is clear that the two facilities differ not only in size and complexity, but also in structure, organization methods and task design. This is of course as a direct result of the management style implemented at each facility. Aberdeen was established by the current manager who implemented a flat organization structure, with working practices based on teamwork to meet business goals. Green River established in 1948 have seen many managers, and due to the fact that a bureaucratic management style was the only excepted practice during the establishment period, it remained as it was inherited from one generation of employers to the next. To implement a similar work design as that of Aberdeen facility will be a major challenge for Green River management, as employees may resist any proposed changes and will be strongly supported by their union if not included in the transformation process. This buy-in from staff and union will be non conditional before even thinking about implementing a transformation process. Then it must be realized that such a process will not only be the change of working practices or task redesign, but the change of human behavior to accept and support the different work approach, and responsibilities that will come with it. This is a radical change of business working culture and it is impossible to change overnight, but need to be phased in over time. Green River can start the culture change process by firstly educating management and staff on change practices and processes and making sure they understand the goal and

CIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CIS - Essay Example These features are what connect people as social beings. It is through real conversation that one can express their real emotions and people can be able to express their deep concern. It is a sad state that this new technologies are converting people into asocial beings. Teenagers subscribe to unlimited texts and are always on the phone even when having real conversation with people around them. It is not possible to concentrate on one’s phone and at the same time maintain eye contact with the person one is conversing with. This passes as a rude kind of behavior making the other person feel less appreciated and has ruined our relationship with people around us (Turkle 2013). It is thus possible to stay connected with other people through texts, tweets, FaceBook but at the same time be alienated from people around us. It follows that during conversation, no one really listens to the other causing a disconnection. What is even more scaring is the fact that people do not even get time to be alone. We are always bombarded by emails, text or even tweets during working hours, during our free time and even at night. The exchange of information never stops. This then implies that people never really get time to reflect on their own life and meditate. It has become even more difficult for people to create their own identity as our actions are shaped by these electronic means of communication (Turkle 2013). It is feared that in the end, we will have a world full of people with identical behavior and way of thinking and this blocks creativity and development in general. From this talk, it can be seen that in the near future, people will not be able to make simple personal real life conversation and this will have unimaginable consequences on our social structure. Staying connected has had its advantages in ensuring immediacy of information which has promoted businesses and other operation. Life has become very fast. This situation is scaring and measures need to

Biography of a scientist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biography of a scientist - Essay Example His education was further continued in Italy and later in Zurich he received training in physics and mathematics from Swiss Federal Polytechnic School. In the year 1901, he completed his diploma and joined Swiss Patent Office as technical assistant, after attaining Swiss citizenship. Thereafter in another four years, he completed his doctorate. While he performed his work as a professor in universities or as technical assistance with any organization, he continued with his scientific works as well. During his professional life, he conducted much of his scientific works and also played the role of professor in Physics for a certain period of time. He had also undertaken citizenship in Germany and stayed there from the year 1914 till 1933. In the year 1940 he shifted to America. He sooner became a significant public figure in the Movement of the World Government performing as a leader and he also received the offer for the post of Israel President ship but he did not accept the offer. He is known to contribute in religion works as well (Biography). Thus his reputation and recognition for his contributions were well known in the different countries that he stayed in. Einstein was focused in the problem-solving of Physics and worked on his theory of relativity for which he is most popularly known. He focused on the characteristics of light and also invented the photon theory of light. He also published his writing on relativity. He worked on quantum theory as well while he was in America. After his retirement, he continued with his work on the concepts of physics. His research works were published that included both scientific and non-scientific works of him and he also received doctorate degrees with honor from the Universities in Europe and America in the subjects of science, medicine and philosophy. Also, in addition to these, he received several awards and recognition for his works. The Nobel Prize was awarded to him in the year 1921

Modified Fingernails †Symbols of Social Essay Example for Free

Modified Fingernails – Symbols of Social Essay Western society has not been traditionally attuned to see body adornment as a form of social status. Thus over the years people in the West attribute it to less developed societies which lay emphasis on rituals. Thus body modification was seen as an articulation of values which were essentially non western. (Krakow, 1994). However this does not seem to be the case any more as a greater number of people are willing to modify their bodies thus making body beautification acceptable thereby giving a person social as well as individual identity in a society. Body modification is thus seen as enabling a person to exemplify and attenuate him or her personality through alteration of natural color, shape, tone and tenor. By decoration such as nail painting, gloss and enhancement, a person can project himself in the manner he wants others to perceive. Thus a girl with long nails, fully adorned with polish is seen as one who is in tune with the social image of somebody who has arrived in society. As greater numbers of people are adopting this mode, nail or other forms of body adornment is becoming an expression of actual position held by a person in society. Thus through external embellishments a person is able to define herself to others. Increased acceptance of this practice is indicated by forms adopted in nail adornment such as gluing of plastic to increase the length of the nails so that bright colors, paints and sparklers can be applied to these. (Andersen. Taylor. 2005) The reason for extension of nails is quite obvious, this is to enhance visibility through added length of the body object which is otherwise quite innocuous. By making it longer, the same can be decorated and made more noticeable. But the process also needs specialized treatment, which can come about at a certain level of monetary standing indicating the link between wealth and length or adornment of nails. As societies become more complex, they tend to provide opportunities to people to define their status through adornment of the body. Nails are perfect symbols of such social embellishment. The first requirement of a well kept hand is absence of manual labor. Thus there is obvious connection between a person of high society and well kept hands which indicates social as well as wealth status of a person. This has been ancient tradition and has been carried forth in the modern World. (Peters. Lock, Eds, 1999) Since a large degree of artistry of the body is now made by instruments as lasers, surgical and other tools by experts this has become expensive. Thus body art studios and fingernail manicure specialists have established high end shops, where they are able to manipulate your nails to the desired shape, size and color. By being exclusive in nature, they establish a distinction of economic status. As society has evolved thus body art has assumed proportions of social as well as wealth standing. (Jeffreys, 2000). Over a period this distinction is also translated from overall to individual social status. Thus a person who has manicured, well kept finger nails is associated with wealth as well as standing through a process of exclusion. This exclusion works first monetarily in that as it is expensive those who cannot afford it are denied an opportunity of being in the same class. In the second stage it is seen to work socially as shapes, colors and contours are so distinctive that a person wearing a superior shade of nail polish is easily identified as one who can afford it and hence ipso facto assumes higher standing. Thus from abhorrence as practices which were aboriginal to adoption of body adornment as a form of celebration of ones arrival in high society, fingernail manipulation has assumed a social symbol even in Western society today. Vantoch (1999) explored this evolution of the new American female by denoting the large number of nail adornments of different colors and shapes present in a pre teen’s room. The girl was sporting what can be described as talons, two inches long finger nails. (Vantoch, 1999). The fingernail was converted into a symbol of expression of the persona just like any other accoutrement at a very early age in life. The refined development of the art of the make up in modern times is also responsible for such an evolution. Thus nails have been converted into objects of art and ornamentation by using these for nail jewelry, nail art, air brush design, sculpturing of nails as well as providing green glitter. This has also provided a common touch thereby enhancing a wider number of females in society to higher standing. (Vantoch, 1999). Most interestingly it denotes how society has evolved, from considering these as a possible aboriginal practice to be abhorred by the West, more and more people are using it to express their state of social as well as economic evolution. The utilitarian view of nails as symbol of health has been known over the ages and is seen to continue even to this day. Thus fingernails are many times the first to be seen by a doctor. (Anatomy, 2005). Yellow or green fingernails invariably indicate ill health, a bronchial disease or other conditions which are diagnosed by the family physician. When nail problems persisted, these also indicated that the person required sustained treatment. The ultimate in nail care which has emerged is a combination of health, fashion and social status. Manicure and the higher forms of nail care and manipulation seen in advanced societies today is seen as a symbol of the rich, as one who has arrived in society and also some body who maintains good health. How long will this trend persist remains to be seen, for there are many periods in human evolution wherein short nails were as popular as long. Reference: 1. Anatomy. (2005) Anatomy of a healthy fingernail. Accessed at http://www. cnn. com/HEALTH/library/WO/00020. htmlon 23 March 2007 2. Andersen, Margaret L. Taylor, Howard F. (2005). Sociology: The Essentials. Belmont : Thomson. 3. Jeffreys, Sheila. ‘Body Art’ and Social Status: Cutting, Tattooing and Piercing from a Feminist Perspective. Feminism Psychology, Vol. 10, No. 4, 409-429 (2000) 4. Krakow, A. (1994) The Total Tattoo Book , New York : Warner Books. 5. Peters, Charles, R. Lock, Andrew. (1999). Handbook of Human Symbolic Evolution. Oxford : Blackwell. 6. Vantoch, Vicki. (1999). Fingernail Fashion Choices. The Washington Post. December 28, 1999. Accessed at http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/style/feed/a41653-1999dec28. htm on 23 March 2007.

