The Assassin – Creative Writing

He stood alone in the dilapidated old home. The shadows were gathered and the man in the moon was screaming in agony. His face was expressionless, with eyes as sharp as a spinning needle, His skin was pasty white. The television emitted a soft glow upon his face, highlighting his pupils. In his hand, was as blade, long and sharp, The very point was shimmering as he slid the cloth up and down the side of the machete-like knife, he pulled his slimy, greasy lips back over his yellow stained teeth and smiled. He sat in his armchair in front of the television and slid the knife into the holder around his waist. Then a loud ringing pierced the silence, He picked up the receiver and a shadowed, scratchy voice began to give him details; â€Å"11:45, Elm Street,† He carried on, â€Å"He's a â€Å"6'2†³ft dark haired guy; He will be wearing a suit and will be carrying a gun†. He was waiting for one last detail â€Å"à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16,000†. Then he dropped the phone and looked at the clock, â€Å"10:55pm† He left for Elm Street. The night was cold; snow fell gently, giving the road a smooth, white blanket. The car engine purred as he sat waiting and watching. The victim was seen, the engine was stopped. He stepped out of the car and began to walk to where the victim's car was parked. Both men were headed to the parked car. The victim was a middle-aged man, shivering in the cold. When they both reached the car, the Assassin walked up to the victim from behind. There was a flash of steel, a blood boiling scream and a final splash of blood. Then there was silence. 6 Weeks later. Punchenello's hotel. It was old and beaten up. Most of the guests were drug addicts, drug dealers or prostitutes. On the top floor were two men; the first was Mr.Punchenello and the other was one of his men, Jack Finito, † He took out Louie, cut a great hole n his back.† â€Å"We gotta get this guy boss† Louie Punchenello was getting frustrated, â€Å"Ok, ok, ok! I know just the guy to pop him, leave it to me† Punchenello sounded confident that his man would take care of business. Back at the Assassins home, he was shining his blade when he received a letter that read. Dear Mr.Payne I know of your recent doings. 6 weeks ago you did a little job for someone, now I need you to do a job for me. Come to Punchenello's hotel tonight at eleven if your not there, we will come find you. We need your skills Max, 11'o clock. Yours Jack Finito The letter sounded fishy so Max would have to have a little more firepower, just in case. Max went to see a man called Alex Gigoni A.K.A â€Å"Ammo† he supplied Max with more than a knife. A colt commando, pump-action shotgun and a few Molotov Cocktails. The clock hit 10'o clock and Max was preparing his weapons, shining his blade. The time flew by and it was soon â€Å"10:35† and Max was on his way. The car engine died and he stepped out, In front of the hotel. He knocked firmly on the door and Jack Finito opened it â€Å"Come in Mr.Payne, your late†. The room was suddenly filled with men, all armed and pointing their guns towards Max. Reacting almost immediately Max dived out of the room while hurling a Molotov Cocktail into the room. The bottle hit the floor with a crack and a burst of flames flooded the room, it was like a bottle of fire had been opened. Max stood at the door of the blazing inferno, pulled out dual Berrettas waiting for men trying to get out of the smoke; there were no survivors. Max had been set a trap, but he hadn't taken the cheese, so he was going after the rat, Punchenello at the top floor of the hotel. The elevator obviously hadn't been used in years and there were at least 6 floors. He would have to climb the stairs without being spotted by more of Punchenello's men. Max flew up the stairs and standing there was Finito, Jack jumped out of skin, â€Å"MAX PAYNE! How the hell did you survive that?!?† â€Å"Lets just say an angel was watching over me† â€Å"Your Finito, Finito† and with that Max pulled the trigger on his handgun and blew Jack away. He carried on flying up the stairs still holding his guns firmly between his sweaty palm and fingers, he came to the penthouse door he could hear heavy breathing on the other side of the door. He smashed the door open and saw Punchinello on the phone. Punchinello jumped out of his seat and reached for his gun. â€Å"I wouldn't do that if I were you† Max said in a cocky voice. Punchinello smiled I think that tables have already turned Max. Max felt a guns barrel stick into the back of his head leading him into a chair in front of Punchenello's desk. Max saw him, he was 7ft tall and built like an Ox still pointing his gun straight as Max's forehead. â€Å"Hello Max† He said, Max hid his guns around his back waiting for his back to be turned. Punchenello began to speak to Max about how not to cross paths with serious men † We are dangerous Max, please don't think about making any more business around these parts. We own this town now and we wouldn't think twice about disposing of you†. The large man in front of him pulled the gun away from Max, and Max sighed a sigh of relief. Punchenello carried on talking, but Max wasn't listening he was figuring out how to kill both of them so quickly that no sound could be heard†¦ then Max remembered his blade†¦ with his knife in one hand and his handgun in the other. Max jumped out of his seat and drove the 8-inch knife deep into the hired Assassins back killing him instantly. Max rolled on the floor and jumped up, pumping Punchenello full of lead he could use his finger as a pencil. Someone must of heard the gunshots because the whaling of sirens could be heard in the distance.. Max jumped down the fire escape and ran into the night†¦ then he pulled his slimy, greasy lips over his stained yellow teeth and smiled. The Assassin – Creative Writing Engulfing his surroundings, as