Antz vs. Communist Russia essays

Antz vs. Communist Russia essays The life of an ant in the movie Antz, is very similar to that of a Russian citizen under Stalins rule. Of course the economy of the ants is a command economy, and everyone has to work towards the good of the colony. When Stalin came to power in Russia, Lenin had already introduced communism, and he wanted to install that more securely, but communism was already present in Russia. Antz is an example of the perfect command economy. Everyone has their jobs and functions, and everyone works toward the common good. Although the movie does not show us how the ants obtain their food, and that was one of the major problems in the Russian command economy. Because of this, the two economies are also considerably different. But the major ideals of the communist economy are the same. As the movie is shown from a workers point of view, I believe that Russians in communist Russia felt the same way as Zee, the main character in the movie. I think so, but that side of Russian citizens is rarely shown throughout history, because although they had the right of free speech, it was very restricted. Russians would never speak out against anyone of authority, because they knew that there would be consequences. Listening to Zee gave me a lot more insight to what the life of a Russian citizen under Stalins rule must have been like. When Stalin thought that anyone posed as a threat to him or the countrys development, he had a way of dealing with it. In Antz we only see them punished when they arent working, or lipping off their supervisor, and their rations are taken away. Communist Russia had the secret police. Russians lived in constant fear of being taken away or killed. One way the movie and Russia during Stalins rule are similar, was that all food was rationed. Russia didnt exactly ration food, but they only had so much, and gave it only to those who co ...

