Do not take life which Allah has made sacred except for a just cause Essay Example

Do not take life which Allah has made sacred except for a just cause Essay Muslims believe in the Sanctity of Life. This means that all life is a gift from Allah and therefore should be cherished and looked after. No human has the right to take away a life that has been given by Allah. As with all medical ethics issues, euthanasia and suicide are not referred to in the Quran but Muslims have developed rules about them by focusing on the Sanctity of Life. In guidance about these issues, Muslims also look towards the Hadith (statements or accounts attributed to Muhammads life) and the Sunnah (example of Muhammad). Therefore euthanasia and suicide is considered haram in Islam. Muslims also believe that euthanasia and suicide involve committing the ultimate sin, Zulm. be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity Such are the people of truth, the Allah- fearing. (The Quran) Muslims believe that Allah is omnipresent (everywhere), omnibenevolent (all loving) and omnipotent (all powerful). Therefore they believe in Al-Qadr (predestination) Allah has planned our life. Moreover, Muslims believe that Allah is Immanent as well as being transcendent. They also believe that Allah has given humans free-will (which is why moral evil exists) which causes suffering. Furthermore, they believe that Allah gave Jinn (angels) free will. Iblis, a Jinn, disobeyed Allah by not bowing down to Adum (first man) when asked to, and thus became Shaytan (the devil). We will write a custom essay sample on Do not take life which Allah has made sacred except for a just cause specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Do not take life which Allah has made sacred except for a just cause specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Do not take life which Allah has made sacred except for a just cause specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Muslims believe that Allah lets Shaytan corrupt and tempt people into committing evil (this is because Allah continuously tests people to remind them that to keep their faith); however He only lets Shaytan tempt/test people as much as they can bear- it is up to them to the human to decide whether they keep their faith. Therefore Muslims believe that Shaytan tempts humans into committing suicide, which Muslims should avoid doing. How can ye reject the faith in Allah? seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to him will return. (The Quran) Zulm is the term used in Islam to describe wrongdoing against Allah, against the Ummah (community), and against yourself. Euthanasia and suicide are considered to be Zulm in two ways: it is not submitting to Allahs will by not allowing life to run its natural course; and because it causes suffering to other human beings (for example, the family who are left behind when the person performs the euthanasia/suicide). Nor can a soul die except by Allahs leave, the term being fixed as by writing (The Quran) Muslims believe that Allah is responsible for even the minutest details of human life, and knows everything in the greatest detail; this is called Al-Qadr. This teaches Muslims that Allah has already decided how long everyone is to live therefore committing suicide or euthanasia is against Allahs decision. It also teaches that Allahs plan might involve suffering good things may come out of this. For example some people may change their own behaviour and try to become a better person when they see someone else suffer. Also a woman is in a lot of pain when giving birth, but then is blessed with a child. This is shown in this quote: And verily the hereafter will be better for thee than the present (The Quran) Muslims believe that Allah has given all humans free-will so they can choose whether to keep their Iman (faith) while they suffer. Muslims believe that God is omnibenevolent (all loving) and merciful, and does not give us more pain than we can bear. This is shown in the Sunnah- Muhammad lived his whole childhood in suffering, due to the untimely deaths of his family members, but he did not take his life. Allah also wants people to follow the right path, but do so willingly because they love and want to obey Allah, not because they are forced to, and he wants us to choose how we act and respond to each challenge. Furthermore, Muslims believe that if we deliberately choose to act against our consciences and do evil instead of good, its our own fault and we have to pay the penalty. Therefore if Muslims do commit euthanasia or suicide, they will have to pay the price. One burdened soul shall not bear the burden of another. And even if the heavy-laden (soul) should cry out for its burden (to be carried out) not one bit of it shall be carried, not even by the next of kin. (The Quran) This means that Euthanasia is wrong in Islam because it is putting their burden onto someone elses shoulders. Its states that even if the person is in blind pain, he should not pass it on to another persons shoulders, even if it is members of their own family. Whoever commits suicide with something will be punished with the same thing in the (hell) fire (Hadith) Voluntary Euthanasia is when a person, who is terminally ill, can decide to end their life due to the unbearable pain of their illness. Many Muslims would regard voluntary euthanasia as suicide. Suicide is condemned in Islam. Muhammad expressed this belief very clearly with the quote above. Many Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgement (Qiyamah) voluntary euthanasia will cause a persons soul to be treated in the same way as if they had committed suicide. A person who has committed suicide will relive the pain, received during suicide, again and again in Jahannam (hell). People who go against Allah will go to Jahannam, but as Allah is all-forgiving, people can reach Jahannah (heaven) eventually after paying off their sins in Jahannam. When the trumpet is blown, there will be no relationships between them that day, nor will they ask after another (The Quran) When a Muslim dies they would be buried because Muslims believe in Akhirah (life after death). For those who die before judgement day, Muslims believe that their souls will be taken by the angel Azrail (angel of death) into a state of waiting called barzakh. On judgment day a trumpet is believe to be sound, a blinding light appears, the sky will be cut through and all the content of tombs and graves will come to life and everyone will wait to be judged. Those who have lead a good life serving Allah will be rewarded with Jahannah (heaven- eternal bliss), and those who have defied Allah and his creation will be punished and sent to Jahannam (hell). People who commit suicide will have to relive the pain they suffered in Jahannam. And do not kill yourselves; surely Allah is most Merciful to you. (The Quran) Muslims should care for those who are ill. Instead of putting their ill relatives in hospices/nursing homes, Muslims would take care of them at home as it is considered to be far more important, sacred, creative and rewarding then any place outside. If someone commits suicide the family and the Ummah have failed because it is their duty to take care of everyone within the Ummah. So if the Ummah were doing their duty properly, the person would not have committed suicide. Some Muslims may argue that passive euthanasia (where treatment is withdrawn to let nature take its course) is acceptable in Islam because they believe that it is Allahs will whether the person shall live or not. Muslims would use the word Inshallah (if Allah is willing) as he is omnipotent. Euthanasia and suicide are haram in Islam because it is against Allahs will. If you commit any of these sins, it is believed that you will spend eternity in Jahannam reliving the pain over and over. It is considered to be Zulm, the ultimate sin. Although some Muslims may argue that passive euthanasia is acceptable.