Importance of education Essay Example for Free

Importance of education Essay Parents having or not having a college degree should not determine if their child will go to college. Some may say the amount of money the parents make should determine if the child will be able to attend college. If the parent’s income is low that should motivate the kid to try harder to at least earn a scholarship to college. On the news there was a teenager about the age of 18; she was a senior who is getting ready to graduate. Her parents had no money to put her through college. She told the reporter that she was not going to allow that stop her from going to college. This young lady is now going to University of Notre Dame on a full ride scholarship. There is no reason not to attend college, because without a college education there are fewer opportunities. Others think about the physical benefits of education to motivate them such as money, cars and clothes. They think about how their life would be with all those materialistic things. There are some children whose parents did not attend college but they did not let that stop them from going to college and doing what they wanted to do in life. Although some families cannot afford to put their children through college that should not stop them because education is significantly linked to many other outcomes and changes viewpoints. Ever since I can remember, my friend’s father has preached the benefits of good education. He never tires of quoting Alexander Popes maxim: â€Å"The height that great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but while their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night†, as his stand-in for  get all the education you can obtain, and while you’re at it, don’t slack off. He knows what he is talking about because he has several degrees to back it up—a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as a PH.D in English education. Mother, with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia, is not too far behind. Growing up with them, I am awed by how many the parents, who came from extremely humble educational backgrounds in our native Ghana, achieved. My friend Michael told me none of his grandparents had a college degree. Some of the outcome education holds is: it gives the freedom for one to get married, and to raise a child outside of poverty. According to Michael Greenstone, (2009) â€Å"In 2010, more than 38 percent of the 14 million children of mothers who had not graduated from high school lived below the poverty line. Among other things, they are less likely to do well in school, which creates a vicious cycle where the children of less-educated parents fall farther behind their peers who were born into more-educated families†. Good education has a major effect on how one will live their future. Parents who have less education have a hard time finding a decent job, getting married or supporting their children. Most families with less education live pay check to pay check because their income is not enough to support them. I agree with this statement because I have could relate. When I first moved to the States from Ghana, my parents’ degrees were not valid in the U.S. My parents had to find low income jobs to work at; we lived pay check to pay check. Parents with good education financial freedom can raise a child without and trouble financially. For example my friend Michael’s parents have a good education background they have three kids, two boys and one girl. The two boys are both attending Michigan State University. I have been blessed with a family that has used education as their gateway to success. For example, my mother has three brothers and one sister. My mother and father decided to help my   uncle come to America from their homeland of Ghana. When they got here, my parents helped pay for his school to a community college. Now each of them has beautiful families they are able to provide for, thanks to their  education. My uncle now has his masters in biology and is a professor at a community college in Ohio. After my uncle graduated he told me how happy he was about the choice he made to go to college to get his masters. Unfortunately, my aunt could not make it to America because she has family obligation back in Ghana, and to this day she still depends on my parents for basic sustenance. With a good education my family was able to provide for my other family members when they need help the most. Not saying with a less a education people cannot provide for their families, I am simply saying a good education makes it an easy task not a burden. My best friend was a smart person but his parents did not have the money to help him attend college. He went through a lot of difficulty to get his scholarship: He asked family members to help pay; he went to the bank for a loan; he worked the entire summer as a full time cashier at Best Buy; he then got the call about his full ride scholarship. My best friend’s parents did not finish college, but he did not let that affect his decision to college even though he knew his parents didn’t have the money. He later on told me he didn’t know what to do about the money situation for college, but he worked hard in high school to get a full ride scholarship to Andrews University. My best friend did not only work hard, but he has to also give up high school sports to focus on his education. He was in the honors program and was an honor roll student; he was also valedictorian of our high school. These are some of the characteristics which made him the best person for the scholarship. I honestly think that there should not be any reason for anyone not to go to college becau se in the long run people tend to wish they had gone to   college. But who really cares about education? Who besides me and my parents care about the benefits education brings to the person who pursues their education to a higher level? A crucial reason education is so important is the fact that the lack of education can lead to ignorance which can be very dangerous. When you learn new things you not only grow scholastically, but you also change your views about topics you didn’t fully understand. For instance, my friend Michael grew up never hating homosexuals; however, he didn’t understand them so he understood the idea that homosexuality is a choice behavior. In his church  school junior high religion classes, he was taught that homosexuality is immoral because people essentially choose that lifestyle. Michael later on came to the public school where I attended. He took several biology classes where he learned that for the most part there is significant biological component to homosexuality. By definition, education is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Education is not only about who has the money but rather who has the motivation to strive for success. Knowledge has a way o f enriching the life of the student as well. Throughout my years as a student I have had wonderful teachers who have helped me appreciate knowledge for its own sake. Nowadays finding a job without a good education is hard; people are going back to college to further their education just to land a good job. At my college I see people old enough to be my grandparents; they are not there because they have nothing better to do. They are there because they want a good education and financial freedom. Education is not only about who has the money but rather who has the motivation to strive for success. Throughout my years as a   student I have had wonderful teachers who have helped me appreciate knowledge for its own sake and I will continue to strive for success. Reference Greenstone, M. (2010). The Importance of education: An Economics View. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/11/07/11greenstone_ep.h32.html

