Monday, September 30, 2019

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: From Book to Film Essay

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the first of seven book series by J. K. Rowling first published on July 1997. It is about the adventure of an eleven-year-old boy who grew up with his aunt and uncle and later discovers that he comes from a family of witches and wizards. The film adaptation of the book was released in 2001 by Warner Bros. , and, like any film adaptation, has had its share of praises and criticisms. Some held that the film had been â€Å"faithful† to the book, but of course, just like in any other film adaptation, there will always be some alterations from the book from which film adaptations were based. Some of the criticisms of the film adaptation of the first Harry Potter series include the director, Chris Columbus, being â€Å"too slavish a devotion to the book and too little of his own creative input† (Silvain). Corliss criticized that â€Å"Columbus is content to make a student’s copy of the original master portrait. † He held that â€Å"the Harry Potter film has loads of technical expertise but lacks the enthralling life of Rowling’s original. † Indeed, the film adaptation had barely altered the story from the book. Nevertheless, there were alterations and the film still falls short from the magical experience enjoyed by the readers. There are some minor differences in the film’s depiction of characters. As an example, Hagrid, who was described in the book as being â€Å"almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide† (Rowling, 14), although depicted in the film as much taller to be â€Å"almost twice as tall† than any man, was not â€Å"five times as wide. † These differences, however, are almost negligible because of the other characters brilliant depiction in the film. Read more:  Number of words in the harry potter series. The depictions of Hogwarts professors were perfect: Dumbledore’s long silvery hair and beard marked him unmistakably the wisest, if not the strongest, wizard in the story; Professor McGonnagal’s commanding presence and Professor Snape’s intimidating presence were brilliantly played by the actors. The other characters’ depictions were superb, most especially the Dursleys, the Weasleys, Hermione and Malfoy. Harry’s Scotch-tape bound eyeglasses could also not be missed out. When it comes to the storyline, the film has altered a lot from the book without losing the overall content. For starters, the film did not begin with the Dursleys, not with their indifference to witches and wizards, and most especially not with Uncle Vernon’s experiences, unwittingly of magic, on his way to office and back home, as was first presented in the book. Hagrid did not mention in the film that he borrowed the motorcycle from Sirius Black, who Rowling foreshadowed in the book as we learn from a later series that Sirius is Harry’s godfather. Also in the book, when Dumbledore left baby Potter in the Dursley’s doorstep, he left the letter with Harry clutching it, not beside Harry as presented in the film. As Harry is growing up, the film lacks presentation on how the Dursleys, most especially Dudley, mistreat Harry. There was no mention of Mrs. Figgs; neither Piers nor Stonewall high from where Harry would be studying if he had not received the letter from Hogwarts was mentioned in the film. In the film, when Harry received his first letter from Hogwarts, it was Dudley who snatched it away from him, while in the book it was Uncle Vernon, and while the film showed that succeeding letters from Hogwarts to Harry was being burned or shredded into pieces, there was no presentation of Harry moving from under the stairs to a room next to Dudley’s. When Hagrid finally brought Harry the Hogwarts letter in the little shack atop a rock in the middle of the sea on Harrry’s birthday, the confrontation between Hagrid and Uncle Vernon lacked the intensity that was presented in the book. Explanations of Hagrid to Harry about Hogwarts and his parents is also lacking in details in the film. Moreover, Hagrid and Harry did not left in the middle of the night during a storm in the book’s version of the story. Events in Diagon Alley presented in the film also lack faithfulness from the book. The twisting trail to the vaults in Gringotts was omitted as well as Hagrid’s reaction to this. The scene in Madam Malkin’s shop where Harry met a boy, who we later learn to be Draco Malfoy, for the first time was also omitted. This is also where Harry was supposed to hear about Quidditch based on the book, as well as the different Hogwart houses and differences of witch and wizard lineages, which Hagrid later on explained to Harry. Hagrid did not leave Harry alone when he purchased his first wand; it was in Madam Malkin’s shop that Hagrid had left Harry to recompose himself from their trip through the Gringotts vaults. At Ollivander’s, Harry tried many wands, more than three unlike what was depicted in the film, before the man attending him had finally found the right wand for Harry. Furthermore, Harry did not make the least indication of a spell in trying the wands prior to finding the right one as the man attending him had stopped Harry before he can wave the wands. The film also did not include Uncle Vernon being asked by Harry and actually dropping Harry off to the train station. It was in Hogwarts express that Harry and Malfoy had their first confrontation; where Malfoy advised Harry not â€Å"to go making friends with the wrong sort† and Harry replying that he â€Å"can tell who the wrong sort are† by himself, in contrast with the film where this scene was presented after the first years entered Hogwarts through an underground passage by the lake. There was no song from the sorting hat, nor were there any Hogwarts song in the film. The events following Holloween night was presented in the film not exactly as it was described in the book. Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback baby dragon that Hagrid raised, was not sent to Romania by the Ministry of Magic, but was sent there through Charlie’s friends. Harry and Hermione’s adventure of smuggling Norbert out of Hogwarts was never mentioned in the film. Harry, Hermione, Malfoy, and Neville’s detention in the forbidden forest also differed from how it was described in the book. The film skipped Harry being grouped with Hagrid and Hermione first before Hagrid decided that he should come with Malfoy and Fang as Harry is much braver than Neville and could stand up to Malfoy’s bullying. Harry has also met three centaurs, even riding on the back of one. Perhaps the most noticeable difference between the film’s presentation and the book’s story could be found during Harry, Ron and Hermione’s adventure going after the sorcerer’s stone. In chapter 16 of the book, Harry played the flute given to him by Hagrid as a Christmas present to make Fluffy fall asleep and had no trouble getting past him. After going through the trapdoor, both Harry and Ron were having trouble with the Devil’s Snare and Hermione had to use the spell she had with Snape on Harry’s first Quidditch match to free them. Then, all three went to catch the right key, each taking a broomstick, at the end of the passageway. The flying keys did not attack but were moving so fast that it was difficult to catch them. On the giant chess board, Harry, Ron and Hermione had to replace chess pieces to play the game, not Ron riding the knight’s horse. Furthermore, there was no indication in the book that the giant chess pieces were smashed into destruction. There were also no sing of any troll in a chamber after getting past the giant chess game. Finally, Harry and Hermione had to solve a puzzle set up by Professor Snape as the last obstacle to enter the chamber where the Mirror of Erised had been moved to. This scene is totally missing from the film. The climax of the story, Harry’s confrontation with Professor Quirrel and Voldemort, had been faithful to the book, although in the book, Harry had not destroyed Professor Quirrel in the end of their confrontation. The film’s depiction of Voldemort’s face at the back of Professor Quirrel’s head was also slightly differed from the book’s description. The book described it as â€Å"chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake† (Rowling, 293). Voldemort’s nose as depicted in the film was not very snakelike. There are a few more difference between the film and the book’s story: the film had not depicted Harry not being afraid of mentioning Voldemort’s name; Harry had played in two Quidditch matches in the book; Peeves antics were missing in the film; and Dumbledore did not explain Professor Snape and James Potter’s, Harry’s father, history. Simply put, the film does not have the detailed events presented in the book. It has jumbled the events as it happened in the book while still able to present roughly the same story. However, for the Harry Potter fanatic, the most frustrating difference between the film and the book was the film’s lack of magical experience. For a film based on a magical fantasy book series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film, ironically, had not been magical, missing out on some important details and suspense. On the other hand, the film tried to be as faithful to Rowling’s story. Even with omissions and alterations, the film basically presented the same story as Rowling’s. It, however, lacked the details that Rowling had included in the book. Given the limitations of technology in computer graphics and animation, the film has brought Hogwarts to life, but could never match up to the experience that reading the book had. As a final note, while the film had a total gross of approximately $970 billion, it has surprisingly not met the expectation of fanatics and readers worldwide with its lack of magic and omissions of some scenes that were somehow important to the overall presentation of the story.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Invention and Tradition