it crept out from the opening of his mouth, the smoke slowly drifted away from his lips. He leant back onto the damp wall, creating a haze of thick opaque smog and slowly tilted his head backwards in ecstasy. He gently exhaled into the cold bitter air of the night. Frequently he would be startled by the wail of police sirens, but they became increasingly fainter as they moved further and further away, the occasional barking of a dog and the rustling of leaves through the alleyway in which he was standing were the only other sounds that could be heard. The adrenaline surged throughout his body and he was left fidgeting in anxiety. The potent smell of marijuana was vivid in the depths of the alley where he gripped a neatly rolled and tightly packed cannabis joint; he inhaled deeply and was breathing with deep satisfaction. As the THC floated through his bloodstream and as the dopamine was released in his brain, he suddenly felt tranquilized and more relaxed. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his nerves and he swayed uneasily for a second, before shaking his head and regaining control. The darkness of the early morning was menacing; few stars glittered in the night sky and the subtle glow of the moon was partly concealed by the passing clouds, where black faded into hues of dark blues and deep, daunting violets. The gloom was still surrounding him and the frosty mist shrouded everything wanting to be seen. His shifty eyes watched in anticipation from the corner of an alley way for any kind of living being, while he clenched the revolver that was held in his right hand. The rubber soles of his sneakers were damp from the dew. From his still position, he could see the door of the apartment from the light of a street lamp. He was trying to remain hidden to maintain his stealth. The rest of the scenery was unfocused in his vision, as he stared at the door in expectancy. There was no one to be seen in the empty street. The only breathing creatures around were a few alleyway rats, shuffling around near the dustbins. The sight of marshy greens and soiled browns merged together to create the outlook of a risky situation. He became slightly excited as a midnight blue BMW M3 coupi was approaching from a distance; roaring from afar, before breaking quickly causing a loud screech leaving visible skid marks on the tarmac, the car slid to stop outside the apartment door where it knocked three dustbins over. He noticed the scratch on the driver's side door and the damaged bumper from the collision. Even though the thought of his mission was driving him; he knew it had to be done with care. He kept calm and composed still with the cannabis joint hanging from the tip of his lips. It began to drizzle with rain; he lifted up his hood and placed it over his head to conceal his face. He pushed away from the wall, concentrating on his assignment. He dropped the joint as all of the contents had burnt away and stamped it out. Desperately trying to make as little noise as possible, he stood up straight and prepared himself with not even a prayer in mind, for the sin he was about to commit. A tall middle-aged man emerged from the vehicle; the man looked well off with pinstriped trousers, a white shirt that became drenched instantly due to the precipitation, a colourful tie and a blazer that he slung over his shoulder. He slammed his car door in a manner which made it obvious he was agitated due to his collision with the dustbins. He sighed loudly with disappointment as he observed the damage to the bumper and the scratch. The rain turned from a light drizzle to a heavy shower, the victim walked a couple of paces through the large puddles towards the building. Little did this man know that he was being closely watched, were these the last breaths of his life? He paused at the door while he searched for his keys. As he established the pocket in which his keys were, before he had the chance to reach them, the loud sound of a gunshot echoed through the neighbourhood. A 9mm bullet penetrated through his head like a key in a lock, knocking him to the ground instantly. Within a second, his mind departed the scene of flesh, blood and bones. Tearing his soul away from him, like pulling cotton through a bush of thick thorns. The victim lay there, the most stupid of people would be able to realise that this man was dead. It was a disturbing sight but the assassin still stood in the same position in which he had fired the weapon, with no mercy or reconciliation. The assassin slowly brought the gun back down to his side. He tucked the weapon into the back of his jeans. The assassin withdrew a cigarette from his a box of twenty Silk Cut. He lit it and took a deep draw and exhaled in a way of relief. He poked his head out of the alleyway to check if anyone was in sight, yet nobody but a stray cat was there. The surroundings were still; the atmosphere was damp, depressing and dead. The corpse was lying frozen by the curb. In a cavalier fashion, he walked out of the back alley with his shoulders shrugged in chilliness; his head low in cautiousness, and took a sharp left into a side street towards his carbon black Mercedes SLR. Unexpectedly, the wailing of a distant police siren grabbed his attention. The sound grew louder and louder and it seemed to be coming closer. A single drop of sweat began to form above his brow. What if he had been seen? What if for the first time, he had blown his cover? At that moment, a white police car rapidly passed by as he stood in panic. He sighed in relief and continued towards his automobile, uncaringly rattling his keys in his hand. His firm, steady footsteps represented his attitude, hard, harsh and heartless. He entered his car; seated himself, wedged the key in the ignition, turned on the engine. He took one last look at the scene through his rear view mirror and drove away never to return.