Top Major Causes and Motivations of Terrorism

Top Major Causes and Motivations of Terrorism Loosely defined, terrorism is the use of violence with the aim of furthering a political or ideological goal at the expense of the general population. Terrorism can take many forms and has many causes, often more than one. It can have its roots in religious, social, or political conflicts, often when one community is oppressed by another. Some terrorist events are singular acts linked to a particular historical moment, such as the assassination of Austrias Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which touched off World War I. Other terrorist attacks are part of an ongoing campaign that may last years or even generations, as was the case in Northern Ireland from 1968 to 1998.   Historical Roots Although acts of terror and violence have been committed for centuries, terrorisms modern roots can be traced to the French Revolutions Reign of Terror in 1794–95, with its gruesome public beheadings, violent street battles, and bloodthirsty rhetoric. It was the first time in modern history that mass violence was used in such a fashion, but it would not be the last. In the latter half of the 19th century, terrorism would emerge as the weapon of choice for nationalists, particularly in Europe as ethnic groups chafed under the rule of empires. The Irish National Brotherhood, which sought Irish independence from Britain, carried out a number of bomb attacks in England in the 1880s. About the same time in Russia, the socialist group  Narodnaya Volya began a campaign against the royalist government, ultimately assassinating Tsar Alexander II in 1881. In the 20th century, acts of terrorism became more prevalent throughout the world as political, religious, and social activists agitated for change. In the 1930s, Jews living in occupied Palestine conducted a campaign of violence against the British occupiers in a quest to create the state of Israel. In the 1970s, Palestinian  terrorists used then-novel methods such as hijacking airplanes to further their cause. Other groups, espousing new causes like animal rights and environmentalism, committed acts of violence in the 1980s and 90s. And in the 21st century, the rise of pan-nationalist groups like ISIS that use social media to connect its members have killed thousands in attacks in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Causes and Motivations Although people resort to terrorism for a number of reasons, experts attribute most acts of violence to three major factors: Political.  Terrorism was originally theorized in the context of insurgency and guerrilla warfare, a form of organized political violence by a non-state army or group.  Individuals, abortion clinic bombers, or groups, like the Vietcong in the 1960s, can be understood as choosing terrorism when they are trying to right what they perceive to be a social, political or historical wrong. During the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which stretched from 1968 to 1998, Catholic and Protestant groups waged an ongoing campaign of violence against one another in Northern Ireland and in England, seeking political dominance.Religious.  In the 1990s, a number of attacks carried out in the name of religion made headlines. The Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo perpetrated two deadly sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo subways in 1994 and 1995, and in the Middle East, numerous suicide attacks since the 1980s have been celebrated as the work of Islamic martyrs.  Career terrorism experts began to arg ue that a new form of terrorism was on the  rise, with concepts  such as martyrdom and Armageddon  seen as particularly dangerous. However, as thoughtful studies and commentators have repeatedly pointed out, such groups selectively interpret and exploit religious concepts and texts to support terrorism. Religions themselves do not cause terrorism. Socioeconomic.  Socio-economic explanations of terrorism suggest that various forms of deprivation drive people to terrorism, or that they are more susceptible to recruitment by organizations using terrorist tactics.  Poverty, lack of education or lack of political freedom are a few examples.  There is suggestive evidence on both sides of the argument. Comparisons of different conclusions are often very confusing because they dont distinguish between individuals and societies, and they pay little attention to the nuances of how people perceive injustice or deprivation, regardless of their material circumstances. The group Shining Path carried out a years-long campaign of violence against Perus government in the 1980s and early 90s in an attempt to create a Marxist state.   This explanation of the causes of terrorism may be difficult to swallow. It sounds too simple or too theoretical. However, if you look at any group that is widely understood as a terrorist group, you will find these elements are basic to their story. Psychological and Sociological Considerations: Individual vs. the Group Sociological and social psychology views of terrorism make the case that groups, not individuals, are the best way to explain social phenomena such as terrorism. These ideas, which are still gaining traction, are congruent with the late-20th-century trend toward seeing society and organizations in terms of networks of individuals. This view also shares common ground with studies of authoritarianism and cult behavior that examines how individuals come to identify so strongly with a group that they lose individual agency.  There is also a substantial body of theory that now concludes that individual terrorists are no more or less likely than other individuals  to have abnormal pathology.   Analysis Rather than seek the causes of terrorism itself, a better approach is to determine the conditions that make terror possible or likely. Sometimes these conditions have to do with the people who become terrorists; they are described as having certain psychological traits, like narcissistic rage. And some conditions have to do with the circumstances they live in, such as political or social repression, or economic strife. Terrorism is a complex phenomenon; it is a specific kind of political violence committed by people who do not have a  legitimate army at their disposal. There is nothing inside any person or in their circumstances that send them directly to terrorism. Instead, certain conditions make violence against civilians seem like a reasonable and even necessary option. Stopping the cycle of violence is rarely simple or easy. Although the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 brought an end to the violence in Northern Ireland, for example, the peace remains a fragile one. And despite nation-building efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism remains a daily fact of life after more than a decade of Western intervention. Only time and commitment by a majority of the parties involved can resolve​ a conflict.