Francisco de Orellana, Discoverer of the Amazon River

Francisco de Orellana, Discoverer of the Amazon River Francisco de Orellana (1511–November 1546) was a Spanish conquistador, colonist, and explorer. He joined Gonzalo Pizarros 1541 expedition that set out from Quito headed east, hoping to find the mythical city of El Dorado. Along the way, Orellana and Pizarro were separated. While Pizarro returned to Quito, Orellana and a handful of men continued traveling downriver, eventually discovering the Amazon River and making their way to the Atlantic Ocean. Today, Orellana is best remembered for this journey of exploration. Fast Facts: Francisco de Orellana Known For: Spanish conquistador who discovered the Amazon RiverBorn: 1511 in Trujillo,  Crown of CastileDied: November 1546 in the Delta of the  Amazon River (Today  Par  and  Amap, Brazil)Spouse: Ana de Ayala Early Life Francisco de Orellana was born in Extremadura sometime around 1511. Its reported that he had a close relationship with Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, although the exact relationship is not entirely clear. They were close enough, however, that Orellana could use the connection to his advantage. Joining Pizarro Orellana came to the New World while still a young man and met with Pizarros 1832 expedition to Peru, where he was among the Spaniards who overthrew the mighty Inca Empire. He showed a knack for supporting the winning sides in the Civil Wars among the conquistadors that ripped the region apart in the late 1530s. He lost an eye in the fighting but was richly rewarded with lands in present-day Ecuador. Gonzalo Pizarro’s Expedition Spanish conquistadors had discovered unimaginable wealth in Mexico and Peru and were constantly on the lookout for the next rich native Empire to attack and rob. Gonzalo Pizarro, Franciscos brother, was one man who believed in the legend of El Dorado, a wealthy city governed by a king who painted his body in gold dust. In 1540, Gonzalo began outfitting an expedition that would set out from Quito and head east in the hopes of locating El Dorado or any other rich native civilization. Gonzalo borrowed a princely sum of money to outfit the expedition, which left in February of 1541. Francisco de Orellana joined the expedition and was considered high-ranking among the conquistadors. Pizarro and Orellana Separate The expedition did not find much in the way of gold or silver. Instead, it encountered angry natives, hunger, insects, and flooded rivers. The conquistadors slogged around the dense South American jungle for several months, their condition worsening. In December of 1541, the men were camped out alongside a mighty river, their provisions loaded onto a makeshift raft. Pizarro decided to send Orellana ahead to scout the terrain and find some food. His orders were to return as soon as he could. Orellana set out with about 50 men and departed on December 26. Orellana’s Journey A few days downriver, Orellana and his men found some food at a native village. According to documents that Orellana kept, he wished to return to Pizarro, but his men agreed that returning upriver would be too hard and threatened to mutiny if Orellana made them, preferring instead to continue downriver. Orellana did send three volunteers back to Pizarro to inform him of his actions. They set forth from the confluence of the Coca and Napo Rivers and began their trek. On February 11, 1542, the Napo emptied into a larger River: the Amazon. Their voyage would last until they reached the Spanish-held Island of Cubagua, off the coast of Venezuela, in September. Along the way, they suffered from Indian attacks, hunger, malnutrition, and illnesses. Pizarro would eventually return to Quito, his troop of colonists decimated. The Amazons The Amazons- a fearsome race of warrior women- had been legendary in Europe for centuries. The conquistadors, who had become used to seeing new, marvelous things on a regular basis, often looked for legendary people and places (such as Juan Ponce de Leà ³ns fabled search for the Fountain of Youth). The Orellana expedition convinced itself that it had found the fabled Kingdom of the Amazons. Native sources, highly motivated to tell the Spaniards what they wanted to hear, told of a great, wealthy kingdom ruled by women with vassal states along the river. During one skirmish, the Spanish even saw women fighting: they assumed these were the legendary Amazons who had come to fight alongside their vassals. Friar Gaspar de Carvajal, whose first-hand account of the journey has survived, described them as near-naked white women who fought fiercely. Return to Spain Orellana returned to Spain in May 1543, where he was not surprised to find that an angry Gonzalo Pizarro had denounced him as a traitor. He was able to defend himself against the charges, in part because he had asked the would-be mutineers to sign documents to the effect that they did not allow him to return upstream to aid Pizarro. On February 13, 1544, Orellana was named governor of â€Å"New Andalucia,† which included much of the region he had explored. His charter allowed him to explore the area, conquer any bellicose natives, and establish settlements along the Amazon River. Return to the Amazon Orellana was now an adelantado, sort of a cross between an administrator and a conquistador. With his charter in hand, he went looking for funding but found it difficult to lure investors to his cause. His expedition was a fiasco from the start. More than a year after gaining his charter, Orellana set sail for the Amazon on May 11, 1545. He had four ships carrying hundreds of settlers, but provisions were poor. He stopped in the Canary Islands to refit the ships but wound up staying there for three months as he sorted out various problems. When they finally set sail, rough weather caused one of his ships to be lost. He reached the mouth of the Amazon in December and began his plans for settlement. Death Orellana began exploring the Amazon, looking for a likely place to settle. Meanwhile, hunger, thirst, and native attacks weakened his force constantly. Some of his men even abandoned the enterprise while Orellana was exploring. Sometime in late 1546, Orellana was scouting an area with some of his remaining men when they were attacked by natives. Many of his men were killed: according to Orellana’s widow, he died of illness and grief shortly after that. Legacy Orellana is best remembered today as an explorer, but that was never his goal. He was a conquistador who accidentally became an explorer when he and his men were carried off by the mighty Amazon River. His motives were not very pure, either: he never intended to be a trailblazing explorer. Rather, he was a veteran of the bloody conquest of the Inca Empire whose considerable rewards were not enough for his greedy soul. He wished to find and loot the legendary city of El Dorado in order to become even wealthier. He died still seeking a wealthy kingdom to plunder. Still, there is no doubt that he led the first expedition to travel the Amazon River from its roots in the Andean mountains to its release into the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, he proved himself as shrewd, tough, and opportunistic, but also cruel and ruthless. For a time, historians deplored his failure to return to Pizarro, but it seems that he had no choice in the matter. Today, Orellana is remembered for his journey of exploration and little else. He is most famous in Ecuador, which is proud of its role in history as the place from which the famed expedition departed. There are streets, schools, and even a province named after him. Sources Ayala Mora, Enrique, ed. Manual de Historia del Ecuador I: Epocas Aborigen y Colonial, Independencia. Quito: Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar, 2008.Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Francisco De Orellana.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 13 Feb. 2014.Silverberg, Robert. The Golde. Dream: Seekers of El Dorado. Athens: the Ohio University Press, 1985.

Effect of Evaluation Apprehension on Speed of Performance in a Simple Essay

Effect of Evaluation Apprehension on Speed of Performance in a Simple Manual Dexterity Task - Essay Example This report evaluates the effect that performance evaluation has on a simple manual dexterity task. Evaluation apprehension does have an impact on an individual’s performance. Participants who believe that they are being evaluated while performing a simple manual task are able to complete their tasks faster when they are in the presence of other people compared to participants who do not think that their performance is the same task is being evaluated (Ferris and Roland, 1983). There have been several studies done to evaluate if a person who perceives that he is being evaluated will perform a task any differently if he thinks that no one is evaluating him. Different theories have been formulated to explain how evaluation apprehension impacts on speed of performance in a simple dexterity task. The Evaluation Apprehension Theory, which was proposed by Cottrell in 1972 when he stated that when individuals work in the presence of other people, they normally experience a general concern about how the audience is evaluating them. He further stated that the apprehension has the ability to facilitate performance on simple, well learned tasks (Cottrell, Wack, Sekerek and Rittle, 1968). According to Cottrell, one’s performance is dependent on how well the person understands the social rewards and punishments that he might receive as a result of how other people evaluate him. This is to say that performance can be impaired or enhanced only when one performs in the presence of others who might approve or disapprove the actions involved (Geen, 1983). Cottrell says that individuals are more to experience evaluation apprehension when they are in group that is negatively stereotyped (Cottrell, Wack, Sekerek and Rittle, 1968). There are many situations that can be used as examples of how evaluation apprehension may affect the speed on performance of a simple dexterity task. One is in a class situation where