Adaptations are widespread and universal. Adaptation problems – content, structure, and intertextual politics. Hutcheon wishes to consider adaptations as lateral, not vertical. One does not experience adaptations successively starting from the original work, rather the works are a large collection to be navigated. One might see an adaptation before the original. Hutcheon also wishes to view adaptations as adaptations, not as independent works. Three ways of story engagement: telling, showing, and interactivity. Adaptations also dominate their own media.The most heavily awarded films are adaptations. Hutcheon suggests that the pleasure of adaptation from the perspective of the consumer comes from a simple repetition of a beloved story with variation. To borrow Michael Alexander’s term, adaptations are palimpsestuous works, works that are haunted by their adapted texts. Hutcheon wishes to avoid resorting to fidelity criticism, which originates in the (often false) idea th at the adapters wish to reproduce the adapted text. There are many reasons why adapters may wish to adapt, which can be as much to critique as to pay homage.There are three dimensions to looking at adaptations: as a formal entity or a product, as a process of creation, or as a process of reception. Adaptation is simultaneously a process and a product. Hutcheon distinguishes between adaptations and sequels and fanfiction. Sequels and fanfiction are means of not wishing a story to end. This is a different goal than the recreation done by adapting a work. There is a legal term to define adaptations as â€Å"derivative works†, but this is complex and problematic. Adaptation commits a literary heresy that form (expression) and content (ideas) can be separated.To any media scholar, form and content are inextricably tied together, thus, adaptations provide a major threat and challenge, because to take them seriously suggests that form and content can be somehow taken apart. This rai ses another difficult question: what is the content of an adaptation? What is it that is actually adapted? One might consider this to be the â€Å"spirit† or â€Å"tone† of a work. Adapting a work to be faithful to the spirit may justify changes to the letter or structure in the adaptation. In my perspective, the content of adaptations is (or should be) the world of the adapted text.Hutcheon specifically addresses videogames and how they engage in activity beyond problem solving. She suggests that if a film has a 3 act structure, then gameplay is only the second act. Excluding the introduction and the resolution, gameplay is tied up with solving problems and working to resolve conflicts. Games adapt a heterocosm: â€Å"What gets adapted here is a heterocosm, literally an â€Å"other world† or cosmos, complete, of course, with the stuff of a story–settings, characters, events, and situations. † (p. 14) A game adaptation shares a truth of coherence w ith the adapted text.The format may require a point of view change (for example, in the Godfather game, where the player takes on the role of an underling working his way up). Other novels are not easily adapted because the novel focuses on the â€Å"res cogitans†, the thinking world, as opposed to the world of action. This is a point that I would disagree with Hutcheon’s assessment, I think that even the thinking world of a novel abides by rules and mechanics, that these mechanics may be simulated or expressed computationally, but they may not be suited to the conventions of action and spatial navigation popular in games right now.Hutcheon notes that some works have a greater propensity for adaptation than others, or are more â€Å"adaptogenic† (Groensteen’s term). For instance, melodramas are more readily adapted into operas and musicals, and one could extend that argument to describe how effects films tend to get adapted into games. This may be due to the fact that there are genre conventions that might be common to both media. Adaptation may be seen as a product or a process, the product oriented perspective treats it as a translation (in various senses), or as a paraphrase. The product oriented perspective is dependent on a particular interpretation.As a process, it is a combination of imitation (mimesis) and creativity. Unsuccessful adaptations often fail (commercially) due to a lack of creativity on behalf of the adapters. There is a process of both imitating and creating something entirely new, but in order to create a successful adaptation, one must make the text one’s own. There is an issue of intertextuality when the reader is familiar with the original text. But there can become a corpus of adaptations, where the subsequent works are adaptations of the earlier ones, rather than the adapted text itself. This as been the case of texts which have had prolific series of adaptations, such as Dracula films (Hutcheonâ₠¬â„¢s example), as well as Jane Austen’s works. These works are â€Å"multilaminated†, they are referential to other texts, and these references form part of the text’s identity, as a node within a network of connected texts. A final dimension is the reader’s engagement, their immersion. Readers engage with adaptations with different mdoes of engagement. â€Å"Stories, however, do not consist only of the material means of their transmission (media) or the rules that structure them (genres).Those means and those rules permit and then channel narrative expectations and communicate narrative meaning to someone in some context, and they are created by someone with that intent. † (p. 26) Adaptations are frequently â€Å"indigenized† into new cultures. When texts supply images to imageless works, they permanantly change the reader’s experience of the text. For example, due to the films, we now know what a game of Quiddich looks like (and du e to the games, we now can know tactics and strategies), or what Tolkien’s orcs look like.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Neural Networks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Neural Networks - Research Paper Example This paper presents an overview of the Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). This paper will outline the basic idea, some history and uses of ANN. Basically an artificial neural network is a collection of programs of data structures that is almost capable of the process of the human brain. In this scenario, a neural network encompasses a wide variety of processors that work collaboratively, each with its own small sphere of facts and makes use of the data in its local memory. In addition, an ANN can be considered as a computer program or simulation that is built through a wide variety of clear-cut and extremely unified processing components that are capable of managing information by means of their active state reaction to inputs. In fact, artificial neural networks have the capability to solve those problems that are difficult to resolve using traditional processes and techniques, as well as sometime a lot of them have been tackled through neural networks, for instance forecasting gras sland community, analysis of seismic signals or solar radiation, control of chaotic dynamical systems, data and air quality control and categorization of remotely sensed information (Benvenuto & Marani, 2000; Giles, 1998; Laudon & Laudon, 1999). According to (Stergiou & Siganos, 2010), an artificial neural network is a data processing model that is inspired by the method of biological nervous systems information processing. Neural Network is also a renowned and heavily researched area of the AI. Stergiou & Siganos (2010) described that in the neural network field the working of human neuron is copied into the computer based systems. In addition, the neural network is an AI based computer program which imitates the human nervous systems’ working. It is based on neural net which has weights on each node that can be adjusted to make suitable decisions. Such systems are typically seen in automatic driving systems that are under-research and at the early stages of development (Ste rgiou & Siganos, 2010; Laudon & Laudon, 1999). The history of the artificial neural networks can be traced back to the 1940's with the introduction of the first neural network computing model, which was presented by McCulloch and Pitts. In the 1950's, Rosenblatt's work got a considerable attention of researchers. Additionally, this work was further resulted in a two-layer network, the perceptron, which was able to learn various classifications by making changes to connection weights. Without a doubt, the

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Language of Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Language of Fashion - Essay Example The paper "The Language of Fashion" talks about the language of the fashion and describes the portrait of The Arnolfini Wedding. The two people in the portrait are richly dressed up, despite the season their outer garments shows the linings of fur and laces. These furs appear of expensive variety. The man in the picture is shown wearing a hat of plaited straw dyed black. The tabard, he is wearing is faded purple and underneath he wears doublet of patterned material probably silk damask. The women dress is equally immaculate with elaborate dagging (cloth folded and sewn together, then cut and frayed decoratively) on her sleeves and long train. Her blue under dress is also trimmed with white fur. The renaissance women have special love for jewels and gems but the lady in the portrait is adorning only a plain gold chain with plain gold earrings. A look at the room shows pristine interiors, another sign of wealth on display, the brass chandelier is huge and elaborate .The convex mirror a t the back with the wooden frame and scenes of The Passion appears to be larger than the usual mirrors used during the age, another sign of wealth. A further sign of luxury appears in the bed linings and hangings. The chair and the table placed against the wall shows exquisite carvings. The oriental carpet on the floor also represents the rich taste of this merchant. It is not unusual to see this limitless display of wealth among the rich middle class of that time. The rich style and fashion is evident.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

General Gordon of Khartoum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

General Gordon of Khartoum - Essay Example The Arab and African merchants handled the inland trade of commodities and slaves. After the abolition of the slave trade by the British in 1807, they started patrolling the coasts, seizing other countries’ slave ships. Within the last twenty years of the 19th century, rivalries and conflicts in Europe started affecting individuals in Africa directly. Over the last years of the 19th century (1880’s), the European powers shared African territories among themselves without the consent or will of the people living there. They had partial understanding of the land they had acquired (BBC 2013, p1). Political rivalry, commercial greed, and territorial ambition all instigated the European scramble for Africa. This climaxed in the Africa’s partition during the 1884-5 Berlin Conference. The whole process that is the partitioning of Africa became famously identified as the scramble for Africa. In the last half of the 19th century, the disjointed patchwork of trading coloni es, understandings, protectorates, and alliances yielded to sweeping transformations enforced by the Europeans. The French and the British were determined to make things right and institute a clear administrative hierarchy composed of the Europeans (at the top) and Africans (at the bottom) (BBC 2013, p1). On the other hand, a number of the oldest trading countries in Europe left Africa and the other set of players emerged. The Danes and the Dutch abandoned the continent while Belgium, Italy, and Germany moved into the continent. Elsewhere the mineral riches of Africa dazzled and fixated European adventures. However, casual commercial connections were replaced by methodical control and exploitation. At the beginning of the 19th century, the European hold of the African geography was restricted mainly to the coastal regions. However, before the end of the century, Europeans were spanning the continent with roads and railways. Now it was easy to take control of the continent both comme rcially and politically (BBC 2013, p1). The Scramble for Africa â€Å"had the effect of defusing and displacing tensions between the European powers in Europe, but eventually the tradeoffs and alliances could not disguise the fact that Imperial Germany was on a collision course with Britain and France† (BBC 2013, p1). For the first time, the African people found themselves pulled into conflicts, which had its sources in London and Berlin war rooms. The moral bravado of the European powers, purportedly representing reconciliation and order, civilization, and wisdom, soon broke into the destruction, death, and chaos of World War I (BBC 2013, p1). It is important to note that, in Africa, the Europeans were strangers but by aggression, settlement, and trade they became by different levels part of the inside (Connah 2004, p175). General Charles George Gordon’s Experience in Khartoum Sudan In the year 1882, Mohamed Ahmed (also referred to himself as Messiah or Mahdi) invited all the true believers to join in the holy war against Christians. Most people especially wild tribesman heeded to his call, and in the following, he conquered an army of close to eleven thousand Egyptians and English that had tried to subdue the revolt. England was forced to leave the province. However, thousands of Europeans who had sought asylum in Khartoum and other towns had to be rescued from their

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Environmental social responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental social responsibility - Essay Example London municipality has been reviewing the performance on various functions of the socially responsible activities carried by their department. The conventional public transport was moderately utilized and there was no considerable improvement in the utility status of the system in three years together. The conventional transport systems are very useful in mass transport. The conventional transport will ease the vehicles pressure on the roads. The fuel usage will come down considerably. The mass conventional transport is cheaper than the individual transport. More importantly the conventional transport decreases the pollution to an extent. The only concern with the mass transport is that the initial investment will be high. The infrastructure support establishment will take some time. London being a city with growth prospects the facilities are to be upgraded on the same level. The Sewerage systems spending were kept untouched for a period. The quantity of the sewerage processed and the process cycle improvements should be considered. A periodical measure to monitor the waste water treatment has to made. The treatment process review need to timely checked to meet the growing need year by year.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

An Effective Marketing Strategy to Market Kashi's New Steam Meals in Research Paper