Personal Identity Defining Yourself Philosophy Essay

Personal Identity Defining Yourself Philosophy Essay Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth Alan Watts. Personal Identity play its role as to define human with quality of its own which makes him or her a unique one. The identity of a person that is in question must be able to realize them, and he must be identified by other people. In short, what makes John unique from Felicia? Both internal (mind) and external (body) views are the two essential aspects that have to be differentiated by one. There are several general philosophical theories of this identity problem. Body theory, Soul theory and Conscious Theory will come to fit into the missing piece of the puzzle of personal identity. The body theory is one of the theories that define personal identity. It can be defined as when Person A has a personal identity if and only if they have the same body X. However, two problems can be found in this definition. Qualitatively, it is right to own the same body, but if changes happened to the body, can we still define that person as the same one? Everyones body is definitely different if we were to compare at the age of 60 and 4. Another problem popped out on the matter of body alteration. If Felicia becomes injured by a mine at war, and then her legs have to be amputated, is she not the same person, Felicia? Therefore, the definition of the theory is insufficient as the same body alteration is not accounted for. On the other hand, numerically, if a person lost his finger due to an accident, does that finger is counted as a different body? What if a scientist decided to use another persons DNA to clone another person with the exact same DNA? Two people with identical body surely cannot be the same person because they are still two different people with identical body. Both of them would be living totally different lives. Hence, in defining personal identity, the body theory by itself had failed to make it valid. The Soul theory will be the next common theory in defining personal identity. Similarly to the body theory: Person A has a personal identity if and only if they have the same soul. The idea became a lot more complicated when we are trying to define a rather controversial term soul. In the religion aspect, it is thought to be spirit of a person that passes through ones body into another realm (eg. Heaven or hell). However, it is still a mysterious phenomenon since there is no proof that can prove its existence. For instance, when a cloud changes to grayish puffy substance, we will still say, the cloud had turned gray. In short, we still recognized it as a cloud. It is just many souls in one body. Therefore, the soul theory is also not valid as it fails in that the definiens is insufficient to define personal identity.   The truest and most recognized philosophy theories about personal identity are the consciousness theory. However, this theory is interpreted differently in three ways: the experiential content, conscious self, and connected stream of consciousness theories. First on the list, the conscious self-theory: he or she is said to have personal identity if they have the same self-conscious. In another words, if there is a different conscious in two people, then both of them has personal identity. At first sight, it seems like a good theory to prove personal identity. It is analogous to Descartes cogito, I think therefore I am. Secondly, the consciousness of experiences theory is the common derivatives to the theory of consciousness. It is more easily known as the experiential content. This theory comes from the Lockes theory of having the mind blank, and accumulation from experiences. One is to have personal identity because only one person can experience at one finite space. We take twins f or instance. Although they have identical bodies, the moment they were born, they are already experiencing different moments. Therefore, both of them have personal identity because they experience different surroundings and see things in a different manner. The major problem is that we do not have the ability to remember every single experience in our life consciously. For instance, one can still tell another person what they have eaten three days ago but it is impossible for a person to tell another what they ate today after 10 years. In another example, one cannot be define as having different personal identity because they were drunk and acted like another person. In other words, because the human mind has failed to consciously remember every single moment of their lives, this theory eventually is invalid. The connected stream of consciousness will be the last theory about personal identity. With its definition of a persons identity is made out of a stream of connected conscious experiences, this theory eventually had solved the problem of human being unable to remember about their experience consciously. With this theory, we will still be the same person although we are unable to remember what we have done at the age of 4 when we are 60 years old. Generally with a finite mind, conscious is affiliated in a chronological pattern. In short, we will take the river as a metaphor. If you see a river flowing every day, you will not be looking at the same part of the river (representing body or experiences), however you will not be able to dispute that is not a river. Hence, let say the river is personal identity. This theory almost had it all right then. Thomas Reid which is also my preferred option to the idea of personal identity disagreed with Lockes memory theory by reducing it to absurdity. Lockes theory was criticized for a few irrelevancies. First of all, I strongly agree with what Reid hold on to. He thinks that personal identity should be determined with something that cannot be divided into parts indivisible but not by determining by operations. He, too, stated the main problem of Lockes is his ideas are of confusing proves of another thing with itself. Officer paradox was introduced by Reid at his attempt to Lockes theory to absurdity. Memory is the best evidence for identity, says Locke. If Felicia was able to remember what she had done, hence, she will be the same person with the same identity. But if Felicia happened to be a forgetful person, will that means she loses her personal identity? Reids idea can further support my point where he believes that to be able to prove something for its constituents and its existence, an evidence of a particular matter is relatively irrelevant. It was argued that if I were to believe the world is created, it does not mean that the creation of the world is valid. This argument is similar to someone who remember doing something but that does not mean he will the same person who did that something. I personally think that the memory and personal identity are both affiliated. They are related not in the sense of determining who a person is but they are related in a sense where one existed over time instead. Therefore, it was concluded by Reid that Lockes memory theory is a presup position of personal identity by memory rather than the creation of it. A U.S. author, James Baldwin once quoted, An identity seemed like it has arrived by the way when a person faces and uses his experience. Assuming that we will not be able to put everything into a complete puzzle, we are left with one choice. Pluck a rose, separate the petals one by one which each petals represents one idea. Whatever came out at the end, it is your call by your very own intuition. But for me, I would choose to go for Reids philosophical views about personal identity.

The Origins of Voodoo Essay examples -- Religion Vodun Vodou

The Origins of Voodoo Voodoo is a religion rich in heritage and founded in faith and community. The religion has been villainized by western culture and has been wrongly portrayed as malignant and dangerous. The religion is not founded in any of the (known) "black magics" or fear popularized by Hollywood films, but rather it is based on balance and tradition. The religion is not something that should be encountered with inhibition or fear induced from childhood horror stories, but embraced for its strength and history. Voodoo originated as an amalgam of African religions during the slave trade. As slaves were shipped from Africa to the Caribbean, groups of slaves sharing a similar heritage were broken apart to prevent any sense of community or bond between them. With no connection beyond the tortures of slavery, the slaves had little chance to establish any relationship to their fellow captives. They came from lifestyles far removed so one of the only opportunities for a common bond came from sharing their deep faiths (Erikson). Despite the fact that the religions were just slightly connected, these native faiths allowed an intellectual (as can be, given the narrow scope) exchange and common bond. With several different religions present in any given group of slaves, the majority of slaves adapted by holding a service which accepted all lineages and respected all ancestral lines of faith, both aspects being of primary concerns in African religions. These services were effective in blending the rite s and practices of many religions into one combination religion. This adaptation effectively created a new religion, voodoo, which translates to ?spirit? in several African languages (Bout). Voodoo allowed the slaves to feel like part of their own group. This new-found unity was viewed as a threat to the French and British plantation owners of the newly settled colonies. As a means to quell the religious unity, the plantation owners forbade the practice of religion and punished slaves who attempted to pursue voodoo. Catholicism was presented as an alternative to voodoo. Instead of accepting the Catholic religion, many slaves only incorporated it into the newly established voodoo religion. Catholicism remains an important aspect of voodoo, and several of its methods and rituals are currently practiced as. The punishments of practicing voodoo forced voodoo to ... ...on PCP (no personal experience here, I assure you). The individual would also be dependent on the priest to supply their now life-sustaining drug. This dependence is effectively being ?bound to a master?s will.? In extreme cases the ?zombie? would go through physical effects of drug addiction which leaves the individual looking like a corpse. Voodoo has been greatly misrepresented in American society. It is an honorable and thoughtful religion that should be commended for it?s tenacity through history and it?s involvement in the lives of so many. Voodoo is not the stuff myths and horror movies; rather it is a peaceful, happy, and loving religion that can benefit many more than only those devout to Obatala. Anyone who pursues knowledge owes it to themselves to give voodoo a trial run. Works Cited Bout, Racine Sans. ?The Vodou Page.? AOL.com. 1999. http://members.aol.com/racine125/ (4 Oct. 2001) Erikson, Jacobs. "Voodoo." Compton?s Encyclopedia. Vers. 3.04. 1995. "Vodun (a.k.a. Voodoo)." Religious Tolerance. 2001. http://www.religioustolerance.org/voodoo.htm (4 Oct. 2001). "Voodoo (Vodou) Encyclopedia." Arcana. 2000. http://www.arcana.com/voodoo/ (5 Oct. 2001)

Defining Family Essay -- Family Psychology

Determining family structure and dynamics as well as defining the family is a complex process. Personally, I come from a very traditional family. Much like the assumptions made by the students in the article Defining Family: Young Adults’ Perceptions of the Parent-Child Bond by Mellisa Holtzman (2008). This is what comes to mind when most people define family; a nuclear family, with married parents, and biological children. However, a family is a complex system and can take on many different forms. Today, in a world of the â€Å"postmodern family† the traditional lines of family structure are blurred. Children may come from diverse types of homes, or a couple, married or not may choose to have no children and consider themselves a family. The roots of these modern families may stem from ethnic origins, sexual orientations, or even seen as a rebellion of sorts from traditional ways. Children may live in homes of single parents, which is an exceedingly more common phenomenon as the divorce rate well publicized at around fifty percent. They may also live with homosexual parents either as a biological child of one partner or adopted by both. Also, the traditional married couple may choose to adopt locally or internationally, potentially blending ethnic backgrounds into one household. Whatever the background of the new nuclear family the challenges and experiences follow similar patterns. This change in family structure and definition has become a very public issue in recent years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau a family is defined as â€Å"two or more persons, including the householder, who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption, and who live together as one household† (www.census.gov). This legal... ...to make dysfunctional environments. Whatever the common thread is that links an individual to their family should be recognized and supported as that is what has shaped us all. Works Cited Family - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (n.d.). Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/family Frequently Asked Questions - U.S Census Bureau. (n.d.). Census Bureau Homepage. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/about/faqs.html Holtzman, M. (2008). Defining family: Young adults' perceptions of the parent-child bond. Journal of Family Communication, 8(3), 167-185. Stephen, A. O., & Sabatelli, R. M. (2007). Family interaction: a multigenerational developmental perspective. (4 ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Edu.

