Unity of a Family Explored in The Grapes of Wrath Essay

Unity of a Family Explored in The Grapes of Wrath nbsp; One would say that on a literal level The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is about the Joad familys journey to California during The Dust Bowl. However, it is also about the unity of a family and the concept of birth and death, both literal and abstract. Along with this, the idea of a family unit is explored through these births and deaths. nbsp; As can be seen in The Grapes of Wrath, the Joads are a very tight-knit family. Yet on their trip to California, they experience many losses and additions to their family. In general, Steinbecks novel abides by the circle of life. When a birth occurs, a death follows, and when a death occurs, a birth follows. However, in The†¦show more content†¦In Chapter Thirteen, Grampa does die, as he was never truly the same once he left his land. This is because the land goes back to Grampas ancestry, and losing the land is like losing a family member. This is the Joad familys first run in with death on their journey, yet Ma Joad still manages to keep the family together. nbsp; Moreover, in Chapter Thirteen, as the Joad family continues on their journey, they meet the Wilson family. The two families decide to carry on with their trip together. It is at this point that Steinbeck follows the pattern of the circle of life. Steinbeck begins by writing about the rebirth of Tom Joad. Next, Grampa dies. Following this, there is a birth for the Joads when they add the Wilson family to their own. However, as previously stated, in order to represent the hardships of the journey, many more deaths than births occur in the novel. In Chapter Eighteen alone, Noah leaves the family, the Joads continue on without the Wilson family, and Granma dies. It may seem like these losses would tear the family apart, but Ma Joad understands the concept of family, and tries her hardest to keep the family as one unit. For example, Ma Joad sits up all night with Granmas dead body, jut so the family can cross the border. The fambly hadda get acrost (312). nbsp; Furthermore, by the time Chapter Nineteen ends, the Joads lost their land, their dog, Grampa, Noah, Granma, and the Wilsons. In ChapterShow MoreRelated Role of the Family Explored in Slapstick and Grapes of Wrath2584 Words   |  11 PagesRole of the Family Explored in Slapstick and Grapes of Wrath  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   On Maslows hierarchy of needs, the need for belongingness and love ranks only below the need for survival, making it one of our most basic needs (Weiten 267). Many people fill this need for affection by participating in a family unit. However, as the 20th century continues, the emphasis on family in America is decreasing. Divorce rates, single-parent households, and children born out of wedlock are all increasing. FurthermoreRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesgrew up in Jamaica at a time when Rastas were still regarded as useless, lazy, half-insane, ganja-smoking illiterates who were of no value to society. Teachers, students, ofï ¬ ce workers, and anyone of social importance could not grow locks, and families would go into mourning when their sons would start sprouting them. I heard the term â€Å"black heart man† used again and again as a means of expressing fear or ridicule of the Rastafarian. And this was in the early 1970s—after Bob Marleys emergence

The Importance of Claudius Guilt in Shakespeares Hamlet...

The Importance of Claudius Guilt in Hamlet In the first three acts of the play Hamlet, King Claudius go through a subtle, but defined change in character. Claudius role in the play begins as the newly corrinated king of Denmark. The former king, King Hamlet, was poisoned by his brother, Claudius, while he was asleep. Claudius, however, made it known to everyone that the king died of a snakebite in the garden, and thus no one knew of the murder that had just taken place making his murder the perfect crime. The only problem that Claudius must deal with now is his conscience. After Claudius commits the deed of killing King Hamlet, he almost immediately marries Hamlets wife, Queen Gertrude. Claudius also†¦show more content†¦First they think that Hamlet is lovesick over Polonius daughter, Ophelia, but after the king spies on Hamlet and Ophelia in conversation, he comes to the conclusion that Hamlet is mad, a threat to his rule, and must be sent to England to be executed. This is a sign of the kings uneasiness over the mettle of Hamlets anger which is directed towards him. The last thing that Claudius wants is for Hamlet to be unhappy with him, in fear that Hamlet will overthrow him, discover the murder, or possibly kill him. The king becomes increasingly nervous as time passes, making him a bit paranoid over Hamlet. By the beginning of Act III, Hamlet is almost ready to kill Claudius, but he still needs more proof that Claudius killed his father, and he also wants to put off the murder because he is a bit of a coward. Claudius is beginning to lose his composure. Hamlet decides to set a trap for him in the form of a play. The subject of the play is the murder of a king by his brother who, in turn, marries the kings wife. The plot of the play is strikingly similar to the circumstances of King Hamlets murder, which strikes a disharmonious chord in the conscience of Claudius. In the middle of the play during the murder scene, Claudius gets up and begs for the play to stop so that he can get some air. Hamlet is very angered by this because it confirms that Claudius did kill his father. Later that night, Claudius prays to god to forgive him for hisShow MoreRelated Hamlet, why did he delay Essay1626 Words   |  7 Pageswell, Shakespeares ability to provoke feeling and reaction to his writing i s also what sets him apart from other common writers. Of his works, Hamlet is perhaps the most studied and most interesting of the collected tragedies. In this play, many question the actions of the characters and particularly the actions of Hamlet. The answer to: Why does Hamlet delay in avenging the death of his father? is one that is not easy to identify. Possible conclusions include the role of others in Hamlet, HamletsRead MoreAn Honest Representation Of The Liar1650 Words   |  7 PagesLiar: Gertrude Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, has long been the victim of dissection by English professors and their students. Its multi-faceted plot and sheer length make it a ripe specimen for analysis about nearly anything, given the right spin, but particularly present in this work, and differing from Shakespeare’s usual focal point, is the role of minor characters. While in his other plays the name Messenger is given to one whose sole role is to be a messenger, Hamlet gives full characterRead MoreEssay on Religion and Morality in Hamlet955 Words   |  4 PagesBenny Woo 10/27/10 Religion and Morality in Hamlet In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Danish prince sets out to avenge his father’s assassination at the hands of his uncle Claudius, the new king. At first, Hamlet is fragile because of his father’s sudden death and the following marriage of his mother Gertrude and uncle Claudius. Originally contemplating suicide, Hamlet dissuades himself from doing so on the grounds of it being a sin. Shifting from an internal struggle to an external oneRead MoreComparision Of Hamlet With Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead1306 Words   |  6 PagesRosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (R and G†¦) by Tom Stoppard is a transformation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet that has been greatly influenced due to an external contextual shift. The sixteenth century Elizabethan historical and social context, accentuating a time of questioning had specific values which are transformed and altered in Stoppard’s Existential, post two-world wars twentieth century historical and s ocial context. The processes of transformation that are evident allow the shifts in ideasRead MoreClaudius in Hamlet Essay909 Words   |  4 PagesClaudius in Hamlet â€Å"Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them.† - Nicolo Machiavelli, from The Prince Italian political theorist Nicolo Machiavelli speculated that the strongest leaders are ones who are able to carefully balance appearances to his benefit, strategically using them to strengthen his regime. If Machiavelli was indeed correct, then ClaudiusRead MoreDeception Versus Truth : Illusion Versus Reality Essay1790 Words   |  8 PagesDeception versus truth; illusion versus reality. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is constantly having to differentiate between their dichotomous nature, amongst a royal Danish court ensnared in a web of espionage, betrayal and lies. Shakespeare explores challenging ideas of truth and deception through imagery developed by features of language throughout the play of Hamlet. Images of nature, un worldly ghosts, madness, the struggles of battle and symbols of juxtaposing colours are exploredRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Essay936 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Prince Hamlet bitterly opposed the marriage of his mother, Gertrude, to Claudius, her own brother-in-law, so soon after her husbands death. Hamlet had a strange suspicion that the new king - his stepfather and former uncle - had somehow plotted his fathers mysterious demise, and he refused to stop mourning his natural father, now two months dead. Hamlet was approached by his close friend Horatio, who revealed that for three nightsRead More Isolation as the Root of Hamlets Torment Essay1660 Words   |  7 PagesTorment Does Hamlet stand alone? Does this magnate of English literature hold any bond of fellowship with those around him, or does he forge through his quandaries of indecision, inaction and retribution in solitude? Though the young Dane interacts with Shakespeares entire slate of characters, most of his discourse lies beneath a cloud of sarcasm, double meaning and contempt. As each member of Claudius royal court offers their thickly veiled and highly motivated speech Hamlet retreats furtherRead MoreHamlets Key Soliloquies Essay1436 Words   |  6 Pagesunbiased perspective said to themselves and not to any other characters that may cause them to withhold their true opinions. The character of Hamlet is very intriguing; without soliloquies Shakespeare would be unable to give the audience such an insight into his personality and motivations - They play a key role in making Hamlet Prince of Denmark a notoriously famous and well appreciated play. The three soliloquies I am going to explore are Act 1 Scene 2, Act 2 Scene 2Read MoreLiterary Criticisms of Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pages This essay will discuss several literary criticisms of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. After skimming through several articles, I ended up with four peer-reviewed journal articles, each a different critical perspectives of the play: feminist, psychoanalytical/freudian, moral, and new historicism. My previous studies of Hamlet, as well as my rereading of the play this semester, has collectively given me a general knowledge of the text. My familiarity of the play made it easier for me to decipher