An Effective Marketing Strategy to Market Kashi's New Steam Meals in Singapore - Research Paper Example Under the current scenario of being accused of using GMO ingredients, the company has lost some credibility. In addition to that, the rising price of its food products has led to consumer dissatisfaction. In spite of that Kashi recently launched four new steamed products namely Kashi chicken fettuccine steam meal, Kashi sesame chicken steam meal, Kashi roasted garlic chicken farfalle steam meal, and Kashi spinach and artichoke pasta steam meal, that are meant for the busy urban population as an alternative to a cooked meal. This seems to be an effort from the company to regain its consumer base. 1.1 Research topic, questions and objectives Marketing a new food product requires a strategy that is in accordance to the consumer taste and acceptance level. The paper discusses the strategy that should be followed by Kashi to promote its new products in Singapore. Singapore is a relatively new market for Kashi that poses many challenges to the company but at the same time is full of new pr ospects. The main objective of the paper is to understand the nature of the products being launched by the company to come up with a strategy for effective marketing of the products in Singapore. ... The objectives of the research are: To identify how to design, package and add value to the product by asking Kashi Company themselves some questions such as who is the product aimed at and what benefits customers expect from the product. To determine the right and appropriate pricing strategy that can generates turnover for the organization. To determine the right places to distribute the product to the end user (customer) at the right time. To find out effective promotion strategy and to ensure that the promotion of product’s benefits can be clearly communicated to the target market. 1.2 Research rationale The research aims to provide an analysis of the market of Singapore to determine what could be an effective strategy for food brands in the area. Singapore is an emerging market for many companies and in order to cater to the taste of the people of Singapore it is important to understand the people of Singapore. This knowledge of psychology will also be helpful in determin ing the price of the product, the sort of advertising that the product needs and the necessary value additions to the product. This research aims to provide a base for further research in the area. 2. Research Methodology 2.0 Overall research structure To achieve the objectives mentioned, the study will use secondary data which will include review of the available literature. The paper tried to link the importance of place and culture to the consumer preferences and the strategy that a food brand should execute based on the locality. A thorough analysis of the available research on the consumer preferences in Singapore, and the available market opportunities will be conducted. Further, an analysis of the prospects of organic food industry in a place like

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Death Of Steve Job Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Death Of Steve Job - Essay Example Reuters has apparently stated that the new play on Steve Jobs titled â€Å"The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs† which is going to hit the Public Theatre screens next week is not a straight homage to Jobs. Although aware of Jobs’ imminent death out of his chronic ailment, the production team of the play did not know the exact date of Jobs’ death during the process of their production of the play. But the homage tint on the release date cannot completely be washed out. Viewers of the play would certainly sense the eulogy in it. The homage aspect of the news of Reuter is pure rhetoric which insists a mourner not to weep. Had Jobs been alive on the release date of the play, then Reuter would have certainly shed the term ‘homage’. The Time of India has cited Jobs’ saying â€Å"Don’t let the noise of others drown out your own inner voice. And the most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.† The attempt of the n ews is to sneak into the hearts of readers and into their intuition. This is also an approach similar to that of Reuter by highlighting a ‘NO’ to stress a ‘YES’. FirstPost has openly expressed its fear over the future of APPLE by saying, â€Å"it will take time to judge whether the company, without Jobs, will continue to have the ability to change the rules in whatever industry it enters as before.† Although every reader would be aware that the loss of a CEO would have its impact on the development of a firm.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Home video game industry Essay Example for Free

Home video game industry Essay In 1972 founders Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney scrounged $50,000 from family, friends and local banks, formed their own company. They hired Alan Alcorn who created Pong and put a sample unit in Andy Capps Tavern in suburban Sunnyvale to see if anyone would play it. Twenty-four hours later, the owner called Bushnell in a rage and demanded that he get over to the bar with his tool kit as soon as possiblethe prototype game had broken down because it was being flooded with money. Pong was more than a game of Ping-Pong on a video screen. This was the beginning of Atari, while Atari made millions off the game consoles, they sold the software to many other major companies, and in turn they came out with their own version of pong. Although Atari saw profits from software royalties they kicked themselves out of the video game markets as other companies were using the pong model to penetrate the market. At the time of the U. S. crash, there were numerous consoles on the market, including the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Bally Astrocade, ColecoVision, Emerson Arcadia 2001 Magnavox Odyssey 2,and the Vectrex. Home computers had more memory and faster processors than a console, they permitted more sophisticated games. They could also be used for tasks such as word processing and home accounting. Games were easier to duplicate, since they could be packaged as floppy disks or cassette tapes instead of ROM modules. This opened the field to third-party software developers. In 1986, Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi noted that Atari collapsed because they gave too much freedom to third-party developers and the market was swamped with rubbish games. In response, Nintendo limited the number of titles that third-party developers could release for their system each year, and promoted its Seal of Quality, which it allowed to be used on games and peripherals by publishers that met Nintendos quality standards]. The North American video game crash had two long-lasting results. The first result was that dominance in the home console market shifted from the United States to Japan. When the video game market recovered in the late 1980s, Nintendos NES was by far the dominant console, leaving only a fraction of the market to a resurgent Atari battling Segas Master System for the number-two spot soon after. By 1989, home video game sales in the United States had reached $5 billion, surpassing the 1982 peak of $3 billion during the previous generation. A large majority of the market was controlled by Nintendo, whose NES ultimately sold more than 35 million units in the United States, exceeding the sales of other consoles and personal computers by a considerable margin With the introduction of the Sega Genesis in America, Sega of America launched an anti-Nintendo campaign to carry the momentum to the new generation of games, with its slogan Genesis does what Nintendont. This was initially implemented by Sega of America President Michael Katz. When Nintendo launched its Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, Sega changed its slogan to Welcome to the next level. Sega re-branded itself with a new game and mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. This shift led to a wider success for the Genesis and would eventually propel Sega to 65% of the market in North America for a brief time. On May 11, 1995, Sega released the Sega Saturn in the American market. Segas first CD console that was not an add on, utilized two 32-bit processors and preceded both the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64 The lack of a strong Sonic and its high price in comparison to the PlayStation were among the reasons for the failure of the console. The 3DO Company lacked the resources to manufacture consoles themselves, and instead licensed the hardware to other companies for manufacturing. Trip Hawkins recounted that they approached every electronics manufacturer, but that their chief targets were Sony and Panasonic, the two largest consumer electronics companies in the world. Founder trip Hawkins thought by selling his software to the main markets he could penetrate the market with a high price brining in a high profit margin. The launch price of the Play Station in the American market was US$299, undercutting their competitors, but knew that they would sell more consoles and make profit in the long-term. Xbox entered the console market because of a direct threat from Sony. They thought that consoles would take over web-browsing and directly hurt their main network in home computer systems. With annual revenues of close to 20 billion dollars Microsoft decided to invest 4 billion to develop the Xbox. With already a huge brand name and high product value in the computer market, Xbox was a massive success in the gaming network knowing they had the capability to keep up with the technical aspects of the other competitors. While Nintendo’s Game Cube was a bust, Nintendo knew they needed to use knew software in order to compete with the dominating Xbox and Play Stations new motion sensitive technology was cheap to integrate in software and Nintendo took advantage of that market. The Nintendo Wii launched in 2007, used old game that branded the Nintendo name including The Mario Brothers, which appealed to both old and new generations. Technology is driving the new markets, but Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft control the gaming market of today because of their ability to create affordable gaming while still being innovating.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Truth and Honesty Essay Example for Free

Truth and Honesty Essay Honesty is defined as the quality or fact of being honest, uprightness and fairness also as truthfulness in speech and action. This term is very important as it is the simple basis of how we carry out routine activities. While this sounds simple, its surprisingly difficult to practice. Being honest implies the presence of an active conscience and a knowledge of ethics at the minimum. Being honest in everyday life means listening to, and obeying, the voice of our conscience. For example, last Monday, I rode past a traffic light that had just switched from green to amber. I should have slowed down and stopped instead I speeded away. Now this may not sound like a big fuss to some of us but the fact remains that it could have been fatal though nothing happened on that day. The consequences could have been very deadly if a pedestrian had darted across the road or an impatient motorist could have speeded away just like me leading to hospitalization or death. This is a simple act of honesty which we tend to forget in our everyday life. Everybody interacts with one another and when honesty is neglected, problems tend to arise, controversies spark like a match. Honesty is the important factor that supports every source of information. Without honesty nobody can understand the simple truth. Each time we hear a person talking, it is assumed that honest words are coming out. Principally, I believe honesty is important because it provides accurate information, reflects good character, and builds lasting, trusting relationships. For instance, the Police Department should be very honest as the population depends entirely on them for security reasons and also for the welfare of the family. Patients go to doctors, undergo operation since they trust these people. Therefore honesty is the root that needs to be strong in every domain. If history were full of lies and false information then we would only be expected to misinterpret details all because someone decided not to be honest. In reality the simple act of telling the truth is so influential because it affects all others around us somewhere down the line. Honesty reflects good character because when people know that someone is honest they feel that they can fully trust that person. It is always comforting and reassuring when you can count on that person no matter the circumstances. One important quality that is absolutely necessary if we are to be honest is courage. This is not about physical courage but courage that comes from conviction, an essential mental quality. For, as Khalil Gibran writes, If indeed you must be candid, be candid beautifully. That is, if you must speak honestly about your friends, speak honestly about their good points. Use words to uplift, not to tear down. Also, be sure to avoid rumors, for they are acts of betrayal. For many people honesty is the most important quality in a relationship. Being honest, even in difficult times, gives everyone the true information from which decisions can then be taken. It treats all involved parties with respect. Clearly there may well be times when some information should be modified, as with young children perhaps. But in most cases people appreciate being told the truth, even when it is painful. It helps cherish the good memories. Trust is a huge part of the honesty stable. It is often difficult to recover trust once someone discovers that they have been deceived or lied. It can take a long time to build trust in a relationship, and it can be wiped out in a moment. Living an honest life and being true to ourselves help to maintain a clear conscience and a healthy life, free from a lot of stress and tension. That is the value and importance of being honest.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study: Sainsburys

Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study: Sainsburys Introduction The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility means that organization have moral, ethical, and generous responsibility in addition to their responsibility to earn a fear return to investors and comply with law. CSR is a concept whereby organizations is consider the interest of society by taking the responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspect of their operation. In other way CSR is the integration by companies of a social and environmental concern in their business operation and in their integration with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. The concept of CSR means going away from the fulfillment of legal requirements by investing more in human capital, The environment, and relations with stakeholders. It is a voluntary instrument, but must be implemented consistently so that it fosters trust and confidence among stakeholders. Definitions of Corporate Social Responsibilities Giving a universal definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is bit difficult as there no common definition as such. However, there are few common threads that connect all the perspective of CSR with each other; most ideal definition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been given by world of business council for sustained Development which says, â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the work force and their family as well as of the local community and society at large†. The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia 2009 has one definition of CSR is †Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the decision-making and implementation process that guides all company activities in the protection and promotion of international human rights, labor and environmental standards and compliance with legal requirements within its operations and in its†. On the other hand, the European Commission hedges its bets with two definitions wrapped into one:â€Å"A concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment. A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis†. The corporate social responsibility means that organization have moral, ethical, and generous responsibility in addition to their responsibility to earn a fear return to investors and comply with law. Nature of Corporate Social Responsibility Probably the most established and accepted model is the ‘Four-part Model of CSR as initially proposed by (Archie Carroll) in 1979, and subsequently refined later publication (Carroll and Buchhholtz 2000). Carroll regard CSR as a multi-layer concept, which can be differentiated into four inter related aspects-Economic, Legal, Ethical and Philanthropic responsibility. He presents these responsibilities as consecutive layer within pyramid, such that â€Å"true† social responsibility required the meeting of all four level consecutively. In 1991 Carroll first presented the Corporate Social Responsibility model as a pyramid as shown in above diagram. Corporate social responsibility and your business Corporate social responsibility can cut across almost everything you do and everyone you deal with. You need to think about; The suppliers you choose and the way you deal with them. For example trading the suppliers who pollute the environment could be as irresponsible as doing your self. How you treat with your employees? For the responsible business, this means doing more then simply complying with legal requirements. How your business effect local community? And whether you should actively involved in or supports your local charity, or sponsor a local event. Benefits of corporate social responsibility Make the most of corporate social responsibility by publicizing them. Ensure that customers, suppliers and local community know what you are doing. Publicity like this can be a key part of using CSR to win contracts. Peoples want to buy from businesses they respect.CSR can be particularly affective for targeting ethical companies. At the same time you should see CSR as a part of continuing process of building long term value. Everything you do help to improve your reputation and encourage customers and other stakeholders to stay and involved with you. Even with dozens of competitors, a real commitment to CSR lets you stand out. As an example, John Lewis department stores are well known as a business owned by its employee. Its commitment to CSR feeds through into customers services, sales and profits. As well as affecting the way you behave, CSR can lead to new products and services that reflect your values and those of your stakeholders. Over time, it can all add up to a power brand and a winning business. Introduction:- Sainsburys was founded in 1869 by John Sainsbury and is today the UKs third largest grocery retailer. The chain consists of 504 supermarkets, 319 convenience stores. Sainsbury also owns the Sainsbury Bank which offers a range of insurance and savings products The Sainsbury Archive documents the history of one of the nations oldest retailers, and Londons oldest. It also provides a unique illustration of the transformation that has occurred in retailing and in shopping and eating habits since the mid-19th century. Sainsburys was established as a partnership in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and his wife Mary Ann opened a store at 173 Drury Lane in Holborn, London. He started as a retailer of fresh foods and later expanded into packaged groceries such as tea and sugar. His trading philosophy, as stated on a sign outside his first shop in Islington, was â€Å"Quality perfect, prices lower†. Other important dates In 1922 J Sainsbury was incorporated as a private company, as J. Sainsbury Limited On 12 July 1973the company went public, as J Sainsbury plc. in 1979, when Sainsburys formed a joint venture with the Belgian retailer, In 1996 the company reported its first fall in profits for 22 years. By the time John James Sainsbury died in 1928, there were 128 shops. His last words were said to be â€Å"Keep the shops well lit† Current operations Sainsburys currently operates 785 hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores. Split down as 509 supermarkets and 276 convenience stores. also operates Sainsburys Bank, which sells financial services Has a property portfolio worth  £8.6billion. According to Taylor Nelson Sofres rankings published in January 2008, Sainsburys market share was 16.4% compared to Tescos 31.5%, ASDAs 16.7% and Morrisons 11.4%.2005/06 Sainsbury ethical issues: SAINSBURY has written to its main suppliers that the supermarket giant was embroiled in a  £3m bribes investigation. Under company regulations, supermarket staff must pay for their own travel to visit suppliers sites and must not accept gifts. As supermarkets most senior buyers was arrested on suspicion of accepting backhanders from a potato company. John Maylam was arrested earlier this month over allegedly receiving irregular payments from Greenvale, which supplies nearly half of the chains potatoes. David Baxter, Greenvales operations director, was also arrested. Sainsbury, led by Justin King, chief executive said : â€Å"We are the victims of an alleged crime and take it very seriously. None of the payments went through our system and we believe this was limited to the one supplier.† Greenvale has potato-packing operations in Shropshire, Cambridgeshire and the Scottish borders. The company received the Queens Award for Innovation, is understood to supply about 45% of Sainsburys potatoes. The irregular payments up to  £3m are understood to have been discovered by Produce Investments â€Å"Greenvales parent company† and brought to the attention of Sainsbury. Cheap bananas on supermarket shelves threaten the livelihood and well-being of banana growers across the developing world, campaigners had told at the annual general meeting of supermarket giant Sainsbury AGM highlight the impact cheap food is having on producers, which contrasts sharply with the supermarkets claims of ethical integrity made in its Corporate Social Responsibility report Banana growers are facing a crisis because of the low prices paid by supermarket chains in the current banana price war. Banana workers cannot adequately feed their families despite working 11-12 hour days. Working conditions on banana plantations are often very poor. The workers are also exposed to powerful pesticides to meet the cosmetic appearance requirements set by the supermarkets. According to Sainsburys CSR report â€Å"We can offer our customers excellent products but not at the expense of people in developing countries who may be working in unsafe conditions for poor wages†.. Alistair Smith of Banana Link said: â€Å"We are looking to Sainsbury to take the lead in matching its verbal commitment to ethical trading with its practice along the banana supply chain. In following the price war led by Asda and Tesco, Sainsbury has joined the ranks of those who are now driving a ‘race to the bottom in the banana industry. The unsustainably low prices they are paying suppliers get passed on to producers who are squeezing their workers even harder than before.† Friends of the Earth and Banana Link are calling on Sainsburys to ; live up to their promises Ensure that banana workers get a living wage and decent working conditions. A failure to do this will indicate that the big supermarkets cannot be trusted. The role of employer and employees: The Sainsburys brand tradition of providing customers healthy, safe, fresh and tasty food. It differentiates itself by offering a broad range of great quality products at fair prices with particular emphasis on fresh food, a strong ethical approach to business and continuous leadership and innovation. The company employs approximately 140,000 people in the UK. Last year turnover of  £17.8 billion and made an operating profit of around  £530 million. Sainsbury is estimated to have a 14.8% share of the  £123bn UK grocery market. Sainsburys CEO (Justin King) recently stated: â€Å"Learning never stops at Sainsburys and every one of our colleagues can improve their skills, which not only benefits our customers but also supports our colleagues to achieve their full potential. Sainsbury was one of the first businesses in the UK to sign up to the Governments Skills Pledge, enabling the company to publicly define its commitment to skills training. The company also launched its â€Å"You Can† programme in November 2008 which has brought its entire training under one umbrella. Sainsburys has been working with the National Employer Service (NES) for the last 3.5 years and has held an NES contract for 3 years The company was originally introduced to the NES by its Sector Skills Council, Skill smart. The company has approximately 4,400 employees. Report covers the corporate responsibility activities of JSainsburyplc in the fiscal year to 21 March 2009. The Report contains details of our five values, which are the guiding principles for our company as below, Best for food and health; Our goal is to offer our customers great quality food at fair prices and, as a leading food retailer; we are committed to being ‘Best for food and health. Our approach is to help and inspire customers to eat a healthy balanced diet by promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles. We work hard to make our products as healthy as possible, without compromising on quality or taste. Were also committed to providing our customers with clear and transparent labeling, to help them make informed choices about the food and drink they buy. Sources with integrity; Sourcing with integrity is central to our ability to deliver great product at fair prices. In practice it means working with our suppliers to ensure the sustainability of our products in the round, taking into consideration their economic, environmental and social impacts. We are committed to offering products that are better for customers and for the environment, in a way that is also better for the animals, farmers and producers involved in their production. We offer around 30,000 products in our stores. Only by working closely with our suppliers can we deliver great quality products for our customers whilst ensuring our standards of integrity are upheld. Respect for our environment; At Sainsburys we take environmental issues seriously. We aim to be environmentally responsible in the way we run our business and we also want to make it easy for customers to be environmentally responsible. Climate change represents one of the greatest challenges we face, both as a business and as a global population. We recognise that tackling the issue involves addressing both our direct and indirect impacts. We are working hard to reduce our operational footprint and we continue to develop a better understanding of the carbon embodied in our products and in the construction of our buildings. Positive difference to our community Our stores are at the very heart of the communities they serve. For us this is not only about providing great service and quality products. Its also about making a positive difference to our communities and being a good neighbour. This begins with the positive economic impact our stores have in generating local wealth, by providing employment, using local suppliers and contractors, and regenerating the local surroundings. But theres much more to it than that. Good place to work; Being ‘A great place to work is rooted in Sainsburys heritage and values. It also plays a crucial role in achieving our business goals. We rely on our 150,000 colleagues to deliver great service to our customers every single day. We are committed to championing equality, diversity, inclusion and flexible working options for our colleagues. We remain committed to recruiting, retaining and engaging the best people, from backgrounds that reflect the communities we serve. We believe that every colleague, no matter where they work or the role they perform, should be encouraged to develop and make best use of their skills. We value the opinions of our colleagues and we communicate honestly with them. We also believe in recognising and rewarding our colleagues for the vital part they play in making Sainsburys a great place to work. Sainsbury Plc Reports: 2003-2006 on CSR J. Sainsbury plc owns Sainsburys Supermarkets (hereafter Sainsburys), the U.K.s third largest retailer after Tesco and Asda. For many years since it opened for business in 1869, Sainsburys was the countrys biggest supermarket, the undisputed market leader. A series of mis-steps allowed competitor Tesco to catch up in 1995. In 2003, Asda passed Sainsburys, relegating the latter to third position where it stays. Sainsburys is now playing catch up, regaining market share one percentage point at a Time. A publicly listed corporation since 1973, the company is on the renewal trail as it attempts to regain its leading position in the industry. Using a combination of common management tools in a wide range of areas, from stocking its shelves full with items customers want to buy to executing on a complete revamp of its information technology and supply chain management systems, a new senior management team is revitalizing the whole organization from top to bottom. This brief history helps us analyses the period 2003 to 2006, during which Sainsburys hit the dust with their first-ever revenues slump in history (in the year ended March 2005) and then as nimbly picked itself up and began staging a comeback. We can learn how they are doing by studying the companys annual reports which are the â€Å"official† snapshots of the whole corporation each year. Just like any other company at the mercy of its stakeholders (Freeman, 1984), Sainsburys is expected to behave to satisfy everyone. First Question Identify significant areas of the accounts for 2006 where judgment has been used in determining the appropriate accounting policy for the company (for example depreciation of fixed assets). Critically discuss how such judgments have materially affected the accounts in terms of valuation and profitability. References; http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/cr/ Business ethics 2nd edition by Andrew Crane, Dirk Matten Betsy Reed, The Business of social responsibility, Dollars Sense magazine May, 1998 Bryman, A and Bell, E Business Research Methods (Second Edition) Oxford Oxford University Press, 2007 Clark, A Nike sacks Pakistani supplier over child Labour row, Guardian 20th, Nov, 2006 Colin, F Business Ethics and Values Essex,Pearson Education Limited 2003 DeTienne, K. B. Lewis, L.W ‘The Pragmatic and Ethical Barriers to Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure: The Nike Case Journal of Business Ethics 2005 George, C Essentials of Business Ethics Berkshire,McGraw-Hill Book Company Europe 1996 Goldman, R and Papson, S Nike culture. LondonThousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publication 1998 Klein, N No logo London: Harper Perennial, 2000 Jonathan, B ‘NIKE to resume football production in Pakistan Financial Times 26th May, 2007 Maidment.F; Eldridge, W Business in government and society: Ethical, International Decision-Marking; Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall 1999 McCarthy, R ‘Football ban sends child workers into worse job Gaurdian 25th Apr, 2001 Mcinotosh M, Leipziger, D, Jones, K Coleman Corporate citizenship: successful strategies for responsible companies. London: Financial Times: Pitman Publication, 1998 Mellahi, K, Wood, G The Ethical Business; Basingstoke Palgrave, 2003 Parkins, S, J and Short land, S, M Strategic International London, 2006 Robert C. Solomon Ethics and Excellence cooperation Oxford, Oxford University press 1993 Sachdev, A Chicago Nike Store accused of racial discrimination in suit, Chicago Tribute, 24th, Aug, 2004 Schneider, S, C Managing Across Culture(second edition) England, JEAN-JOUIS BARSOUX 2003 Seedhouse, D Ethics(second edition) England, John wiley Sons Ltd 1998 Shaw, W, H Moral issue in Business, Vancent Barry wandsworth pub co, Mar 2006 Bottom of Form Roman Empire: A Success Story Roman Empire: A Success Story A century ago, Roman Empire represented a success story for imperialist Britain as well as other European states with imperial ambitions. The Roman story of conquest was imitated, but never fully matched or even replicated. The dream that an imperial empire could not only conquer, but also create a Pax Romana, a vast area of peace, prosperity, and unity was a genuine inspiration for other empires. No other empire was capable of having such a successful reign of power, control, and satisfaction among their people as the Roman Empire did. The Roman Empire was so successful because of roman dominance in warfare and the stable structure of politics. The empire was impressive because the Romans were very practical and well organized people, they were ambitious and aggressive in obtaining anything the Romans craved. All Roman ideas primarily derived from other cultures, but they always took the ideas to the next level and were the best at everything they approached. The Romans lived to achieve a standard of excellence and were never satisfied with what they had already achieved and always sought to improve. Early Rome was indeed governed by kings, but after a few had ruled the Romans managed to take power of their own cities and rule themselves. The Romans established the senate better referred to as the Roman Republic, before the senate only advised the king, but now the senate appointed a representative who would rule Rome as a king. (PAPAIOANNOU 209) The newly established system was very unique and a wise idea because the representative ruled carefully and not as a tyrant, because he was well aware if he did otherwise he would be punished by the next representative. From this point on the Roman Empire attempted to address all public matters or matters of the state, eventually leading to an era of peace and prosperity. The five good emperors were known for their reasonable policies, in contrast to other more tyrannical and harsh rulers. This period was particularly notable for the peaceful methods of progression, whereas each emperor chose his successor by adopting one. As the Empire was both secure from interior and exterior threats, the Romans prospered under a period of peace often referred to as the Pax Romana or Roman Peace. One major factor contributing to Romes very successful territorial expansion was the superior military authority, which was the main influential factor that guaranteed Roman power for nearly a thousand years. The Romans had several advantages such as rapid developments of the latest technology, vast numbers of infantry, along with a stable senate system, and much wealth to fuel Roman ambitions. Not only were the Romans very powerful, they were also a very well developed community consisting of sewers to control waste, aqueducts for plumbing, and paved roads for transportation. Roman advancements in technology and geographical modifications were very superior to other nations at the times because other nations simply did not have the same commodities. The Roman military system was not fueled by one type of military but by various types which provided the Roman Empire with a large assortment of choices when it came to battle. The Roman army usually consisted of Hastati, Principes or Legionary Cohorts whom were very useful marvelous soldiers. Rome used their absolute force to overwhelm most enemies and often used tactical strategies that allowed them to cave in on enemy flanks causing a very rapid ambush. The Roman Army had access to exceptional horses as well as a mixture of troops which were mainly a deciding factor in conflict. One of the most astonishing features of the Roman Empire was the complete diversity of the geographical and cultural landscapes the Romans controlled. Vast regional differences did indeed continue, but there was little sense that emperors felt obligated to promote or protect them. The unity of the empire laid in a combination of factors that were depended on common values, many of which were considered to be cultural. The fall of the Roman Empire was in the end a result of Rome being overrun by many barbarians from the northern and eastern of Europe. The great migration proved too much for the Romans to control considering that Roman armies were designed to defeat other armies, not entire folks and peoples flooding toward them. Sadly, as the Roman Empire was stabilizing itself in an era of complete peace and prosperity, the empire had to come to an end which was marked when Rome was conquered by the Visigoth Odoacer and his men in the year AD 476. (Prufer 72) The Roman Empire was a magnificent and impressive empire that was essentially progressing towards a nation similar to that of early 18th century America. The Romans provided Europe with the ideology of Christianity which influenced the events that were to precede in the future events that have changed the world today. The Romans will be looked upon for their beliefs, attitudes, values, and initiative being nearly impossible to emulate by other nations. In reality, the Roman Empire has very little relevance or connection to modern America, but just to lay both Imperial nations side by side, the goals achieved by the Roman Empire are significantly impressive. The time period is completely different, as the cultures, way of life, economy, and war. To compare the United States to Rome is ludicrous because they have nothing in common. Despite the fact that the Roman Empire may be viewed as nothing more than a sheer force attempting to acquire a vast majority of land, society should not turn its shoulder to the glorious achievements of the Romans. In a sense the Roman Empire served as an influential force often encouraging a replication of vast territorial conquerization, which led to the establishment of various new territories. However it not the vast majority of land that the Roman Empire obtained and managed to keep control over that is impressive, rather the development of a peaceful era with a mildly democratic government which allowed the election of their representatives. Hopefully everyone can look beyond the Romans cruelty and grasp a taste of the glorious era spurred by the Pax Romana.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Fiscal Rescript Of Umar II :: Islam Religion Essays