Image and Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Image and Identity - Essay Example son as such communication media allows lesser personal interaction with another person and thus â€Å"internal† qualities are left unseen (â€Å"Body Image,† par. 13). She quotes psychologist Dr. Hue-Sun Ahn as saying that â€Å"the increase of communication though electronic means †¦ [gives us fewer] opportunities to get to know people †¦ on a personal level† (par. 13). Personally, I just could not see how this lack of a more personal involvement in electronic communication directly affects our perception of how we look. Perhaps Rispin and Ahn’s stand simply reflect our irrational fear of technology. Dr. Reville, a professor at University College Cork in Ireland, explains that this fear is due to the perception that technology is unnatural and our â€Å"lack of understanding of [its] technical and scientific basis† (â€Å"If We Fear,† par. 2). True, technology has revolutionized the way we communicate that there is much less sensory involvement when we chat via instant messaging or call someone on the phone. But has it really transformed us into mindless nonchalant beings? Is technology taking away all of our emotions that we have failed to see â€Å"compassion, spiritedness, sense of humor, loyalty [and other] non-visible qualities,† (â€Å"Body Image,† par. 13) as Ahn puts it? Obviously, the answer is no, for technology merely speeds up the way we communicate and does not, in any direct way, change the way we think and feel. Yes, we use technology on a daily basis that we can’t seem to live without it. We send e-mails, we blog, watch YouTube. But at the end of the day, we still long for that one-on-one communication that no other medium could substitute. We have not forgotten to talk personally to friends, family, and mentors; we still laugh or cry on someone else’s shoulder; we fall in love. We are still, in every essence, human beings, with or without technology. We never really lost anything, not even our feelings. Speaking of blogging and YouTube (or

