Tuesday, December 31, 2019

About Delphi Programming For Novice Developers

Hi! Im Zarko Gajic, your About.com Guide to Delphi Programming. Thats my picture at the top of the page (or maybe at the bottom). You can read my bio to learn more about who I am. I write feature articles and tutorials related to Delphi programming. I also gather links to other sites that have articles, tutorials, and important information on specific aspects of programming in the Delphi language. The purpose of this page is to orient newcomers with an overview of some or our special Delphi programming features. Embarcadero Technologies Delphi is an object-oriented, visual programming environment to develop 32 and 64 bit applications; with FireMonkey, Delphi is the fastest way to deliver ultra-rich and visually stunning native applications for Windows, Mac and iOS. If you are just entering the programming world, heres why you should consider learning Delphi: Why Delphi?. Also, dont miss Delphi History! If you are confused about different Delphi versions (Delphi Starter, Delphi XE2, RAD Studio), read the Flavors of Delphi article to easily pick your Delphi of choice. There is a lot of information on this site about Delphi programming; this site covers all aspects of Delphi development, including tutorials and articles, forum, language reference with examples, glossary, free code programs, custom components and much more. Let me help you find what youre looking for (and help your career by looking for the right Delphi job). Learn how Delphi can help you solve complex development problems to deliver high-performance, highly scalable applications ranging from Windows and database applications to mobile and distributed applications for the Internet. If you simply want to build a simple database application (accounting, CD/DVD album), for home use, Delphi will help you build it fast and with ease. Looking for something specific?You can search this Delphi Programming site or all of About.com for a specific programming task. Try it using the search box at the top of the page. Hint: Put phrases in double-quotation marks for better results (i.e. protected hack). If you are looking for more ways to find Delphi programming related materials, go see the Searching for Delphi article. True Beginners, Students, Newcomers ...For those who are new to Delphi, Ive prepared several free online courses designed to get you to a fast start. The free courses below are perfect for Delphi beginners as well as for those who want a broad overview of the art of programming with Delphi. Turbo Delphi Tutorial: For Novice and Non-ProgrammersA Beginners Guide to Delphi ProgrammingA Beginners Guide to Delphi Database ProgrammingA Beginners Guide to ASP.NET Web programming for Delphi developers Be sure not to miss the Delphi Tutorials and Online / Email Courses section. How to program in Delphi – what you need to know?This entire site is devoted to providing the tutorials and other resources needed to learn Delphi programming. There are several broad categories of Delphi programming tutorials to help you in your quest to learn how to create the best solutions fast. These include tutorials for the beginner as well as the more experienced developer, find them listed in A Beginners Guide to Delphi [enter Delphi topic]. If you are looking for free or/and shareware and commercial components, you’ll be happy to know I’ve prepared a dozen of Top Picks pages – where all the best third-party components, tools and Delphi books are collected and reviewed.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Financial Strengths and Weaknesses of Tesco And Wal-Mart Case Study

Essays on Financial Strengths and Weaknesses of Tesco And Wal-Mart Case Study ï » ¿ Financial Strengths and Weaknesses of Tesco And Wal-Mart. 1. Introduction: This paper seeks to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Tesco and Wal-Mart in terms of profitability, liquidity and efficiency and other relevant financial ratios (Brigham and Houston, 2002), where Tesco is taken as the main company being compared with Wal-Mart and certain industry averages. Strengths and weakness may either be used as bases for corporate strategies or as guides to investors and would-be investors in evaluating the stocks of the two companies. 2. Analysis and Discussion The following table summarizes financial ratios extracted from the financial statements of Tesco and Wal-Mart and industry data to facilitate analysis in terms of profitability, efficiency liquidity and solvency of the company. Table 1 Tesco Wal-M Tesco Tesco Tesco Average Wal-M Wal-M Wal-M Average Financial Ratios 2007 2006 2005 2007 2006 2005 Net Profit Margin 7% 8% 4% 6% 3% 4% 4% 3% Gross Margin 23% 27% 25% 25% 24% 24% 24% 24% Return of Assets 7% 8% 3% 6% 7% 8% 9% 8% Return on Equity 11% 13% 4% 9% 18% 21% 21% 20% Inventory turnover 3.05 3.31 3.94 3.44 7.84 7.47 7.46 7.59 Total asset turnover 0.97 1.04 0.69 0.90 2.31 2.28 2.40 2.33 Quick ratio 1.22 1.10 1.76 1.36 0.20 0.19 0.17 0.18 Current Ratio 2.79 2.29 2.86 2.64 0.90 0.90 0.90 0.90 Times Interest Earned 15.16 14.23 n.a 9.80 6.73 7.91 8.65 7.76 Debt equity ratio 0.56 0.55 0.48 0.53 1.46 1.60 1.43 1.50 Debt ratio 0.36 0.36 0.32 0.35 0.59 0.62 0.59 0.60 Source: Yahoo Finance (2008c) and MSN (2008a) 2.1 Profitability and Efficiency Tesco’s profitability is obviously higher than Wal-Mart. Based on net profit margin for years 2007, 2006 and 2005 where Tesco had 7%, 8%, 4% o or and average of 6% for the three year period as compared with Wal-Mart’s 3%, 4%, and 4% for the same years respectively or an average of 4%. The same behaviour may be observed in terms of gross margin where Tesco had a higher ratio at average of 25% as against that of Wal-Mart at 24%. See Table I above. This means that the 3% difference in net profit margin has its roots in lower cost of revenues for Tesco and lower operating expenses in relation to revenues. This also means the Tesco is more efficient based on generated revenues. If net profit margin of Tesco of for 2007 at 7% and of Wal-Mart of 3% as against industry average of 6.24% (See Appendix A), Tesco is clearer more profitable than competitors on the average. Industry average is estimated by getting the same financial ratios of Marks and Spencer (MSN, 2008b) and takin g the average of three companies for comparison. In terms of return on assets (ROA), Tesco has shown 7%, 8% and 3% for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 6% which is higher as against that of Wal-Mart at 7%, 8% and 9% for the same years respectively or an average of 8%. Surprisingly, Wal-Mart is better this time. This better profitability of Wal-Mart is strengthened in terms of better return of returns on equity (ROE) at 18%, 21% and 21% for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 20% as against that of Tesco at 11%, 13% and 4% for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 9%. See Table I above. If the ROE’s of Tesco and Wal-Mart for 2007 are compared with industry average of 25.79% (See Appendix A), it would appear that both companies are not performing more profitably than competitors on the average. It may be noted that ROA is more of a measure of efficiency while ROE is more of a measure of profitability. The better ROA and better ROE of Wal-Mart as against Tesco created a conflict with an earlier finding based on net profit margin and gross margin. To resolve the seeming conflict, Wal-Mart must be declared as more efficient and more profitable than Tesco since ROA measures the use of assets in business in trying to maximize the revenues. The better efficiency of Wal-Mart is further confirmed by faster inventory turnover of Wal-Mart at 7.84, 7.47 and 7.46 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 7.59 as against that of Tesco at 3.05, 3.31 and 3.94 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 3.44. Faster turnover in inventory means that it takes faster for Wal-Mart to sell. Further the same finding is confirmed by better total asset turn over of Wal-Mart at 2.31, 2.28 and 2.40 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an averag e of 2.33 as against that of Tesco at 0.97, 1.04 and 0.69 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 0.90. See Table I above. Better use of assets for Wal-Mart could only mean better asset utilization of assets and therefore better efficiency. 2.2 Liquidity The companies’ liquidity indicates their capacity to meet currently maturing obligations, which are measured by the quick ratios and current ratios (Meigs and Meigs, 1995). Tesco’s quick ratios are higher at 1.22, 1.10 and 1.76 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 1.36 as against that of Wal-Mart at 0.20, 0.19 and 0.17 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 0.18. The same liquidity behaviour of the Tesco is observed in terms of current ratios, where Tesco reflected higher at 2.79, 2.29 and2.86 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of as against that of Wal-Mart at a uniform of .90 for the whole three-year period. The better liquidity is also supported by having better capacity to service interest expense in terms of Tesco’s higher number of times interest earned at an average of 9.80 as against Wal-Mart’s 7.76. Comparing quick ratio from current ratio, it may be noted that quick ratio is better measure for liquidity since the same excludes inventory and other current assets in the composition of the quick assets. It may be observed however that the results of the profitability analysis appear to create some inconsistency in the resulting liquidity ratios of the Tesco and Wal-Mart. This may be explained by the fact that although Tesco is less efficient and less profitable than Wal-Mart, Tesco started better than Wal-Mart using 2005 as basis in terms of better financial condition at that point. 2.3 Solvency Solvency like liquidity also measures the ability of an enterprise to pay its debts but this time the issue is long terms debts of the company hence solvency tells more about long-term heath where a stable company is deemed stronger than an unstable one (Van Horne, 1992; Ross et. al, 1996). Using debt to equity ratio as an expression of solvency, Tesco reflected better at 0.56, 0.55 and 0.48 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 0.53 as against that of Wal-Mart at 1.46, 1.60 and 1.43 for the years 2007, 2006 and 2005 respectively or an average of 1.50. See Table I above. Tesco’s debt equity ratio of 0.56 for 2007 is also better than industry average 0f 1.05 (See Appendix A). Note that this time, the lower the ratio, the better the solvency or financial leverage. 3. Conclusion Based on the foregoing analysis and discussion, this paper concludes that Wal-Mart is more profitable and efficient compared to that of Tesco but both the profitability of two companies is still below the industry average. In terms of liquidity and solvency, Tesco is definitely better than Wal-Mart. The seeming conflict of better profitability not amounting or resulting necessarily to better liquidity and solvency may be explained by the fact the Tesco from the start of comparison period has definitely better financial position than Wal-Mart, hence Tesco’s lower profitability and efficiency could not just have eroded that stronger and more stable position during the period under review. The better solvency for Tesco is confirmed by the fact of its even better than industry average. This paper therefore attributes more strengths and less weakness for Tesco compared with Wal-Mart for strategic management purposes. In addition Tesco’ stock is also a better investment opti on than that of Wal-Mart’s. No wonder, the stocks of Tesco has behaved better than that of Wal-Mart. See Appendices B and C. Appendices Appendix A Industry MS Tesco Wal-Mart Average Net Profit Margin 8.73% 7% 3% 6.24% Return on Equity 48.37% 11% 18% 25.79% Debt/Equity Ratio 1.13 0.56 1.46 1.05 Appendix B – Stock Price Graph of Tesco Source: Yahoo Finance (2008a) Appendix C -- Stock Price Graph of Wal-Mart Source: Yahoo Finance (2008b) References: Brigham and Houston (2002) Fundamentals of Financial Management, Thomson South-Western, London, UK Meigs and Meigs (1995) Financial Accounting, McGraw-Hill, London, UK MSN (2008a) Financial Statement s 2005 to 2007, {www document} URL http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/hilite.asp?Symbol=MAKSF, Accessed April 10, 2008 MSN (2008b) Financial ratios of Marks and Spencer for 2007 , {www document} URL http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/hilite.asp?Symbol=MAKSF, Accessed April 10, 2008 Ross et. al (1996) Essentials of Corporate Finance ,IRWIN, London, UK Van Horne (1992) Financial Management and Policy, Prentice-Hall International, London, UK Yahoo Finance (2008a), Stock Graph of Tesco plc, {www document} URL http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=TESOt=5y, Accessed April 10, 2008 Yahoo Finance (2008a), Stock Graph of Wal-Mart, {www document} URL, http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=WMTt=5y, Accessed April 10, 2008 Yahoo Finance (2008c), Financial Statement s 2005 to 2007, {www document} URL, http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bs?s=WMTannual Accessed April 10, 2008