The Fiscal Rescript Of `Umar II From `Umar b. `Abd al `Azà ®z, Commander of the Faithful, to the governors: Verily God sent Muhammad "with the Guidance and the Religion of Truth that He should make it supreme over every form of religion, rage the associators of gods with God as they may." [Koran, 9:34] And verily the religion of God wherewith He sent Muhammad is His Book which He sent down upon him, that God should be obeyed therein and that His command should be followed and what He has forbidden be avoided, and that His limits should be upheld and His ordinances observed, that what He has made unlawful should be prohibited, and that His right should be confessed and that men should be ruled by what He has revealed therein. Wherefore whoso follows the guidance of God is guided aright, and whoso turns away from it "he hath erred from the even way." [Koran 2:108] And verity of obedience to God, as He has revealed in His Book, is that all men everywhere should be summoned to Islam and that the gate of emigration should be opened to all the people of Islam, that the alms and fifths should be applied according to the decree of God and His ordinances, and that men should seek their livelihood with their own possessions on land and sea, being neither hindered nor withheld. As for Islam, verily God sent Muhammad to all men everywhere, as He hath said: "And we have not sent thee save universally to men as a messenger of good tidings and of warning." [Koran 34:28] And He hath said: "O ye people, verily I am the Messenger of God to you all." [Koran 7:157] And God, blessed and exalted is He, hath said in that wherewith He commands the Believers in regard to the associators: Then if they repent and observe the prayers and pay the zakà ¢t, they are your brethren in the Faith." [Koran 9:11] This is His decree and law; to follow it is obedience to God, to depart from it is rebellion. Wherefore summon to Islam and command thereto, for God hath said: "And who is better of speech that he who summons to God, and doeth good, and saith,`I am indeed one of the Muslims.'" [Koran 41:32] Wherefore, whosoever accepts Islam, whether Christian or Jew or Magian, of those who are