Business to business marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business to business marketing - Essay Example Blocker et al., (2012) asserts that the sales force is the driving force that plays an integral part of ‘translating customers’ voice back into the firm’. Needless to say that without an apt sales force, the business is deemed to fail. Thus on that premise, this paper strives to shed light on the importance of the sales force to promote service delivery by SPSL, identify available options regarding organization of this sales force, give a critical evaluation of the extent to which relationship available and business networks likely to enable SPSL to establish a new office and discusses in details the differences between business to business and business to consumer marketing elucidating merits and demerits. This is believed to enable the company to maintain the B2B relations by providing satisfactory services to both businesses and consumers. This is of great importance since Blocker and associates reiterated that the sales force are in a suitable position to not just recognize and manage individual customer profitability and cost, but they too play an integral part in influencing repeat purchase, increase share-spending as well as shape numerous strategic outcomes that could help firms appropriate greater value. The Sales Force and Value creation As aforementioned salespeople play an integral role in the growth and development of any business since they are the one often in touch with the customer. Researches on business have often times dominated on the how to increase sales by increasing customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty, yet, the sales force which plays a pivotal role in any business have received limited research, (Blocker et al.,p.5,FitzHugh & Piercy 2009). Blocker and their team remarked that even theories regarding customer value such as axiology, mean-end theory, the service profit chain and the social exchange have all neglected the salespeople. They therefore highlight that the sales force is the heart of the business has t hey define customer requirements, deploy products as well as supporting the deployment of effective business strategies they employ. Kaufmann and Roesch (2012) also remarked that for the emerging marketing firms (EMFs) to gain a competitive market advantage, they need to explore how they can pursue building and deployment of marketing capabilities, which Blocker and associates offered that the sales force is tin a prime position to do that. Peter and Havey as lead directors of SPSL need not only to improve the general marketing expertise of the sales force but also to identify and improve specific marketing expertise of the salespeople that will enable the firm to tailor its resources appropriately to the demands, habits and characteristics of their target group in that country,(Kaufmann &Roesch,p.11). In the quest to expound the importance of the sales force strategic place in the business to business marketing, Blocker and his group (p.8-10) discussed the following theories regard ing salespeople and business that may be of importance for the SPSL firm to employ in its sales force. Retention Engagement Theory (RET) They postulated that RET engages on retaining customers by offering valuable services and products, thus value was proposed as the ‘motivational force experience’ where desired or undesired forces such as positive or

Innovation and Leadership- Critical Analysis Assignment

Innovation and Leadership- Critical Analysis - Assignment Example Consequently organizations are increasingly faced with the need for constantly changing their ways and strategies in business in order to stay ahead of competitors. Innovation plays the key role in today’s organizations as they strive to design better ways and better processes to satisfy their customers. Innovation is said to play a leading role in satisfying customers in businesses through better quality of services, and increased durability of products. Some of the leading organizations in the world have changed the face of the world with their innovative and cutting edge technology. These innovative technologies have consequently changed the working of households and businesses at large. However, the initiatives towards change must be backed by effective leadership and guidance in order to be successful. In an organizational context, innovation is positively related with organizational efficiency, productivity, competitiveness, market share, quality and other aspects. The p roject seeks to bring forth how innovation is critical for the success of organizations in the competitive world. This is followed by the role of leadership in implementing the change initiatives in organizations. A critical analysis is provided in this context in terms of previous research results and findings on the subject. Arguments, both for and against the subject are put forth in the project. This is coupled with real life organizational examples depicting how effective leadership has been instrumental in implementing innovative methods and techniques in the organization which have consequently taken it towards growth and success. Leadership and its importance Much has been written about the role and effectiveness of leadership in driving organizations towards success. Leaders play the most prominent role in driving an organization through a change process. Among the range of definitions that leadership has, the simplest one is its ability to influence others in achieving goa ls and objectives (Selman, 2002, p.1). The personal attributes of a leader plays a significant role in influencing the innovative initiatives taken by executives However there lays a distinct difference between a leader and an innovator. The development of spontaneous leadership within the workforce of any organization is a slow process which remains unresponsive to external elements and this necessitates strategic interventions in the organization. However an innovator might not always play the leader’s role effectively. The initiative towards a new process is generated by the innovator and the change process through which the organization is led is done by the initiative of the leader. That is why extensive research has been conducted to analyse whether innovation is possible without effective leadership. Researchers and practitioners have brought forth views both for and against the subject (Selman, 2002, p.1). Extensive research has gone into the subject of importance and criticality of leadership in organizations. Researchers have primarily made three divisions of the tasks associated with leadership. They are task oriented, relation oriented and participative leadership. Authors have particularly emphasised on such fields of leadership including participative leadership, empowerment and delegation. These studies are particularly helpful for managers for identifying the appropriate decisions to be taken in different situations and circumstances in the