Change Management Reinventing Organisations

Question: Discuss about the Change Management for Reinventing Organisations. Andwer: Introduction The life of the organisation can be disappointing for the workers. There are many people who take a little satisfaction in their jobs. The efforts taken by the managers of the organisation to fix corporate culture bring lots of problems. For the gratification of the people in the company, there is a need of developing a new stage which can be established on trust teamwork. Fredric Laloux has discussed the evolution of the organisation over time in the line of seven important stages of the development of human and that is called as paradigms. Laloux says that Teal Organisations is the fundamental study of the healthy soulful organisations(integralleadershipreview.com, 2017). The book makes a theoretical study on the history of the development of the organisation and types of consciousness that contributed to the structures of the organisation that leads to the present time (connection.ebscohost.com, 2017). Laloux states that we believe the later stage is better than the previous stage. This is an interpretation of dealing with the world. He says that each stage is correctly adapted to certain context. Laloux says that a shift of consciousness permits for the range of behaviours. These behaviours are suited for the context that we ourselves find in. He categorises these behaviours as the colours. He says that the most evolved stage of development of the organisation is teal. Laloux says that teal is the new black. The core argument in the book, Reinventing Organisations is that the most healthy soulful organisations are the Teal Organisations. In the complex times, most of the organisations wish to make their destination teal. The new black is different from Red and Amber. In the second part of the book, Laloux discusses the core practices culture of Teal Organisations. He has discussed twelve case studies. These are the various sizes profit and non-profit organisations of the United States Europe. He compares the organisation as a living system. He discussed three important characteristics of the teal organisations. They are: Self-management Wholeness Evolutionary purpose Self-management is a pattern that is based on the relationships of the peer. Here there is no hierarchy. Wholeness refers to the set of practices that make people work. The purpose of the evolution refers to the need of understanding what the organisation expects from the members of the organisation. Laloux discusses these three characteristics in the twelve case study organisations. Laloux discusses the self-management practice that is found in Teal Organisation. Self-management is treated as self-organising teams. The interior design of a teal organisation is self-decorated and there is no status marker. Laloux says that the culture of the organisation is shaped by the context by the organisations purpose. The culture is not based on the assumptions of the persons, norm or the leaders concern. Laloux says that one organisation can be Teal Organisation when the culture of the organisation is not based on the assumption of the individual person. Top Leadership Ownership should have an integrated development of worldview psychological. Holding the space is the primary concern of the top leader. The Teal-Leader leads non-teal group and the group is being operated from a non-Teal place. Laloux says that the growth of the Teal Organisation is possible by making finance growth with the help of bank loan by their own cash flow. The equity investors are required to be selected those are with a teal perspective (Zhu, 2008). Laloux in his book has discussed eleven paradoxes of leadership. These 11 paradoxes are asked to manage by the leaders. The paradoxes state that the leaders require building rapport with the staff and also require keeping an appropriate distance. The leaders should have the ability to lead the people and can hold himself or herself in the background.(summary.com, 2017) The leader requires trusting the staff and should be very vigilant to the happenings. The leader is very tolerant and should know the way the work should function. The leader remains loyal to the organisation and keeps in his or her mind the goal of the organisation. In order to implement the planning successfully, he or she spends appropriate time and always remain flexible with the schedule(Barrett, 2010). The leader is a visionary, diplomat and also knows where and when to talk and where to keep quite. The leaders through his or her policy try to win consensus. The leader is dynamic reflective. The leader is humble and remains sure of his or her work (Zhu, 2008). It is very important to enhance the capability and to handle the paradoxes for the successful management. An analysis of strengths and weakness It is very difficult to free the workplace from politics, bureaucracy, stress, apathy and resignation. It is difficult to create a soulful workplace where the talent can bloom. The idea of no more hierarchy states a wrong idea. There cannot be flatland in an organisation. Holacracy discusses the hierarchy of power people. The employees who do not work and lazy always prefer their boss to command them. In that case, the productivity becomes very less. A consensus decision is all about a practice of taking a decision without any hierarchy. Everyone gets an equal voice. This is difficult to accommodate the wishes of all people in the process of the decision making(Lim, et al., 2007). Everybody cannot make pleading all for any decision that has to be taken by all. Decision making through consensus also creates another problem. The responsibility is also diluted. In the process of the making final decision, nobody remains accountable. The real proposer of the decision gets frustrated when his or her idea is not recognized. The group takes the credit of decision making. Thus it is found that many decisions are taken half-heartedly. The plan remains unclear. For most of the managers, organisations appear as machines. Due to the demotivated people and bureaucracy, the managers can do the things that they feel are good. This has resulted in giving more responsibilities to the employees (Fred Jonathan, 2009). It is an important question to discuss the ability of the workers to manage themselves and if they require a target and the managers in order to manage themselves. It is very important to study whether the workers of the organisation can be given freedom (Govindarajan, 2007). The collective intelligence of the workers can direct the company in the correct direction. Fredric Laloux says that this can be possible. The author has studied twelve organisations in his book. He has studied about the importance of the self-management. He has given the examples of the Dutch neighborhood nursing organisation called Burtzorg, FAVI, the French brass foundry and Morning Star, the American company of the tomato processing Laloux says there is need for a paradigm shift required for the achievement of the same. In every Teal organisation, all can act as a co-entrepreneur. The fear control of the top-down management should be replaced by self-management(Vogel Davidson, 2015). This will be based on trust and giving. Laloux also defined that the intrinsic motivators can replace the extrinsic motivators like money and status. The employees will be provided to do what they feel right for the organisation. The organisation will get profit if the employees are given freedom(goodreads.com, 2017). Laloux gives importance to the democratic organisations. He believes that there is a need of coaching for the self-managing organisation. The self-managing organisation should follow some tools and techniques. These are the resolutions of conflict, mediation by the colleagues, offering feedback and also the importance of organizing the meetings that are meant for solution driven (Earl, 2010). Findings and an insightful analysis Laloux says that people are like the prisoners of their own view of the world. This has resulted in limiting the way we think about our own organisation. There is always a need of interaction for the achievement of the goals of the organisation. The increasing freedom will bring changes in the organisation (Frederic, 2014). Laloux says that teal organisations develop a set of rules that help them to grow. Self-management will help the employees to focus more on the work. Teal organisation also requires creating safe supportive environment so that employees will help each other in their work. For the healthy, safe productive collaboration, the organisation will train the people about the ground rules (Drucker, 2014). In the case study this has been found that Morning Star has its documents called Organisational vision, Colleague Principles Statement of General Business Philosophy. Holacracy its Constitution is also an important document of FAVI. The documents offer a vision for the productive workplace that will be managed with safety. Laloux also focuses on the importance of reflective spaces(Frederic, 2014). Conclusion There is always a need of the self-reflection. This can be possible in group practices such as supervision of the team, group coaching, reflections of large group. The trust is created in the employees of the organisation by telling success stories. Stories bring people together. Regular meetings of the employees also help in interaction between the workers. The relationship with colleagues removes conflicts. The employees manage their conflicts and the employees get to know their job specification and job description. The conflicts are resolved when all knows their work and the limits of the work. Bibliography Barrett, R., 2010. Reinventing Organizations. [Online] Available at: www.socialskills4you.com/wp-content/Reinventingorganization.pdf [Accessed 13 04 2017]. connection.ebscohost.com, 2017. 11/30 - "Reinventing Organisations" and the Teal impulse. [Online] Available at: connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/.../11-30-reinventing-organisations-teal-impulse [Accessed 13 04 2017]. Drucker, P., 2014. Leadership vs. Management. [Online] Available at: https://www.diffen.com/difference/Leadership_vs_Management [Accessed 05 04 2017]. Earl, M., 2010. Knowledge Management Strategyies. Journal of managemrnt Information Systems, Volume 181, pp. 215-223. Frederic, L., 2014. Reinventing Organisations: A guide to Creating Organisations inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness. Kindle ed. Kindle location: Nelson Parker. Fred, L. Jonathan, P., 2009. International management: culture, strategy, and behaviour. New York: McGraw. goodreads.com, 2017. Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating ... - Goodreads. [Online] Available at: www.goodreads.com/book/show/20787425-reinventing-organizations [Accessed 13 04 2017]. Govindarajan, V., 2007. The Importance of Strategic Innovation.. [Online] Available at: https:/www.vijaygovindarajan.com/2006/03/the_importance_of_strategic_in.htm. [Accessed 05 04 2017]. highbeam.com, 2014. Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations. [Online] Available at: https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3611969211.html [Accessed 13 04 2017]. integralleadershipreview.com, 2017. Reinventing Organisations and the Teal impulse. [Online] Available at: integralleadershipreview.com/14108-1130-reinventing-organisations-and-the-teal-im. [Accessed 13 04 2017]. Lim, J., Sharkey, T. W. Kim, K., 2007. Competitive environemntal scanning and export involvement: an inital inquiry. International market Review, 13(65-80). summary.com, 2017. Reinventing Organizations | Frederic Laloux | Soundview Book Review. [Online] Available at: www.summary.com/book-reviews/_/Reinventing-Organizations/ [Accessed 13 04 2017]. Vogel, M. Davidson, S., 2015. Review of Reinventing Organisations: A guide to Creating Organisations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness. [Online] Available at: https://new.coachingnetwork.org.uk/book_review/review-of-reinventing-organisations-a-guide-to-creating-organisations-inspired-by-the-next-stage-of-human-consciousness/ [Accessed 13 04 2017]. Zhu, Z., 2008. knowledge Management: Towards a universaal cocept or cross cultural context?. Knowledge Management Research and Practice, Volume 2, pp. 67-79.