Value Objectivity Essay Example for Free

Value Objectivity Essay The philosophies and beliefs of a person are shaped from the day we are born all through maturity amongst our individual, ethnic, and shared encounters. Establishing what is factual from erroneous differs on our individual routine and what we allow to let sway our viewpoints and actions. Ethical decision making while essential, can sometimes be extremely difficult and challenging. This is predominantly spot-on when working with clientele that have unlike beliefs and views. For example: If one leg of a four-legged stool is missing, the stool will not stand correctly. If one leg is shorter than the others, the stool may be awkward to use. The correlation of a four-legged stool can be utilized to help better comprehend the prominence and interdependence of individual, organizational and cultural ethics and how all of these things tend to influence one another. The ethical aspects of counseling are based on a system of rules which have been constructed for a precise group of people or field of work, and were developed for the purpose of setting the standards of conduct and behavior that are to be used by professionals. Ethical connotations hardly ever have an easy answer, and often counselors must seek help from more experienced professionals, but this is not a guarantee that the anticipated result will be accomplished. The first guideline in the ACA’s (2005) Code of Ethics reads â€Å"the primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and promote the welfare of clients† (Kaplan, 2014). â€Å"Competence is required of practitioners if they are to protect and serve their clients. Although the intents are to not harm clients, sometimes incompetence is a contributing factor in causing harm for practitioners† (Corey, et al, 2014). When therapists are conscious of his/her own individual morals, principals, and unsettled struggles they can successfully discuss their clientele without dropping emphasis on the requirements of the customer, but sometimes this isn’t always the case. â€Å"Standard 2.01(a) requires psychologists to â€Å"provide services, teach, a nd  conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience† (Shiles, 2009). Counselors should remain inside their span of training, be mindful of the restrictions of his/her licensed expertise, be present at essential education programs and maintain their learning, use his/her own common sense, and be able to identify when referrals should be made. It should be the disposition of counselors to always value the mixture of their clientele, novices, and study partakers. The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) section A.4.b. Personal Values states, â€Å"Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing values that are inconsistent with counseling goals† (Kaplan, 2014). â€Å"Standard C.5., states, â€Å"Counselors do not condone or engage in discrimination based on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, socioeconomic status, or any basis prescribed by law† (Kaplan, 2014). Personal standards, t he main beliefs that describe an individual, develop over time. They are shaped by a mixture of influences as well as ones from family and friends, along with learning and religious establishments. â€Å"When it becomes clear that a client’s counseling needs exceed our competence, we must either develop the competence necessary to effectively treat the client or refer this client to another competent professional† (Corey, et al, 2014). There are going to be many instances when treating clients that the situation is going to be uncomfortable and it may be easier to just refer the clients to someone else. â€Å"The ACA Code of Ethics (ACA, 2005) authorizes counselors to conclude a treatment liaison under these three circumstances: â€Å"When it becomes reasonably apparent that the client no longer needs assistance, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued counseling† (Kaplan, 2014). Although a counselor may be competent within a certain area of expertise, they still may need to refer a client from time to time to maintain working within the boundaries of the professional role and successfully delivering the services that client’s may need. â€Å"The counselor need not accept or approve of the client’s values. Disagreement with or nonacceptance of the client’s values does not mean that the client is not accepted as a person† (Kaplan, 2014). Instances that referral may be  necessary are as such: the patron has additional needs; the therapist lacks special proficiencies; the client needs a expert; the therapist is acquainted with the client beyond a professional basis; no growth is being formulated; the client is contributing in disorderly activities that could be damaging those around them; the therapist and client aren’t forming a beneficial connection due to personality differences; and the counselor is has taken the client outside of their comfort zone. Before making a referral it’s important to explore what is the difficulty within the situation; what barriers are preventing the professional from working with the client. Purely differing with a client or not having a distinct fondness for the client is not ethical grounds to make a referral. When referral is not an option for a counselor the counselor must take additional steps to ensure that they are not only professionally competent but to also develop skills by working with colleagues that have more experience, especially when seeking new areas within the practice. These skills can be obtained by attending conferences, networking opportunities, reading books and journal articles, etc. The primary goal is for professional counselors to embrace supporting the individual’s worth, self-esteem, potential, and individuality. â€Å"In order to determine our level of competence, we must engage in an ongoing process of self-assessment and self-reflection† (Watson, et al, 2006). In conclusion, values and ethical standards are sometimes challenging to describe although people understands and practices the theory. A therapist’s ethical responsibilities to clientele start during the initial interaction or appointment, not during the beginning meeting; the point that counselors have moral accountabilities to those individuals that request help obligates a specialist to withhold the utmost respect and dignity in order to promote the welfare of the client. There are always going to be differences of opinions and values but the ultimate concern is the welfare of the client. References Corey G., Corey, M. S., Corey, C., Callanan, P. (2014). Issues and ethics in the helping professions (9th ed.). Independence, KY: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. ISBN-13: 9781285464671. Kaplan, D.M. (2014). Ethical Implications of a Critical Legal Case for the Counseling Profession: Ward v. Wilbanks. Journal of Counseling and Development, 92(2), 142-146. Shiles, M. (2009). Discriminatory Referrals: Uncovering a Potential Ethical Dilemma Facing Practitioners. Ethics Behavior, 19(2), 142-155. doi:10.1080/10508420902772777 Watson, Z.P., Herlihy, B.R., Pierce, L.A. (2006). Forging the Link Between Multicultural Competence and Ethical Counseling Practice: A Historical Perspective. Counseling Values, 50(2), 99-107.

Effective Delegation Essay -- Business Delegate Definition Essays

Effective Delegation Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper will attempt to show what skills are necessary for effective delegation, and how the managers of the author's organization uses delegation in his or her management responsibilities. The paper will also attempt to show how delegation could be used more effectively within the four functions of management in that same organization. Through delegation managers combine task responsibilities and the authority needed to carry out tasks in the organization. The author will also discuss some advantages of delegation as well as the issue of poor delegation. Delegation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is delegation? According to Bateman, delegation â€Å"is the assignment of authority and responsibility to a subordinate at a lower level.† (Bateman et al, 2004). By delegating to others this frees up the manager to devote more energy to higher-level activities. These activities can be controlling and leading. â€Å"Delegation is perhaps the most fundamental feature of management, because it entails getting work done through others.† (Bateman et al, 2004). Delegation In A County Jail   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a county jail setting there are several types of managers. These are the jail administrator, the assistant administrator, the county commissioners, the sheriff and his deputies as well as the officers from the local police departments. The management in a county jail setting uses delegation in several ways. One such way occurs when an officer or deputy brings in an inmate for a crime he or she have committed. The officer then delegates the responsibility of getting that inmate to court to the jailer, depending on the seriousness of the crime. Another way is for management to give the jailers authority to discipline an inmate for wrong doing. The author also delegated by having her sub-ordinates pass out canteen, commissary, and razors. Canteen and commissary are personal hygiene and snack items that the inmates purchased. The author was delegated to by her manager in the sense she was put in charge of planning monthly meetings and training sessions. Delegation And The Functions of Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the author's organization there is not much planning or organizing that takes place. The only planning that is done is for the monthly meetings and for all training sessions. Training has to be scheduled at different times in order for all employees to... ...n get the job done properly. The third sign of poor delegation is the team is confused, conflicting, or tense. This occurs when the task is not clearly defined. The fourth and final sign is the manager gets questions about delegated tasks too often. This is another clear indication that the task at hand was not explained clearly. (Blair, 1996) Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, â€Å"delegation underpins a style of management which allows your staff to use and develop their skills and knowledge to the full potential.† (Blair, 1996). The main objective of delegation is to get the job done by someone else. However, if the job does not get done properly then the manager is held accountable. In a county jail setting, delegation needs to be strictly monitored to ensure the proper running of the facility as well as the safety of the jailers and inmates. If a person wants to be a good leader, that person needs to be able to delegate effectively. References Bateman, T., & Snell, S. (2004). Management: the new competitive landscape. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Blair, G. (1996). Retrieved Apr. 12, 2005, from www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/MENG/ME96/Documents/Aspects/ delegate.htm