Research paper on stem cell research legislation and the related legal

On stem cell legislation and the related legal issues - Research Paper Example It helps in studying of degenerative diseases such as leukemia as well the development of drugs that can treat many complicated diseases currently without cure (Liras, 2010). This paper will explore stem cell research legislation in regards to its history, ethics, future and related legal issues. History of Stem Cell Research legislation in the United States The history of ESC research in US is closely associated with the abortion debate that has been around for over three decades. As early as 1973, the US Supreme Court legalized abortion in the case Roe v. Wade in its decision through the argument that abortion is a private matter between a doctor and a woman. However, the legalization of abortion also led to banning of federal funding on research touching on embryos or tissues. This ban did not affect the private sector which continued in the research and saw the rise of infertility research and other related technologies. Conducting research is quite an expensive affair and much o f the fruits of research being enjoyed currently in the world have taken the concerted efforts of both the private and public sectors. Therefore, much of the debate on ESC revolves around federal funding which can be very instrumental in achieving technological breakthroughs that seem untenable (Wertz, 2002). After the Roe v. Wade case ruling by the US Supreme Court that legalized abortion, the Congress imposed temporal moratorium on the funding of ESC research and allied technologies. This action by the Congress was taken so that regulatory bodies could be formed which in turn would come up with guidelines on the way forward. Prior to this ruling in 1974, there were no guidelines on which research to be supported with taxpayers’ money from the federal government. Shortly after this case (1974), a commission was formed (National Commission NC) which would be involved in the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (PHSBBR). The first order of busines s for the NC was development of ethical guidelines on ESC research which extended the same for fetuses and abortion. In order to make lighten its work, the NC later recommended the formation of Ethics Advisory Board (EAB). The work of EAB in turn was to continually review protocols enacted by the NC with regards to ESC related research. When the guidelines were put in place, a de facto moratorium was arrived at which allowed simple non-therapeutic research on embryos to continue (Hall, 2008; Wertz, 2002). Research continued in non-therapeutic ESC research with federal funding although the private sector was doing its own research in ESC. Outlawing of federal funding for ESC research really hampered its progress while other developed countries were slowly getting ahead of US. The de facto moratorium developed by the Congress ensured that basic research was carried out which could not present a major breakthrough without attracting public outcry. Most of the findings and outcomes of t hese basic researches could not by any chance lead to the treatment of diseases which is one of the promising prospects of ESC research (Skene, 2010). Proceedings of the private ESC research came into limelight around 2001 when it was announced that human embryos had been cloned from adult cells. These embryos would then be used to derive stem cells matching