The Aztec Indians Essays - Aztec Society, Merchants, Pochteca, Aztec

The Aztec Indians The Aztec Indians Tonatiuh has yet to rise from the East and shine upon us all, but already I hear stirs and murmurs coming from the street and even from the apprentice quarters of my own home. It has been an exhausting month for me and I would like nothing better than to sleep all day. However, here in Texcoco, the market only meets once a week and I must sell my goods as soon as possible.(Smith,119). My wife, heavy with child, slowly begins to wake beside me, so I rise to the new day. My name is Tochtli, born to that day some 33 years ago. I am of the Mexica tribe, born and raised in the sacred capitol city of Tenochtitlan. I am of the pochteca and am proud to serve my gods and lords faithfully in war and sacrifice, as my father did before me. I have been very successful and have been able to provide my wife and two (soon to be three) children a comfortable life. It is wise to say that the god Yacatecuhtli, looks generously upon me and I owe all to him (Smith, 213). Before I am even dressed I can smell my wife and daughter preparing tortillas from the patio. Being from the highest order of pochteca, my home is larger than most in my calpolli. It is built in a half-moon fashion around a central patio. The structure is made up of four rooms, or quarters: The sleeping quarters of my wife and I, the room my children share, a room for my apprentice and any tlamama I may have under my service at the time, and a small shrine room where my family and I can worship. In the patio, the tlamama, my apprentice and my son eat a breakfast of tortillas before we head to the market. I had just returned the night before from a most successful, but long trade expedition. I had set out a little over a month ago, along with two other pochteca from my guild, two of our apprentices, and four tlamama who are professional porters. I was worried to leave on such a long expedition when my wife was so close to bearing our third child, but after consulting with the calendar and the priests of my patron god, Yacatecuhtli, it was determined that the day we left on was surely the luckiest (Smith,256). Besides that, my son, Ocelotl, is now nine and almost old enough to guard the household. We left loaded with cloth, jewels and spinning tools and set out for Acolman, where we traded the bulk of our goods for slaves. In these other cities, markets meet weekly or only periodically, so it was important to time our route well. From Acolman we set out for Pachuca where we planned to trade the remainder of our goods for some of the obsidian tools that the region is renowned for (Smith, 87). That was the most dangerous part of our journey because of its length, the size of our payload and how close our path came toward enemy territory outside of the triple alliance. Pochteca are generally allowed free travel throughout the world, enemy or friendly without harm (Smith, 122). In my time I have traveled throughout the far reaches of this land, but I am still wary of enemy territory, and always travel well armed and ready for battle. After a rest in Pachuca, where we bartered for the obsidian, we began our long journey home. We finally reached Texcoco early yesterday morning, but camped outside the city until nightfall. Upon returning from any expedition, pochteca always enter the city under the cloak of darkness. We then quickly unload our goods from the canoes, so that it is all hidden in our homes by daybreak (Smith, 121). This has been a practice as old as the guild itself. It is very useful since it is wise to keep the success of ones expedition a secret. Pochteca, no matter how successful, are not nobles and not allowed to display such wealth openly (Smith,121). To do so might offend our lords, and hence our gods. I agreed to keep the obsidian and two of the tlamama at my home for the night, while my partner kept the slaves at his home. My wife, Calli, calls for me to eat before I must leave for the market. She hands me warm tortillas and smiles at me lovingly. I admire the roundness of her belly, and only then do I realize how much I have missed

Tennis 2 Essay Research Paper As we free essay sample

Tennis 2 Essay, Research Paper As we all know, America is a state of athleticss partisans. Most Americans participate is some sort of featuring event, either as a witness or as a rival. In the pantheon of great American athleticss, there is one that stands out. It has been called the great American interest. Yes, that great athletics known as tennis. Tennis requires a command of many accomplishments to be able to play competitively, but the primary accomplishment needed to win in tennis is the service. The service is the primary violative arm used I tennis, because it is the lone clip when a participant gets to set a ball into drama. The participant controls the velocity, the arrangement, and the spin of the ball. With proper process, the service can win many points and games for the waiter. The technique I will show is used by most professional tennis participants, with merely little fluctuations due to personal manner. We will write a custom essay sample on Tennis 2 Essay Research Paper As we or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page First, the waiter should stand with his or her left shoulder toward the net, puting the left pes in forepart of the right pes. The waiter should keep the racket in his or her right manus, keeping the right arm directly toward the land. The racket manus should indicate in the way of the net. The waiter should keep the ball in his or her left manus, touching the ball to the racket face. The existent service gesture requires clocking and velocity. The waiter should flip the ball straight up into the air by fu lly widening his or her left arm. He or she should go forth the left arm to the full extended to assist spy the ball as it ascends. While the ball is in the air, the waiter should revolve the racket caput so that it points off from the net, and so convey it straight up so that the frame about touches the right shoulder blade. Meanwhile, the waiter should switch his or her weight to the right leg. Then, as the ball reaches the tallness of its acclivity, the waiter should leap up while to the full widening his or her right arm toward the ball and somewhat writhing his or her right carpus to convey the racket face into contact with the ball. Then he or she should go on the forward gesture of the racket by following through the shot, conveying the racket across the organic structure so that it points toward the land at the waiter s left side. These waies are for a right-handed participant. A left-handed participant would utilize the same technique, but for each way refering the right side of the organic structure, he or she should utilize the left side. To genuinely get the hang the service technique, pattern is a must. The timing and velocity needed to travel the racket into place to strike make non come of course. However, the clip spent practising the service will pay dividends in points and games won. So keep practicing, and the following clip Pete Sampras issues a challenge, serve him up a small something the he will non be able to eat for breakfast.

The Dobzhansky-Muller Model

The Dobzhansky-Muller Model The Dobzhansky-Muller Model is a scientific explanation of why natural selection influences speciation in such a way that when hybridization occurs between species, the resulting offspring is genetically incompatible with other members of its species of origin. This occurs because there are several ways that speciation occurs in the natural world, one of which is that a common ancestor can break off into many lineages due to reproductive isolations of certain populations or parts of populations of that species. In this scenario, the genetic makeup of those lineages changes over time through mutations and natural selection choosing the most favorable adaptations for survival. Once the species have diverged, many times they are no longer compatible and can no longer sexually reproduce with each other. The natural world has both prezygotic and postzygotic isolation mechanisms that keep species from interbreeding and producing hybrids, and the Dobzhansky-Muller Model helps to explain how this occurs through the exchange of unique, new alleles and chromosomal  mutations. A New Explanation for Alleles Theodosius Dobzhansky and Hermann Joseph Muller created a model to explain how new alleles arise and are passed down in the newly formed species. Theoretically, an individual that would have a mutation at the chromosomal level would not be able to reproduce with any other individual. The Dobzhansky-Muller Model attempts to theorize how a brand new lineage can arise if there is only one individual with that mutation; in their model, a new allele arises and becomes fixed at one point. In the other now diverged lineage, a different allele arises at a different point on the gene. The two diverged species are now incompatible with each other because they have two alleles that have never been together in the same population. This changes the proteins that are produced during transcription and translation, which could make the hybrid offspring sexually incompatible; however, each lineage can still hypothetically reproduce with the ancestral population, but if these new mutations in the lineages are advantageous, eventually they will become permanent alleles in each population- when this occurs, the ancestral population has successfully split into two new species. Further Explanation of Hybridization The Dobzhansky-Muller Model is also able to explain how this may happen at a large level with whole chromosomes. It is possible that over time during evolution, two smaller chromosomes may undergo centric fusion and become one large chromosome. If this happens, the new lineage with the larger chromosomes is no longer compatible with the other lineage and hybrids cannot happen. What this essentially means is that if two identical yet isolated populations start with a genotype of AABB, but the first group evolves to aaBB and the second to AAbb, meaning that if they crossbreed to form a hybrid, the combination of a and b or A and B occurs for the first time in the populations history, making this hybridized offspring unviable with its ancestors. The Dobzhansky-Muller Model states that incompatibility, then, is most likely caused by whats known as alternative fixation of two or more populations instead of just one and that the hybridization process yields a co-occurrence of alleles in the same individual that is genetically unique and incompatible with others of the same species.

Role of Creative Management in the Improvement of Entrepreneurial Essay

Role of Creative Management in the Improvement of Entrepreneurial Activities - Essay Example Current research focuses – as already explained above – on creative management and its role in the improvement of entrepreneurial activities around the world. However, in order for the above issue to be appropriately explored it is necessary to examine a series of supplementary (or else secondary) issues like the following ones: a) is there a specific mode of creative management applied internationally? b) which is the role of innovation in the whole effort? c) which are the strategies adopted by the firms regarding the other entrepreneurial sectors (e.g. the HR department) when creative management is applied in all organizational activities? and d) are there specific methods for the measurement of the effectiveness of the creative management mode chosen by a particular firm? All these issues should be addressed appropriately in order to formulate a complete assumption regarding the role of creative management in the development of entrepreneurial performance and its in teraction with innovation. Current study can face certain obstacles especially regarding the measurement of effectiveness of creative management in firms around the world. More specifically, because creative management belongs in the firm’s strategic decisions, it is rather difficult to retrieve accurate info for its effectiveness when applied in a particular organization – severe weaknesses of the above strategy are very likely not to be published trying to protect the firm’s position in its market. Towards this direction, all data and views presented regarding the particular issue have to be carefully chosen in order to represent the actual position of creative management and its effectiveness in the international market (at least as estimated by the majority of firms globally). The research method used in current paper will be a combination of qualitative and quantitative one.