Learn Anything

AN ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED INTERNATIONAL B-SCHOOL MARKS: 80 Information Technology N. B. : 1)Attempt any sixteen questions questions carries equal marks. 1. 2. 3. What are the characteristics of a technologically enabled organization? How does an Organization acquire & disseminal knowledge? Why do you suppose inquiry – only applications were developed instead of fully on lines system? 4. 5. What kind of technology is least flexible? Most flexible? How does strategic planning differ between a firm that offers services & one that manufacturers a product?Is there a difference in the impact of technology on strategy in any two types of firms? 6. What kind of business activities do you think are most amenable to common systems in different countries? 7. What kind of programs do you think are likely to make the most use of floating – point instructions? 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Distinguish between computer hardware & software which most concerns a manager? What kind of softwar e does a server for a local area network need to have? What is OLAP? How does it contribute to the organization? Similar article: Text Mining for BusinessesWhy are standards so important in communications? What industries are most likely able to take advantage EDI? Are there applications where it does not matter if multiple databases are simultaneously updated? 14. Most organizations today have computers and software, all of which are supposed to work on a network, from different Vendors? What are the potential problems with using products from many different sources? .. 2.. 15. What are the differences in design for multi-user system versus a personal system on a pc? )All 16. Does a system have to use the most modern technology to be successful? Why or why not? Are there disadvantages to utilizing the most up-to-date technology? 17. 18. 19. Why should one insist on a demonstration of a package? What is a spaghetti organization? How can you transform a huge firm like General Motors with the help of information technology? 20. How more user development eventually eliminates the need for professi onal systems analysis and programmers? 21. 22. 3. 24. How can a company use multimedia today? How does one go about identifying the expert to be used in developing an expert system? Describe how a virus actually works? What kind of files does it want to infect? What kind of changes does information technology either create or facilitate within and between organizations? What other changes are associate with IT? 25. What are the drawbacks of work place monitoring? Why management might wants to monitor worker productivity?

National Cranberry Cooperative Case

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the current scenario, the major bottlenecks in the system are the drying units for wet berries and the berry separation lines. While the drying units’ capacity can be increased by purchasing additional units, the throughput of the system will still be limited by the limitation of the separation lines. If the average rate of inflow of berries is 1500bbl/hr, then with the effective separation capacity of 1200bbl/hr, the plant will incur a backlog of 300bbl/hr. If the shift start times stay as it is, and the processing divisions start four hours after the receiving division, the truckers toward the end of the day will have to wait, since the cumulative backlog caused by processing will exhaust the bin storage capacity. The wait times for the truckers can be reduced by converting some of the dry bins to wet bins. However, this measure will not completely eliminate the trucker wait times. The best solution is to acquire one additional drying unit and advancing the processing shift from 11AM to 8AM. The backlog per hour of 300bbl/hr (due to the separation unit), will be manageable by the available storage capacity in the bins, even without converting the bins. The truckers will not have to wait to offload the berries. The accumulated backlog of berries can be processed in approximately 3. 75 hours after the end of scheduled 12 working hours. With the new expected ratio of wet to dry berries (7:3), not adding an additional drying unit will require the plant to work 9 extra hours to eliminate the backlog. The cost benefit of adding the additional drying unit and advancing the shift start time are higher than the cost benefit of other options considered. THE COMPANY The Receiving Plant I (RPI) of National Cranberry Cooperative (NCC) processes both wet and dry cranberries in a highly mechanized process involving 400 workers during peak season. The processed berries are sold in bulk and bags. PROBLEM STATEMENT NCC is currently wrestling with both runaway overtime costs as well as long waiting time for delivery trucks. PROCESS FLOW The process flow diagram is attached as Exhibit A ANALYSIS From Figure E in the case Delivery begins at 7 AM Processing begins at 11 AM Average Truck per day20/ hour Average load per truck75 bbl Average load per hour1500 bbl Expected split between dry and wet typesDry -30% Wet- 70% Cranberries Delivered Wet768600 Dry1065420 Color 134460 Color 2401080 Color 31398480 Total Pounds1834020 Total No. of trucks243 Time Interval729 Average Truck per day243/12 = 20 per hour Plant capacity and demand ReceivingDryWetTotal Average Receiving per hour (bbls)45010501500 Accumulated berries during 4 hour period (bbls)180042006000 Maximum bin storage capacity (bbls)400032007200 Excess/ Shortage (bbls)2200-10001200 Destone/ Dechaff/Dry Maximum Destoning capacity per hour(bbls)450004500 Excess/ Short over average receiving rate per hour(bbls) for destoning 405004050 Maximum Deschaffing capacity per hour(bbls)150030004500 Excess/ Short over average receiving rate per hour(bbls) for deschaffing 105019503000 Maximum Drying Capacity per hour(bbls)0600600 Excess/Shortage over average receiving rate per hour(bbls) for drying (=600-1050)0-450-450 Quality GradingCombined for Dry & Wet Average Separator line capacity per hour(bbls) (3Ãâ€"400)1200 Average receiving by separator line (600 wet + 450 dry)1050 Average receivings when there are no bottlenecks in the system1500 Excess/ Short over average receiving rate per hour(bbls)-300 1. While the receiving starts at 7. 00 am, the processing starts at 11. 00 am (from Figure E in the case). Accumulated wet berries till the plant starts (1100) is 4200 bbl, about 1000 more than the capacity of wet storage bin. This is the first bottleneck in the system which would cause morning queues of the delivery trucks. This shortage could be eliminated by converting some of the dry bins to wet bins. However, as will be seen, the downstream bottlenecks will still cause the converted bin capacity to be wanting. 2. There are two limitations on throughput for Receiving Plant 1. For wet cranberries, throughput is limited by the Dryer capacity to 600 bbl/hr. In terms of total throughput of RP1, the limitation is on separating capacity at 1200 bbl/hr. At the drying unit, the total processing rate of wet berries falls short of the arrival rate (1050 bbl/hr) by 450 bbl/hr. The solution is to either increase the overtime hours, purchase additional dryers or a combination of both. Option I: No dryers are purchased and overtimes are added: Total received per day (12 hrs)Accumulation till 7. 00 pm if processing start at 11. 00 amProcessing in a day (12 hrs)Additional hours reqd #Additional overtime cost* per peak Peak Season (09/20 – 10/9) wet12x1050=126004200+8*450=7800600Ãâ€"12= 72009 hours for processing USD 9*36*6*20= 38880 dry12x450=54001800 + 8*0=1800600Ãâ€"12= 72000 hours # (shortfall in wet berry processing capacity/processing speed) (12600-7200)/600= 9 hours * staff need to be hired in shipping(15 workers for one additional hour), dechaffing (one worker), milling(15) and shipping units (20) ** overtime charges @ USD 6. 00 per worker per hour Thus dry berries are processed in full while there is considerable backlog in wet berries which will necessitate 9 hours of overtime but still would not able to avoid truckers’ queues. If the some of the dry bins are converted to wet bins to maximize the wet capacity to about 5400 bbl, it will reduce the wait times for the truckers, but not completely eliminate it. As a result the receiving department will have to work over their scheduled 12 hour shift. Option II: One dryer is purchased and overtimes are added: Considering that the separator capacity is 1200 bbl/hour, we can at present add only one dryer line which will enhance the drying capacity to 800 bbl / hr. Let us consider a scenario where wet is processed at 800bbl/hr and dry at 400 per hour Total received per day (12 hrs)Accumulation till 7. 0 pm if processing starts at 11. 00 amAccumulation till 7. 00 pm if processing starts at 8. 00 amProcessing in a day (12 hrs)Additional hours reqd #Additional overtime cost* per peak season (09/20 – 10/9) wet12x1050=126004200+8*350=70001050+8*250=3050800Ãâ€"12= 96003. 75$ 810*20 days= $ 16200 dry12x450=54001800+8*50=2200450+8*50= 650400Ãâ€"12= 48000. 00 # (sh ortfall in processing capacity/processing speed) (12600-7200)/600= 9 hours * staff need to be hired in shipping(15 workers for one additional hour), deschaffing (one worker), milling(15) and shipping units (20) ** overtime charges @ USD 6. 0 per worker per hour Thus dry berries are processed in full while there is considerable backlog in wet berries which will necessitate 3. 75 hours of overtime. If we continue to start the processing shift at 11 am we wouldn’t be able to avoid truckers’ queues because of shortage in bin capacity. However, we start the shift at 8. 00 am, this can be avoided to a large extent Option III: No dryers are purchased and overtimes are added: Let us consider another scenario in which wet is processed at 1000bbl/hr (i. e. two additional dryers) and dry at 200 per hour Total received per day (12 hrs)Accumulation till 7. 0 pm if processing starts at 11. 00 amAccumulation till 7. 00 pm if processing starts at 8. 00 amProcessing in a day (12 hrs)Ad ditional hours reqd #Additional overtime cost* per peak season (09/20 – 10/9) wet12x1050=126004200+8*50=46001050+8*50=14501000Ãâ€"12= 120003. 0$ 648*20= $12960 dry12x450=54001800+8*250=3800450+8*250= 2450200Ãâ€"12= 24000. 0 # (shortfall in processing capacity/processing speed) (12600-7200)/600= 9 hours * staff need to be hired in shipping(15 workers for one additional hour), deschaffing (one worker), milling(15) and shipping units (20) ** overtime charges @ USD 6. 0 per worker per hour EVALUATION OF LIGHT METER SYSTEM In 1980, 75 cent premium was paid per bbl on about 450,000 bbls of berries of which about 225,000 turned out to be not of high quality. This cost the company $168,750. We presume that this is also the cost incurred by the company every year. Since the cost of installation is $20,000 plus hiring of a full time skilled operator. Cost of operator = $6. 50/hourx2000 hours per year=$13,000 per year Savings to the company excluding onetime cost of $20,000 = $155750 RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The company needs to purchase one additional dryer @ cost of 40,000 else it would have to spend $38880/ year in additional overtime. Considering the capital cost and the overtime spent ($16200), the additional expenditure can thus be recouped in less than two years. The last option of two dryers would lead to only marginal savings in additional overtime ($3240/year) over the option of buying one dryer. 2. The processing of berries of berries should start at 8. 00 am instead of current 11. 00 am to prevent shortage of bin capacity. . The limitation in separation capacity is serious and measures need to be taken to overcome it. For this, either the capacity of the system needs to be added or the quality of berries needs to be improved so that the separation system can work at its peak capacity of 450bbl/hour/line. However, without further indications on the cost of additional separation units it is not possible to conduct cost-benefit analysis. 4. In view of the substantial cost saving s, the company should buy the light meter system.