The Impacts Of Cosmetic Surgery On Society Media Essay

The Impacts Of Cosmetic Surgery On Society Media Essay Given the advancements in technology, cosmetic surgery, a type of plastic surgery, has become more of an art than an operation nowadays. Inevitably, it has also become one of the popular avenues of fighting against signs of ageing or correcting ones self perceived imperfections. According to Medical-Dictionary.Com, Cosmetic surgery is defined as surgery that modifies or improves the appearance of a physical feature, irregularities or defects. It belongs to the family of plastic surgeries that also includes various types of surgeries like  reconstructive surgery,  hand surgery,  microsurgery, and the treatment of  burns, with cosmetic surgery being the most well known among them all. For the eyes, we have cosmetic surgeries like, blepharoplasty that reshapes the eyelids or allows the application of permanent eyeliner, epicanthoplasty that removes the presence of epicanthal folds around the eye. For the face, we have surgeries like, chemical peel that helps minimize the appearance of facial scars and wrinkles, otoplasty that involves reshaping the ear by pinning the protruding ear closer to the head, lip enhancement that improves lips fullness through surgical enlargement, chin augmentation that involves implanting usually silicone by sliding genioplasty of the jawbone or by suture of the soft tissue, cheek augmentation that uses implants to either reduce the cheeks or make them appear fuller, browplasty that elevates eyebrows and smoothes forehead skin, midface life that tightens the cheek while the most extreme of them all would be orthognathic surgery that manipulates facial bones through controlled fracturing. For modifying our bodily features, we have surgeries like, breast augmentation that allows the enlargement of breast by means of fat grafting, saline or silicone gel prosthetics, reduction mammoplasty that enables breast reduction through skin and glandular removal and mastopexy that facilitates breast lifts that lifts and reshapes breasts to make them less saggy, abdominoplasty that reshapes and firms the abdomen, buttock augmentation that facilitates lifting and tightening of buttocks by excision of redundant skin, liposuction that removes fat deposits by traditional suction technique or ultrasonic energy to aid fat removal and last but not least, filler injections that can be done on any part of the body that involves injecting collagen, fat and other tissue filler injections, usually to make those parts appear fuller. After introducing this much details about the types of cosmetic surgery techniques made possible by technological advancements available now and today, I would be elaborating more on how the availability of cosmetic technological surgeries have impacted our society through prevalent forms of mediums that we are exposed to everyday inevitably. The main and most influential mediums would have to be the media and peer pressure from friends and families. Let us take a closer look at the types of media and societal mediums available. Movie Industry Movies is probably one of the most common mediums that we get exposed to and indulge in. To get a better understanding on the gross profits of movies, we refer to The-Numbers.Com. According to the website, Avatar raked a worldwide gross of US$2,783,556,202 while Titanic earned a gross profit of US$1,842,879,955. These figures gives us a better insight on how widely watched are movies and the impacts these charming celebrities can have on society. This brought to my point that some celebrities influence us when some of them are actually very open about the fact that they have had cosmetic surgeries such as breast implants, lip augmentations, veneers and rhinoplasties while some others deny it. Some of the famous examples include, Heidi Montag, Joan Rivers, Bruce Jenner, Dolly Parton, Donatella Versace, Michael Jackson and so on. They have openly admitted to having gone under the knife and some have even shared their experiences on television, according to Cosmeticsurgerytoday.Com and Sydney4women.Com.Au. The general public tend to look up to these figures of fame and glamour while aspiring to look like them. In the more extreme cases, plastic surgeons do get requests from patients saying that they want to look like a certain celebrity as extracted from Cosmeticsurgerytoday.Wordpress.Com. However, plastic surgeons do warn celebrity worshippers against it as the results are not guaranteed and there are side effects to it. Advertising Industry In the advertising industry, we often see the application of celebrity endorsements in adverts, with the aim of increasing the masss likelihood of adopting the brand under the effect of wanting to imitate the behaviour of their idols and that if they adopt this brand, they are, in one way or another, one step closer to that celebrity by offering their support to him or her. For example, in adverts featuring sports products, they often employ the use of sporty figures in the sports industry to present that sporty and healthy image that you can be as sporty and healthy like them; enjoying the stated benefits of that product should you adopt that brand of sports products too. Apart from misleading the public through this persuasion method, it also transmits vanity values and materialistic ideals into the younger generations of now and today. We always depict slim, slender feministic figures as much sought of in advertisements like for perfume, fashion products or even facial products but rarely anything about females being attractive in their own skin regardless of their shape and size as it should be. This creates the impression that only slim and slender ladies are beautiful and is in fact, piling onto the vanity effect. This would fuel onto desires to go under the knife to look pretty and desired by the society, often neglecting the fact that only positive testimonials on cosmetic surgeries are featured and the botched cases are more widespread than we realize. Societal Norms As we all know, there has been drastic changes in societal norms comparing todays trends and levels of acceptances to cosmetic surgeries compared to just a few decades ago. In the past, it used to be a shameful thing to have gone under the knife, because features that we are born with are inherited from our parents. However, much as the majority are now higher educated and richer to afford these surgeries, it has become a norm to go under the knife so long as the end results make one happier and more confident. In South Korea, it is more competitive than ever about whose kids are looking better than it being conservative. Dr Shim Hyung Bo, a plastic surgeon in Seoul says that parents make their kids get plastic surgery to look good and it is just as important as their kids getting good grades while teenagers as young as 14 are doing eye surgeries and eye jobs have become a favourite high school graduation gift from proud parents as quoted from Time.Com. Much as countries like Singapore itself may be more conservative and Asian-oriented, we are also starting to move towards the more acceptable kind of surgeries like blepharoplasty that reshapes eyelids, liposuctions that removes body fats and also rhinoplasty as admitted and righteously justified by famous blogger, Xiaxue as reported by media coverage on papers and also on her own blog, Xiaxue.Blogspot.Com. Furthermore, it is to be brought to attention that most of Xiaxues readers ages range from teens to adults and this may greatly influence the highly impressionable younger generations. Publication Industries The amount of printed media that we come into contact with everyday also heavily endorses cosmetic surgery procedures such as newspapers that features stars who have undergone or is suspected of having gone under the knife or magazines that actually help disseminate knowledge about certain procedures. The higher the frequency the society is exposed to such genres of information and news updates, we are more likely to accept the idea of cosmetic surgery under classical conditioning and also may become interested to research for more information on our own. Some individuals who may not have the idea to want any form of cosmetic surgery would be tempted to go for it should they be awed by the results, for example, after surfing websites like Goodplasticsurgery.Com. This is a website where they compile plausible photos and brief descriptions of celebrities who have gone under the knife and looks more gorgeous than ever. Apart from the entertainment values of such websites, it is not to be neglected that it might be acting as a medium in piling onto the misleading fact that having cosmetic surgeries done is pretty much desirable and offers amazing results. On the other hand, there are websites like Sydney4women.Com.Au that also provides links to websites that offers recommendable surgeons as a related link to its cosmetic surgery articles. For the website, the link might just be an avenue for earning advertisement fees but to the public, it is actually a form of raising the accessibility of avenues to get cosmetic surgeries done. Advantages of Cosmetic Surgery The most straightforward of cosmetic surgery has to be the benefits of aesthetic improvements to ones looks. For a burn victim, it would drastically improve his or her life due to the fact that they can minimize the damages inflicted on them to the best of their probabilities. For a female who has been teased at all her life about her appearance, cosmetic surgery might just be the easiest way out to improve her social life, her confidence and also the way she would lead her life post surgery, example as stated from Neikie Renos real life account as on Abcnews.Go.Com. Another advantage of cosmetic surgery would be to correct physical defects that may have resulted from accidents after birth or defects that they may have been born with since birth and cosmetic surgery may actually give them a shot at leading normal lives as quoted from Cosmeticsurgerya-z.Com. On the other hand, patients who have gone under the knife for liposuction and breast reduction may find their lives greatly enhanced in terms of being physically active in leading sporty lifestyles that helps them to be healthier than they can ever imagine. Disadvantages of Cosmetic Surgery One of the most crippling disadvantages of cosmetic surgery is that the results may not come out as desired or envisioned. All surgeries carry some degree of risks and much as complications are rare, they do occur. Some of the most common risks associated with cosmetic surgery are, infections, severe bleeding, nerve damages, tissue deaths, seroma which is more widely understood as fluid collecting around the area of surgery and hematoma which refers to bruising around the area in layman terms. Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis are also possible complications of cosmetic surgery. Besides, some complications may be enhanced if the patient has certain health conditions such as diabetes that may result in massive bleeding as cited from Livestrong.Com. In terms of post surgery appearance, unsightly scarring is also a major concern as it may also prove to be a tell tale sign that the patient has undergone surgery previously. Putting the medical side effects aside, cosmetic surgery on its own is also costly and the costs stated by clinics are usually only the base cost of the procedure and surgeon fees, hospital fees, along with lost wages, medication costs and after care costs must be factored in when considering the costs of going under the knife. Last but not least, the point that may be the most interesting and scary of all to date is the fact that accounts stating that people actually DO get addicted after having their first surgeries done. As reported by Abcnews.Go.Com, Neikie Reno actually got obsessed with cosmetic surgery procedures and has had 14 surgeries done over the span of over a decade, spending a grand total of $83,000 on them all. Although it is the fact that they are addicted to the feel good factor after having these surgeries which may not be a bad thing, however, as addictions go, many might not know when to stop and this may have disastrous effects on them eventually. Conclusion Much as cosmetic surgeries have the ability to improve our lives, it also has the ability to mislead our judgements. The very fact that media mediums propagate the idea of being good looking brings about better and easier lives by earning the envy of others. All these does not help impressionable viewers to break off and move away from the norms of being a superficial, vain and materialistic individuals that cannot think for themselves independently. In the long term, our younger generations will all be cultivated into this look good, feel good mindset, no matter the costs or side effects of these cosmetic surgeries. It is also to be taken into account that this effect would snowball as most of us are inclined to follow each others actions under peer pressure, social norms or trends as often portrayed by the media. Much as Everyones Guide to Cosmetic Plastic Surgery written by Lachlan Currie says that modern cosmetic surgery has evolved into a specialist field which involves the use of numerous reliable techniques that allows safe improvements to be made to the face and body, I still think that everyones body constitution is different and there is no one method that insures all individuals against any complications. On the other hand, Cosmetic Surgery of the Asian Face written by John A. McCurdy, Samuel M. Lam has also pointed out expertly that although the stereotype of Asians having yellow skin pigmentation, straight coarse black hair, a flat face with high malar eminences, a broad, flat nose and narrow slitlike eyes with a characteristic epicanthal fold may be loosely applied to the eastern Asian group of people, the aesthetic surgeon should appreciate that considerable individual variations exists in all of these physical traits. This adds on to the point that much as cosmetic surgeries are meant to bring about aesthetic facial improvements, the patient would have to know their own features well and not to blindly go under the knife to look like some Western celebrity despite knowing their Asian descent that might bring about unsatisfactory results after all that post surgery trauma. In a nutshell, I am totally agreeable to cosmetic surgeries so long as it is done to improve ones life and that individual is able to judge for themselves their own limit and had done sufficient research on their own prior to going under the knife.