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Self Analysis Example Free Essays

Name: Mark Anthony D. MendozaDate: April 20, 2013 Subject: Contemporary Management Theories: Self Analysis Part Ia. INTEREST 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Self Analysis Example or any similar topic only for you Order Now How do I like to spend my time? I really want to spend my time in doing worthwhile things. I work, study and join adventurous activities. Most importantly, I always find time to participate with our religious activities like our house to house preaching to share the good news about the kingdom of God Jehovah. 2. Do I enjoy working with people? Yes. I enjoy working with different kinds of people. Actually, I prefer working with a group rather than working alone. 3. Do I like to work with mechanical things? Yes. When I was in high school we were taught to do mechanical things like electrical applications, carpentry and troubleshooting appliances. During my free time, I usually do troubleshoot dysfunctional home appliances even though I am not that good at it. 4. Do I enjoy working with data? I do enjoy working with data most especially if it’s numerical or accounting related. 5. Am I a member of many Organizations? No. At present I am only a member of some organizations. 6. Do I enjoy physical activities? I am a very active person enjoying physical activities. I usually play games like table tennis, badminton and volleyball. I also join adventurous activities like mountain climbing. At least twice a year, we enjoy hiking for at most three days in the mountains of Kayapa and Ambaguio. 7. Do I like to read? I am not really that kind of person who is fond of reading. It usually depends on my mood but most of the time my retention is at most two hours. ABILITIES 1. Am I adept at analysis? I believe that I am not that adept regarding analytical matters. 2. Am I adept at working with computers? Yes. It is with the aid of the computer subjects integrated in our curriculum. It is also enhanced by the use of computer s at work. I became familiar with various applications and I was acquainted on how to operate them properly. 3. Do I have good verbal and written communication skills? I can also consider that my writing and speaking abilities are good. It is with the help of the subjects I teach in class. Through regular class discussion my speaking abilities are gradually improved. The many write ups, concept papers, case analyses that I have prepared also enhances my writing abilities. 4. What special talents do I have? I do not have any special talent. 5. At which abilities do I wish I were more adept? I wish I am more intellectually inclined with excellent writing and communication skills. PERSONALITY 1. What are my good and bad traits? Some of my good are the following. I have sense of helping the needy. I also know my responsibilities as a child, brother and as a person to others. I can also consider myself as cheerful. Some of my bad habits are the following. Sometimes, I am late going to work. I am also lazy in doing household chores. 2. Am I competitive? One of my mottos in life is â€Å"Always do your best†. I always do my best in everything I do. It may be academics, work or whatever it maybe. 3. Do I work well with others? I can assume that I work well with others. Basing on my present job most of my officemates, if not all, like to work with me. I can say that because I am easy to work with and I am always practicing flexibility. 4. Am I outspoken? I think so. Most of the time, I say things that I know is right. 5. Am I a leader or a follower? I can be a combination of both but most of the time I am a follower. I am an abiding individual. I usually follow orders as long as it is positive and not against my will. 6. Do I work quickly, or am I methodical? I am a fast worker; I easily find ways on how to get things done. Basing from the comments I have earned from my supervisor during my On-the-job training, she said that I am an accurate and fast worker. 7. Do I get along with others? I think I am. I have group of friends and I can go along with others easily. Again, basing on the comments of one of my supervisor from my evaluation, she said that â€Å"everybody in the office likes me†. 8. Am I ambitious? Yes I am. I am really ambitious in the sense that I want to achieve a lot of things in my life. But I think that my ambition is not just an ambition because everything I dream is accompanied with action. 9. Do I work well independently of others? I can also work well independently. This is very true when I make my reaction papers, concept papers and other individual reports. But I am fonder with working with a group. DESIRED JOB ENVIRONMENT 1. Am I willing to relocate? Why? Yes. If it is a requirement for the job to relocate I will be much willing to relocate. I know myself that I can easily adapt different kinds of working environment. Actually, I am also planning to work abroad and that requires relocation. 2. Do I have geographical preference? Why? Yes, I want to work in a place wherein the climate is good. If I would choose the location it would be somewhere in Europe. I have a preference over the geography of the place where I will work because it might be uncomfortable for me to stay in is some places and that makes me unproductive. 3. Would I mind traveling in my job? For me traveling as part of my job is not a problem. Actually, I do enjoy going to different places. It would be an addition to my experience while performing the task given to me. 4. Do I have to work for a large or nationally known firm to be satisfied? I prefer to work in large and known company. It is for the fact that it will not only offer greater financial help but greater opportunities for career advancement. 5. Must my job offer rapid promotion opportunities? Not necessarily. Even though most of the employees would want to be promoted, I would not consider it as my main stimulus. As long as I am happy with my job it would be good for me. Promotion would just be considered as an additional prize of enjoying my job. 6. If I could design my own job, what characteristics would it have? I would like that I would be leading the financial aspects of the business. I would like to decide on financial matters, give reports on the standing of the business and share in the decision making. 7. How important is high initial salary for me? For me, high initial salary is not that important because I know that salary increase goes with experience and service. What is important is I like the job I will be doing. EDUCATION 1. How have my courses and extracurricular activities prepared me for a specific job? The courses we had during our undergraduate studies really helped us to be prepared for whatever career path we may go. It is due to these courses that we have been acquainted to different job scenarios. With the help of the On-the-job training, the theories we have learned in school were reinforced to make us fit with the job. 2. Which were my best subjects? My worst? If I am going to base it on the rating I earned. I would say my best subjects would be Physical Education because I got a very high grade. If it is based on learning, I would choose my accounting subjects because I really learned a lot. I consider Income taxation as my worst subject because I got the lowest grade among all the subjects I have taken. It was an irony because the subject is one of the subjects I have taught. . Is my GPA a good indication of my academic ability? Why? I do really believe that my GPA is an actual interpretation of my academic ability. It is because I am convinced that my GPA really shows what I did. 4. Do I aspire to a graduate degree? Before beginning my job? It is not that necessary for me. I got a job before I was being able to hold a degree. 5. Why did I choose my major? Actually, I do n ot have much good reasons why I choose accounting. I have chosen the field of accounting just because I loved numbers. PERSONAL GOALS 1. What are my short-term and long term goals? Why? My present goal is to be able to pass the CPA board examination. One of my long term goals would be the establishment of my own convenience store and I am the manager. 2. Am I career oriented, or do I have broader interest? I can say that I have broader interest with regards to the career I have chosen. I would not just stick for the fact that I am an accountant but to pursue my goal to become an entrepreneur. 3. What are my career goals? First, I want to pass the CPA board examination. Then work with an auditing company wherein I can travel not only locally but internationally. After gaining all the expertise I would like to run my own business. 4. What jobs are likely to help me achieve my goals? I think any jobs that are related to my degree would be an addition to the achievement of my goals. 5. What do I hope to be doing in 5 years? In 10 year? Five years from now I hope that I would be one of the most successful accountant and employee of a well-known company. And after five years, I hope that I would be managing my own business. 6. What do I want out of life? Poverty, suffering, sickness and death. I would like that every individual would be enjoying the gift of life God has given us. EXPERIENCE 1. What previous jobs have I held? What were my responsibilities in each job? I worked as an Accounts Receivable Analyst. I prepare an analysis of the accounts of every student and make necessary adjustments if errors are made. I was also the liaison office of Saint Mary’s University. I transact business with different banks and other governmental agencies. I prepare premium reports of employees. 2. What internships or co-op positions have held? What were my responsibilities? I have my internship at metro bank. I was assigned to compute and update the time deposits of depositors. I have also done clerical works like sorting of checks and counting cash. 3. What volunteer positions have I held? What were my responsibilities? When one of my officemate attended the review for the CPA board exam, I took over some of her work. I prepare bank reconciliation statements and prepare checks for disbursement. 4. Were any of my jobs or positions applicable to positions I may seeking? How? As an accounting major, I would be looking for job that is in line with my degree. My experience on my previous jobs will be an additional factor because I also learned a lot of things that I may use on my next job. 5. What did I like most about my previous jobs? I like the company of my officemates who are always there to support. I love the way our superior treated us. 6. If I had to do it over again, would I work in these jobs? Why? Yes, I really love the world of accounting. As long as I am still enjoying my field, I would be much willing to do it all over and over again. Part 1b. Leadership Lifeline A 1. What are the key experiences that shaped my present as leader? Being a good follower makes a good leader. All the theories I have learned and the teaching of my teachers during my undergraduate studies helped me to become a good leader. As a teacher, I have known how to management my class properly. Teach them how to be a good student and help them cope up with academic difficulties. I also make it sure that they have learned something about the subject I have taught them. I have also learned a lot of thing from the interaction from my students. 2. Who were the key influences that developed me into the kind of leader I am today? I would give the main credit to my parents who molded me to become a good person. Also with my teachers who shared their knowledge and expertise. My officemates who taught me understand the essence of work and camaraderie. . What are the key lessons I have learned about leadership? As stated above, I believe that a good leader must be a good follower. A leader should not be so autocratic but must listen to the ideas and needs of his team. 4. What was the most difficult leadership challenge that I have experienced as a leader? What was the impact of this challenge to me? The most difficult ch allenge was during my first year of teaching. It is very challenging because I don’t have any teaching experience yet and it was my first time, also for the fact that some of my students are older than me. I took the challenge positively. I prepared my lessons well before discussions. It is very fulfilling because I have received positive outcomes. 5. What have been my experiences in doing collaborative work as a leader? How were my experiences? It is really fun and interesting doing such an activity. I enjoy working with a group most especially on exchanging of ideas. This experience adds up to the confidence in doing successful activity. 6. From my story as a leader what is my purpose in life? As leader, I need to show good example to all the people. I need to exert more effort to be able to meet the expectations of those who believe in my abilities. MY LEADERSHIP LIFELINE B PEELING BACK THE ONION: WHAT IS MY AUTHENTIC SELF 1. My Values and Principles I have grown up with the Filipino values of love and respect, giving much importance to family. My principles in life are usually based from the bible. I follow the golden rule that is to do what is right to others so that others will also do the same. I also show genuine love to everyone as much as I can. 2. My strengths I consider my positive attitude toward others, work and life. In addition, I also consider my adept understanding with my chosen field of expertise and numerical reasoning. . My purpose One of my major purposes in life is to help others know to the Kingdom of God. I also may sure that my family would feel how much I care and love them. I am also here to share what I have and serve others. It may not be financially but my presence to them can make a difference. With regards to being a leader, service is what matters most. 4. My weaknesses I have low self-esteem and confidence. I don’t usually have the guts to do things on my own and show what I am really capable. I am always on doubt for myself. I have low regard with my abilities. I also find it difficult to say my opinions about different matters. 5. My talents I am somewhat inclined with numerical reasoning. I don’t really know my talents are. MY LEADERSHIP LIFELINE C What do my story and my authentic self as a leader say about my Worldview, Values, Talents and Purpose. 1. WORLDVIEW: How do you seek or look at the world? What does the world mean to you? I look at the world as a perfect place to explore and share what we have and what we are to others. It means that I need to appreciate all the precious things that are provided to us. The world is also a place where we can show the best we can be and contribute for its development. 2. VALUES: What principles you will never sacrifice? a. Honesty b. Faith c. Justice d. Equality e. Love 3. TALENTS: What are you naturally good at? What do you naturally enjoy to do, think and learn about? a. Numerical reasoning b. Dancing c. Playing sports d. Hiking e. Preaching 4. PURPOSE: What is the purpose of your life? What issue, group or sector is involved on life message? One of my major purposes in life is to help others know to the Kingdom of God. I also may sure that my family would feel how much I care and love them. I am also here to share what I have and serve others. It may not be financially but my presence to them can make a difference. With regards to being a leader, service is what matters most. 5. ISSUE: How is your life purpose related to the central issues you are facing? One of the issues I am facing now is time management. As stated above, my major purpose in life is to preach the Kingdom of God but I am working full time so I am face with the dilemma on how to achieve that goal. Most often, I lack time to do all the things I really wanted to do. Part II. STRENGTHS |WEAKNESSES | |Sociable |Tardiness | |Adept in Computer applications |Low self-esteem | |Good reading and communication skills |Doubtful about my abilities | |Responsible |Low self confidence | |Competitive |Lack of confidence to share opinions | |Fast worker | | |Adaptable | | |Career oriented | | How to cite Self Analysis Example, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian free essay sample