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 17

Business Law - Essay Example Long Haul Moving Co. failed to make payments to Acme Box and Container Co. even after the company had manufactured and transported the boxes. Acme thus files a legal suit in which the company accuses Long Haul for breaching the contract. Such is an appropriate move that would settle the case. As discussed earlier, a contract is a legally binding document. As such, the contract alongside will explain the cases of each party thus discovering the liable party. Apparently, Long Haul refuses to pay for the services since Acme did not print the name of the company on the boxes as the two had agreed. With such, Long Haul will defend itself by explaining the box manufacturing company did not meet its obligations thus validating it refusal to make payments. According to the contract, Long Haul Moving Co. described the type and quality of boxes for the company to manufacture. Among the key features, that the company had described and include in the contract was the name and logo imprints. The two are fundamental features of the company. This implies that their placements on the packaging boxes were essential to the company. By failing to place them strategically as described in the contract, Acme Box and Container Co beached the contract thus compelling Long Haul to withhold payments. Another equally important feature of the contract that Acme Box and Container Co. did not meet was the time of delivery. According to the contract, Acme Box and Container Co. was to deliver five thousand boxes on May 1. However, the company did not beat the deadline thus delivering five hundred boxes on June 1. The two are important beaches of the contract and therefore formidable defenses for Long Haul Company. As explained earlier, parties enter the agre ement and promise to uphold the terms of the contract the type of the boxes including the tie of delivery were essential details

Environmental Management Audit Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Environmental Management Audit Report - Essay Example Principles of Environmental Auditing In this section, the report will discuss the fundamental elements and features of environmental auditing. This will set the framework for the discussion of the elements of the audit and the scope of the audit. The section will provide groundbreaking definitions and important ideas and concepts that defines auditing in the environmental management sector. The information analysed in this section is based on a critical literature review that provides important insights into the core ideas under examination in this report. Auditing is defined as an examination of records or accounts to check their accuracy and verify elements that define the records in question (Alexander 195). This implies that auditing is fundamentally involved in checking information presented by a group to ascertain whether it meets the standard that the group are claiming to adhere to or not. Audit involves a review of accounts and information to pass an opinion on whether they are true or not. Environmental audit is somewhat different from the mainstream audit which is often financial in nature. Environmental audit is a management tool which comprises of a systematic, documented procedure and objective evaluation of how well the environment of an organisation, its management and equipment are performing and the end sought by these audits is to ensure that the environment is safeguarded (Keil 22). The procedure of environmental auditing ultimately aims at facilitating management control of environmental practices and assessing compliance with company policies which include amongst other things, meeting regulatory requirements (Keil 22). Another view of environmental audit is that it involves a verification of a statement of compliance or conformity with defined requirements and conditions made by the auditee either explicitly or implicitly (Hitchens et al 128). In order to explain this further, it must be noted that every environmental report that an organisation's manageme nt puts forward is based on a number of assumptions or claims. In other words, there are some express and implied terms that an organisation needs to adhere to in order to prepare environmental reports. The express ones are those that are stated in the company policy whilst the implied ones are those that are expected of an organisation and this include industrial and legal requirements for environmental compliance. Thus, the essence of environmental audit is to test and verify if these standards and terms were met as the management claim at the time of preparing the reports in question. Vincoli (91) identifies that there are four main elements of environmental audit and this include: 1. Systematic: Environmental audit must be done in a structured and defined manner. This should involve laid down steps and directions that must be met and adhered to with a very high standard. Each step needs to