Beowulf as an epic :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf is the single greatest story of Old English literature and one of the greatest epics of all time. Ironically, no one can lay claim to being the author of this amazing example of literature. The creator of this poem was said to be alive around 600 A.D. and the story was, since then, been passed down orally from generation to generation. When the first English monks heard the story, they took it upon themselves to write it down and add a bit of their own thoughts. Thus, a great epic and the beginning to English literature was born.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be considered and epic, a piece of literature must exhibit quite a few specific, literary techniques. Some of the main criteria points include being a long, narrative poem, having an epic hero, and containing rhythm, alliteration, and imagery. Beowulf can be considered an epic because it contains all of this criteria.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf, first and foremost, is a long narrative poem. It contains 3,182 lines and has been divided into forty-three sections. It has been written in a way that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience and arranged so that the language stimulates an emotional response, the basis of why a piece of writing would be considered a poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf also contains an epic hero. The title of the poem has been named after our epic hero, Beowulf. In definition, an epic hero is someone that does larger than life deeds and is stronger and smarter than any normal man; and Beowulf fits this description as if the mold were made for him. He has the strength of thirty men and uses it as a major weapon against evil. This can be seen through Beowulf’s battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf’s first accomplishment as an epic hero was his battle with Grendel. Grendel was a huge beast, a descendent of Cain, who ruthlessly murdered innocent Danes because he felt pity for himself. Upon hearing of the Dane’s problem, Beowulf set off to help the Danish without having been called upon. Even though Beowulf had men backing him, He drew battle with Grendel alone and without armor or weapons. Yet, Beowulf emerged victorious with the arm of Grendel as his trophy. Beowulf then went on to kill Grendel’s vengeful mother and a huge fire-breathing dragon who thought it had been done wrong by the Geats. Alas, the killing of the dragon would be Beowulf’s last great battle for the dragon took Beowulf’s life in the struggle for his own.