The Importance of Learning to Play a Musical Instrument

Secondly, it helps build your team skills and your social skills. Finally, music helps broaden your knowledge of cultures. These reasons are just the tip of the iceberg. Music is the glue which helps connect us all. Firstly, Imagine a wonderful combination of notes and sounds, calming people down. It helps take away everyone's troubles. A combination of notes that relaxes you and allows you to float away with the sounds. A combination of notes that everyone can enjoy. Melodic music is like a calming stream and is a great stress relief.Many people enjoy coming home and playing on their instrument and unwinding after a long and stressful day. Music also helps you learn, not only patterns and rhythms, but math's and other school subjects as well. It has been proven that students who participate in a music program score higher on tests and do better in school. It doesn't matter if the students are in primary school, middle school, or high school, as the results are the same throughout al l years of schooling. According to a study done tit year g's, some students played the Plano and keyboard, while other students did not.The students who participated In playing the Plano and keyboard scored 27% higher In math tests than the students who TLD participate In learning the Instrument. Another study with high school students who took the Stats showed that students with experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher, by up to 63 points, than students with no arts participation. There are multiple studies that prove time and time again that music programs are very valuable and beneficial for students. Secondly, music helps build your team skills. Team skills are a very important in life.Whether Its playing a sport, or having to do a Joint project at school, everyone, at some stage will have to be part of a team. Playing an Instrument requires you to work with others, so your music sounds good. In a band or orchestra setting, you must learn how to coope rate with the people around you. Also, In order for a group to make beautiful music, each player and section must learn how to listen to each other musical instrument leads to the potential chance of creating or Joining a group or and. Performing and rehearsing together may lead to you becoming friends.The world of music opens doors that usually wouldn't be open to you. It provides the opportunity to go to places and meet people that you may not have had the chance to meet before. It's very common for people to gain lifelong friendships through musical activities. Finally, music helps you understand other cultures. Often music reflects the environment and times of its creation. Therefore, you learn a variety of music types such as classical traditions, folk music, medieval, and other genres. Music itself is history, and each piece usually has its own background and storyline that can further your appreciation of other cultures.Music can include a range of different instruments, from all over the world. When you are listening to music from another country, you may notice some things that seem odd. Whether it's a different language being spoken or sung, or an instrument like tapping sticks that you may have never heard before, every song has a part of its country included into it. After all, music makes the world go round. In conclusion, today's world is one of rapid growth and development in all areas, be it technology, population, or any number of things.A well-rounded education is essential for equipping students with all the skills necessary to fare well in modern society. A strong emphasis on the basic core areas of reading, writing, math, and science are a must, but music should be as well. This way more students will learn to love music and will carry on the tradition of making music for the world hear. Not only can music better prepare students for successes both academically and referentially, but it can also become the base for a memorable, happy, and involved social life.The future of this planet lies in the hands of the students; are we going to poorly equip them by denying some of them the opportunity to experience and learn from music or are we going to prepare them for success and let them play musical instruments? Whether you are poor or rich, young or old, smart or dumb, music unites us all. If you are not playing an instrument, I suggest you go and start learning one. Are we really going to deny that playing a musical instrument is important?