Human Resources Outsourcing Essay

I. Topic In today’s fierce competition in business, corporations need to generate more revenue creatively while keeping cost of sales at minimum level without scarifying efforts. Michael Porter refers this current competition as ‘hyper competition’, which he thinks it best describes the intense development of business today. Amidst highly demanding consumers, companies spawn new methods and uncharted techniques to gain the lead within their industries. Concerning the need to reduce costs, enterprises strive for finding the best methods to increase revenue while keeping costs as low as possible. While the technology advancement can help enterprises to reach economy of scale, outsourcing of employees (human resources) can be the attractive savior for them to keep their fixed costs, which contributed by cost of employees and researches to name a few, to reach minimum level. Many believed that outsourcing is a breakthrough that will adjust the way corporations manage their human resources in the future although some may have problems in differentiating outsourcing with employer-vendor relationship, but the bottom line is outsourcing involves a degree of two-way relationship, including information exchange and coordination. In addition, there are also those who reveal the economic threats that come along with the outsourcing method. Outsourcing is an activity to transfer existing business function to external provider that includes delegating the functions of relevant physical and human assets toward external providers. While outsourcing provides attractive benefits for employers, they should consider many potential drawbacks including the different culture between employers and the outsourced personnel. II. Statement of the Problem Outsourcing involves transferring significant amount of management control and decision making to the chosen outsourcing provider. Fortunately, in the Internet era where any documentations process is exchangeable over the Internet and jobs can be discussed via e-mail or instant messaging, outsourcing-typed employment model have proved to promote significant savings.   According to McKinsey & Co, Internet-enabled services (ITES) market is likely to touch $142 billion in 2009. There would be a net saving about $390 billion from current $532 billion for these services (Kurian, 2003). U.S. can fulfill the net saving through off shoring to other countries, like India. Dookril (2004), in general, says there are two main advantages that companies obtain by outsourcing: – Focusing on Core Competencies This is the most common reason to outsource in which the company can focus and develop its core competences although some companies also outsource their core functions in order to gain better competitive advantages in the market they serve. – Lowering Cost At a glance, outsourcing can help companies to cut additional cost associated with the employee cost like medical and travel allowance since the companies only pay in bulks to the provider of outsourcing staffs. In this situation, the company can shift the variable costs of employees into fixed costs, which in turn, enable the company to manage its cost of sales and offer competitive price to customers. However, outsourcing might also poses disadvantages since the inclusion of external parties in efforts of achieving corporate goal. The common problems in outsourcing are: Uncertainty of Product or Service Quality Media and companies, which has used outsourcing, reveals the discouraging facts that sometimes outsourcing leads to worse services or products as the outsourced functions also reach core functions like sales and customer service. Security Because the outsourcing provider has access to certain corporate functions, documents, database, and other resources; it raises concerns about the security of corporate confidential information. Concerning the benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing method in human resource management (HRM) discussion, as mentioned above, therefore the research statement or question for this research is â€Å"As corporations realize the benefits of outsourcing, what are some of the barriers that HR outsourcing creates between employee and employers that may widen the gap between tem and result in the unachieved target?† I choose this research statement or question since it may be different from others who only focus on the benefits of outsourcing. Instead of discussing the partial discussion on outsourcing issues, I decide to discuss the potential clashes caused by outsourcing since according to Michel Janssen, founder and President of Everest Group, there is possibility that outsourcing have closed relation to the loss of jobs in the US. III. Subquestions Concerning the elaboration of outsourcing, this paper will discuss three main research questions as following: 1. This paper intends to discuss how successful is human resource outsourcing and what factors and initiatives that best take advantages of outsourcing that contribute to the success? 2. Using the non-participant observation method, collecting data and analyzing qualitative information from journal, books, magazine and other online materials, this paper aims at elaborating the effects does HR outsourcing have on employees’ benefits and services? 3.   In addition, the paper aims at formulating and suggesting the areas of human resources need outsourcing in order to describe the future for HR outsourcing By using the three research questions as mentioned above, this paper hopes that in the end, there are particular stances towards outsourcing issues in order to better manage human resources of a company.