Defending Barbie

When I was young, one of the most favorite songs I usually listened to is â€Å"Barbie Girl†. The song started with funny melodies about a blonde single girl named Barbie. She lived in her dream house with swimming pool, convertible and lovely things. She also had a boyfriend named Ken. She was not a girl coming from this song but a doll who was created in 1959 by Mattel. Until now she is over 50 years-old but her beauty and her lifestyle are always the dream of children. She does not look like the fashionable trends which will be old-fashionable after a short period. Her influences to children never decline. Barbie is not only a plastic doll that cannot talk and interact but also a friend who plays an inspiring role in their life. In my experience with playing and owning Barbie's, Barbie has had nothing but the fun and positive impacts on my life. First of all, the most positive impact of Barbie is the meaningful messages which she brings to us through her story. Barbie is famous with her dream house, convertible, beautiful outfits, luxurious jewelries and expensive shoes. She owns the luxurious things which she acquires them all by herself from being a career woman. She is a symbol of a successful woman by working in a wide range of jobs such as a dentist, a teacher, a police, a chef, a baby-sitter, a fire-fighter, an artist and so on. For this reason, she can earn a lot of money by her own capacity and buy everything she likes. Not just that, Barbie is also a fashionmonger. She always appears in the most beautiful outfits with different styles and she will be the person who updates the newest fashionable trends of famous brands. She has a boyfriend but she does not dependent on his bank account. She is depicted as an independent girl who does not rely on a man to take care or support for her. By her own way, Barbie becomes an ideal model of women, a public idol who many children want to become. They all want a Barbie to play with and to be like her because of her meaningful message that Barbie can be anything she wants and so do they. Besides that, there are countless valuable messages she brings to children such as being feminine, living independent from man, doing anything you want, working any kind of jobs which you like, achieving your dreams by putting your heart and mind into it, being fashionable†¦ hrough her special and unique lifestyle. Secondly, Barbie helps children develop their creation. Owning a Barbie doll is not a simple work. When we buy a Barbie, she just looks like the other Barbie dolls with same faces, same body shapes, same outfits or even same colors of hair. However children have their freedom to make her become different. Whether she will become a unique doll depends on children's hands and minds. If they want Barbie to be different, they have to figure out and act. It is the way Barbie motivates children's minds in imaginative acts. Holding Barbie in their hand, they can start to change the appearance of Barbie by typing her hair up with rubber brands, make braids or change Barbie hair lengths by cutting shorter too. Besides that, they can also try to replace the set of her outfits by the other one. It is not compulsory that Barbie has to wear this T-shirt with his trouser. Children can combine the t-shirt with a long skirt and create a new style. Moreover they can modify the length of her dresses as they might like or they can even try to sew a new dress or a T-shirt for her. The ideas to imagine the context which Barbie belongs to is not a bad ideas. For example, Barbie who wears a gorgeous dress may attend in a prom party. Not just that, due to her flexible body children can modify the position of her arms, bend her legs or sink her head like she is greeting someone for their ideas. Barbie makeovers are not only fun, but also creative. It step by step helps children show their own style. Barbie successfully shows her power in promoting the children's imagination and creation. Moreover Barbie is a friend who inspires children to show their own identity. Playing with their Barbie, children have a chance to show their dream, their lifestyle and their personalities. The children would like to spend many hours to take part in a role play that Barbie is the main character. The context is one of the necessary elements in their imaginative play. Nothing is scripted in their imagination; it includes children's pretended role play. In their play, Barbie will be a reflective image of children. For example, if the child considers Barbie as a teacher, she may create a play that Barbie goes to the school and works at 7 a. m. At 5 p. m, she comes back her home and plays with her children. Then there are some conservation between Barbie and her children†¦ In this case, perhaps the child has a dream to be a good teacher in future. She also thinks about her future as a kind mother with a lot of children around her. Besides that, the child shows her time for Barbie going to work and coming back home means that she is very good at managing her time. However the role of Barbie in these plays is not fixed. Children usually change Barbie's careers and extend the plots as well as the conservation to illustrate their family life, imagine adolescent life and glamorous events. Barbie will be the copy of children which helps them show their dreams, their personalities and their real life. Since I was 12 years old, Barbie was always appeared in my wish lists. That was the time when I came to my friend's house and saw her doll. Her Barbie's beauty going along with her beautiful outfits and accessorizes makes me fall in love with her. However it was not easy to own a Barbie doll due to its price and its market distribution. I remember at that time it is very difficult to find the original Barbie in Vietnam. The only way to own a Barbie doll at that time was you had to buy in America and send back. My dream only came true when my uncle came back to Vietnam in 2009. He brought a Barbie doll as a gift for me. Although it was not a right time for me to play Barbie due to my busy schedule and my age, I still felt very happy when owning such a beautiful doll. Every weekend, I have to go to Ho Chi Minh City and I take a bus to come back my hometown. When I leave, my younger sister usually stays at home alone. As the result, Barbie became my younger sister's friend whom she could spend for hours to play with. One day when I came home from Ho Chi Minh City, my sister asked me to design some clothes for Barbie. I accepted her request because I thought this was a good chance to me for practicing my sewing skills. We came to some tailor shops asking for scarps of fabric together. Then we tried to sew the simplest outfit for Barbie without taking her measurements or sketching out her outfit including a strapless shirt and a mini skirt. Although they were not really excellent, it was an unexpected success and it made us feel really satisfied for our efforts. By sewing the outfit for Barbie, we together stimulate our creation. Not just that, she also enjoyed changing Barbie's appearance for example the hair. Thanks to the long and straight hair, my sister created many different hairstyles as far as she could imagine. Sometimes Barbie becomes a charming girl with the small lovely braids, another time she turned into an active girl with the basic horse-tail style. Besides that as far as I know, she also had a schedule for taking care of Barbie. She usually changed Barbie's hair and her outfits every day and cleaned the dirt in Barbie every weekend. Taking care of Barbie shows how thoughtful and careful she was. Barbie somehow helps me realize my sister's identity. Sometimes when I came home and saw my younger sister was talking to Barbie. She often played a role as a teacher and Barbie was her student. She had her own classroom map which included the position of her friends and Barbie in class. She taught Barbie the subjects she studied such as Math, Literature or Music. Thanks to the plays she performed together with Barbie; I realize many potential capabilities of my younger sister as well as her identity and her thoughts. While many people today only pay attention to Barbie's unreal body shape and argue about her negative influences she may bring to children due to her story and her lifestyles, they seem to forget her positive impacts. In my opinion, instead of complaining about Barbie and her body measurements, we should reinforce the facts that Barbie helps life of children become more beautiful and lively. By the time when children grow up, Barbie will help them figure out their career, their characteristics and their lifestyle. She is not a plastic doll who was named Barbie but a bridge and an instructor guiding children to their future. What a wonderfully full and imaginative world we enjoy with Barbie!