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, is a tale of a young Native American boy who has a struggle with poverty, a need for support in his decision making, and a show of courage when times seem hopeless. Junior is not a typical Native American boy. He wants to succeed in life and the only way to do that is leave the reservation for better schooling. The story takes place in times of great despair as well as happiness. On every reservation there is poverty. On every reservation there is alcohol abuse. On every reservation there is domestic abuse resulting from alcohol abuse. Every day there are victims on the reservations around the world, and this story is a sneak peek into one young boy’s life. Poverty is very common among Native American’s living on reservations. Income is small if any, and is spent on alcohol or drugs. We will write a custom essay sample on Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Junior’s parents drink, his mother not so much, but his father does quite frequently. At one point Junior claims on Christmas his father goes on a drinking binge until January 2, and when he arrives home he pulls a crumpled five dollar bill out of his boot. Junior is touched by this action, knowing his father is an alcoholic and was able to save five dollars was touching. Juniors ex-best friend is a victim of domestic violence due to his father drinking alcohol. When it comes to making choices, Junior seems to look for help. Since Junior’s grandmother was hit by a drunken native and killed, he lost on person he could talk with. Junior loses people he cares about, whether it is from death or from him leaving the reservation. Mary, Junior’s only sister moved out and got a life of her own, only for it to end in a house fire and leading to her death. Junior has lost another close person, and his ex best friend blamed him for her death. As a result Junior would need confidence in himself to keep him going, and not want to give up on his schooling, and family. When Junior arrives to Reardan he is nervous and scared. Junior quotes â€Å"The only other Indian at the school, after all, is the mascot. In order to succeed one must take on challenges, and endure them. In Reardan Junior is called names but no real physical damage is being done, so Junior punches the jock of the school after being told a racist joke. The jock was shocked and had respect for Junior after this event. As the story progresses Junior shows bravery by confronting his ex-best friend, his old town, and the loss of two family members. He shows that being a warrior does not just mean being strong physically, but also mentally. The story to me was a fairly easy read. In a way I could relate to some of the events. Growing up I was not effected by poverty, but I know plenty of families that are. The story has plenty of messages, but I am not fully sure what they all happened to be. What I received from this story is, in order to succeed a person may need to endure struggles that are not necessary but are in order to succeed. Overall I enjoyed the story and would like to read it again. Sherman Alexie’s novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time, Indian is a comical, dramatic, and heart felt story. Throughout the story Junior matures, and learns how to better handle situations. Junior also learns to cope with poverty, a need for support in his decision making, and a show of courage when times seem hopeless. As Junior matures he realizes his reservation is beautiful to him, as it maybe to anyone passing through, and he takes the little things in life into account. This story is a wonderful tale and may give you a life or a ‘feel-sorry’ mood. This is a story that I will quite possibly read again, and quite possibly get a differen t meaning out of it.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Duty vs. Desire Essay Example

Duty vs. Desire Essay The road to self-actualization is one filled with forks. One must constantly make decisions that affect character and one’s ultimate destination in life. Some travel this road very consciously, making informed and well thought out decisions that they hope will lead them in the right direction. Others live haphazardly, not taking into account the possible consequences of poor decisions. Often times one of the most major forks is a decision between moral obligation and private passion. Pressing matters of family or work may call one to put personal aspirations on hold for the sake of the whole. But does one necessitate abandonment of the other? Which way will lead to a happier life? Tom Wingfield, the disillusioned narrator of Tennessee Williams’ Depression-era play, â€Å"The Glass Menagerie,† must battle through this specific plight. He struggles to find the answer to the question of when desire overrides duty. All humans are blessed with a plethora of gifts, but all have one in common: life. This being said, there is one common humanistic duty: the obligation to live that life in the most satisfying manner in the hopes of reaching fulfillment. However, the individual decides which manner is most pleasing to himself or herself, and one person’s idea of a life well lived is wholly different from another’s. This fact should not be disdained, but embraced. Diversity is what allows for unique and inspirational perspectives that can create new ideas and changes in society and culture. We will write a custom essay sample on Duty vs. Desire specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Duty vs. Desire specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Duty vs. Desire specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Nevertheless, there are those that do not share this view, which leads to an all-too-common clash of wishes – between parents and children, subordinates and superiors, students and elders, etc. Tom Wingfield conflicts with his mother, Amanda, in this way. Her only wish is that her children, Tom and Laura, fulfill the classic American Dream of hard work and success. However, Tom has dreams of being a writer, and Laura is too painfully shy to even leave the house. Clearly there will be at least one person displeased at the end of the day. The Wingfields live lives of short fuses hidden under good intentions – Tom and Laura do not wish to disregard their mother entirely, but they have their own wishes that she does not respect. There are daily battles over who has the right to decide the lives of the family. Tom rightfully uncovers the truth that in order to achieve true happiness in self-actualization, one must choose the paths one takes alone. As stated above, some people truly put thought into their decisions, while others do not. This done not imply that the thought-out choice is the superior one. One can reflect upon an important decision for weeks, months, or years, and still make the wrong choice. If this is true, how is one supposed to make the proper choice? How does one settle on the fork leading to the happier life? The answer is blunt and cruel. Sometimes there is no â€Å"happier life. † Many situations present themselves with no clear better choice. Tom debates his ever-growing desire to desert Amanda and Laura and live the life he feels he would enjoy infinitely more. He convinces himself that this would be his happier life, and does leave in the end, but not without some unwanted baggage. Wherever he goes, he is haunted by guilt of leaving Laura behind. It is evident that even when one does all the right things, when one takes into account outcome and consequences, and still makes the decision alone, it is very possible that there is no silver lining. One must simply do one’s best to make the decisions one feels good about and live with them.