Issues Concerning Islam Essay

Muslims have been accused of mutilating women. This practice, however, is denied by the followers of Islam. According to them, â€Å"Female Genital Mutilation† (FGM), which is actually a surgical procedure performed on girls before they reach the age of puberty for the purpose of terminating or reducing their sexual feelings, is not an Islamic practice. They explain that FGM is a tradition of â€Å"Animists, Christians, and [some] Muslims in those countries where FGM is common. † Women are given equal rights under Islam. In fact, the Qur’an decreed that when it comes to public life, men and women should have equal rights and participation. During the time of Muhammad, women were allowed to participate actively in their baya which is the equivalent of today’s practice of political endorsements. Evidence of this Muslim women’s status is the voting rights granted to women in the predominantly Muslim countries like Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman. The women in Kuwait followed suit by earning their right to vote and get elected sometime in 2005. In fact, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Prime Minister, divulged a plan to appoint a woman minister in Kuwait soon (Robinson, 2007). Muslims as terrorists and pro-violence Yusuf (n. d. ) said that majority of the Muslims are convinced that while the U. S. government has been blaming terrorism on Islam for years, it was the 9/11 incident which dealt the most telling blow on the credibility and reputation of their religion. This was because the international media was able to depict that many Muslims around the world rejoiced after that incident. The truth is, however, that majority of the Muslim world was saddened by that incident and the repercussions it caused. They would like to tell the world that terrorism is not an official policy of Islam and that, in fact, Muslims also consider terrorists as enemies of their religion. He laments the fact that When a crazy Christian does something terrible, everyone in the West knows it is the actions of a mad man because they have some knowledge of the core beliefs and ethics of Christianity. When a mad Muslim does something evil or foolish they assume it is from the religion of Islam, not because they hate us but because they have never been told by a Muslim what the teachings of Islam are all about. Yusuf blames this lack of Islamic knowledge among Christians to the fact that there is a dearth of credible spokespersons who could defend Islam from its attackers. As a matter of fact, Yusuf stressed that â€Å"Islam is the middle way between excess and neglect† and that terrorism is the preoccupation of zealots and extremists who are, in fact, a plaque of Islam. According to him, there are two types of Muslim extremists whose acts destroy Islam. The first he calls â€Å"reactionary extremists. † This group rejects any form of religious pluralism. According to these reactionary extremists, the world consists of good and evil with nothing in between. Good, according to them, means the reactionary extremists and all those who oppose their actions are evil. Yusuf further explains that these kind of extremists are in the habit of â€Å"excommunicating† other Muslims who reject the way they interpret the Qur’an. However, this kind does not usually resort to violent acts to achieve their goals. Instead, they employ character assassination or takfir to ward their critics (Yusuf, n. d. ). The second type is the â€Å"radical extremist. † These Muslims extremists, according to Yusuf, are the ones who resort to violent acts and tactics to further their objectives. Yusuf stressed that these Muslims act as if they belong to some secret, wicked society whose members believe in the dictum that â€Å"the end justifies the means. † In other words, any method, even the most violent method, is acceptable as long as their â€Å"cause† is advanced. According to Yusuf, this is destroying Islam because the methods employed by Islam should be reflecting the noble ends of the religion. Secondly, Islam is not a â€Å"secret society of conspirators† – rather, it is open with its objectives and traditions which have already been accepted and recognized by people from other religious denominations (Yusuf, n. d. ). Muslims confused with Arabs Muslims object to their being confused with Arabs because it would never be accurate to equate Islam, a religious denomination, with Arab, which is an ethnic grouping. According to Muslims, the reason for this erroneous identification could be the fact that Islam emerged from the culture and society of Arab Bedouins of the 8th century. Another reason might be the fact that the Qur’an was written in Arabic. However, beyond these facts, Muslims should not be identified as Arabs, and vice versa because, according to statistics, â€Å"there are many non-Muslim Arabs, and far, far more non-Arab Muslims in the world. In fact, out of the estimated one billion Muslims worldwide, only about 200 million are Arabs (DHinMl, 2006). Looking at the table below of the top ten countries with the highest Muslim population, only Egypt (at number seven) is an Arab country (Aneki. com, n. d. ). References Aneki.com. (n.d.). Largest Muslim Population in the World. Retrieved November 26, 2007 from http://www.aneki.com/muslim.html Fisher, M.P. (2005). Living Religions, Sixth Edition. Prentice-Hall. Philips, A.A.B. (n.d.). The True Religion. Retrieved November 26, 2007 from http://www.islamworld.net/