Facts About the End of Shakespeares Life

Facts About the End of Shakespeares Life William Shakespeare, often regarded as the greatest playwright of all time,  is said to have died on April 23, 1616, which is believed to have been his 52nd birthday. The date of his death isnt certain;  the only known end-of-life documentation is a record of his burial two days later. His birth date isnt known, either, but it has been estimated based on his baptism, recorded on  April 26, 1564. When Shakespeare retired from London around 1610, he spent the last few years of his life in New Place, Stratford-upon-Avon’s largest house, which he had purchased in 1597. Stratford-upon-Avon was a market town about 100 miles west of London on the River Avon. It is believed that Shakespeare’s death occurred in this house and would have been attended by his son-in-law, Dr. John Hall, the town physician. New Place no longer stands, but the site has been preserved by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and is open to visitors. The Cause of Shakespeare’s Death The cause of his death is not known, but some scholars believe that he had been sick for more than a month before he died. On March 25, 1616, Shakespeare signed his dictated will with a â€Å"shaky† signature, evidence of his frailty at the time. Also, it was customary in the early 17th century to draw up a will on the deathbed, so Shakespeare must have been acutely aware that his life was coming to an end. One theory of the cause of his death arose from a diary entry written by the vicar of Stratford-upon-Avon, who noted  in 1661, many years later, that: â€Å"Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting, and it seems drank too hard; for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted.† With Stratford-upon-Avon’s reputation in the 17th century for scandalous stories and rumors, it is difficult to authenticate this report, even if it was written by a vicar. Shakespeare’s Burial The Stratford Parish Register records Shakespeare’s burial on April 25, 1616. As a local gentleman, he was buried inside Holy Trinity Church beneath a stone slab engraved with his epitaph: Good friend, for Jesus sake forbearTo dig the dust enclosed here.Blessed be the man that spares these stones,And cursed be he that moves my bones. To this day, Holy Trinity Church remains an important place of interest for Shakespeare enthusiasts, as it marks the beginning and end of the Bard’s life. Shakespeare was baptized and buried at the church. Shakespeares Will Shakespeare  left the bulk of his possessions to his eldest daughter, Susanna, more than to his wife, Anne. Her share famously included his second-best bed, which has drawn speculation that the couple was not close. There is little evidence, however, that she had fallen out of favor. Some scholars note that the term second-best bed often refers to the marital bed, with the first-best bed reserved for guests.

Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities essays

Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities essays Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities is an entertaining, amusing, yet serious story. It sheds light on the imperfections of man and says a lot about human nature, mostly negative. In the following paper, Ill discuss some of Wolfes underlying themes and try to interpret what he wants the reader to take away from his book. Some of the things Ill talk about are class roles, the perception of ethnicity and race, money issues, self image, and lastly womens issues. Well start off with the subject of class roles and differences. Shermans ride through the Bronx is one of the best displays of these roles and differences. Here, a rich white couple is utterly lost in the worst part of the Bronx. They are driving a $48,000 Mercedes absolutely scared out of there minds. Sherman is in such fear of the locals he refuses to stay stopped at red lights because he thinks he might be attacked. The actions of Sherman and Maria prove how far apart the social classes in America really are. Two people from the upper class cant even feel normal driving through a part of a lower class neighborhood. The separation between rich and poor is incredible. The conversation between Reverend Bacon, Moody, and Fiske also correctly portrays the class gap. Bacon talks about how the upper class simply helps the lower class out of fear. They want to lower the steam effect and keep the lower class happy. The success of the upper class relies on a content lower class. In order for the rich to stay rich they need the poor to stay poor. Next, Ill talk about the perception of ethnicity. People in this novel are very ethnocentric and Wolfe uses this fact to bring out their prejudices against people that arent like them. One of the main groups that gets picked on are people of Jewish decent. Kramers coworkers Andriutti and Caughey say, Did you know that Jewish guys all ha...

Oil Industry Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Oil Industry Master - Essay Example This hike in price of oil comes with several causes as well as consequences. There are many factors that lead to a significant rise in oil price when the cost of producing it remains constant. Also, a rise in price brings with it several challenges to the economies of net importing countries and opportunities for exporting countries. The factors affecting the oil price in an international scenario tend to be on the demand as well on the supply side in both short and long run. The effects of oil price happen to be on the business side, consumer side and pure macroeconomic side. This paper investigates into the major factors that bring about a change in the price of oil, in particular, in the recent scenario of oil price hikes. It emphasises what actually has led to such unexpected oil price shocks in the recent years. The paper also sheds light on the effects of changes in oil price on businesses and economies around the world by way of affecting production, consumption, investment and major macroeconomic indicators. The recent dramatic rise in oil price has led the scholars to investigate into the factors affecting the price of oil in short and long term. ... The major demand-side factors that affect the price of oil are economic growth and increased consumption etc. On the other hand, the major supply-side factors playing a role in increasing oil prices are incapability of OPEC to produce more, inability to gauge future demand and political factors etc. Other important factors influencing the price of oil are speculation and futures trading. The point that is important here is that both the demand and supply related factors as well as some apparently uncontrollable factors combine to cause such unexpected hike in international oil price as witnessed in the last few years. In the beginning of last century when oil was considered to be sufficient for world consumption, the economic growth was limited to a few countries. Most of the oil was imported to the highly developed countries of that time to fuel their industries and transportation etc and the consumption of oil was also limited as compared to present times. As the time passed, major changes in the world economy began to mark their presence. More and more countries entered the race of economic growth with certain prominent countries like the United States, Britain, and other European countries accelerated their economic growth. Barrell and Pomerantz also propound that "changes in oil prices have been associated with major developments in the world economy" (2004, p152) This economic growth came about through obviously a thorough industrialisation process in these countries enhancing the demand for more and more oil. Thus, a rapid economic progression of already developed countries has led to ever rising consumption of oil, causing a deterioration of world

Indian warriors, like all others, contained both strengths and Essay

Indian warriors, like all others, contained both strengths and weaknesses. What were the strengths and weaknesses specific to th - Essay Example It was difficult for the Indians to fight such an army which had strong discipline and organization. Many of the Indians made use of repeaters along with the bows and arrows which gave them an advantage despite the opponents’ better organization (Millett & Maslowski, 1994). Even with lack of discipline and ammunition, the warriors were skilled in catching their enemy by surprise. The Indian warriors especially in the west had no lands or vehicles to protect; hence they had greater mobility and could simply avoid the army in one-to-one battles where they could easily get outnumbered. They could lie low and spread around the land and sneak upon the opponents at the right time. It was hence very difficult for the attacking army to force the Indians into battle and this was very advantageous for the Indian warriors. It can be concluded that the Indian warriors had many weaknesses but their strengths helped prolong their struggle against the whites. Works Cited Millett, A. R., & Ma slowski, P. (1994). For the common defense: a military history of the United States of America. Free Press; Rev Exp edition.