Monday, November 25, 2019

4 Ways You Can Use Your Holiday Break to Gear up for the New Year

4 Ways You Can Use Your Holiday Break to Gear up for the New Year Once you’ve settled down from all  the  excitement  of the holiday season, it’s important to look towards the New Year and have a plan. It can be temping to procrastinate and forget about your workplace responsibilities, but staying on track even in the face of a relaxing holiday is very important.   Instead, consider using downtime over the holiday break this year to set yourself up for a great start to 2017. Here are four ways to set yourself up for a productive 2017 and get ahead of the inevitable New Year’s resolutions.1.  Think about what you’ve done in 2016Take a look at your past year. You have the luxury of doing this without the day-to-day distractions of emails, meetings, and requests from colleagues, so take advantage of the time to stop and review. What worked for you in the past year? Did you start new habits that made your day easier? Did you cut out distractions? Start a new job?On the flip side, be honest about what didn’t go so well. If you felt like you didn’t have enough time to get everything done, what could you have done to streamline your schedule?2. Think about your goals for 2017.Once you get a picture of how your year went and what you might be able to do to improve next year, set some reasonable goals. Try not to fall into the New Year’s resolution trap, where we set goals based on a kind of idealized version of ourselves. Sure, it would be great if you could change everything on day one- no junk food, hitting the gym every day, never checking Facebook at work, or other worthy resolutions. Human nature usually has other plans, though, and we often slip right back into our previous ways by, oh, February.For your professional goals, make sure you’re staying practical and possible. If you think you’d like to change jobs, give yourself a timeline (complete with achievable steps) throughout the year. For example:February: Update your resume.March: Research potential c ompanies and recruit a friend to run through practice interviews with you.April: Start applying for job openings.Regardless of whether or not you want to leave your current job, think of the bigger picture: what would you like to be working on? If there’s a dream project you have within your existing role, or one that would be a little bit of a stretch for you, start mapping it out. Make an outline of what would be involved, and have a plan ready to discuss it with your manager after the holidays.Whatever your goals are, it’s crucial to do your prep work. The SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timely) guideline is very helpful for building goals, weeding out unworkable ones, and saving yourself some grief.3. Catch up on unfinished business.Was there something you wanted to check off your to-do list before you rushed out the door for the holiday? Now’s your chance to take a crack at it without calls, meetings, or other workday tasks getting i n your way. I know it’s your time away from the office, but if you take two hours now to set yourself up for the return to work, think how calm you’ll feel next week while everyone else is scrambling to get back to work.4. Reach out to your network.The new year gives you an easy â€Å"in† to reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Even if you don’t have many of your professional contacts on your annual Christmas card list, a â€Å"Happy New Year!† note is a great opportunity to reconnect for 2017.Even if you do all four of these things, you’ll still have plenty of time for holiday joy and relaxation with friends and family. Think of it as an investment in yourself for the next year†¦ and you don’t even have to hit the gym or give up that bad habit to do it.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Managing Change Paper Part 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Managing Change Paper Part 3 - Essay Example Most of the times, the management of the company recognize and then exploit the new potentials that seem dormant in the organization (Duncan, 1998). The changes that are done to the organization have three basic stages that they follow to make sure that the changes occur in a manner needed by the organization. The first stage involves the realization that the current strategies are not suitable for the situations of the organization (Duncan, 1998). The second stage that the change undergoes is the establishment of vision for the future of the company. The last stage that Facebook organization undergoes is implementing the changes and making new systems that supports the changes to be done. The major change that Facebook organization have undergone is the technological change that is introduced as components of large strategic change (Duncan, 1998). A most important aspect in technological change is that it determines the person in the organization that is threatened by the change that

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Comparing John Milton's character Satan in Paradise Lost to Dante's Research Paper

Comparing John Milton's character Satan in Paradise Lost to Dante's Lucifer, and how their portrayal of these characters differe - Research Paper Example This paper is a comparison of two characters: John Milton’s Satan and Dante Alighieri’s Lucifer. The thesis statement that carries this paper toward a direction is that: Milton’s Satan is an embodiment of power, heroism and leadership; while, Dante’s Lucifer is powerless, dull and uninteresting. Paradise Lost is one of the greatest masterpieces of John Milton’s, which has been studied, criticized, and evaluated in every period of time since it was written. The character of Satan has been evaluated in different regards, mainly claimed as being the most convoluted and dynamic character in literature. In Milton’s text, Satan is shown as possessing a sense of havoc, chaos, and wreck. The reader is never clear whom Milton is justifying as being innocent: Satan, or Adam and Eve. Flannagan (26) writes in his book that many romantic critics believe that Milton is unknowingly in the devil’s party, as he portrays Satan as the most powerful chara cter throughout the story, seducing us into following his leadership when, for example, he is shown arguing with Areopagitica, or when he chooses to speak truth for a moment. The reader ends up sympathizing with the Satan in the minutest of feeling, in addition to the greatness of Shakespearean acting in his character. Ruth and Milton (15) write, â€Å"Milton’s appealing delineation of Satan’s character, some commentators say, forces the reader to sympathize and identify with the fallen archangel just as Milton himself does.† Satan is shown on a hot lake of molten lava in Hell, and weeping at a point later, which are the sites the reader empathizes with him at. The energy that comes out of his character while he is in the Hell, and while he plans the whole story against Adam and Eve, makes his character so magnificent that no other character in the story can beat. God, in comparison, has been portrayed as an uninteresting character in Paradise Lost- something th at the Satan convinces the reader to believe in Book 3, while behaving like a naive victim all the way. At least this is the perception the reader conceives when he reads the Satan’s fervent dialogues and their contagious rhetoric throughout the storyline. His speeches are as weird as the disguise he adopts to entice Eve to eat the Forbidden Tree; that is, the serpent that is clever, sharp, quick, smart, and vengeful. Carrying angelic features and possessing potent weapons, Satan is shown as an embodiment of authority, power, control, and leadership. He is the leader of the fallen angels, sharing with them the plan to leave the Hell for a quest based on vengeance. Critics and reviewers have agreed upon the heroic aspect of Satan in Paradise Lost; for example, Brackett (313) writes that Milton has shown Satan as such a â€Å"clearly and dramatically drawn figure that many post-romanticism readers viewed him as a heroic figure, a Byronic hero of sorts†¦as Satan proudly de clares his preference for the position of ruler of hell to servant in heaven.† Hence, the heroic and leadership incarnation of Satan’s character in Paradise Lost shows Milton’s idea of sin that has been discussed many a times by critiques later on. It is also important to discuss how Milton has expressed Satan’s persona of heroism and leadership in his work. Satan is proud of his army that he thinks is so powerful that repulse can never be known.

Monday, November 18, 2019

North by Northwest Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

North by Northwest - Movie Review Example The purpose of this paper is to analyze Hitchcock’s movie North by Northwest. This will be done by providing the plot and summary of the movie. The paper will later look into the use of cinematography, mines-en -scene and editing to bring out the thoughts and fillings of the main character Thornhill. The paper later provides a concluding paragraph on the contents of the paper in relation to the theses. Plot summary The movie begins when two gangsters mistakenly kidnap the wrong man. This is a result of Thornhill being in the wrong place at the right time. The man kidnapped is an advertising agent who is new to this world. He is wrongfully accused of being an American spy responsible for the death of a Russian secret service agent. Based on the time when the cold war had taken center stage, the movie addresses the activities that occur between the two sides of the war. Thornhill is thereby, forced to defend himself by proving his real identity. For him to achieve this, he must change his identity in order to protect himself. The movie is defined by the use of adventure, comedy and most of all suspense. Aided by his accomplice Eve Kendall, they set to find out the identity of the actual spy so that they can go back to their normal lives. In their quest to do so, they are met with many challenges making them take refuge in different locations of the country. Use of cinematography Cinematography makes up for most of the features of an entire movie. It comprises of the use of the camera, photography, shooting and picture making. The camera is one of the most essential devices in the making of a film. It is used to emphasize the angles that the director views as the most critical parts of the film. The movie generally does not portray a lot of the use of the camera. One of the pivotal scenes where the camera is used is during the end of the film where Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall’s lives are in danger. The director shows Thornhill look for a way out by first glancing to the left, right and then back to the left as Eve Kendall is clutching on to him for dear life. This brings out his desperation in that he has few options to choose from. All he can picture is his whole life flash before him. The use of shadows across the faces of Mount Rushmore brings out the intensity of the scene. The sniper who shoots their attacker miraculously saves them. The camera is pointed towards the attacker who is situated on the floor and, later tilted towards the direction of the sniper. This scene also displays the use of twists to maximize on the suspense of the movie. Mines-en -scene Mines-en-scene is the display of the view, picture and the location of a movie in general. The movie utilizes this factor significantly in that it is set in different parts of the country. Thornhill eventually runs for his life and take refuge in several parts of the country. Hitchcock achieved this by shooting scenes in pivotal places such as Mount Rushmore that is known for the presidential faces during the end of the movie. This is where he redeems himself by becoming a hero in a turn of events. Another area where the director displays mines-en-scene is in the United Nations building located in New York. The use of a hidden camera was enabled so as to view the entrance of Thornhill as he climbs the stairs. What sets this movie apart from the rest of

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Tools and concepts to construct your personal career strategy