Biography of Tan Cheng Lock

Biography of Tan Cheng Lock Tun Dato Sir Chen Zhen Loke was born on April 5, 1883. He was the fifth-generation Peranakan Chinese Malaysian living on Heeren Street (Malay: Jalan Heeren) in Malacca and also the third son in his family of total seven brothers and sisters. According to history, his ancestors had migrated from China to Malacca in 1771. After then, the young Tan attended Malacca High School. He won the Tan Teck Guan Scholarship, which is specially awarded to top performers in the school. He later continued his education at Raffles Institution in Singapore from 1902-1908. He subsequently taught at the Institution from 1902 to 1908, and relocated back to Malaya to work as an assistant manager of the Bukit Kajang Rubber Estates Ltd., a company which belonged to his cousin. He was a quick learner and soon he was appointed visiting agent to Nyalas Rubber Estates in Malacca in 1909. In that very same year, Tan started three companies Melaka Pindah Rubber Estates Ltd., United Malacca Rubber Estates and Aye r Molek Estates Ltd. Three years later in 1912, the British government has nominated him as Melaka Council Commissioner and a Justice of the Peace for Malacca and also after a month, he was also nominated as the Commissioner of the Town Council for the towns and Melaka Port as well. In 1914, he resuscitated the Malacca Chinese Volunteer and was an ordinary member until 1919. The following year in 1915, the Strait Chinese British Association (SCBA) was revived by him, electing as the President of SCBA soon after. In 1923, at the age of 40, he was appointed as an nominated member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements. Tun Dato Sir Tan Cheng Locks contribution in various ways toward society and Malaya are appreciated. Constitutional and political reform Tan Cheng Lock, at the age of 40, was appointed an unofficial member of the Legislative Council on January 1923. He was appointed from the residents of the settlement of Malacca and has considerable interests in the Settlements according to a Governors Despatch of the day. His appointment was the result of Guillemards partial acceptance of the Report of the Select Committee on the Straits Settlements Legislative Council Constitution of 1921 which recommended the enlargement of the council by two additional Chinese Unofficial members. Ironically, Tan having gained entry by this liberalizing act on the part of the Governor was to wage a crusade for changes to the Council over the next twelve years. He struggled for the introduction of the abandonment of the official majority in the Legislative Council, and an Asian unofficial member to the Executive Council and also limited franchise and In the non-constitutional arenas. He campaigned for the admission of non-European British subjects to the Malayan Civil Service and against the Sri Menanti Scheme of 1931. His views were tempered by his pro-British, united Malaya vision in both constitutional and non-constitutional fields. Executive council In running the colony, they merely sought a larger indigenous voice. This was evident in Tan Cheng Locks advocacy of the inclusion of an Asian member to the Executive Council. Since the 1870s when Hoo Ah Kay served as an extra-ordinary member on the Executive Council, Asians were not represented in this Council. Tan deplored this lack of Asian representation., He called for the inclusion of at least one Asiantic gentleman In 1926 and 1928. The British were brought around after initial reluctance, . Guillemard had objected to the appointment of Chinese unofficial member as he would represent only one of the many tribes of the Chinese race. This British attitude was gradually softened by Tans representations in the Council. Sir Cecil Clementi opined that it would be politic to add to it an Asiatic by 1930, . A Malay, Mohammed Unus, was appointed to the Executive Council in 1931 as the Unofficial Member. Tan Cheng Lock was hence not, as stated by Soh Eng Lim and Tregonning, the first As ian member nominated to the Executive Council. But the fact that he was instrumental in transforming the British thinking on this is undeniable. His voice was the solitary one in urging such reforms on the British. Tan Cheng Lock was not satisfied with the inclusion of a Malay unofficial member in the Council, and he called for a Chinese representative in the Council. He initiated the Straits Chinese British Association Petition of August 1931 to pressure Clementi into granting the concession. However, Clementi rebutted that the appointment of the Secretary of Chinese Affairs as an Official member to the Council since July 1931 should adequately represent Chinese interests. Tan remained adamant. He reaffirmed this real grievance of the Chinese in his strongly worded memorandum to Sir Samuel Wilson in December 1932. Finally, the British relented. A Chinese unofficial member was appointed with the resignation of Mohammed Unus in July 1933. This honour did not go to Tan. It went instead to Wee Swee Teow, a seasoned but less senior Legislative Councillor than Tan. However, on the resignation of Wee several months later, the distinction of being the Chinese Executive Representative could not be deni ed to Tan. He was nominated to the Council in November 1933. His was thus capped with a personal triumph and a victory for the Chinese as he gone through long years of struggle on the issue of Chinese representation After his resignation in 1935, this experiment of an Asian official member to the Executive Council was not discontinued, as stated by Tregonning, but the nomination passed on to another Chinese. Political Vision Tan Cheng Locks ultimate political vision from 1923 to 1935 was a united self governing British Malaya with a Federal Government and Parliament. He is functioning at Kuala Lumpur and with as much autonomy in purely local affairs as possible for each of its constituent parts. Common full-citizenship for all races was also envisaged. It would be a goal to be attained after the evolution of a Malayan consciousness. He believed this Malayan consciousness had to be gradually nurtured by deliberate policy. To forge links between the component parts Conscious efforts should be made. English should be used as the common language, common affection for Malaya and loyalty to the British Empire but with racial distinctiveness retained. In Tans vision, the pro-British political union would not be an independent one. The image of an independent Malaya which a writer suggested that he had, was asyet an unarticulated goal. He was for constitutional advancement within the basic colonial political fra mework. Economic In addition to political and constitutional reforms, a keen interest in the issues of finance and the finance taken by Tan Cheng Lok. As with the constitutional and political reform, his speech concentrated in a few close to his heart, like a thrifty person, rubber planting, and the theme of Chinas leaders have consistently. Therefore, he spoke several times, including a balanced budget, the government and the colonial economy in the contributions to the defense of financial matters. On economic matter, although Chinese participation in padi-growing attracted his attention, the issue that interested him most was rubber. Rubber When Tan Cheng Lock was appointed to the Council, rubber restriction under Stevenson Scheme introduced on 1 November 1922 was a few months old. From the beginning, he was the most enthusiastic of restriction. In 1924, he said the restriction is the basis of economic life in Malaya. Against an attempt by the mercantilist Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce of British Malaya in 1925 to lift restriction, he said that this would, other than depressing prices, mean that the rubber planting industry would be severely impoverished by the consequent ruination and excessive exploitation of the rubber trees. His restrictionist view prevailed on Guillemard who wrote in support of him fending off the Associated Chinese Chamber Petition: Tan Cheng Lock has his views representative of planting interests and vert considerable planting interests. In the Council, half a year later, Tan added that in restriction lay the salvation of Malaya and of the planting industry. Besides the Netherlands East Indies, non-participation in the Stevenson Scheme, he was for its retention as long as Malaya produced 70 percent of the worlds rubber output. With his experience in the rubber industry, Tans support of restriction was understandable. When he first entered the rubber industry, the ruling price was a heady $1. 98 per pound in 1910, by 1913, the first price fall because of over production while was induced restrictive measures on the high seas brought another low little depression of 1921 to 1922 which saw weak demand and the lowering of prices from eighty-five cents per ound in 1920 to twenty cents a pound two years later. In 1928, restriction of production through the Stevenson Scheme raised this price to forty cents a pound. Growing from his point of view, this ensures important limitations, and therefore to the price stability of prices and profits should be welcomed measures. The British authorities were, however, much concerned with maintaining Malayas predominance in the rubbe r industry. Unilateral restrictions on the British Empire has given way to the Dutch East Indiaproduce more before the price achieved at the expense of a higher rubber. Consequently, British Malaya and Ceylons share of the worlds output fell from 70 per cent in 1922 to 52 per cent in 1928. The Dutchs share in the same period, in contrast, crept up from25 per cent to 40 per cent. Furthermore, the Scheme had soured British relations with the United States of America, the largest consumer of Malayan rubber, for these reasons, in November 1928, the British stopped the Stevenson Scheme. Unfortunately, the plan almost gave up when the Great Depression of the high-heeled shoes, weak demand and overproduction suppress prices. Tan, the fervent advocate of restriction, swung into action. In May 1930, he called for the introduction of restriction by the Government of all the producing countries. He spelt out the principles involved in this most forthright speech yet in restriction. Oversupply during the trade depression, he exhorted, must be regulated by taking concerted action to keep the latex in the tree until it is wanted while land alienation for rubber planting had to be stopped. Regulation of supplies, he emphasized, did not mean raising the price of rubber above its proper and natural value. Such actions will only protect non-competitive producers in the use and application of rubber expansion disadvantage. During the depression did not go unopposed, Tans move to restore restriction. Three months after his last speech, two unofficial members representing mercantilist interests, P. M. robinson of the Penang Chambers of Commerce and W. J Wilcoxson of the Singapore Chambers of Commerce, labeled restriction as an interference by Government with economic laws, a quack remedy which was nothing more than a palliative, and contended that salvation lies in their own efforts. A strongbody of opinion held this view, one of the speakers added. These deprecations drew from Ta n a combative response. He wanted to know whom they represented, for it there were no members in this council who happened to be restrictionist remarks would go unchallenged and that would not be fair. He then countered that doing nothing is not unworthy of the position, he believes, because it is two or three-quarter acres of land in Malaya, rubber, rubber production400. 000 tons, about half a million people a year. He reminded that the two Members and the Council that the whole malaya depends upon the industry and that is the reason why the Government should interfere. He was supported by strong restrictionist quareters in Malaya in this campaign. William Doughty, an unofficial Member in the Federated Malay States Council, was waging a similar effort. Similarly, public meetings such as that by the Rubber Growers Association in Negri Sembilan and the Malacca Chambers of Commerce on 21 December 1932 were held to pressure the Government into action. Meanwhile, the Straits Times and t he letters and articles filled with the same argumentthe host, these calls led government, the United Nations in June 1934, signed an international rubber and the Netherlands East Indies and the other seven countries, 98. 7%, Production supervision agreement between the worlds rubber production, which is a truly remarkable arrangements of international restrictions, he advocated. Pleased with the outcome, he acknowledged in the council that the Agreement was a triumph of common sense and reason. He referred to possible discrimination against small holders, in the same speech. Under the new restriction procedure, an Assessment Committee dominated by the European estates would allocate quotas. He asked for Asian representatives to speak for the interests of the domiciled rubber producers, who own 65 per cent of the rubber area in Malaya on this issue, to prevent discrimination. He failed to change the British policy and what he feared came to pass. In 1935, small farmers as a group ga ve 36. 8 percent, while export quota in 1933 theyhad exported 47. 8 percent. However, Tans position is no limit, the overall results, the rubber price per pound forty-three cents per pound thirty-five cents in 1937. Balanced Budgeting and Public Works Although Tan Cheng Lock change the rice policy efforts are unsuccessful, the impact on the budget in shaping his views on the Governments financial policies. Beginning in 1924 until his last years in the Legislative Council, he advocated a balanced budget with a surplus to boot. He believes that governments, such as individuals, must live within our means and save. He said that a surplus is the income in the reduction of opium uncertainties attendant insurance. The principle of a balanced budget, he advocated the development of public works which, to him, was a form of capital investment. He repeatedly accused of not doing enough in this regard, because its lack of income and lack of exploitation in opium replacementfund revenue surplus for the Government. In 1930, the Great Depression, unemployment and lack of money from the economys brought forth from Tan his most stirring call.. He urged the Government: to perform a worthy and noble act of self-sacrifice by the transfusion of some of its plentiful supply of blood into the arteries of this economically sick and anaemic community of Malaya by putting a portion of its enormous surplus funds into circulation by the execution of large public works which will keep a certain number of people employed. Therefore, the government finally did it in 1931, through the colonials surpluswhich was about twice the estimated annual revenue of drawing. Economy in Government Tan Cheng Lock was not, however, advocating a deficit of modern fiscal policy. On the financial part, he advocated prudence and frugality. Although there is urgency of public works, he is still in the government economy. He criticized Europes excessive spending on personal emoluments of civil servants In 1928, before the Great Depression enveloped, in Malaya, he cautioned the Government against the increases in this category of expenditure from $8. 7 million in 1920 to $16. 