A Brief History of the Chinese Yuan Currency

A Brief History of the Chinese Yuan Currency Literally translated as the peoples currency the renminbi (RMB) has been the currency of China for over 50 years. It is also known as the Chinese yuan (CNY) and by the symbol  ¥. For many years, the renminbi was pegged to the U.S. dollar. In 2005, it was officially unpegged and as of February 2017, had an exchange rate of 6.8 RMB to $1 U.S. dollar. The Renminbis Beginnings The renminbi was first issued on December 1, 1948, by the Chinese Communist Partys Peoples Bank of China. At that time, the CCP was deep into the civil war with the Chinese Nationalist Party, which had its own currency, and the first issuance of the renminbi was used to stabilize Communist-held areas which assisted in a CCP victory. After the defeat of the Nationalists in 1949, Chinas new government addressed the extreme inflation that plagued the old regime by streamlining its financial system and centralizing foreign exchange management. The Currencys Second Issue In 1955, the Peoples Bank of China, now Chinas central bank, issued its second series of the renminbi that replaced the first at a rate of one new RMB to 10,000 old RMB, which has remained unchanged since. A third series of RMB was issued in 1962 which used multi-color printing technology and used hand-engraved printing plates for the first time. In this period, the RMBs exchange value was unrealistically set with many western currencies which created a large underground market for foreign exchange transactions. With Chinas economic reforms in the 1980s, the RMB was devalued and became more easily traded, creating a more realistic exchange rate. In 1987, a fourth series of RMB was issued featuring a watermark, magnetic ink, and fluorescent ink. In 1999, a fifth series of RMB was issued, featuring Mao Zedong on all notes. Unpegging the Renminbi From 1997 to 2005, the Chinese government pegged the RMB to the United States currency at about 8.3 RMB per dollar, despite criticisms from the United States. On July 21, 2005, the Peoples Bank of China announced that it would lift the peg to the dollar and phase in a flexible mechanism of exchange rates. Following the announcement, the RMB was reevaluated to 8.1 RMB per dollar.

Personal Statement Ideas

Personal Statement Ideas It has come time for you to write your personal statement, but where should you begin? We’ve gathered ideas for personal statements that will get your wheels turning and your pen writing! These personal statement ideas will help you draft the ideal statement for your college application and leave you in a shining light. Ideas for Personal Statement When you are beginning to think about how to write your personal statement, you might become overwhelmed with all the possibilities and where you should start. A personal statement for college is how you will explain what sets you apart, and how you are the right choice for the newest addition to the course. Even if you are not familiar with the specific format of a personal statement for college, you can go ahead and brainstorm ideas about what you want to include. Ideas for a personal statement draft can include: Articulating the Self Creating a thinking family tree Framing the sentences of purpose In order to draft your personal statement, take some time over a period of a few days to jot down notes. In your notes, write down anything and everything you have achieved, experienced, or currently do. Especially pay attention to anything that will be relevant to the course you want to study as well as the career path you intend to take. After all, any ideas for personal statement can be used as long as they are relevant to your personal journey and/or the course you want to pursue. To take a further look of the above examples on how to generate ideas for a personal statement, we have expanded the above examples in a step-by-step guide. ARTICULATING THE SELF Divide a sheet of paper into three columns: Traits, Values, and Key Moments Think about someone who knows you really well, a close friend or family member. Write down any negative and positive traits they would use to describe you and do not be afraid to write down the negative parts! For example, you might include: impatient, bold, creative, messy, etc†¦ In the second column, Values, write down everything that is important to you. Expand on ideas such as family, friends, or love and find the root of why these things are important to you. Does someone always have your back? What strong routines does living with your family make it so special? Everyone will have similar aspects of life they value, but the little differences will help you stand out. In the final column, take twenty minutes or so to think about your memories before jotting anything down. These key moments can be large or small, but they should be moments in your life that helped define who you are today. These moments should be when you felt the most alive. Describe one or two of these moments in a few paragraphs with a purpose of showing the reader how you felt and what you experienced. Taking the time to describe the moment in as much detail as possible will help you find your voice. The more moments you describe, the easier it will be to trace a pattern of similarities within the key moments of your life. They will show who you once were, who you are now, and who you aspire to be. And the more you write, the more confident your voice will be. CREATING A THINKING FAMILY TREE This exercise is more difficult but it is recommended to help you with your personal statement. Everyone of us has been influenced by individuals in our life that are not our family. To help discover yours, draw out a family tree or find a template to use. Once you have your family tree, start to fill in the blanks of who your intellectual or spiritual ‘family’ members are. For example, if you are directly influenced by a singer or author, she could be your intellectual ‘mother’. Naming all the individuals who make up your ‘thinking family tree’ will help you articulate your priorities and how you’ve learned to make your way in the world. These influences can directly transfer to creating your personal statement. FRAMING THE SENTENCES OF PURPOSE Being direct and specific can oftentimes be the best brainstorming activity. Some questions you can answer to help trigger ideas for a personal statement could be: What mistakes have you made that have taught you something about yourself? When have you been so involved in an activity that time seemed to melt away? Make a list of honest ideas, books, theories or movements that have impacted your life. How do your current commitments reflect your values? Where or when in your life do you seem to waste the most time? When do you find that you do your best and most creative work? Explain how you are you a typical product of your generation and/or culture? How can you deviate from what is considered normal? Personal Statement Topic Ideas When it comes to writing a personal statement, you need to be sure to include personal statement ideas for college. This specific format is expected to be used when you submit your personal statement with your college application. Personal statement topic ideas that you can use are: Telling your personal experiences that are relevant to the course of interest. Tell your readers why you are interested in the course. Share what you have done outside the classroom. This could be anything from your work experience, volunteering, conferences you have attended (that are relevant to the course). Explain why your personal experiences are relevant to the course. Explain why and how your personal experiences will be relevant to your future career. Demonstrate any transferable skills. Show the readers you are a critical thinker. Explain your long-term plan. What will you be doing in five years? Ten years? Any real world applications you have done or used that are relevant to the course. Keep a positive and enthusiastic tone in your writing. Remember, your personal statement is exactly that, personal! Share your story and anything that can help you stand out, and the admissions boards will be excited to learn more about you!