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Threats to Marriage :: Social Issues, Single Mothers

Today there are many threats to marriage and family; and everyone seems to have an opinion on how to create it; fix it; repair it or dissolve it. We no longer look to marriage with dreamy visions of a spouse and the endless bounty of the life and family before us. â€Å"We† seem to want many of the benefits a marriage brings without making the commitment. In the 1700’s marriage was a commitment between families, which was taken seriously. There were marriage bonds with monies paid and then the court order for the marriage; and in other colonies this time-revered process might have 17 distinctive steps. http://www.austincc.edu/jdikes/Marriage%20Ways%20ALL.pdf Ever since Dan Quayle used the television character â€Å"Murphy Brown† in his June 1992 speech as â€Å"encouraging family disintegration† the government has continued to make, â€Å"marital status and family structure†¦.major themes of political rhetoric and government policy† (Page 518). Quayle also remarked that, â€Å"marriage is probably the best anti-poverty program of all† (American Vision and Values, Page 179). Here was one politician who believed the country needed better role models and a return to the values on which our country was founded. Dafoe Whitehead suggests these topics are perceived as an attack on single mothers; and are met with â€Å"anger and denial† (American Vision and Values, Page 182). Rather than attack a single family structure - single mothers, consider the outcomes produced by non-traditional structures. Kay Hymowitz believes â€Å"we are becoming a nation of separate and unequal families that threatens to last in the foreseeable future† (Page 560). This will have consequences on every aspect of our society. Marriage, before children, was the given status quo for the pro-family period of the 1950’s. At that time, divorce and illegitimacy was  ½ of today’s rate, marriage was universally praised and family was hailed as the most basic institution. The 1960’s brought disruptive social and cultural forces. The divorce rate soared and illegitimacy increased 22%. In the 1970’s we see where women could now afford a family without a spouse. It seems the choice to work equally with men devalued the homemaker role of previous decades (Graglia, Carolyn Domestic Tranquility Page 540). These choices were centered on career goals and achieving motherhood; without truly addressing the needs of family and children. And yet many single mothers hover around the poverty line – not nearly as glamorous as â€Å"Murphy Brown† made it seem.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Abi Abdulkalam Essay