1 million or 471/2 per cent of the revenue for 1929. He urged the European to cut staff by reducing the economic our single highest head of expenditure. In 1929, this was extended to the call for a cut-back in personal emoluments and greater productivity. With the depression and unemployment in mind, he proposed cutting down personnal cost by the replacement of retired European officers in the Malayan Civil Service by outstanding Asians in 1930 and 1932. The Government do not need of his proposal initially. In the 1920s, since Guillemard raised salaries, pensions and temporary allowances, the government is very concerned with the maintenance of a luxury standard of living, to which members of the senior branches of the Government service are expected to conform. The Great Depression, however, made it see the wisdom in Tans arguments. In 1931, the Colonial Secretary wrote: .. public opinion generally is critical of delay by Government in deciding to reduce allowances. I recommend reduction [by half the temporary allowance] in the Colony accordingly as from 1 June. Half a year later, Clementi in a drastic move abolished the temporary allowances to save $1 million. In 1932, the Governor announced in the Council that no more cadets [would]. .. be recruited for Malaya for the time being. Chinese Marriage Laws Britain and China also held back from the old marriage legal intervention. The most famous number of case being the six widows case since 1867. The Straits Settlements laws upheld what it deemed were Chinese polygamous laws in 1908. Therefore, the secondary wife and secret mistresses and their offspring to share in the intestate property and marriage long in accordance with Chinese customs and ussages was conducted, in conjunction, laws of the Straits Settlements does not recognize it. The intestates adopted children were not conforred the rights of inheritace as it was stated in 2 well known cases that is in the case of Tan, in 1924, Pointed out the inadequacies of these laws, and that they lead the wild claims, costlylitigation and resoectable widow of humiliation. Women in the judiciary, he said, requires that they should be protected by law of monogamy. In addition, no provisions existed for a woman to divorce her husband separated by mutual consent in the case, there is no law t o force her husband to pay maintenance. Tan hence called for a Select Committee to collect information. Government has an obligation of a committee comprising Tan in April 1925 asappointed. The Chinese Marriage Commitee in its report of 1926, recorded that it was impossible to submit proposals for legislation. It pointed out that if this issue is very different in the South China region and the province of the complex ritual practices and, in addition, through various dialect groups settled in the Straits Settlements changes. The Commission also found that, pratically unanimous in the Straits Settlements in sinkehs conservative opposed to any compulsory registration of marriage and divorce among the requirements for the Straits Chinese. In the view of this, the commitee recommended only voluntary registration. The issue of his sons adoption, however, it recommended the legalization of this practice. The government, in order to avoid a very thorny and difficult subject with a very l ong history desire that is by recommendations in the implementng the Comittee delay. Tan will talk about all this with his repeated urging the Government to take action. Finally, the Government has long speech in response to Tan in the Council and by the memorandum he submitted to the 193 in a reasonable position. The Secretary for Chinese Affairs said that the Government can only only legislate for the domiciled Chinese. An administrator with knowledge of Chinese affairs, then ruled that the customs of a country such as China cannot be altered rapidly which is known as Clementi. The solution, he stressed that China wants to make a will, not the dead will. Tan persistece about the matter, yet, not without success. In earlier month in 1931, apparently forgotten by the Government, The Straits SettlementsDovorce rules have been adopted. The Division of Chinese Affairs, about the legislative failure, it is not a correct statement. Tan exertions were thus only partially succesful, but i t does not meet until 1940 with the civil marriage law enforcement, and his form of monogamous marriage law was adopted. English Education and Language In 1923 when Tan Cheng Lock entered the Legislative Council, the British had shifted from a laissez-faire attitude towards education under its control. This change brought about by the efforts of the Kuomintang which regulate the Straits Settlements in China since 1912 and education, which led to the devastating effects of the school in the Chinese anti-Japanese riots that in 1919 Chinese school politics. Thus alarmed, the United Kingdom in 1920 through the enactment of the school registration, and the establishment of a grant in aid system, to exercise a greater degree of control in Chinas schools. the British viewed with equanimity the educational system of free primary Malay education, a supportive role in English education and self-help in Chinese education. In addition, it leads to a variety of low-cost system to realize the economic exploitation of Malaya and the minimum target of efforts and the application of the maxim of divide and rule. Tan insisted that not enough was being done for English education when surveying this scene in 1923. He urged the introduction of universal, compulsory free English education for all so that a common British outlook which would be the basis for building a Malayan consciousness and community could evolve. during his maiden speech in the Council. Besides inculcating good citizenship with loyalty focused on the British Empire, an English education would, he added, prepare the Straits Settlements ultimately for a representative form of government. He therefore believed that the nation-building in the English education means to different communities across groups to achieve political progress. At the individual level, the average on both sides of his birth in favor of Chinese parents believe that English is a means to escape poverty and respected profession. Malaysian English education also want to meet other community. Tan believes that since it is the demand for English education, it sh ould be provided free of charge. Malaysian English education also want to meet other community demand. Tan believes that since it is the demand for English education, it should be provided free of charge. British authorities, however, does not agree. Free English education will be a financial burden, because they are not prepared to be shoulder. Neither were they prepared to give to the Colony an equivalent level of education obtainable in the United Kingdom. The British applied the brakes to an unconscious preference for English education over Malay education. Clementi, the vigorous pro-Malay Governor, stated at length in the Council that English was inappropriate as the basic language in Malaya and the Straits Settlements in earlier in the early 1930s. English education in India, Ceylon and the Philippines, he claimed, had divorced the natives from traditional occupations and led to widespread discontentment when the higher expectations attendant on acquiring an English education were not met. He further warned that the propagation of a smattering of English has its dangers. To avoid this, he claimed that the Malays would be basic language, free education will continue to be provided in the Straits Settlements. By supporting him, his Colonial Secretary added that the lingua franca of the British Malaya Malaysian can learn easier and cheaper than the English. In addition, the United Kingdom, it has no intrinsic market value, and it will not cause dissatisfaction. For these reasons, the British raised fees in English schools in an attempt to curb eyrolment and reinforce the policy of free primary Malay education Tan rebelled against this ndamental shift in education and language policy. In the Memorandum to Sir Samuel Wilson, he criticized these steps as retrogressive. It was also supported by the other Chinese Unofficial Members (Lim Cheang Ean of Penang and Wee Swee Teow of Singapore) and the Straits Times, Tan argued in the Council that the Malay language had little practical and literary value, was inadequate for modern usage and could easily be learnt without attending a school. In addition, he also warned against any Malayanization or assimilated into the Malay culture in the British attempt. This intention, he emphasized, would be energetically resisted by the non-Malays as something most obnoxious and baneful to their well-being, and the Chinese would for these reasons reject Malay education. He then reinforced the call he made in 1923 for English education to be the primary system in Malaya. It was best suited as a bond between the sections of our population. It was, moreover, the most widely, spoken language throughout the world and [was] likely to become universal. From every conceivable standpoint, be it political (loyalty to the British Crown), economic, educational or cultural, English rather than Malay should be the language in which all Malayans were given free education. The right language, Tan advocated, was English as it was the common basic language which can impart to our heterogeneous population the common outlook conducive to national solidarity. The Straits Times, supporting Tan, remarked: In our view, Tan Cheng Lock in one of the finest speeches of his political career, has conclusively shown the principle [of only providing free primary Malay education] to be indefensible and an educational policy which [our] entire non-indigenous population rejected must be radically wrong. the British disregarded the pleas for the adoption of English as a neutral language and continued with the free primary Malay education system and this is really unfortunate for Tan and his supporters. Chinese Vernacular Education It is contrastive to see that the usual Straits-born Chinese leader who only supported English education, Tan was also a strong campaigner of Chinese vernacular education. He attempt insistently throughout his Council for Chinese-language education. In this, he was enthusiastically supported by overseas Chinese community. He stated that no child should be withdraw of an education in their mother-tongue and English school lack facility in mandarin in 1923. Tan advocated that Chinese language should be included and taught in schools curriculum. In addition, the Straits Settlements Government had second thoughts Chinese vernacular education in wisdom. It had proven that unable of preventing the politicization of Chinese education in the control measures set up in the early 1920s. In the results of the Chinese schools shunned aid within governmental inquisition, the grants in aid scheme fail. The Chinese education is straightforward in Straits Settlement in support of their causes by Kuomintang and the Communist Chinese throughout the 1920s. The Chinese government and its consul-general in Singapore threatened an imperium in imperio in Chinese school in Strait Settlements after the adoption of the Manchu principle of jus saguinis in 1929 and victory of Kuomintang in 1927. The chinese education alarmed the British with its subversive message against colonialism. When an increased interest in the study of Mandarin, he decided that the grants shall not given to schools that have not previously received them. When the depression and financial difficulties had increased application for grants-in-aid by Chinese schools. Clementi hesitant between an increase in grants-in-aid to regain control and the curtailment of Chinese vernacular education, and he moved resolutely in banning the Kuomintang in 1930. This policy drew forth strong disagreement from Tan. He strongly attacked the discontinuation of new grants-in-aid to Chinese schools while he saw it fit to detach himself from Kuomintangs activities. The continuance to subsidize the Chinese vernacular schools as to educate the local-born children was stated in the Memorandum to Sir Samuel Wilson. It was unjust that grotesque and unaccountable as foreign Malaysians such as Javnese and Boyanese could enjoy free vernacular education in their mother tongue while non-Malays couldnt. Therefore, he had po inted out in the Council, the policy would brings to more illiteracy among the non-Malays. He declared that Government was not looking into and doing enough for Chinese education which almost wholly financed through doing-it-yourself. He advised government that, better supervise Chinese education and making sure the instilling of good nationality. Tans advice again get ignored. Clementi, reiterated in addition to summing up the debate held in English and vernacular education strong views on the advantages of education in Malay and English education shortcomings and ignore the comments on the statement about local education. Tan, during his long years in the Council, he fight for greater educational opportunities for the less privileged in society. He urged for the establishment of trade and agricultural schools for the less academically inclined. He canvassed, in the evening, to improve standards in private schools and the age limit in the government schools outdated students. He called for the establishment of an institution to teach them to read and write for those blind. He retained the Queens scholarship campaign. In some of his success, he failed in others, but through these efforts, his human side is evident. The Port of Malacca That time, Tan Cheng Lock was appointed as the Legislative Council of the 20th century, 20 years, has been a marked decline in Malacca as an entrepot. Historical and geographical circumstances, the raising of her early re-growth of a great change. Conquered by the Netherlands and Singapore, Sumatra and Penang favor the emergence of center, cut off her hinterland, trade more, and relegated her to the coastal port. Malacca river siltation, as an inland port the result of deforestation and erosion of the port has been handling her ocean-going vessels is inappropriate, and with some difficulty, coastal vessels. dredging which is taken in 1902, rarely alleviate the problem of Malacca seemed destined for oblivion in addition to economic development efforts in the rubber plantations by Tan Chay Yan in 1895. This expansion of rubber cultivation temporarily revived Malaccas fortune, but it reorientated her maritime outlook. With the development of the road networks inland and the Malacca-Tamp in railway link to the Peninsular system in 1905, Malacca after centuries of living off the sea was increasingly forced to look to her shrinking hinterland for survival. Indeed, the official Straits Settlements Annual Report commented that the railway might perhaps save Malacca from commercial extinction. Tan refused to accept this fate. Coming from a family which had long been associated with the sea, he repeatedly pressed in and out of Council for the revival of Malacca as a seaport. This was of vital importance as Malacca, he believed, could only hope to survive by improving its facilities as a seaport and by becoming a manufacturing town in the course of time. In the furtherance of this vision, he proposed numerous schemes with the backing of the Malaccan business community. In 1930, He suggested the establishment of a readily accepted Government. He is carefully monitored from the residence of his activities, Heron Street, and soon was questioned in 1930, transferred to elsewh ere. By dredger purchase, led to the lack of progress close to despair, he proposed a more comprehensive plan. First, he drew attention to the need to purchase an existing dredging river mouth a place suitable for modern dredger. Secondly, he suggested the spur expansion (a concrete wall extending from the coast to the sea), to ensure that the Malacca River, the coast from further washed deposits clear. The proposal is to extend groin in his own words, the sludge transferred to the personal sacrifices Heron Street, standing on the shore of his ancestral home. Third, he urged the Government to build a new port on the island of Java it will be dealing with ocean-going vessels ability. In the Council, he outlined his plan thus: Such a scheme would necessitate the construction of a causeway of about 3/4 miles long leading to the islet where an L-shaped wharf may be built. The railway could then be connected with the wharf and Malacca would regain some of its former importance as a seaport. .. [serving]. .. the Malayan hinterland of Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Johore When the Governor visit