Leadership and managmement in early childhood setting Essay

Leadership and managmement in early childhood setting - Essay Example Leadership, no doubt, is an important element, which plays a vital role in the development of people by following some principles of governance. In early childhood setting, leadership in educational sector deals with children, families, managers and stakeholders. Dr. Goh Keng Swee was a great and successful leader of Singapore. He became Minster of education and developed new sense of education in the general public and gave an improved educational system (Lee, 2010). According to Dr. Goh Keng Swee, educational leaders should be empowered and more autonomy should be given to them so that the students can be facilitated with better educational opportunities. Dr. Goh Keng Swee is one of the great examples of successful leaders, and I agree that I have learnt a lot of traits from this great leader and tried my best for adopting these traits. The traits that I learnt from the great leader are persuasiveness, strength, keeping vision, supportiveness, goal orientation, having influence, de cision-making power and much more. The first and foremost thing that a leader should have is knowledge because faith fails when the leader lacks knowledge. Therefore, faith comes after knowledge. He knows how to work in a team, how to motivate the team members, how to assist in application of different financial assistance schemes, he has to make alerts to the Director of every matter that is crucial to the well-being of the children and staff and much more. In order to become a successful leader in the field of education, I must know the way to constantly improve and add values to the curriculum so that it meets the goals and many other things, which are helpful for the students. This is in the time of unknowing that having faith is what sees you through to the other side. I have a need to develop a sense of judging the situation in right way and that is what will give me strength. I was an office manager before entering early

Summary and Critical Analysis of Multi-objective Decision Making Term Paper

Summary and Critical Analysis of Multi-objective Decision Making - Term Paper Example This term paper discusses the subject of multi-objective decision making problems, that require a set of criteria prior to implementation. First, it is clear that objective functions must be normalized. That is, objective functions must have the same physical meaning to all the stakeholders involved, which likewise means that units and scales used in the measurement of these function must be consistent. Next, the appropriate principle of optimality must be chosen. The principle of optimality sets the properties of the optimal solution and answers in such a ways that the optimal solution bests all other possible solutions. Third, the researcher states that the priorities of objective functions have also to be considered. It is imortant to understand that different objective functions have different importance and thus, higher priority must be given to more important objective functions. Based on these considerations, this term paper provides a critical analysis of a multi-objective de cision making model, which covers economics and managerial applications of a company. A summary of the model were presented by the researcher of the paper, and its strengths and weaknesses were also highlighted. In conclusion, the researcher of this term paper analyzed the final portion of the study. This term paper also presents an outline of a possible research project, that will be concducted and that will involve both multi-objective decision making process and analysis as well as multi-objective decision making model to view.