Customer Service Careers Essay

What does Customer Service mean to you? Is it simply taking care of your daily customers’ needs? What about the concept that your employees are also your customers? Does that change your outlook on the idea of customer service? This essay will explain the internal customer concepts of human relations. Human relations, in definition, are â€Å"the skill or ability to work effectively through and with other people†. (Lamberton, p.4) As a manager, you need to understand the needs and wants of your employees. You should have an effective training program that is set up with clear guidelines and expectations. Providing feedback during the training and throughout employment is crucial. This allows for open communication between management and employees. Future goals can be discussed and additional training available to aid them on those journeys. Areas of improvement can also be discussed without singling out the negative. Read more:  Customer Service in Leisure and Recreation In human relations it is very important to know the values instilled by the company. It is also important to help the employees â€Å"understand and accept the values of others without compromising their personal integrity†. (Lamberton, p.114) Communication and compromise are vital in any organization. It is not necessary to disregard your values for someone else’s, merely understanding where they are coming from and finding common ground to build on. You’re job in human relations is help bridge those gaps and assist in dealing with those conflicts. â€Å"Something powerful happens when people see themselves as part of healthy, functional community and have a positive experience of that.† (Everett, p.78) Positive attitudes, job satisfaction, high morale, and positive reinforcements are just a few examples of ways to succeed. Involving employees in decisions and setting realistic goals will help to improve  motivation as well. Employees need to feel that they matter as individuals, not just a part of the company. Managers are crucial in developing mutual respect, self-esteem, and solving conflicts. The better your communication skills are the more likely you are to be successful. Also, being able to maintain a positive attitude increases the morale of your internal customers, or employees. References Everett, Melissa (2007) Making a Living While Making a Difference: Conscious Careers for an Era of Interdependence Lamberton, Lowell, Minor, Leslie (2010) Human Relations: Strategies for success

Basant Festival

Mela entertainment is widely recognized as a wholesome, complete events solution factory. It’s a team of young, creative, enthusiastic and dynamic professionals with a sparkling stream of ideas having vast experience in the field of Events & Entertainments. Our goal is to give each & every event a different Meaning, Identity and a Vision with true professionalism to chart the roads of informative & entertaining events.Mela entertainment is here to simplify & make things easier to provide excellent services to the clients. Every event organized / managed / coordinated by us is an excellent opportunity for entertainment, growth, personality development and confidence building. From our in-house staff to our many clients and participants; every one experiences the magic.Our Philosophy & Commitment is encapsulated in the following statement: â€Å"To provide & deliver event solutions & services with the highest standard of professionalism, creativity upholding at all times qualit y, integrity and innovation.†Our expertise covers all the aspects of Events: Planning, management, Coordination and Execution. We deliver cost effective events without compromising on the final outputs. And to say the least, we have a capability & ample of workforce to organize many events at a time without compromising on the quality of the event. Services we offer:†¢Corporate events †¢ Conferences & Seminars †¢ Product Launches †¢ B2B & B2C Events †¢ Networking Events †¢ VIP Visits †¢ Road Shows †¢ Facility Inaugurations †¢ Employee Motivation programs †¢ Residential Conferences †¢ Awards functions †¢ Media / Press meets †¢ Customer / Dealer interaction programs †¢ Brand Extension Exercises †¢ Celebrity Management †¢ Live Concerts & Stage ShowsEvent Production & Direction†¢ Integrated Communication / Event Strategy †¢ Budgeting †¢ Technical Consulting †¢ Multimedia Production †¢ Artiste, Dance Troops Management †¢ Creative ConceptualizationLogistical Planning / Production / Stage Management†¢ Public Relation Services †¢ CEO Visits †¢ PR †¢ CSR Projects †¢ Media monitoring †¢ Crisis Management †¢ Public AffairsPromotions†¢ Retail Visibility †¢ Product Awareness †¢ Product Sampling †¢ Consumer Insights †¢ Lead GenerationRetail Activation†¢ Exhibition †¢ Wedding PlanningLarge field force activation†¢ Market / Competition Intelligence & Analysis †¢ Sampling and Audits †¢ Mystery Shopper Programs †¢ Kiosks †¢ POP / POS †¢ Time bound Installations †¢ Permanent Installations †¢ RWA Activities †¢ BPO Activities †¢ Mall ActivitiesMissionWe love what we do†¦Our mission statement is:– to work with our clients for their long term benefit, – to constantly research and develop new strategies, technologies and skills, â₠¬â€œ to provide exceptional service, -to maintain constant communication.