Tools and concepts to construct your personal career strategy Random House Dictionary defines success to be the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors. The ambiguity in this definition may be attributed to the fact that there is no universal meaning for the word success. The meaning of the term depends entirely on the dreams and aspirations of the individual. Most people are given the opportunity to choose their own path, and use their choices to determine their idea of success. My life is a little bit different in that my idea of success has determined my career path. After much contemplation, I have realized that my personal definition of success is to make my fathers company internationally competitive. Stella Cortells book describes several issues related to personality development, and outlines activities and reflections on topics such as: identifying how you perform your best, improving your performance, task-management, assertiveness, giving and receiving constructive criticism, among others. I have considered the results of these activities in the crafting of my career development plan. The self-awareness of an individual should be taken into consideration when he or she is in search of a career. It should also be applied to enhance in the performance of ones job or profession. According to Goleman, the most important variables in ones career decisions are the level of self awareness and self-efficiency. (1996) Self-awareness will enable individuals to make the correct career decisions. In order to achieve my personal career goal, I must strive to become a more self-aware individual. Garavan defined self-awareness as the individuals ability to assess others evaluations of the self and to incorporate these assessments into ones self-evaluation. (1999) In developing my personal career strategy, I first considered my career goal, and the skills and qualifications needed to realize it. Afterward, I considered results of my MBTI model and Johari Window Model. I then integrated my self-realizations and the opinions of my peers and family members as a basis for my career development plan. I first identified how I perform the best. As a child, my favourite sport was football. I played on both community and school teams, and would frequently volunteer to help my coaches organise transportation to and from games. When I reached high school, my football skills were not honed enough to qualify me to play for the team, but out of love for the game, I stayed on as a manager. During my tenure as team manager, I designed several activities for the team and fundraised more money for my schools soccer program than any other manager before. This money was used to purchase new training equipment and uniforms for the team. That year, we beat our rival school for the first time in 5 years. Looking back at this experience, I was able to realize how much I truly enjoyed being in a managerial position. Curious, I consulted my old report cards to see if any of my past teachers had mentioned my leadership skills. Much to my surprise, several of them had mentioned that I was quiet, yet I had the natural ability to lead my classmates in group activities. In the future, I will inherit my fathers company. When the day comes for my to assume a managerial position, my leadership skills will definitely be useful. Despite this, my surprise at the discovery of my teachers comments shows me that I have several blindspots. Based on the comments of my friends and past teachers, I have come to realize that one of my personality traits that has the potential to negatively impact my future career plans is the fact that I am a shy person. While this shyness is not quite a liability, my fear of public speaking, and my reluctance to assert myself may serve to be a serious disadvantage when I assume a managerial position. In order to improve my performance as a manager, I have added relevant steps to my career development plan that will train me enhance my speaking skills and will teach me to be more assertive. I have also added steps and goals in my career development plan in an effort to expand my current knowledge and talents, and thereby improve my performance. According to Monster.com, Many employers are looking for candidates with a strong sense of self-awareness. Monster evens offers a quiz on their website to help determine how self aware you are now as you are looking for a job. (Christie) These skills will help an individual choose the right career and make the appropriate decisions in managerial development. Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of self-awareness, and as such, they are also looking to hire employees who possess these qualities. In order to become more self-aware, I examined my ability to manage and complete tasks. Through personal reflections and feedback from peers and academic advisors, I observed that many of my peers perceive me to be organised and responsive. As a result of this observation, I have realized that I am reasonably efficient in the management of my personal tasks. Because of this, I have designed my career development plan to include a several activities. This will enable me to maximize my time. I took the MBTI test to further my level of self-awareness. The results show that my personality is the ENFP (Extroversion, Intuition, Thinking and Perceiving). People with ENFP personalities tend to lead by creating a vision, and helping people see their potential. ENFP personalities also tend to influence by listening to and incorporating the ideas of others. Finally, ENFP personalities tend to focus on exploring all the possibilities. This personality type describes many characteristics that are in line with the steps I have outlined in my career development plan. One of the steps in my action plan is to obtain a Masters Degree in Business Administration. I hope my studies will supplement my personality and provide me with formal training to enable me to help people see their potential. This skill will be invaluable when I become a manager. I have also used the results of my Johari Window model in the development of my career plan. I noticed that I do not consider myself, nor do others consider me, to possess certain characteristics that I believe are essential to good leadership. For example, I do not consider myself, nor was I described to be articulate. I believe that the ability to communicate with others effectively is an extremely important aspect of management. Considering this, I have modified my career development plan to develop my public speaking skills. It was also interesting to note that I had an empty quadrant in the results of my Johari Window model. This quadrant was the hidden one, which represents the things that the subject knows about his or her self but other people do not know at all (Luft and Ingham 1955). This panel contains all the information that the subject has not divulged to anyone or to the person with whom the interaction is taking place. It is during this step that the process of self-disclosure takes place (Luft and Ingham 1955). Over time, as people begin to trust each other more and reveal more information about them, the items that are contained in the hidden quadrant are moved to the open quadrant. While I would like to believe that I am transparent to the point that there is nothing hidden about me, logically, I know this is impossible. The empty quadrant can likely be attributed to my reluctance to admit that I prefer to keep some things to myself. While this observation did not translate into a step in my career development plan, my awareness of this aspect of my personality will make me more conscious of such behaviour in the future. Another thing I learned through the application of an activity performed during this class, is that I sometimes have difficulty receiving and giving constructive criticism. As I tend to be a very reserved person who tries to see the best in everyone, I have realized that I am not very good at criticizing my peers as I have a tendency to be too nice. This realization came as a shock. Because I consider myself to be a very honest person, I had previously assumed that I was able to provide candid evaluations. My self-awareness of this limitation will definitely help me in my future career. One of the fundamental parts of being a manager is the need to provide employees with constructive criticism. Managers who are unable to do so will be extremely ineffective. As such, I have realized that I need to train myself to be less afraid of what people think, and more concerned with providing helpful evaluations. My awareness of my inability to provide constructive criticism further convinced m e of the need to obtain a Masters Degree, which is a step on my career development plan. I hope that my study of Business Administration will teach me to be a more candid evaluator. A similar activity taught me that I also have difficulty receiving constructive criticism. I attribute this personality deficiency to the fact that I have set a very high standard for myself, and because I am proud of my personal achievements. As such, criticism often embarrasses me. My awareness of this facet of my personality will not only help me in my future career, but I believe it will help me become a better person. In my opinion, it is extremely difficult to advance as an individual without the criticism of others. A person must be able to learn from his or her errors; otherwise he or she will probably continue to repeat the same mistakes. In order to be an effective manager, I will undoubtedly need the advice and guidance of my father, and those who have extensive experience in the field. If I am unable to receive criticism with an open mind, I will be greatly limiting myself. Although my awareness of this personal limitation cannot be translated into a phase on my career de velopment plan, but I will always remember that this is something I need to work on. Conclusion The various concepts and theories in this course have allowed me to become a more self-aware individual. They have enabled me to discover of my personal strengths, weakness and personality tendencies. There are several aspects of my personality and a few character traits of which I was previously unaware. Before being made of aware of these, I already had a career development plan, but it was very vague and general. Much of what I learned about my shortcomings and myself has translated into a phase in my career development plan. Some of the other things I learned about myself cannot be explicitly seen on the plan. Despite this, I will strive to remember these positive characteristics and use them to my advantage. With regard to my negative qualities, I am certain that my awareness of them will help me to ensure that they will not limit my careers progress. Unlike most individuals who are able to use their self-awareness to select their career path, my professional future was determined at birth. As such, I have used my improved sense of self-awareness to identify what needs to be done in order for me to achieve my career goals. Thus, my present plan is much more direct, and focuses on skills and qualifications I need to attain in order to become a better manager. Critically evaluate the role that your self-awareness will play in making your career a success A manager who is unaware of his or her blind spots or of how he or she impacts others is a walking disaster in the workplace, a leader who may lead the troops over the cliff. (Koonce, Richard) My lack of self-awareness could be a liability in the near future. As such, I will strive to be more aware of my blindspots, so as to be informed as to my strengths and weaknesses. This awareness will allow me improve my performance as a manager, as I will be able to better prevent my blindspots from negatively affecting those under my management. By being more self aware, I will be able to use my strengths and personality to create a more work conducive environment. I aspire to be able to use my self awareness to become a better leader, and a more efficient manager. When trying to enhance leadership skills it is imperative for leaders to understand that their behaviour is interpreted differently according to a subordinates personality. Indeed, the same message that a leader is communicating (even if the content is the same) could be interpreted in several different ways depending on the personalities of the subordinates. (Hautala) By being more aware of my behaviour, I will be able to modify my actions according to the personality of my subordinates. Because of this, as a manager, I will be able to communicate effectively with my staff. I believe that effective communication between managers and employees is paramount to the success of a business. The results of my personality test have taught me a lot about myself. Because of the MBTI model, I learned that people who have an ENFP personality tend to influence by listening to and incorporating the ideas of others. As such, I plan to one day use this aspect of my personality in future management practices. I firmly believe that two heads (or more) are better than one. As such, I hope that this side of me will make me more responsive to the changing business conditions. I also learned that ENFP personalities tend to focus on exploring all the possibilities. I have realized that this tendency could be either an asset or a liability. As a future manager, I understand the value of examining all aspects of an issue before making a decision. A thorough consideration of all factors and conditions is more likely to result in a more prudent choice. However, people who are overly concerned with being able to predict the effects of decisions are sometimes unable to make choices quickly, which often results to their disadvantage. My awareness of this side of my personality will enable me to be a better manager, as I will be strive to ensure my desire to consider all possible angles will be an asset, not a liability. Based on the results of my Johari Window model, I have learned that I perceive myself to be kind and shy, while others consider me to be clever, giving, happy, helpful and logical. Today the Johari Window model is especially relevant due to modern emphasis on, and influence of, soft skills, behaviour, empathy, cooperation, inter-group development and interpersonal development. (Businessballs, 2008). This insight into my personality will be useful in my future career. As a manager, the perceptions of the people being management are of utmost importance. Subordinates must perceive their manager to be logical. If they believe otherwise it is unlikely that they will be able to perform their tasks effectively. I hope to maintain the way people view me, as I believe it will be useful in my future career. Self-awareness is necessary to my success as a manager. I truly believe that a deeper understanding of myself will allow me better understand others. Action plan Graduate I am currently a college student I study diligently and manage my tasks efficiently to ensure that I graduate on time Before graduation, I plan to engage in more student activities that will help develop my leadership skills Hone my Public Speaking Skills I am a shy person. Due to the fact that I aspire to be the manager of an internationally competitive company, I need to develop my public speaking skills I will enrol in classes that will train me to become a more articulate and confident speaker Obtain a Masters Degree Further study in the field of Business Administration will be useful in my future career Concurrently, I hope to find a job in company in a similar line of business to my fathers company Work for my fathers company Given my educational training and work experience I hope to study the structure of my fathers company and evaluate its performance and make the necessary changes to make the company internationally competitive