History Of Soccer :: essays research papers

Soccer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soccer is a great sport that has influenced nations. Millions gather to watch skilled athletes compete in a game of soccer. It is an international sport, so popular that physical education programs have soccer integrated into their plans. Many local communities also have soccer organizations for youths. Soccer has an interesting history going back as far as ancient Rome and Greece. Some other interesting topics that deal with soccer are my personal feelings about the sport and my opinions on the future of soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There in not much to be told about the origin of soccer. In ancient Rome and Greece, football and kicking games were played. In 1863, the London Football Association developed the first set of rules. Towards the end of the 19th century, soccer was brought to the United States. But people didn?t start to take a liking to the sport until WWI. In 1908, soccer was made an official Olympic sport. Since then, soccer?s popularity has spread like fire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To me, soccer is an outstanding sport. I love the strategic planning that occurs in the game of soccer. To play soccer, you need to be quick and agile, and your footwork must be meticulous. I like soccer because it comes natural to me. There?s nothing like waking up early on Saturdays and playing a competitive game. When I score goals, which I do often, I get the best feeling. I am contributing to my team winning. That?s why I like soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the future, I believe soccer will stay the weekend sport. I doubt that it will ever become as popular as basketball i.e.. NBA. It is increasing in popularity in the United Sports though. But you see, that?s in the United States. I visited Mexico last summer for a month and observed that soccer was the main sport. People would play pick-up games of soccer on basketball courts, as parks and grass space were limited. I say this only to show that soccer?s waning popularity in the US is minuscule compared to the popularity in other countries. So we never know, more people in the future may tune their TV sets to the

Case Study – Ford Motor Company

Introduction Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford and eleven business associates. The company was responsible for the innovation of the moving assembly line where employees would remain in the same place while performing the same task on each automobile that move along the assembly line. Ford Motor Company has been a prominent car producer for over 100-years – an icon of U. S. manufacturing. However, the company has reached a pivotal impasse where timely planning has become crucial. Hence, to reestablish the brand and Henry Ford’s original vision to produce â€Å"cars that were affordable to the masses† (What Would You Do? Ford Motor Company, n. d. p. 1). This case study will examine four options; the first option is whether to close down older plants in an effort to realign production and sales. The second option is to re-engineer the company to produce smaller cars eliminating or sharply reducing the SUV and truck lines. The third option is to take the unprecedented step of dramatically reducing North American presence and focus the company efforts on international markets where the company has been very successful. The fourth option is to sell the entire Premier Automotive Group (PAG). To determine what the criterion for the Ford Motor Company four options are, Ford’s management team should collectively utilize the rational-decision making model that is define as â€Å"a systematic process in which managers define problems, evaluate alternatives, and choose optimal solutions that provide the maximum benefits to their organizations† (Williams, 2010, p. 85). In addition, management should utilize the SWOT (acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, to identify their internal strengths and weaknesses and their external opportunities and threats. Ford can use the SWOT analysis for assessing their strategic position in its internal and external environments. Rational decision-making and the SWOT analysis will allow Ford to obtain and ascertain key issues to determine what strategic plans to implement. The case outlines four strategic options Ford is pursuing to increase its profitability. Describe each of the four options. For each option list two criteria, you would use to evaluate the option. Option number one recommends closing older plants to realign production and sales. Closing the older plants managers would have to evaluate how these closures will affect their internal environment, employees will lose their jobs; the company will be obligated to buy out each employee. In addition, the company has to evaluate their external challenges; how will the closure of these plants affect the community. The plants are currently producing more cars (supply) than the consumers are purchasing (demand). Therefore, Ford Motor Company’s has to create and implement a tactical plan that denotes how the internal threat of buying out the employee’s will occur, hence buying out the employees will reduce Ford Motor Company’s operation expense and maximize their internal opportunity because there will be more resources (cash) to invest in other areas of the business. In addition, the company could sell their supply to employees at a discounted price and offer the consumers in the community this same discount at a point lower to achieve goodwill in the community, thus minimizing their external challenges. Option number two is eliminating or sharply reducing the SUV and truck lines and concentrating on the production of smaller cars. The company managers should determine the strength of this option, the company would need to evaluate the following: can fuel economy be realized in these particular vehicle lines without significant cost being passed on to the consumer; will there be a continuing market for SUVs and how will reducing or eliminating truck lines affect overall sales. Therefore, to evaluate these challenges I propose managers review their industry forces that address the question; how should Ford Motor Company compete in the SUV and truck line industry. According to Harvard professor Michal Porter (as cited in Williams, 2010), â€Å"five industry forces determine and industry’s overall attractiveness and potential for long-term profitability† (p. 107). The company can determine if this is a feasible market for the company to continue participating in by assessing their positioning strategies. Option number three requires reducing Ford’s North American presence and focus the company’s efforts on international markets where the company has been very successful, particularly in Europe, South America, and China. Again, it is imperative that managers utilize the rational decision-making process to determine; what is the sustainability of the Ford brand in the international market, how will reducing or removing North American presence affect the overall brand, and which plants in North America should be closed for short periods to allow the demand to catch up with the supply. In addition, Ford should implement an aggressive marketing strategy in Europe, South American and China to gain a sustainable competitive edge in a market that is receptive. Option number four is to sell the entire PAG. The PAG group is part of Fords portfolio strategy that did not align with Ford’s vision. Therefore, retrenchment strategy should be applied for this option, sell the entire line because it is not part of Ford’s original vision – â€Å"production of cars that were affordable to the masses† (What Would You Do, Ford Motor Company, n. . p. 1). According to the Boston Consulting Group, BGC matrix, â€Å"is a portfolio strategy that managers use to categorize their corporation’s business growth and relative market share, helping them decide how to invest corporate funds† (Williams, 2010, p. 103). The PAG group can be defined as a dog; a company that â€Å"have a small share of a slow-growth market† (Williams, 2010, p. 104). I n addition, the hand-built PAG automobiles do not fit Ford’s innovation of the assembly line. In light of the possibility that market conditions can and do change, discuss at least three examples of how the company should build-in flexibility to back-up it decision-making process. Ford Motor Company should implement flexible back-up plans and one plan or method is the option based planning that is the goal â€Å"to keep all options open and acquiring small investments in alternative plans† (Williams, 2010, p. 81). Therefore, when one or several of the alternative plans flourish Ford would invest more in those plans, while reducing investments in other, for example, the North American plants. The second plan for the company to build in flexibility would be its slack resources that are people, money or production. Hence, the partial closing of the North American plant, slack resources would enable Ford to adjust, when demand increases there will be resources available to accommodate these changes. In addition, for any plan to work well, management has to keep communication open with all members of the team to develop and encourage commitment. List at least three steps that make-up a workable plan and explain why each is important. To determine and execute strategies for the four options managers at For Ford Motor Company have to be aware of the essentials steps in preparing a workable plan. Therefore, step number one to prepare a workable plan is setting specific goals, using the S. M. A. R. T. guidelines that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. This is important because it directs behavior and increase efforts when the plan stipulates specific goals. Step number two is developing commitment. Goal commitment â€Å"is the determination to achieve a goal† (Williams, 2010, p. 80). Therefore, both managers and employees should collectively set goals to encourage commitment; setting goals collectively encourages employees to intensify their efforts. The third step is developing an effective action plan that list the specific steps, how the options will be carry out, which employees will perform each task, and what resources are going to be needed and how long it will take to accomplish the goal. The fourth step is tracking progress this will allow you to track your short-term (proximal) and long-term (distal) goals. In addition, the company managers should use a Gantt chart that will aid them in tracking this progress and keeping projects on task. When you know where you are going, how you getting there, who is assisting and how long it will take allows you to be flexible when conditions change. Discuss the option or combination of options you selected as the best course of actions for Ford Motor Company and detail your reasons for selecting that option or combination of options. I recommend Ford Motor Company put into operation, option number three, to take the unprecedented step to dramatically reduce their North American presence and focus their efforts on international markets where they have been successful. Ford Motor Company also should elect option number four, to sell the entire PAG group. To maximize Ford’s profits, it is clear that North American factories are not doing well and are the major sources of losses. Ford has lost a substantial amount of market share to its competitors. Ford does not want to produce more cars than they sell. Therefore, by reducing production in this market will provide them with slack resources to fund their European market. In addition, operation expense for their North American operations is expensive due to unionization. The United Auto Workers (UAW) â€Å"represents most of the company’s production employees and the contract terms over the years have been designed to provide significant long-term support to those employees† (What Would You Do? Ford Motor Company, n. d. , p. 1), and these generous benefits are weighing down the company operations and liquidity; therefore, Ford Motor Company should pay out the severance package to these employees and this will free up those monies to reinvest in the markets that are doing well or to repair older plants. In addition, due to the general environment changes – the economy, the company should negotiate new compensation packages with UAW to decrease their operational expenses. Additionally, Ford Motor Company should sell PAG because they are not in the luxury car business and refocus their attention to what they do best — producing cars that are affordable to masses. ? References Williams, C. (2010). Management. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