Captain Ahab

This paper proves how and why Captain Ahab in Herman Melvilles Moby Dick is a tragic hero. This paper examines the character of Captain Ahab as a tragic hero in Herman Melvilles Moby Dick. The author discusses the criteria for a tragic hero and how Ahab fits each criterion. The paper looks at how Captain Ahabs weakness turned him away from success, and how he recognized his personal suffering. Captain Ahab is a man of substance, or outstanding in a positive way. He is also turned aside from success due to his own weakness of character. This weakness of character causes him to suffer which in turn this suffering causes Ahab to find recognition of himself and discover what is happening to him. He also causes the sensitive and intelligent reader to feel a sense of waste. Ahab causes a disruption in a system of order as well. He is classified as a paradoxical figure and shows sign of humanity. With two proofs or more for each of the eight criteria of a tragic hero Captain Ahab proves himself to be a more than adequate tragic hero in Herman Melvilles novel Moby Dick.

Compare Jane Austen's work ( themes, plots, characteristics, style, Essay

Compare Jane Austen's work ( themes, plots, characteristics, style, politics) to some aspects of her life - Essay Example Jane was 5th born in the family of Rev. George Austen at the Hampshire and lived in the area for most of her life. She never married. She was briefly educated by her relative in Southampton, currently Oxford in 1783 and later at Reading Ladies boarding school. Generally, her education was only based on superior education given to girls of the time. In addition, she started writing her first tale as early as 1789. Jane Austen’s life was not happy especially in love and tranquil because she was simply uneventful. The movement of her family to Bath gave her scene to many episodes used in her different writings. There was a time she received a marriage proposal from a wealthy young man but turned it down the next day, reasonably that she did not love him. In her work, Austen anonymously published her tales in order to contemporary adhere the convention of the female authors. Fortunately, her publications continued to achieve the popularity and esteem although she could not lead the literally circles due to her anonymity. Her choice of writing the stories of love in the career, which coincided with the movement of romance contrasted with her life since she personally unromantic. The emotion of passion created in her novels moderates’ rational exercise in finding the real happiness than eloping with a lover. Austen became famous for her mature works in socializing the manners of the comedies. For example Emma, was cited to be perfected in the form, which the critics continue to approach in a perspective of the predicament of English women who were not married (Scott, 58-69). During this period (1800s), the customs and the laws of inheritance determined the fortunes of the families to the male partners. The literary styles of the Jane Austen relied on the combination of the irony, parody, free indirect speech, realism and the burlesque. The usage of burlesque and parody

ENG 305T Annotated Bibliography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

ENG 305T Annotated Bibliography - Research Paper Example By managing personal time an individual becomes able to eliminate wastage, abstain from excessive workloads, be equipped for meetings, supervise project progress, distribute resources like time in an appropriate way according to the task's importance, and ensure concentration on long-term projects, planning each day effectively and similarly each week efficiently. This article offers practices that may enable in the effective management of time. As mentioned by Blair, â€Å"This involves the simplistic task of keeping a note of how you spend your time for a suitably long period of time (say a week).† The main practiced involve waste disposal, avoiding subordinate work by delegating, making appropriate appointments, scheduling projects, monitoring staff and paying attention to long term objectives. Personal Time Management is thus an organized appliance of strategies based on common sense strategies. It necessitates little effort, nevertheless it encourages efficient work exerc ises by spotlighting wastage and it contributes to effectual use of time by concentrating it on one’s chosen activities.† Bridge, Tim. ... The author emphasizes on personal time management by being obliged by one’s own need and therefore based on one’s need makes it more difficult to acquire and be utilized till its full potential. According to the author, the skill of managing time effectively requires time for development and perfection so a variety of approaches are suggested to be attempted. The Tips offered in the given article include briefly enlisting everything that needs to be done. As quoted by the author â€Å"Write as much down as you can. If you don’t carry a planner or notebook already, start. Personally, I’ve always preferred a small, simple, white-lined notebook because you aren’t restricted by the various boxes and lines of the average planner† (Bridge). The second way suggested by the author is â€Å"make use of down time† emphasizing on the prioritization of the tasks. The third way is to reward oneself upon accomplishment of each goal. Then the author suggests to â€Å"concentrate on one thing† i.e. instead of multitasking, prioritizing each task and attempting to complete each task one by one. The other way to achieve time management is to avoid procrastination, as quoted by the author â€Å"When trying to be more productive and trying to save time, procrastination should be avoided like nothing else. It is the ultimate productivity-killer† (Bridge). Then the author suggests to set deadlines personally and penalizing oneself on missing them. The other ways suggested by the author include delegating responsibility, planning long term goals, implementing a software program such as RescueTime to check the amount of time wasted in useless activities, team work and avoiding burnouts.

One problem in our comunity ( miami) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

One problem in our comunity ( miami) - Essay Example Most of the work remains for improvement of conditions that teens pass through providing them with education and information regarding relationships and sexuality and improve reproductive and sexual health services (David, 2012) In Miami, local live births to mothers of age eighteen and under explained for eight percent of the entire births. Miami birth rates compared to teen girls dropped from 85 per one thousand to 51 in 2011. Both statewide and nationally, the sharpest decreases in the rates of teen births were noted for black teenagers. The rate of state births for black teenagers is dropped to 26% from the previous years. In spite of declines, Miami rates of birth in 2011 to mothers of age 18 years and below continue to increase in percentage of teenager births to black mothers 12% than the ratio to white mothers 6%. The Hispanic teen birth rates have not reflected the decline in the general birth rates. Miami birth rates for this group of teenagers have increased by 9% from 1991 (www.floridachart.com) The members of Miami should show awareness of the growing rate of teen pregnancy in high schools. The other goal is expressing need for a plan towards the reduction of teen pregnancy prevalence. Thirdly, is the development and implementation of the plan to reduce these pregnancies? Fourthly is the evaluation of success in meeting the planned goals and objectives. Lastly, is reporting teen pregnancy reduction rate. Determine: evaluate the following: teen pregnancy in Miami for the last two years; community demographics; attitudes towards teenager mothers and their young ones; programs in schools that work towards the welfare of the teen mothers; knowledge on sexuality and sex; attitude of the community on sex and effects of religious education of sex. Evaluation information should be used in the establishment of appropriate intervention. Performance: collect