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Eulogy for Son :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Son During the last months, weeks and days of the life of Hays Johnson, during that hard time of his illness, he was not dying. He was living. This may seem to be a matter of semantics or playing with words, but I learned from him during that period a lesson which I had previously only perceived in a fragmentary fashion. When a newborn utters its first loud wail, a sound which touches the hearts of the bystanders, it is perhaps an expression of regret that its stay in this beautiful world is temporary. Perhaps the baby knows what we often forget, that we are all ultimately terminal. I do not think for one moment that in his last days on earth Hays was in a state of denial or rationalization. He knew how sick he was. But he was determined to take the advice of the song: I'm gonna live, live, live until I die. With one important difference. The implication of the song is that one should take from life whatever one can grab before it is too late. Hays wanted to give whatever he could, and it did not matter to him whether his life stretched before him for decades or for hours, he was going to be one and the same, a person who held fast to his integrity, who had a deep interest in everything going on around him, who wanted to be quietly involved, who wanted to contribute in whatever way he could. There was to be a meeting at the synagogue a few weeks ago. He said to me: "I won't be able to make the meeting, but I should like to know your thoughts on it, and I would like to hear what happens." It was not a dying man who could not make that meeting, it was a man who was fully alive, who, if he was impeded by circumstances from doing what he wished, could yet find ways of taking part. Just one week ago I spoke to him on the phone. He wanted to know what I was doing, and on Monday, as I promised, I put in the mail for him the text of some lectures that he wanted to see. He spoke little of sickness or discomfort, and was as pleasant and cheerful as always. It was fun to talk to him, a man a week away from a long anticipated death.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Black Cat Essay

In Poe’s †The Black Cat†, the cat acts as an instrument of justice. The story illustrates that the narrator tortures his pets. Moreover, he kills his wife and the black cat brutally. He tries his best to hide the dead body of his wife. But when the second cat screams and reveals the body to the police officers , it brought about justice to narrator’s wife and all those animals whom narrator had tortured. Thus the cat indirectly punishes the narrator by revealing the dead body of his wife to the corps. To begin with, the narrator is portrayed as an evil-doer in the story and he deserves punishment for his crimes. For example, the he begins to suffer violent mood swings under the influence of alcohol.He takes to mistreating not only other animals but also his wife. During this uncontrollable rage he spares only Pluto(the black cat). One night when Pluto bites his hand, he cuts out one of the cat’s eyes. This shows his vengeful behaviour. He keeps on committing wrong just for the sake of wrong. Then, one night he hangs the cat from a tree , where it dies.Furthermore,one day when narrator and his wife are visiting the cellar , the second cat gets under his feet and nearly trips him down the stairs . In a fury, the man grabs an axe and tries to kill the cat but is stopped by his wife. Enraged, he kills her with the axe instead. These actions of narrator throw light upon his merciless and cruel nature. Moreover , he tries to escape from punishment and hides the dead body. Thus, the action of the cat in the end of the story is completely justified. In conclusion, the second cat ultimately serves as the facilitator of justice when it reveals the corpse’s hiding place at the end of tale. Its initial appearance on the top of a hogstead of rum emphasizes its moral purpose.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Book Title Ideas 6 Actionable Steps to Choose a Book Title That SELLS

Book Title Ideas 6 Actionable Steps to Choose a Book Title That SELLS Book Title Ideas: How to Choose the Perfect Title for Your Book I get how frustrating it can be.Writing the book might seem like the most difficult partand then you have to actuallytitle the darn thing!When it comes to writing a book,coming up with reasonable book title ideas is surprisingly one of the hardest parts to complete. It’s difficult because titles are essentially short hooks that advertise your book using the fewest words possible.It’s also what readers look for first whenthey discover new books, and can take less than 5 seconds to make a decision.This is why it’s so crucial to craft a perfect name. Heres how to come up with book title ideas:Write down the problem youre solvingCreate a subtitle to clarifyMake it memorableMake sure its genre-appropriateCreate it to stir intrigueInclude your character in the titleTo help spur your creative process, we’ve created a few essential guidelines for you to follow as you craft the perfect book title ideas for your masterpiece.Since there are different title considerat ions for fiction and non-fiction, we broke these two topics down separately into:How to Choose a Book Title for Non-FictionHow to Choose a Book Title for FictionLet’s create your selling title!NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereHow to Choose a Book Title for Non-FictionAs you begin crafting your book title ideas for your non-fiction book,the key is knowing that non-fiction readers are looking for solutions.Whether it’s losing weight, becoming a master in sales, or becoming better at fostering relationships, they’re simply looking for a book that will solve their problem. To leverage this idea, here are a set of rules to consider:#1 Your Title Must Include a Solution to a ProblemYour title should be crystal clear on what your readers will achieve by reading your book. Experts say that a title with a clear promise or a guarantee of results will further intrigue your readers.Here are some questions to consider when creating your title:Are you teaching a desirable skill?Can your personal discoveries impact someone’s life?Can your book solve a very difficult problem?Here are our favorite book titles that offer a clear solution to a problem with promising results:Asperger’s Rules!How to Make Sense of School and Friendshipby Blythe GrossmanHow Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Diseaseby Michael GregerThe 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Richby Tim FerrissBook Title Ideas Action Plan:Write down the best solutions or teachings your book offers and form these into potential book title ideas.#2 Use a Subtitle for ClarityA great non-fiction title employs a subtitle to clarify what the desired outcome will be from reading yourbook.In this video clip, Chandler explainsin 5 simple steps how to create a compelling subtitle:Here are some questions to consider when creating your subtitle:How can your subtitle further expand on achieving a desirable outcome?What are the biggest pain points that yoursubtitle can provide a solution for?How can you further address your innovative solution in the subtitle?Here are our favorite book subtitles that spell out what their readers can expect from reading their books:The Crossroads of Should and Must:Find and Follow Your Passionby Elle LunaBetter Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Livesby Gretchen RubinWork Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Leadby Laszlo BockBook Title Ideas Action Plan:Make a list of 10 attention-grabbing subtitles that promise big outcomes and other positive benefits.#3 Make Your Title UnforgettableCatchy titles are memorable, boring titles are not. So make an effort to be more creative and fun with your book title! Use alliterationsto make your title easier to read and remember. A memorable and light-heart ed title adds additional character to your book and is also a great way to attract readers.Here are some questions to consider when creating your memorabletitle:Will a fun title turn a normally boring subject into something more interesting?Will adding humor to your title further entice readers?Will a cleverly written title stand out from other books in this genre?Here are our favorite books that engaged us with clever titlesand subtitles:Me Talk Pretty One Dayand Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owlsby David SedarisTrust me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulatorby Ryan HolidayFreakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everythingby Steven D. LevittBook Title Ideas Action Plan:Experiment with different types of styles and poll your audience to determine whether a comedic, shocking, or even bizarre title will be the most appealing to your target audience.No matter which method works best on creating a compelling title for nonfiction books, a good thin g to remember is to always test multiple titles with different audiences to determine which book title generates the biggest response.Getting good feedback is the only way to know for certain which title is perfect for your book.How to Generate Book Title Ideas for FictionGenerally, fiction titles are allowed more creative wiggle room than their non-fiction counterparts. That being said, an effective fiction title must still pique your readers’ attention. And while it’s true that you can title your fictional book with random names, it still mustcatch the reader’s attention.Here are some key guidelines to keep in mind:#1 Your Title Should be Appropriate to Your GenreYour novel title should use language that resonates with both your genre and target audience. For example, a romantic book can call for dreamy language whereas an action book can warrant strong and powerful words.This means that you mustknow your books genre and words that best fit the style of title .Here are some questions to consider for appropriate genre titles:What genre best fits this story?Which are the perfect choice words for your genre?Here are our favorite fictional titles based on genre:Ready Player Oneby Ernest ClineThe Great Gatsbyby F. Scott FitzgeraldThe Godfatherby Mario PuzoBook Title Ideas Action Plan:Based on the genre of your book, pick out a few keywords that best suit its category and evoke strong emotions in your readers.#2 Your Book Title Should Pique YourReader’s InterestA great fiction title teases and leaves your audience wanting more. You want your audience to read your title and think, â€Å"I must read what’s behind that great book cover!†Create fictional titles intriguing enough tocapturethe imaginations of your readers, and get to them to read your story.Here are some questions to consider on how to pique interest with your title:Which key components of your story best captivatesyour readers?What emotions do you want your re aders to have once they read your title?Here are our favorite fictional titles that drew our attention:Fahrenheit 451by Ray BradburyThe Da Vinci Codeby Dan BrownFear and Loathing in Las Vegasby Hunter S. ThompsonBook Title Ideas Action Plan:Choose a theme that will best draw your reader’s attention. Come up with 5 titles that will catch your reader’s attention and pique their curiosity.#3 Look to Your Characters for Book Title InspirationA great book title captures the spirit of the protagonist. Some authors simply use the hero’s name for their  title.Others have combined the names of their hero along with their special qualities to inform the audience about their protagonist’s accomplishments like Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.On the flip-side, a formidable antagonist can also be an amazing book title.Asinister name can convey a sense of dread and expectation for what’s to come like Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. Both choices are great ti tle ideas and should be seriously considered for your fictional book.Here are some questions to consider when including a character as a title:Between the hero and villain, who impacts the story more?Are there any stunning qualities from your characters that will draw a reader’s emotion?Can the plot of the story be summed up as a title?Here are our favorite fictional books that use characters for its title:Harry Potter(Literary Series) by J. K. RowlingBridget Jones’ Diaryby Helen FieldingEnder’s Gameby Orson Scott CardBook Title Ideas Action Plan:Determine which character best conveys what the story will tell in your title. You may also include creative words or themes to further showcase the character’s unique qualities or the journey itself.Your Next StepsUltimately, the title of your book depends on you, the author. By following these constructive guidelines, you will be able togenerate a number of book title ideas you can use to find the perfect one t hat grasps the attention of readers and soon become an Amazon bestseller in no time!#1 Join your FREE training!This training was created just for you. Make sure to save your spot and sign up right now so you can learn exactly what it takes to write and publishyour book within 90 daysor even less!You wont find this guide anywhere else. Take advantage of this offer so you can spark multiple book title ideas in as little as an hour!