United States Population Through History

United States Population Through History The first decennial census in the United States in 1790 showed a population of just under four million people. Today, the U.S. population is estimated at more than 320 million. The 2010 census showed that the United States had a .77 percent increase in population. In 2009, there was an almost one percent increase in the birth rate, which was seen as a post-recession baby boom.  According to the Census, The combination of births, deaths and net international migration increases the U.S. population by one person every 17 seconds.  While that figure may sound high, the U.S. population  is actually growing at a slower rate than many other nations. U.S. Fertility Rate The United States runs below replacement level (2.1 births per woman)  in fertility  rate, at a historic low with an estimated 1.76 in 2017. Some of the drop  in fertility rate is due to a drop in teen births over the previous decade and a drop in unintended pregnancies.   The lower birthrate actually signifies that there are increased opportunities for women in the United States compared to high-fertility rate countries. Women who put off motherhood have fewer children but, generally, have them on better economic footing.   A low birthrate is also a sign of an established economy. The U.S. rate is actually high among the richest nations in the world, which are all grappling with an aging population overall. Aging Population A lower birthrate and an increasing life expectancy contributes to the fact that the U.S. population is aging overall. One problem  associated with an increasingly aging population includes fewer people in the workforce. Countries who are aging and not having a net migration in will see population declines. That has the potential to put a strain on social services and health care, as there are fewer people to pay taxes to support government programs for the elderly. There are also fewer caregivers for them. Immigration = Population Rise Fortunately, the United States attracts a large number of immigrants who come here to work. Also, people who come here searching for a better life do so in the ages when they typically have young children, thus keeping the countrys population growing. Immigrants fill in the gaps in the workforce created by the aging population and the drop in fertility rate. But its not a new trend. Since 1965 the population increase of the United States has been because of immigrants and their descendants, with that trend expected to continue for the next 50 years, Pew Research reported. Immigrants accounted for about 14 percent of the total U.S. population in 2015.  Ã‚   U.S. Census Figures Here you will find a list of the U.S. population every 10 years from the first official census in 1790 to the most recent in 2010, including a recent population estimate. The population is expected to hit 355 million by 2030, 373 million by 2040, and 388 million by 2050.  Ã‚   1790: 3,929,2141800: 5,308,4831810: 7,239,8811820: 9,638,4531830: 12,866,0201840: 17,069,4531850: 23,191,8761860: 31,443,3211870: 38,558,3711880: 50,189,2091890: 62,979,7661900: 76,212,1681910: 92,228,4961920: 106,021,5371930: 123,202,6241940: 132,164,5691950: 151,325,7981960: 179,323,1751970: 203,302,0311980: 226,542,1991990: 248,709,8732000: 281,421,9062010: 307,745,5382017: 323,148,586

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie essays

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie essays And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, was about ten people chosen to go on an Island vacation. Their host (or hostess) is unknown. AKA U.N. Owen. One by one the guests die off in ordinance with the poem about the ten little Indians. After searching the Island from top to bottom and finding nothing, they conclude that it must be one of them, but who and why? The killer seemed to be Dr. Armstrong. The first two murders were dead giveaways (no pun intended). After Anthony Marston was poisoned, it was Dr. Armstrong who identified the poison. Potassium cyanide. The only way he could he knew that was if he put it there himself because it has no odor. The other of course would not have known that. The poison could also be very accusable to the doctor. In Mrs. Rogers case, (the 2nd murder) the doctor gave her what was said to sleep pills, but they could easily have been something else. Who would know? General MacArthur was the next to be killed. He was not poisoned but hit on the head with a lifesaver. This murder was committed while the men were searching the island, even though one single person had an alibi for his whereabouts when he was killed. Dr. Armstrong did stray from his group. When the General did not show up for lunch, Mr. Rogers offered to go and fetch him. Dr. Armstrong quickly volunteered instead. He came back to announce tha t he was dead. On the morning when they found Mr. Rogers dead, everyone overslept because he was not there to wake them up. Lombard awoke at 9:30 am. He woke the others, but Armstrong was already up and dressed, or, he was up and neatly dressed. After murdering Rogers, his clothes probably had some blood on them, so by the time Lombard knocked on his door, he was almost dressed fully in his clean clothes. Dr. Armstrong was the only one on the island with a needle (and access to poison) to be able to murder Emily Brent. After Miss. Brent came to Justice Wargrave. When Vera screams, everyo...

Give a historic and analytical overview of special educational needs Essay

Give a historic and analytical overview of special educational needs (SEN) provision in England 1870 to present - Essay Example Today â€Å"All teachers should expect to teach children with special educational needs and all schools should play their part in educating children from their local community, whatever their background or ability. Training for teachers, appropriate funding for schools and improvements in the way their achievements are judged is vital† (SEN, 2010). Although training is not always equalized, significant progress has been made. In 1870, the Elementary Education Act was established by Liberal MP William Forster started to standardize education, and â€Å"made provision for the elementary education of all children aged 5-13 and established school boards to oversee and complete the network of schools and to bring them all under some form of supervision† (Education, 2010). However, at the time, SEN children were often seen as a blight on society, better isolated in institutions rather than mainstreamed with their peers. Theoretically, there has been a change in terms of how s pecial needs and handicapped children are treated by educational and healthcare systems since. Unfortunately, special education programs are a recent phenomenon and parents, teachers, and other professionals therefore should know that special group programs only began to become widespread in the latter half of the twentieth century, as the public perception of institutions began to change and the government began to shift the parameters used for classifying disabilities. At the beginning of the 20th century, some accountability for SEN children had started to creep into the legislation, albeit not in a very strongly worded way. â€Å"Not surprisingly, therefore, the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act of 1899 empowered - but did not require - school boards to provide for the education of mentally and physically defective and epileptic children† (Education, 2010). As the 20th century progressed, a shift towards group programs became more popular, especi ally for high-functioning disabled student individuals, and special education services became more widespread as well, leading to a decrease in the number of functioning individuals with disabilities being constrained to home or institutional life. This gradually progressive process is spoken of in terms of deinstitutionalization as well as socialization and inclusion. As one thinker notes, â€Å"It is not fully clear who among the deinstitutionalized population would have been the long-stay patients in earlier areas† (Special, 2007). Often the process of institutional facility offered by long-stay programs is impaired by the perception that these programs keep socially maladjusted individuals from encountering problems in a complex outside world that is often defined by the same sense of boundary offered. During the first half of the twentieth century, before more environmentally inclusive programs were offered, many individuals were constrained in adolescence and held well into middle age. In many circles, prevailing wisdom still seems to state that psychotherapy is an appropriate treatment method. But the number of group therapy patients has combined with many private-sector programs which can differ from state to state and region to region, in terms of prevalence. After the first World War, â€Å"Lloyd George set about an ambitious programme of post-war social reform: the national insurance scheme was extended to cover almost all workers, old age pensions were doubled, local authority house building

The in-game advertising industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The in-game advertising industry - Essay Example Business organizations have been very quick to realize the potential profit gain from this segment. Massive Incorporated, which is the world’s first video game company, operates with the mission of â€Å"aggregating the gaming audience to deliver advertising across a network of premier video titles and providing measured results on consumer interaction with the advertising.† Double Fusion is an Israeli in-game advertising company established in the summer of 2004. The business model of Double Fusion is very much similar to that of Massive. The product line of Double Fusion ranges from dynamic advertisements, integrated advertising, and â€Å"around game† inventory. In Game Advertising (IGA) seeks t o provide advertising services with its global computer video game media and advertising network. As opposed to Massive and other aforementioned competitors, IGA’s network encompasses multiple platforms including PC, console and mobile gaming and offer both stat ic and dynamic advertising. Together with Massive, Double Fusion and IGA Worldwide captures the largest market shares. Some smaller start-ups and players in the video game industry are also taking the challenge of in-game advertising.Despite the rapid growth of the video gaming industry, it also faces numerous challenges. It should be noted that customers now demand the creation of video games which have more sophisticated story lines and graphic improvements. On the other hand, the average commercial life of a video game has significantly dropped to less than one year.

Religion interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion interview - Essay Example It happened that she decided to convert from her Baptist faith to Islam, at first because she fell in love with a Muslim boy, and he wanted her to join him in his faith. At first she felt uncomfortable with it, but because she loved him she decided to try it out. She doubted at the time that it would come to a point where she would be convinced to change religions. All she wanted to do was to understand her boyfriend better. At this point, my friend Amber (my friend) explained that she had to move away with her family to a Muslim country, Kuwait, mainly because the family had a chance to be together with their father. Amber’s dad worked as an executive with a Kuwaiti petroleum company. Kuwait is not an exceedingly strict Muslim country, and women could go about in Western clothing and without a veil, as long as they observed modesty and simplicity. Amber never felt any antipathy towards Muslims, although she did feel a cultural gap particularly in the observance of the holidays, such as Ramadan and Eidl Fitr. She just regarded Islam as something separate and distant from her, and had it not been for her boyfriend, she would not have any interest in reading the Quran, or in studying the tenets of this religion which she had always regarded as foreign to her. As it happened, Amber was surprised to find out that much of what Islam was teaching were principles she felt she had no trouble agreeing with. Islam taught moderation in living, doing what is right and just to others, and above all to worship the one true God, the Creator of all that exists. For a while she had struggled with the nature of Jesus Christ, who in Christianity is the Son of God, but in Islam is one among God’s holy prophets. In Islam, the Ultimate Reality is the singularity of the one true God. â€Å"The name ‘Allah’ itself means ‘The’ (‘al-‘) ‘God’ (‘-llah’), and that this