Buying School Clunkers Make More Sense than a Brand New Car Essay

Buying School Clunkers Make More Sense than a Brand New Car - Essay Example Clunkers may look like they should be retired because they need somebody work or does not have the latest bells and whistles but with proper maintenance, it gets the kid from point A to point B. That is all that should matter to them at their ages. † That is sound advice coming from a man who makes his living selling cars. A new car will the owners back by at least $20,000 while a clunker can easily be had for around $2,000 and up, there truly does seem to be an economic advantage to owning a clunker. Provided the new owner of the car will not mind shelling out some extra dollars for whatever repairs the car might need. He still comes out ahead in the long run than if he had bought a new car. While most teenage kids of driving age look forward to waking up to a brand new car being delivered to their doorstep on the morning of their birthday, the economics of our times have changed that pattern. Since a brand new car loses approximately 20 percent of its value the minute it is d riven off the car lot, buying your teenage kid a â€Å"teaching car† which is what some parents and mechanics prefer to call the clunkers, turns out to be a big bargain. Buying a car that is more than ten years old often is often seen as a waste of money because of the cost of repairs that are involved in whipping the car into shape. Wise buyers though know that is not the case. In fact, the old clunkers can help you save money in the long run even with the cost of repairs thrown in.  ... He still comes out ahead in the long run than if he had bought a new car. While most teenage kids of driving age look forward to waking up to a brand new car being delivered at their doorstep on the morning of their birthday, the economics of our times have changed that pattern. Since a brand new car loses approximately 20 percent of its value the minute it is driven off the car lot, buying you teenage kid a â€Å"teaching car† which is what some parents and mechanics prefer to call the clunkers, turns out to be a big bargain. Buying a car that is more than ten years old often is often seen as a waste of money because of the cost of repairs that are involved in whipping the car into shape. Wise buyers though know that is not the case. In fact, the old clunkers can help you save money in the long run even with the cost of repairs thrown in. People like Joel Berry (Why I Drive a 13-Year-Old Car, 2009) understand that economics plays an important role in car buying decisions. In his case, he has been driving the same second hand 1995 Geo Prizm for a number of years now and far as he is concerned, the car is far from being the old clunker that his friends think his car to be. Joel explains; â€Å"I bought my Geo Prizm in 1995 with 5,000 miles on it. It now has 140,000 miles on it and still runs fine. I paid off the car in 1999. It is now 2008.I haven’t had a car payment in nine years. How much has this saved? Our payments for this car were $250 a month. Over nine years, I’ve gone 108 months without making a payment. At $250 a month, that’s a savings of $27,000. Over the lifetime of the car, I’ve spent less than $2000 in repairs. Subtracting this from my savings still leaves me with $25,000 extra over buying a new car right

Policy brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Policy brief - Essay Example Notably, the affordable care act requires states to establish their independent insurance exchanges. In other words, they want states to default to the federal exchange. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the joint federal state programs were initiated to fund the medical services in the United States. This is a long term project that was initiated to provide care to the moderate income families. Moreover, it is worth noting that Medicaid is among the largest federal funded budgets and it has had a rapidly growing cost, but with unsustainable rates (Rosen, 1988). The huge cost of this program to the federal government’s budget calls substantial overhaul towards reducing the taxpayers from huge funding burden. Nearly all states including Vermont usually receive Medicaid with an open ended funding from the federal government (Kaiser Commission Medicaid, 2012). The expansion of the state budget along with their expanded benefits usually leaves the taxpayers with no option but to pay additional costs. It should be noted that the current funding structure provides a room for overexpansion that in turn provides the states with limited incentive t o control extensive waste and fraud programs. Moreover, program is designed in a top down regulatory structure thereby creating distortions within the health care markets. However, the Medicaid intra governmental grants have proven to be effective and efficient for the funding mechanisms within the United States funding systems. Notably, they have created conditions that match the states’ funding considerably. In essence, the program allows the federal government to share specific expenditures that are attached to the program. These programs attached to the Medicaid services are known as the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP). The FMAP was initiated for the government to have a larger percentage in the Medicaid costs in states. However, the highly targeted states are those with low

Analyze Thyself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze Thyself - Essay Example This essay aims to provide philosophical depth on the fashion industry, notably the ethics incorporated in the trade. The fashion industry has come in handy in adding zest to the lives of human beings and as noted by the iconic Oscar De La Renta, fashion is great, for it routinely looks forward. That notwithstanding, it is imperative for the society to take into consideration some of the ethical concerns that have been raised overtime. Most of the raw materials used in the fashion industry originate from plant and animal textile (Paulins et al 318). The herbicides used in the spraying of cotton for example, are known to cause substantial damage to the environment in terms of air, soil and water pollution. Additionally it affects the health of the workers who take part in the production of cotton as well as those of the families that reside around the plant textile fields. Henry David Thoreau once attested that it is useless to construct a fine house if there is no tolerable planet to put it on. For that reason, it is far-reaching for the industry players to embrace ethical production measures; as s uch an approach would come in handy in making certain that the future generations find their stay on earth interesting. Animal cruelty is another issue that has faced the fashion industry for a considerable duration. In as much as consumers celebrate fur products for their stylishness and their outstanding nature, human and animal activists have raised concerns over the extent to which several animals experience brutality during animal trapping and extraction of fur, leather and wool. Presently, consumer knowledge drives most of the customers to be associated with products that take into consideration most of the factors that matter in an environment (Paulins et al 322). To that effect, the industry players should work towards making sure that they understand the demands of their client base through market

Changes in american family during world war 2 Research Proposal

Changes in american family during world war 2 - Research Proposal Example During this period, President Roosevelt of America advocated that for the greatest level of loyalty from the citizens, both men and women. While joining the army was a career dominated by men, World War 2 saw women join in war to reinforce the army and this became a new change in the family structure; a family where both a husband and wife would be in war and children would be left under the care of their grandparents or under a foster parent. In response to the call of the president, many women were enrolled in the army and they set out to take part in the world war. The entry of women in the war was one of the causes of family instability. Witwoski seems to refer to the massive killing that was witnessed during the war that has been regarded as source of family breakdown by many authors of history. In the event of the war, a good number of army members lost their life and the consequence of this is that many children were orphaned. Coupled with the massive killing that was evidence during this period, many parents lost their lives and children were left homeless and unattended. Resultantly, orphaned children became victims of circumstances and most of them became part of the poverty-stricken population in America. Secondly, one of the most significant implications of the war was that most men went to war leaving behind their wives. In this case, many women had to step in and take the role of men in the family. This saw many women change from home care takers to breadwinners of the family.... Secondly, one of the most significant implications of the war was that most men went to war leaving behind their wives. In this case, many women had to step in and take the role of men in the family. This saw many women change from home care takers to breadwinners of the family. More notably, most of the men killed in the war had to leave their families in disarray. This meant that the women left behind had to become single mothers perhaps for the rest of their lifetime. However, others may have opted to get married again, causing the children to have multiple fathers. While it was a temporary solution to family crisis, this is an issue that brought about a change in the family structure, and America had to appreciate family structures that had not previously been witnessed in this state. Thirdly, this was a period in which the highest order of racism was manifested in the history of America. The Black Americans and the Japanese were among the races that were greatly affected by the sudden surge of racism in this period of war. On the West coast, Americans who had a Japanese descent were discriminate and as the tension of the war heightened they were forced into isolation camps. This was a sensitive matter to the family structure at a period when intermarriage had already penetrated in America. American wives who had married Japanese men were subjected to permanent widowhood and they became a vulnerable part of the society. In addition, Black American experienced a high level of seclusion especially in the job market, and getting a job was not easy in America. If they could get any employment, it would be manual labor and the wage would well below 64 cents (Wheeler 19). Therefore, the Black American families continued to wale in poor health and feeding habits, with