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The byzantine in 1000 AD essays

The byzantine in 1000 AD essays For many years a taboo subject for all but a small number of specialists primarily in the fields of history and political science, and treated as an aberration in discussions of 'Western Culture', fascism has returned with a vengeance. The resurgence of extreme right wing and neo-fascist movements in Europe and throughout the world in the last fifteen years have, of course, played a major and indeed chilling role in this 'return'. So too, have revelations concerning fascist involvements on the part of major intellectual figures and artists whose work has had a profound inßuence in shaping modern and postmodern culture. Fascism, in short, can no longer be considered a short-lived aberration but must be dealt with as an ongoing presence in our cultural and political heritage. Richard GolsanÕs talk will pursue these observations and attempt to assess why fascism remains a scandal, which we are still not able to cope with culturally or politically. The Spectacular State: Fascism and the Modern Imagination is a public forum happening in which brings together artists, activists, and scholars to generate critical discussion about the various characteristics and consequences of fascism in its historical and contemporary contexts. The forum will include film and video screenings, art exhibitions, lectures, panels and roundtable discussions at a number of different venues. There are many reasons why a public forum dedicated to the critical examination of fascism is especially urgent. The most immediate and obvious is the resurgence of neo-nazism and the extreme right, and the subsequent need to understand how these movements operate so that they can be more effectively resisted. Nineteen ninety-five marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the European Holocaust and the beginning of international recognition of its crimes and atrocities. Although this part of hist ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

In what way can gender be understood to inform the consumption of film Essay

In what way can gender be understood to inform the consumption of film - Essay Example The consumption of film then places a sense of boundaries among women which relate to specific films. The result is a different understanding of gender identity and the way in which one should relate to society. The concept of gender identity and the relationship which this created in film was the basis of the female experience and consumption within the cinema. Perspectives of Cinema The first association with cinema is based on the spectator and the identity which is created from different perceptions. In a current study (Broadcasting Standards Commission, 1998), it was noted that the difference in perception changed according to gender. Women and men, for instance, viewed the ideal of violence differently. Women were known to have a stronger relationship to the aesthetics of the film as well as the impact of violence. This was furthered with a direct relationship which was created to the film and the violence, specifically as women created a relationship to the victimization that often occurred within movies and the sports creations. Men; however, had a different psychological response and didn’t associate the actions of the movie with reality or the actions which they took in various situations (Broadcasting Standards Commission, 1998). ... The cinema was the product which was designed to create a sense of identity. The women became spectators by also consuming the identities which were on television and the representation which this had. The overall ideology was based on the consumption of women as an object in which they were meant to represent an identity or component of life. This objectification was followed by the production and reproduction of familiar forms of identity as well as how this could define the women in society. Spectators then not only became associated with the relationship and emotional responses, but also associated with the consumer ideal and the understanding of what female identity should be inclusive of (Stacey, 1995). The relationship to the spectator with gender identity which one could associate with then became the main point of consumption and objectification of females. However, this specific relationship began after the wartime and with the movement into contemporary film. In the films of the 1930s, there was a specific identity which was based on the woman being the equal to man. Often, there were women who would play the same roles as men and which wouldn’t have different clothing or other approaches to identification. After the 1940s and 1950s, the gender identity began to split, specifically with Film Noir and other experimental approaches. This allowed the identity and the object of gender to split into identifying individuals according to the sociological realities which were in society, allowing for questions to occur with objectification and identity. However, spectators which were looking at this also began to see over – generalized accounts of gender and mimicking this with the

Saturday, November 2, 2019

No Tolerance Disciplinary Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

No Tolerance Disciplinary Policy - Essay Example The No Tolerance Disciplinary Policies are usually a last resort to resolve the issue and show the degree of importance the organization places on the specific issues discussed in them. Organizations must take strict action against the offenders so that others are discouraged from doing such an act again. The offenders should be given a chance to defend themselves but if they are unable to provide proper justification for their actions then they would bear the punishment placed on them by the administration (Holloway, 2007). Actions which would result in the No Tolerance Disciplinary Action to be taken upon them could be ranked as: 1) Offences to the organization; 2) Offences to employees. Offences to the organization includes cheating on work, stealing from the organization, not following the rules and regulations of the organization and other similar actions which could in any way damage the organization's standing or cause disrepute to the organization's name would be dealt with harshly and swiftly. Offences to other employees involve using foul language in the office place, committing sexual harassment, using racial terms or comments against fellow employees.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Public Intellectual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Intellectual - Essay Example His immense contribution in religious, economic, social and political matters was outstanding. Nelson Mandela like many other intellectuals was a statesman whose credibility can never be left out when writing the history of South Africa and Africa as a whole. His leadership, humility and perseverance, dedication and courage, love for humanity and fair-mindedness are exemplary traits that gives him credit as one of the world’s greatest public intellects. Mandela’s leadership traits rank him among the world greatest. His political wit and economic vision equate him with Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill. Mandela was a leader dedicated to his countrymen and prioritized their freedom and welfare than his own life (Maanga, 97). In the struggle for South Africa’s independence, he led the ANC as a young man to liberate his country from the hands of the colonial powers. Even after independence and his five year term as the president of South Africa, he still showed the characteristics that made him standout as a leader and father of the nation. According to some famous leaders in South Africa such as Oliver Tambo, Mandela was an inspiration leader who would sacrifice his life for his people. He was a symbol of unity among the Africans in the fight for freedom and against apartheid (Maanga, 98). Mandela possessed the humility and perseverance traits necessary for a leader. Like Martin Luther King in the fight against racism in America, Mandela’s humility in fight against apartheid is appreciated. He endured difficult situations including twenty-seven years imprisonment seeking the freedom of his South African brothers and sisters (Maanga, 97). The imprisonment played an important role of strengthening his call for the eradication of apartheid and freedom of the black people. It is such characters of humility and commitment to his course

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Marketing 300 Notes Essay Example for Free

Marketing 300 Notes Essay In the Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas uses the philosophical method to theology and addresses the question of whether God’s existence can be demonstrated as well as the question of whether we can know God completely. For Aquinas, the question of proving the existence of God is always bound up with the question of how, and to what extent, we can know God at all. St. Thomas Aquinas believes that yes, God’s existence can be demonstrated but that no we cannot know God completely. St. Thomas believes that God’s existence can in fact be demonstrated and that it can be done so in two ways. â€Å"One is through the cause, and is called â€Å"a priori†, and this is to argue from what is prior absolutely. The other is through the effect, and is called a demonstration â€Å"a posteriori†; this is to argue from what is prior relatively only to us† (Aquinas 15). In other words, to demonstrate that God exists is done in a cause and effect manner. For the question as to whether or not we can know God completely, St. Thomas answers that no, we cannot know God completely. According to St. Thomas one can know the essence of God, but to completely know God would be impossible. The differences between these two questions are that the question as to whether or not God’s existence can be demonstrated addresses God’s existence whereas the question on whether or not we can know God completely does not question God’s existence, just the amount of knowledge one can have on God. St. Thomas Aquinas proposed five proofs in which humans can use natural reason to prove the existence of God through extrinsic evidence. Through the use of natural reason we can logically conclude in the existence of God. Yet strictly speaking, God’s existence cannot be definitively proven through laboratory tests and experimental science. Experimental science and intrinsic evidence cannot definitively prove historical events, and yet by reason we know they have occurred. And surely were science falters and extrinsic evidence fail, reason and intrinsic evidence can prove the spiritual which cannot be measured by material sciences. The first way begins observing the movement all over the world and ends up asserting the existence of God as Immovable Motor; the second way observes the existence of causes in the world and concludes the existence of an ultimate Cause. The Third Way emphasizes one of the most important features of all finite objects, the radical insufficiency of their being, their contingency: the beings of the world exist but they could equally not exist, they have specific features which they could equally not have. If they do exist but could not then we can think of a time in which they didn’t; and if they were the only beings of the world, then nothing would have existed. As this is obviously not the case, then we should conclude that along with those contingent beings there must exist a necessary being, a being which has its origin in itself instead of in another being, and that being is God. St. Thomas states, â€Å"Therefore it is necessary to arrive at a first mover, put in motion by no other; and this everyone understands to be God† (Aquinas 16). In the next paragraph Aquinas says, â€Å"Therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone gives the name of God† (Aquinas 17). Clearly, St. Thomas Aquinas is making his point that God is the source of everything. Since God is the cause we see the effects. The effects had to have come from a cause, which is God, and therefore God must exist. St. Thomas Aquinas starts off his discussion on whether or not one can know God by discussing the senses and their role in how humans know things. â€Å"Our natural knowledge begins from sense. Hence our natural knowledge can go as far as it can be led by sensible things† (Aquinas 86). St. Thomas states, â€Å"It is impossible for God to be seen by the sense of sight, or by any other sense, or faculty of the sensitive power† (Aquinas 74). What this passage is saying is that we cannot see God and because we cannot see God, it is impossible for us to know him. As humans we can know human beings because we can see them physically, however we cannot do this with God. Aquinas says, â€Å"when any created intellect sees the essence of God, the essence of God itself becomes the intelligible form on the intellect† (Aquinas 77) and this means that for what we can see with our human eyes that is what is going to portray to us what God is like. This means that we cannot fully know God and that we can only know of him or about him. God is an infinite being and we are finite beings which mean that we can only contain so much knowledge within us. Due to the fact that we are limited with our knowledge, it is impossible for humans to ever be able to fully encompass and know God because there is too much to know about Him. God is infinite, he has always been and humans cannot understand this because there is nothing else that we know of that has forever been and always will be. For these reasons, St. Aquinas believes that humans will never be able to fully know God like how they know one another. One can also compare these two questions not just by what they are based on (existence and knowledge) but also by looking at the differences between faith and knowledge. As stated previously when discussing whether or not we can know God completely, the basis of knowledge is derived from the senses. Knowledge has factual evidence from the world around you and has to do with reason and science. â€Å"We have a more perfect knowledge of God by grace than by natural reason†¦the knowledge which we have by natural reason contains two things: images derived from the sensible objects; and the natural intelligible light, enabling us to abstract from them intelligible conceptions. Now in both of these, human knowledge is assisted by the revelation of grace. For the intellects natural light is strengthened by the infusion of gratuitous light† (Aquinas__). On the other hand, Faith (or a belief) in something you take without question or evidence. An example of this is if someone is inside of a building and cannot see outside and someone comes in from being outside and tells the person that it is raining. Since the person inside has no way of knowing that it is raining outside since they cannot see or hear it, then they must believe the person telling them that it is raining. â€Å"Faith does not involve a search by natural reason to prove what is believed. But it does involve a form of inquiry unto things by which a person is led to belief, e. g. whether they are spoken by God and confirmed by miracles† (Aquinas__). Teachings by St. Augustine and Pseudo-Dionysius agree with the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas about knowing God. All of them agree that it impossible to be able to fully and completely know God. Alternatively, the three of them believe that one can only know about and of God; knowing only the different aspects of God. Dionysius describes God as â€Å"wholly unknowable† and has as â€Å"incomprehensible presence† (Pseudo Dionysius 119) which is him saying that God cannot be understood completely. Dionysius also says that God is made up of infinite characteristics, which Dionysius combines to call the â€Å"Godlike oneness† (Pseudo Dionysius 36). He says that one can better know God through knowing that he has characteristics such as â€Å"good†, â€Å"fair†, and â€Å"existent† (Pseudo Dionysius 39-40) but that he is so much more than just these. This relates to St. Thomas Aquinas’ thoughts that through our senses, we can come to know more about God because of what he created, but it is still impossible to completely know God. Similarly with St. Augustine, he states that God is â€Å"high above all, uncontainable and immeasurable† (Augustine 32) which means that God is beyond our reach. Due to the face that we cannot see God, then it is impossible for us to know him fully. St. Augustine also states that God is â€Å"incorruptible, inviolable, and unchangeable’ (Augustine 90). The meaning of this passage states that God is perfect. If he were to be changed, he would no longer be perfect. This is a concept that humans cannot comprehend because humans are not perfect and perfection is an abstract thought. They can have an idea as to what perfection is, but it is impossible to fully understand. In conclusion, knowing that God exists and knowing God are two completely different questions. St. Thomas Aquinas states that one can know that God exists and that it can be proven philosophically through the effects. On the other hand he also states that one cannot know God, only aspects of Him. These two questions correlate with the different of faith and knowledge. Faith is associated with the question of knowing God (cannot be proven) and knowledge is associated with the question of knowing that God exists (can be proven philosophically). St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine and Pseudo Dionysius all state that it is impossible to fully know God. They all agree on the fact that it is possible to know aspects of God and know partially who he is through using our senses, yet God is still seen to be infinite so it is impossible for our human minds to fully comprehend God.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Challenges Faced by Muslim Women