Political views In his book India 2020, Abdul Kalam strongly advocates an action plan to develop India into a knowledge superpower and a developed nation by the year 2020. He regards his work on India’snuclear weapons program as a way to assert India’s place as a future superpower. It has been reported that there is a considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him.[8] Kalam continues to take an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology. He has proposed a research program for developing bio-implants. He is a supporter of Open source software over proprietary solutions and believes that the use of open source software on a large scale will bring the benefits of information technology to more people. Aerospace engineer After graduating in Physics from St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli, Abdul Kalam graduated with a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering in the mid-1950s from the Madras Institute of Technology.[10] As the Project Director, he was heavily involved in the development of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). As Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P), he played a major part in developing many missiles in India including Agni and Prithvi although the entire project has been criticised for being overrun and mismanaged.[11]. He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during this period and have been associated with Kalam although he was not directly involved with the nuclear program at the time. See more: Distinguish between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping Essay Awards and honors On April 29, 2009, he became the first Asian to be bestowed with the Hoover Medal, America’s top engineering prize, for his outstanding contribution to public service. The citation said that he was being recognised for: * making state-of-the-art healthcare available to the common man at affordable prices; * bringing quality medical care to rural areas by establishing a link between doctors and technocrats; * using spin-offs of defense technology to create state-of-the-art medical equipment; and * launching tele-medicine projects connecting remote rural-based hospitals to the super-specialty hospitals. It added that he was an eminent scientist, a gifted engineer, a visionary, and a humanitarian.[12] On 13 September 2009, he was awarded the International von Kà ¡rmà ¡n Wings Award.[13] The Government of India has honored him with some of the country’s highest civilian awards: * Padma Bhushan in 1981 * Padma Vibhushan in 1990 * Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his work with the ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Indian government. Kalam was the third President of India to be honored with a Bharat Ratna before being elected to the highest office, the other two beingSarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Zakir Hussain. He is also the first scientist and first bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan. After his tenure as the President he is now a visiting professor at J.S.S. University, Mysore. He has agreed to deliver a minimum of four lectures every year. Books and documentaries Kalam’s writings * Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam by A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Arun Tiwari; by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal; A.P.j. Pub. Corp, 2002. * Scientist to President by Abdul A.P.J. Kalam; Gyan Publishing House, 2003. * Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Penguin Books, 2003. * India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Y.S. Rajan; Penguin Books India, 2003. * India-my-dream by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Excel Books, 2004. * Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; TATA McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, 2004. * Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Arun K Tiwari; Ocean Books, 2005. * Children Ask Kalam by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Pearson Education, ISBN 81-7758-245-3 * Indomitable Spirit by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, 2006 * The Scientific Indian: A Twenty-first Century Guide to the World around Us by APJ Abdul Kalam and YS Rajan Biographies * Eternal Quest: Life and Times of Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam by S. Chandra; Pentagon Publishers, 2002. * President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam by R. K. Pruthi; Anmol Publications, 2002. * A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal; A.P.H. Pub. Corp, 2002. * A Little Dream (documentary film) by P. Dhanapal; Minveli Media Works Private Limited, 2008.[14] * The Kalam Effect: My Years with the President by P.M. Nair; Harper Collins, 2008. * My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam by Fr.A.K. George; ISBN No:978-8190452953; Publisher: Novel Corporation, 2009. References 1. ^ A Brief Biography of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam 2. ^ â€Å"Former presidents†. Government of India. 3. ^ Bidwai, Praful (23 June 2002). â€Å"‘Missile Man’ as India’s President†. http://original.antiwar.com. Retrieved 27 September 2009. 4. ^ â€Å"Kalam was real people’s President: President’s bodyguards†. Hindustan Times. 2007-07-24. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 5. ^ Perappadan, Bindu Shajan (2007-04-14). â€Å"The people’s President does it again†. The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 6. ^ Pruthi, R. K. (2005). â€Å"Ch. 4. Missile Man of India†. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Anmol Publication. pp. 61–76. ISBN 978-8126113446. 7. ^ Sen, Amartya (2003). â€Å"India and the Bomb†. In M. V. Ramana and C. Rammanohar Reddy. Prisoners of the Nuclear Dream. Sangam Book. pp. 167–188. ISBN 978-8125024774. 8. ^ â€Å"Kalam, the author catching on in South Korea†. 9. ^ â€Å"India leader advocates open source†. 10. ^ Missile History 11. ^ â€Å"Missile plan: Some hits, misses†. 12. ^ â€Å"Former President Kalam chosen for Hoover Medal†. Indiatimes (New York). 27 March 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2010. 13. ^ Caltech GALCIT International von Kà ¡rmà ¡n Wings Award 14. ^ â€Å"Documentary on Kalam released†. The Hindu. 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 15. ^ My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam, ISBN 978-8190452953 Retrieved 2010-07-01 Gandhian Missile Man Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam * Achievements Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabhudin Adbul Kalam, was born on the 15th October, 1931, at Rameshwaram in TamilNadu. He did his B.Sc. at the St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchi, and DMIT in Aeronautical Engineering at the MIT, Madras, during 1954-57. He joined the DRDO in 1958. During 1963-82, he served the ISRO in various capacities. As Project Director, SLV-3, he was responsible for carrying out design, development, qualification and flight testing of 44 major sub systems. In 1982, as Director, DRDO, was entrusted with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. He conceived the programme cnstituting 5 major projects for meeting the requirements of the defence services and for establishing re-entry technology. The development and successful flight test of Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Nag, and Agni established the indigeneous capability towards self reliance in defence preparedness. The successful launching of ‘Agni’ surface-to-surface missile is a unique achievement which made India a member of an exclusive club of highly developed countries. Thus, through SLV and Guided Missile Programme a solid foundation has been created in the indigeneous testing and development of high technology Aerospace Projects. An Advanced Technology Research Centre, called Research Centre Imarat has also been established by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as an extension of DRDL to undertake development in futuristic missile technology areas. He has also established a unique 3 tier management structure to integrate and commit technologists, academic institutions, Industries etc. As a crowing glory to all his achievements, he was appointed Scientific Advisor to Raksha Manthri and Secretary, Dept. of Defence Research and Development. He is a member of Indian National Academy of Sciences, Astronautical Society of India and many other professional bodies. He has published two books. Awards * He has been Awarded with the India’s Highest civilian Award â€Å"The Bharat Ratna† in 1997. * Starting with Anna University’s first D.Sc., Honoris Causa, he has received many such including the one given by IIT, Bombay, BHU and others. * Other prestigious awards include Dr.Biren Roy Space Award, Om Prakash Basin Award for Science and Technology, National Nehru Award, Arya Bhatta Award. * Dr. Abdul kalam, is praised as a welder of people and a Gandhian Missile Man by R.K. Laxman, in his cartoon in â€Å"Times of India.† * As a humanitarian and with his extreme simplicity, easy access, he has become a National Hero. He loves Tamil poetry and is interested in carnatic music. He has himself written poems in Tamil. He adores his Gurus of MIT and cherishes his education and training at MIT.| Return to Home Page Dreams To Ignite Young Minds India has to have vision to become a developed nation. A good dream for our young people is the vision. Can we ignite our young minds? These are the thoughts that frequently ‘fire’ the mind of India’s missile man– this year (1998) Bharat Ratna awardee Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In an interview to Science Express, the man who built biting molars and awesome muscles into India’s missile programme outlined the vision he has of India of tomorrow. â€Å"Whenever there is a goal, the dynamics of performance changes, Technology is the economical strength of the nation†, says soft-spoken Kalam. â€Å"India has people of high calibre and intelligence. The only thing required is more facilities in our labs, government funding and good leadership in scientific areas.† After a pause, he fires another missile: â€Å"Most importantly, determined youngsters.† No wonder he advices the youth of the country to â€Å"dream, dream and dream and conver t these into thoughts and later into actions.† Kalam’s advice to the youngsters of the nation is to â€Å"think big† . â€Å"We are a nation of a billion people and we must think like a nation of a billion people. Only then can we become big.† Dr. Kalam’s, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and Secretary, Defence Research and Development is the second scientist to receive the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, after the late Dr. Homi Jehangir Baba. This genius attributes his success to his parents and the team which worked relentlessly to achieve the goal. Science, according to him, is a global phenomenon. He feels there are a few areas where India can develop its core competence. These areas are software engineering, computer products and design, agriculture and food, aviation, defence research and space technology and chemical engineering. â€Å"This will lead to a highly beneficial economic and social progress for the nation,† says Kalam. The man who said, â€Å"Friends, you now have the fire to torch the Agni† turns out to be extremely shy. His love for the Bhagavad Geetha and the long mane almost gives the missile man the halo of a saint. In fact, his views on technology and life make him the copy book saint of science armed with Brahmastras and the power to heal wounds. That is another passion of Kalam-using missiles that maime and kill to give a fresh hope to the disabled. In a U turn, Kalam has not shied in using the technology behind fire-spewing missiles to build artificial limbs and spring-like coils called stents to keep the heart vessels open. He is one of those scientists who aims at putting technology created by him to multiple use. He used the light weight carbon-carbon material designed for Agni to make calipers for the polio affected. This carbon-carbon composite material reduced the weigh t of the calipers to 400 grams (from its original weight of 4kgs.) Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS, Hyderabad) was the birthplace for the defence technology spin offs from Kalam’s labs via the DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory), DMRL (Defence Metallurgical Research Lab) and the RCI (Research Centre Imarat). â€Å"It was a great experience to see, in the orthopaedic Department of NIMS, how the light weight caliper could bring happiness to the polio affected†, remembers Kalam. Another important event that took place in Hyderabad is the development of the Cardiac stent. Cardiac stents are used during a Balloon Angioplasty. The clogged arteries are opened up using a balloon and stents are inserted to prevent the vessels from collapse. â€Å"The stent developed by us costed much less (he is modest not to say that the cost is less than half) than the ones imported,† explains Kalam. Kalam says there are many more avenues wherein defence technology can be used for a social cause. The technology used for defence imaging systems can be used for medical imagery which is yet another value product, he says. â€Å"We are also working on a cost-effective lighter substitute for the Jaipur foot,† he adds. He is of the opinion that a mission oriented programme should be chalked out where in medical equipments and their maintenance should grow out of indigenous technology, thus making us self reliant. But personally, given a chance would he rather opt to use technology solely for social purposes or continue with his missile programmes? â€Å"If India has to become a developed nation it has to have overall development. That includes the field of medicine, defence technology and everything else,† says Kalam in a matter-of-fact tone. Having rolled out sophisticated missiles at regular intervals, Kalam is now striving to make the reusable missiles dream a reality. Like the space shuttles, the reusable missiles can carry war-heads to a pre-determined target, de liver the fire power and return for another run. The reusable missile’s close ‘cousin’ is Nishant – the Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) or a one-time-use missile that can thumb its nose at even sophisticated radars. Many of Kalam’s pet projects like the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and several other defence ventures under his command, are poised for a quantum leap next year. According to a status report of major ongoing projects of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) headed by Kalam, the development of the five indigenous missiles under the IGMDP is progressing as per schedule. â€Å"Agni† missile, the crown of the IGMDP, is being given top priority and DRDO scientists have been able to indigenously produce carbon-carbon composite material which could withstand temperatures upto 3500 degrees celsius during the flight of the missile. UNI quoting Defence Minisry sources said production of 150-Km range â€Å"Prithvi† missile for the Army had already commenced and two flight trials of the 250-Km range, Indian Air Force (IAF) version, â€Å"Prithvi† had also been completed. User trials of the other three missiles under the IG MDP – the 9 Km short range low level quick reaction Trishul for the three services, the 25Km medium range surface to air missile â€Å"Akash† with multiple target handling capability, the third generation 4Km range anti-tank â€Å"Nag† missile – were slated to commence next year. In many ways, the â€Å"Akash† missile is emerging as a key weapon which is being developed by the DRDO as it employs ram rocket propulsion to facilitate carrying of bigger pay loads. ‘Akash’ is the key in the sense that ram rocket technology is also to be employed by India for the futuristic reusable missile systems. As far as the current status of India’s ambitious Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was concerned, the second LCA was under integration along with the simultaneous development of technology demonstrator TD-1. Several new technologies had been established with regard to the LCA. They included carbon fibre composite structure, control law for unstable aircraft, digital fly-by-wire control system and advanced computing system. The Kaveri engine had been developed and was undergoing evaluation. Its integration with LCA was expected in early 1999. No country can throttle India’s missile programme despite technology denial regimes, believes Kalam. An important aspect of â€Å"the integrated guided missile development programme was identification of critical technologies and their indigenisation as the missile technology control regime was primarily directed at India.† Elaborating on his future plans, the senior most serving defence scientist referred to the Technology Mission 2020 which proposes to change the national status from a developing one to a developed one and involve 500 people from academia, industry and government. He also spoke about working on a 10 year self-reliance programme in defence technologies. Kalam was born into a family of modest means in Rameshwaram, a small town in TamilNadu. It was his father who wanted him to take up science in the college. After graduating from St.Joseph College, Tiruchirapalli, he joined the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) to specialise in Aeronautical Engg. This was indeed his launching pad for this promising young man who was destined to become the father of Indian missile programme. After a brief stint in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), he joined the Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) in 1963. While at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, he developed the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) which put the Rohini Satellite into orbit. He later re-entered DRDO at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, as the director and this is where most of the research and development of his missile programmes were conceived and created. In his hour of glory, the missile man remembered his parents, co-workers especially at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and a Hyderabad-based defence research laboratory, besides teachers who collectively contributed in various ways towards this achievement.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Indian Influence Essay

This paper aims to discuss the question of to what extent the Indians have influenced place names and the vocabulary of American English. Considering that Native American Indians are the oldest people in America, it is natural that their language and culture have had some influence upon the development of American English, as well as upon place names in America. It is believed that the first Native Americans arrived during the last ice-age, approximately 20,000 – 30,000 years ago . There are a great number of American place names, including those of large cities and states, which have been named after Indian words – it’s estimated that at least half of the states get their names from Indian words. These include Arizona, which comes from the Indian word Arizonac, which means little spring or young spring. Arizona has a history rich in legends of pertaining to the West. Here Indian chiefs Geronimo and Cochise led the fight against the frontiersmen. Tombstone, Arizona, was the site of the most famous shootout in the West, this being the gunfight at the O. K. Corral. Names of other states influenced by the Indians include Arkansas which comes from the Quapaw Indians, Iowa, which probably comes from an Indian name meaning â€Å"this is the place† or â€Å"the Beautiful Land†, Oklahoma, which is from two Choctaw Indian words meaning red people, and Wyoming, which is from the Delaware Indian word meaning â€Å"mountains and valleys alternating†, just like the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. It can therefore be seen that the influence of American Indians has had quite a large impact on the naming of places in America. The vocabulary of American English has also been quite profoundly impacted. In a similar way that thousands of place names have been impacted by Indian words, so have many US English words have their roots in American Indian. These help in making the language the rich, cultural affair that it is today, and include not only words such as tomahawk from the Virginia Algonquian â€Å"tamahaac†, totem from the Ojibwa â€Å"nindoodem,† my totem, wampum from the Massachusetts â€Å"wampumpeag† , wigwam from the Eastern Abenaki â€Å"wik’wom† but also moccasin from the Virginia Algonquian moose from the Eastern Abenaki â€Å"mos†, papoose from the Narragansett â€Å"papoos,† child, pecan from the Illinois â€Å"pakani† which are used with relevance to everyday American things. The word â€Å"Podunk,† meant to describe an insignificant town out in the middle of nowhere, comes from a Natick Indian word meaning â€Å"swampy place. † Many of these words borrowed from American Indians are nouns from the Algonquian languages that used to be common and widely spoken along the Atlantic coast. English colonists, who came across iar plants and animals which were strange to them at the time named them based on Indian terms. Naturally enough pronunciation changed and words were shortened in order to make them easier for the English tongue. But the fact remains that their roots are in American Indian words. Conclusion This paper shows that the Indians have influenced both place names and the vocabulary of American English to a large degree. REFERENCES Infoplease, 2005 American Indian Loan Words, retrieved 8 May 2006 from the website http://www. infoplease. com/spot/aihmwords1. html Native Americans, 2005, The Bravest of the Brave, retrieved 8 May 2006 from the website http://www. nativeamericans. com/ Fact Monster, 2005, American Indian Place Names retrieved 8 May 2006 from the website http://www. factmonster. com/spot/aihmnames1. html