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Homosexuality lacks respect in the Middle East. It is considered to be an immense scandal. Nowadays, the idea of gay marriage is completely disregarded. They don’t display it on Arabic television. The media is controlled by the government, and hence they are not allowed to air or publish such ‘dishonors’. Therefore, most Arabs remain unaware and ignorant. There are undoubtedly many homosexuals in the Middle East who hope to get married. However, the chief problem is that it’s against the law. The Middle Eastern governments have placed rules and regulations against homosexuals. If they were to alter their rules, the Arab community may begin to accept the gay community. Furthermore, another chief problem is that the government is heavily influenced by religion. All prevalent religions do not approve of gay marriage. Hence, if marriage were to become civil, gay marriage might be permitted in the future. But in order for all these actions to take place, the Arab community must unite and try to make a change. Gay marriage should become an acknowledged concept in the Middle Eastern society. The Arab governments are one of the principal obstacles that are preventing gay marriage from happening. They decree many rules and regulations that are against homosexuals. One such example of these laws is Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, a result of French colonialism, in consideration of diehard religious groups and sects. Article 534 states that: â€Å"sexual intercourse contrary to nature is punishable for up to 1 year in prison†. This article, in essence, deprives a large Lebanese demographic from partaking in ordinary civil life, and restricts their civil liberties. By restricting civil liberties, this so-called â€Å"law† prevents the democratic process from occurring smoothly for all citizens, and is an obvious black mark on the face of the supposedly â€Å"free† Lebanese democracy. This article also prevents Lebanese homosexuals from being properly integrated into society, and they therefore seek other Western societies, that are more open to homosexuality, and emigrate in search of a better life. Article 534 includes â€Å"the act of Sodomy, or any sexual intercourse between two men, which includes penetration†. The article, theoretically and legally, does not concern intercourse that does not include penetration, and does not include sexual acts between two women. The execution of this article has been scarce in modern day Lebanon, and so a conclusion can be made that it is used instead to prevent any debate on sexuality from occurring. One Helem article cites that â€Å"The association of unnatural acts with homosexuality contradicts modern scientific foundations, especially psychological and medical studies and research that removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses, something recognized by the World Health Organization on 17 May 1992, a date that was announced as ‘the international day against homophobia’. † (Helem) (Helem is the first LGBT organization in Lebanon). In Islam, homosexuals (called qaum Lut, the people of Lot) are condemned in the story of Lots people in the Quran (15:73; 26:165) and in the last address of the Prophet Muhammad. However, attraction of men to â€Å"beautiful male youths† has been a part of the culture of some Islamic societies and the attraction is not usually looked down upon in itself. When it comes to lesbian homosexuality, some have argued that since penetration is not involved, female homosexual acts should be less severely punished. Islamic law is most concerned with openly gay public behavior, so there is no strong disapproval of homosexuality if it is not displayed in public (Homosexuality, Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions. ) ‘Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East’ is an article that was written by Hala Gorani for CNN. One of the situations mentioned in the article is how the Egyptian police invaded a homosexual hangout on the river Nile called the Queen Boat. Some of the people who were involved in the hangout were arrested and imprisoned for sin. The article also notes that when governments raid homosexual gatherings, they do it for political instead of ethical reasons. Brian Whitaker, in his paper ‘Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East’, argues that homophobia in Arab Muslim countries â€Å"is not a religious or a cultural issue, but is foremost a political problem of which culture and religion are reliant factors†, arguing that Homophobia in the Muslim world can be attributed to the attitude this world has to its counterpart, the modern secular European and Western civilization. Whitaker goes on to write that attitudes concerning homosexuality in the Middle East have become increasingly intertwined with politics on an international scale, stating that â€Å"claiming that homosexuality is anti-Islamic, or against the Arab ‘nature,’ has become a way to oppose Western policies†. The Muslim world views gay rights as a Western import, imposed on them by the changing world in view of globalization, and the stronger â€Å"imperialist forces†. But, even if the government were to change its laws concerning the issue of homosexuality, the people’s view on the subject might not change at all. Since the conservative citizen’s view on the issue is so deeply rooted in his beliefs already, it wouldn’t matter to him/her if the government changed a few rules and stuck some new wording in the Penal Code. They would still think the same thing, and say the same hateful things. Another major difficulty is the social rejection of gays in the modern Arab society. Most Arab people disregard and disrespect homosexuals. A recent article in BBC news written by John Muir called ‘Iraqi gay men face ‘lives in hell’ describes how a young boy was caught wearing women’s underwear. Men poked the boy with sticks and interrogated him, asking why he was dressed in such a manner. The boy frightfully explained that he was trying to aid his family’s monetary situation. Another event that was mentioned in Muir’s article was harassment. Homosexual Iraqi men were often harassed and brutally murdered for being what they were. Several dead men were found lying near placards with the terms ‘puppies’ and ‘perverts’ written on them. Another article called ‘People Think it’s a Mental Illness’, published in The Guardian, by Brian Whitaker accounts his travels around the Middle East, where he interviewed many homosexuals. One of the people he interviewed told him that his brother actually threatened him at gunpoint when his homosexuality was discovered. Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, mentioned earlier, is used as Blackmail in Lebanon. One BBC article, in an interview with Helem’s co-ordinator George Azzi states that The authorities use this article to blackmail homosexuals by asking for money or using violence or insults, all the while knowing that it will cost them nothing at all to do so. The article also states that many gay men have lost their jobs after being uncovered as gay, and they suffer from verbal and physical abuse and degradation (especially in the case of more effeminate gay men). This hardship also exists within the family, where a majority of gay men have been threatened with murder and are kicked out of their houses. The article goes on to say that if a gay man or woman were to be a doctor or lawyer, he/she would be in a very tough situation, where people would lose f aith in their ability to treat them or give them legal advice. The only for the gay Arab community to escape social judgement is simply by keeping themselves in the closet, and restricting their beliefs only to themselves, in order not to get caught. This repression of attitude would definitely lead to major psychological and social problems for Arab homosexuals, most notably depression and social isolation from one’s social group, in order not to be judged or criticised for who he/she is. The gay individual may also start to feel denial because of his/her sexual orientation, and would start considering suicide as an easy way out. All these factors would not work well for the gay community, and would therefore lead to its downfall, and then the government would have won. Another important issue that needs to be tackled in the idea of civil marriage in the Middle East; traditionally, marriages are conducted by a Priest or a Sheik, with no regard to inter-religious marriages (sort of like a religion caste system). People of different religious backgrounds who want to get married usually travel to European countries, where civil marriages are conducted routinely, in order to obtain a legal marriage license and elope. Civil marriage has not been recognized in many, if not all, Arab countries, and multi-sectarian Arab governments steadfastly oppose the idea of legalizing civil marriage, where the idea of civil marriage takes â€Å"God† out of the sacred bond between man and woman. Since civil marriage is illegal in these countries, so is marriage between homosexual members of society, as they cannot get married in a church of mosque (even though some priests who are open to the idea may officiate gay marriages inside their respective churches, but the marriage would still go unnoticed by the government). Both the former Lebanese Minister of Interior Affairs and the current Maronite Patriarch (surprisingly enough) have voiced their opinions on being with the idea of civil marriage in Lebanon, but no action to pass a law concerning this issue has taken place as of yet. If civil marriages are legalized in these countries, then same-sex partners have the right, and the choice, to get married if they wanted to. In one Guardian article, entitled ‘What’s wrong with being gay and Muslim? , Brian Whitaker talks about how many Arab same-sex couples, or same-sex couples of Muslim descent in Britain are looking to civil marriage there in order to have a legal binding marriage contract. Whitaker gives one such example, writing that â€Å"two lesbians arrived at their local register office to tie the knot, both were Muslims and both were wearing hijabs†; saying that that was the first Muslim gay marriage to take place in England. The question still remains, if civil marriage we re to become legal at some point in the future, would Arab same-sex couples still want to tie the knot locally? They would remain afraid and weary of the repercussions that might result as a product of their marriage, and of the backlash of the conservative religious communities in these countries, and would probably not consider local Arab civil marriage a good solution, and would travel abroad anyway. In closing, the issue of homosexuality in the Middle East is still a taboo topic, regardless of the winds of change that might be sweeping part of the region. The point is they have still not had their effect on the region as a whole. The question of homophobia in these areas should be answered, is it one of culture and rejecting diversity, or is it a question of rejecting foreign politics and holding a united front against the western world? In any case, homophobia should not even still be a phenomenon of our 21st century civilization, whether locally or abroad. It is mainly a discussion on racism in general, and racism as a whole should have been abolished a long while ago. One day, the Middle Eastern governments will alter their challenging policies and people will begin to understand how ordinary gay marriage is. People should not feel troubled to be exposed and generate awareness to others around them. The face of the Middle East should case to be the face of extremism and terrorism, and should start being the face of a shining beacon of revolution and change, and especially of tolerance and unity. Marriage is first and foremost based on love, so why deny same-sex couples their right to love?