Challenges Faced by Muslim Women Aizany Hussin Nayel Badareen Discovering Muslim Women Women play a significant role in the growth and the development of society around the world. Women perhaps are not physically or physiologically same as men, but they are much more responsible in delivering their roles for the society. However, in Islamic societies, women seem to be bound into certain roles and responsibilities. These righteous women are perplexed with the law and legal systems in their societies, which are supposed to be Islamic (al-Hibri, 37). These confusion and restrictions somehow heighten a mans status while degrading a womans position in the society. On the other hand, in the Quranic view of women, it states that both male and female were equal and they both have same responsibilities as well as benefits as a Muslim (al-Hibri, 46). Concisely, a Muslim women are more or less the same as the men in terms of rights in the Islamic societies. Considering these issues, this paper are to discuss about the challenges and obstacles faced by Muslim women in the west and the Muslim women in the Muslim world. Islam, like any other religion, had to deal with the challenges that weight the community in order to assimilate especially in the West. Not to mention about the women in the community, who always had issues within the Muslim world and also in the West. Before we go any further, it is important to understand that there are significant differences between Muslim women in the west and Muslim women in the Muslim world in terms of the obstacles and challenges they had to endure. In fact, being a Muslim women in the west is not easy as it looks. For instance, Muslim-American womens identities has been defiled after the event of 9/11 in the United States (Karasu, 2). Therefore, Muslim-American women had to encounter the stereotypes and discrimination despite of the issues in the Islamic community itself because of the event. Different from other Muslim women, they only had issues within the community rather than being stereotyped. Above all, we still going to discuss about the challenges a nd obstacles facing the Muslim women in the West and the Muslim World. One of the challenges faced by Muslim women in the Western world is the way they dress especially in wearing a Hijab (veil). Western people sees women wearing the Hijab differently as they are the minority and they are more noticeable (Ali, 2). It is easier for them to recognize these women. In addition, Wearing the Hijab acts as a clear and visual identity marker for Muslim women adhering to Islamic standards in the United States, therefore women without the Hijab are not overtly expected to carry out the same values (Karasu, 2). This illustration demonstrates that all Muslim women wearing a Hijab are the same. In fact, there are also Muslim women who does not wearing a Hijab which has the same value as a woman wearing a Hijab. There are reasons for them to not wearing a Hijab in the Western nation. Furthermore, they are not obligate to wear a Hijab in non-Muslim country (Karasu, 2). With all the stereotypes and discrimination towards the Islamic community, it makes it harder for th e Muslim women who wear a Hijab to socialize in the western community and not to mention that they are easy to identify. Often, its hard for them to decide whether to wear the Hijab for the Islamic standards or not to wear it to fit in the community without being stereotyped. After all, it is a personal decision of oneself according to their beliefs in God (Ali, 3). Furthermore, Muslim women also had issues with the Islamic community in the Western world. They had problems in showing that they are religious enough to be a Muslims whether it is outside group or inside group members. (Karasu, 2). The outside group refers to the Western community and the inside group refers to the Islamic community in the west. So basically the conflict is that these women want to fit in the Western community without being marginalized by the Islamic community. We can also say that they want to practice Islam without being discriminated by the western community. For instance, Muslim-American women who did not wear Hijab are worried about not being considered Muslim (Karasu, 3). In fact, she did that because she wants to be accepted into the western community. Therefore, it is hard for the Muslim women in the west to make choices in order to be a true Muslim. However, not all Muslim-American women judge each other (Kerasu, 3). This statement make sense because being a minority is a challenging enough and we shouldnt judge others as long as we have the same faith. Family law also one of the challenges which the Muslim women in the western world had to confront. According to Kecia Ali in her article, Rethinking Womens Issues in Muslim Communities, Muslim women in the United States can choose to follow a certain doctrines in their personal dealings (4), in their marriage. With this they eventually can set up a conditions or agreements in their marriage so they can meet expectations and claim a certain rights between them (Ali, 4). Kecia Ali states that this method are beneficial but it will alter the traditional imbalance of spousal rights in classical law (4). Means that this will change the general rights of men or women in a marriage. For instance, like Kecia Ali said, the wife cannot put a condition to restrict the husbands rights to reject her (4) because in general, the husband are superior in terms of status in a marriage. So, this is one of obstacles for the Muslim women in western world which they have to confront. Muslim women in the Muslim world however has different set of issues. Some of them are the same as Muslim women in the western world but, differ in application. One of the biggest challenge for Muslim women in a Muslim world is customs and traditions. There are large deceiving customs and traditions that relate to the issues of womens rights. For example, in Morocco, they forbid a father to force their virgin daughter into marriage (al-Hibri, 43) and also claim this tradition are from the Maliki (al-Hibri, 43). Nonetheless, if we examine closely into the Maliki interpretation, it will result in the inconsistency with the hadith which is a daughter need a permission from her father to get married (al-Hibri, 43). A father still has a power towards his daughter in terms of marriage. There are pros and cons on this issue but, women are the one who be a victim on this matter. This is the example of issue that perplexes Muslim women in the Muslim world. However, we can still retain and pra ctice our cultural belief but, all of the customs must be consistent with the basic precept of Islam and any traditions that oppose Islamic belief must be rejected (al-Hibri, 41). Another major challenges face by Muslim women in the Muslim world is their rights in a marriage. A general view in the Islamic law is that women status in a marriage is lower than men. This law are claim to be harsh and unfair to women (Ali, 3-4). Actually, what happened is that most of women didnt know their actual rights in their marriage. It is a common thing to see that man are far more superior in a marriage because obviously, man are physically stronger than woman and it is the husbands responsibilities to protect and take care for his family. It is accepted in all marriage even in non-Muslims that the husband has the power towards his wife and family. Because of this, many people thought that women has a far lower rights than men in a marriage and simply has to obey their husband. However, women actually has a guaranteed numerous rights by Islamic law (Ali, 4) and they have to learn how to claim their rights. Some suggestions made by Kecia Ali in her article about this matter. She said that, a wife can set a condition in her marriage contract so she can maintain her status as a woman (Ali, 4). Despite of this issue, what important the most in a marriage is respect to each other. Next challenge and obstacle that Muslim women in the Muslim world has to deal with is the sexual harassment. The global definition of sexual harassment is that its a form of violence resulting in assaulting a woman through a clear behavior that is sexual in nature from a person having authority over the other, who rejects this advances which leads to limit the freedom of women (Awel El Khayt, 3:10). The harassment can be done by visual, verbal and physical means. The conflict about this issue is that, not only sexily dressed women being targeted but women who dressed modestly also being harassed. This is a big issue for the Muslim women to confront with. Furthermore, most of these harassed women are not eager complain or make a report to the police about the harassment because they are afraid, embarrass and dont have any prove that they were being harassed (Al Jazeera, 12:14). If we didnt prevent this issue, the Muslim women status will be degrading even more within the community. Based on the challenges and obstacles facing Muslim women in the Western world and the Muslim world, we can conclude that being a Muslim women are indeed challenging. The challenges related to wearing a Hijab, with the community and family law is what Muslim women in the west had to confront. Not to forget about Muslim women in the Muslim world who meet obstacles related to culture and traditions, the rights in a marriage and the sexual harassment. There is nothing I can say about these issues but what I can do is respect towards all the Muslim women. For me, it doesnt matter if one belongs to another group or not because what matters is the beliefs. In fact, most Muslims generally do not categorize themselves, yet, they prefer to call themselves simply Muslims. Works Cited Seran Karasu, Muslim American Women in the United States: What is considered Muslim  Enough? Applied Psychology OPUS. NYU Steinhardt. Print. Kecia Ali, Rethinking Womens Issues in Muslim Communities. Taking Back Islam:   American Muslims Reclaim Their Faith. M. Wolfe and Beliefnet, eds, Esmaus, PA:  Rodale Press, 2002. Print. Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Muslim Womens Rights in the Global Village: Challenges and  Opportunities, 15 J.L Religion 37(2000). Print. Awel El-Khayt, Sexual Harassment in Egypt (English Subtitles) Awel El-Khayt Program,  e3lamakTV, Jun 18, 2013. Web.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gja05symHkk Al-Jazeera, Everywoman-Sexual Harassment in Egypt, Al-Jazeera English, Oct 19, 2007.   Web. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGFZNd2jfR8