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Marginalization of people according to Luke’s gospel Essay

To marginalize means to relegate to a lower or outer edge, of specific groups of people. Marginalized people in society are people who are considered as outcasts in the society, they are referred to as those of a lower class. Those who are marginalized are outside the dominant culture of a group. The group could be a professional group, a social group, or a whole society. An individual may be marginalized because the dominant culture is unable to live with a particular group or individual. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), it is obvious that prioritizing the powerless is a form of love for neighbors. Luke’s gospel entails a writing style that is aimed at giving hope to the non Jews or Gentiles and those disregarded in society to depict to them that Jesus also came to save them, he aims to break the strongholds of disregard for the marginalized in society. At the time, the Jews marginalized the poor, women, orphans and the diseased. In Luke 7:11-17, we clearly see Jesus showing love and compassion to a widow (Nain), depicting utmost concern and love for women, as the men at the time had a daily prayer â€Å"thanking God that they were not born women†. Luke’s gospel brings out Jesus as a voice for the marginalized by uplifting and showing their importance to his Kingdom, like the account of Mary with Angel Gabriel, as well as condemning the actions of the rich. In our communities today, we see the same marginalization being depicted among various disadvantaged groups some of which may include The Poor are greatly marginalized due to their inability to afford what others can. Uganda has a high poverty rate where 90% of the country’s poor live in Rural areas, Many children are left roaming the city streets due to lack of funds for their education, many Karamajong women travel to become beggars’ on the Kampala streets which also act as their homesteads in the cold biting nights, many girls also resort to prostitution to get a living and are seen as grave sinners and because of these adverse factors, the poor are disregarded by many people and ignored due to their uncontrollable circumstance Women are also greatly marginalized despite their higher percentage of 51% in the Ugandan community. Women are seen as a weaker or less important sex to men. This is clearly depicted in the working sector, where very few women are able to take up white collar employment opportunities which are mainly taken up by men. This stretches back to the educational opportunity given to women whereby many girls are taken away from school early, and other don’t even get to start school which is mostly evident in the rural areas since women are seen as tools for house work, producing children and taking of gardens, widowed women are also taken advantage of when their husbands pass on and relatives take the remaining property. These in turn limits their chances for a bright future and therefore, even in the Bible in Luke 7:37-43, we see the disregard for women by Simon, one of Jesus’ disciples which has stretched till this present. The sick have also been marginalized for example, people living with HIV, cancer, diabetes and other diseases are segregated from society since people don’t want to associate with them to risk infection and therefore, some people are chased from schools, work places since they don’t want to associate with them. Sick people are seen as less special and are kept out of conversations, meetings and other social gatherings yet Jesus regards everyone as special before his sight (Luke 12:6-8) Some children are dumped in bins and latrines due to the disabilities which is extremely gruesome. Regardless of this marginalization, God still creates a solution, a way out for his people to get refuge. The very same compassion that Jesus had for the poor and disadvantaged has been placed in the hearts of my people in community who come up with solutions and means of helping the marginalized Many Organizations have been put in place to help those in need with the basic health care needs like The World Food Programme (W.F.O), Red Cross, Relief Aid and many others and this has helped to establish families that have gone through crisis like the Bududa landslides, the famine outbreaks in Karamoja and this shows that regardless of the situations the poor go through, God still makes a way for them. The government has started programmes to help facilitate the poor for example the NAADS programme as well as the Youth Loan schemes and this has helped to build up innovativeness and revenue for the poor since they are able to get loans from which they can start up business activities and be able to sustain themselves Charity Organization like Samaritan Purse, Smile Like a Child, Invisible Children, Mission Moving Mountains and many others in different communities have been able to provide homes for street children as well food and an education and therefore, the number of street children has greatly reduced and the number of those who lack is gradually reducing. The government has introduced Universal Education which is cheap and affordable for the poor as well which has enabled girls and women to access educational facilities and not stay idle at home, this is in line with the law for all children to go to school which is stipulated as a law in the Uganda Constitution. Sponsorships and Incentives for women have been put in place to enable women to get a fair chance at competing with the vast number men in the work field for example the 1.5 point grade added to girls at University admission as well as the Sponsorships from organizations like Compassion International that can facilitate ones education fees from Primary to University level and this has helped increase the number of female graduates and employees. Zacchaeus in the Bible also gave to the poor half of what he owed (Luke 19:7-9) and we should follow this example Sensitization programmes about the HIV/AIDS, Cancer diseases has been put in place whereby companies like T.A.S.O, and other health organizations have been able to inform people about the stigma issues related with these diseases and provide information about them that enables people to know the truth and stop marginalization for example, the Health awareness week in Uganda Christian University by Allan Galpin Health Center Extension of health services with trained health care workers and health units to provide outreach health facilities to under-served communities. Establishment of authorized clinics and pharmacies recognized by the ministry of health helps to provide good health facilities at a lower cost, for example the free Health Care weeks by various Companies and Hospitals like Mulago Hospital, free ARV’s to HIV/AIDS patients by companies like Midmay International and TASO. Therefore, it’s important for us to promote a change in our community and care for those in need, knowing that we are all special before God and w have to treat each other the way Jesus cared for the marginalized when He spent his 33 years on earth as a man like we are. Taking the story of Lazarus, the poor man and the Rich man (Luke 16:19-26), that if we are rich, let’s give to those who are less fortunate and not segregate them instead. REFERENCE Good News Bible, The Gideons International Understanding the New Testament, 2011 edition Baulcombe, S. Hostick, T. New, A. Pugh, H. (1998) ‘Asking the Experts: A Guide to Involving People in Shaping Health and Social Care Services’. The Community Care Needs Assessment Project (CCNAP) (available to download from www.ccnap.org.uk) Baxter, L. Thorne, L. Mitchell, A. (2001) ‘Small Voices, Big Noises: Lay involvement in health research: lessons from other fields’ Folk.us, Consumers in NHS Research, Exeter, Washington Singer Press http://www.academicjournals.org www.christianaid.org.uk www.redeemercitytocity.com

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Early Childhood Website Critique Essay

Earlychildhood. com is a website that provides an ample amount of information on providing the proper care and educating young kids at a low cost. This site offers teachers, caregivers and parents ideas and concepts related to child development. Moreover, the early development stages are the most crucial time for children because this is the point when they get a chance to explore the things that surround them. More so, the guardians of these children must be responsible and knowledgeable enough to gear them towards the right direction. There is a comprehensive collection of date incorporated in this website which is comprised of tips on where to buy discounted school supplies, sources for childcare, forum about enhancing the learning environment and many others. Overall, this site is like a one-stop shop for those who want to know everything about child development from learning materials to scholarly resources to the opinions or words of wisdom from fellow teachers, caregivers and parents. Among all the sections featured in the site, the Discount School Supply was the one that caught my attention. It contains a list of equipment and materials needed in educating children. Additionally, it is a 500 pages online catalogue of â€Å"arts and crafts materials for early learners with a single focus which is to offer the highest quality products at the lowest possible cost supported by an extraordinary level of service. † Also, another aspect of this section that suggests high-quality products and services is the inclusion of â€Å"e-commerce websites, a news magazine and thousands of arts and crafts materials, school supplies, educational toys and instructional materials† wherein most of these were designed for earlychildhood. com (Earlychildhood. com, 2008). I believe that this part of the website can really help in giving teachers, caregivers and parents awareness on the variety of learning products out in the market. More so, it provides free delivery to all the products that will be ordered making it an inexpensive and yet practical way of acquiring resources which are usually expensively priced, to enhance the development and progress of children. Meanwhile, in terms of strengths and weaknesses of the site, there are features that have advanced the objective of website and there were also missing elements that would have made the look of the site more professional and more interesting. For the strengths, the site had tackled the different aspects needed to properly and successfully teach adults about the significance child development for the welfare of the children. Also, the websites or the sections embedded within Earlychildhood. com were well-structured and the contents were highly-informative and very helpful to the readers. Meanwhile, for the weakness of the site, the layout of the main page was not systematically arranged and some vital information was excluded such as the background information about the site and the people behind it. In addition, it should have a site map in order for the readers or viewers to easily navigate the entire website. If these things are addressed by the website coordinator or designer, Earlychildhood. com can provide a trouble-free access to all those who want to see and obtain helpful information about proper childcare. Furthermore, this website can serve as a reliable source for a research that involves childcare and child development. It has all the necessary facts and information including current news, teaching modules, learning materials, scholarly articles and recommendations from professional or people working within the field. Through all of these, collection and dissemination of information will be uncomplicated which is very beneficial when doing research. References Earlychildhood. com. (2008). Discount School Supply. Retrieved October 3, 2008, from http://www. discountschoolsupply. com/Help/HelpFAQTopic. aspx? help_faq_id=25