Romeo and Juliet v. West Side Story

When Pyramus and Thisbe first went on their rendezvous in the woods, they never would have imagined that they would be the template on which many romantic stories are built. The story of the ill-fated lovers, as told in the Metamorphosis by Ovid, is one that has stood the test of time and became the story authors like William Shakespeare, song writers like Bethany Cosentino and directors like Jerome Robbins have used to express forbidden love, misunderstanding and loss. These elements of story have resonated over the ages with audiences due to our desire to love and be oved so much that we would do the most extreme things.Teenagers, especially, latch on to these story elements due to the inclusion of authority fgures who misunderstand their ability to have true, grown-up feelings (Flanagan). The story of Pyramus and Thisbe begins with two families sharing a wall in a duplex. One family has a daughter and one a son. Both are forbidden to see each other, but as most teen-agers do, they find a way around their parents. Through a crack in the wall too small to even fit their lips, the two best looking people in all of Babylon confess their love.Unable to wait for their parents to give consent, the two decide on a time and place to meet, in the woods, near the mulberry bush with white flowers. Thisbe arrived before Pyramus and while waiting spotted a lioness fresh from the hunt with blood dripping from her teeth and gums. Frightened, she ran away to the nearest cave and in the process, lost her shawl where the lioness tore it to shreds. When Thisbe arrived seeing what seemed to be a horrible scene of his true love's viscous demise, he is overcome with guilt. If only he had arrived sooner.If only he had been there to protect his Thisbe. To punish himself, Pyramus thrusts his dagger into his gut and bleeds to death. Thisbe, feeling brave, came out of the cave to find her lover. In seeking him she finds him dead by his own hand. Thisbe is distraught at a life lived wit hout him and plunges the knife into her heart and dies by his side. Both of their thick, red blood poured onto the roots of the mulberry bush, turning the flowers from white to red, which is how they are still today. The last line of the poem states that â€Å"The gods and parents heard her prayer, and they were stirred. Ovid)† suggesting that both parents were made aware of the death of their hildren and are stirred in their hearts. If only they had allowed the ill-fated loves to be together, they would still be alive. William Shakespeare took the poem of Pyramus and Thisbe and built on it to create Romeo and Juliet, the quintessential love story upon which so many others are copied. Romeo and Juliet come from warring families, the Capulets and Montegues. For years these families have fought and brought discord to the sweet town of Verona. Just as Pyramus and Thisbe, the children of these feuding families would not be allowed to be together.They meet by chance at a masquerad e ball hosted by the arents of Juliet, the Capulets. Romeo and his friends were looking to crash the party and shake up the evening a bit. Romeo is out of sorts because he has had a dream where something goes very wrong and he cannot figure out what it is. When Romeo instantly in love. There is a bit of concern when they first discover the true identity of the other, but a whispering on a balcony dulls that concern and they only want to be together, no matter what. Romeo and Juliet are married in secret, figuring that in time their parents will be fine with it. That does not turn out to be the case.Romeo is anished and Juliet is set to marry another. With a little help from the conniving priest, Juliet sends Romeo a letter explaining that she is going to take a poison that makes it look like she is dead when she is really only sleeping. As it always is with ill- fated lovers, Romeo never gets the message. He is told that Juliet is dead and not knowing any better, he goes to her tomb to see for himself. There he kills himself so that he can be with his love for the eternities. When Juliet wakes from her death-like sleep and discovers Romeo dead by his own hand, she takes his dagger and kills herself as well.When both sets of parents learn the truth of their love and marriage and now their deaths, they are distraught. In similitude of the families of Pyramus and Thisbe, they are then condemned to live their lives with the knowledge that had they been more open-minded, their children would be alive and well. Like Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is story about ill-fated lovers, misunderstanding and loss. West Side Story was a highly acclaimed musical that showed on Broadway in 1957 and was made into an award winning movie musical in 1961. The similarities between the play of Romeo and Juliet and the musical of WestSide Story are striking, but so are the differences. West Side Story is about two gangs in the streets of New York in the 1950's: the Jets and the Sha rks. The Sharks are Puerto Ricans, new to America and looking to make a home for themselves. The Jets are looking to keep their streets white and get the Sharks to leave. In the middle of these two warring factions are Maria, sister to Bernarndo, the head of the Sharks and Tony, best friend to Riff, the head of the Jets. Just like Romeo, Tony has a dream; however, Tony's dream is full of inspiration as e feels that the dream is telling him that something wonderful is on the horizon.Riff tries to get Tony to tell more about the dream, but Tony can only remember that he feels like something big is about to happen to him. On that note, Riff convinces Tony to go to a dance and maybe meet the girl of his dreams. Maria and Tony meet at that dance, Just like Romeo and Juliet. When they see each other, all the contention around them fades as they fall in love with each other at first sight. Instead of a balcony scene, the whisperings of love and future happiness happen on a New York City fi re escape.Maria and Tony keep their secret love to themselves until they can find the perfect time to tell their friends and family that they want to be together. Unfortunately, their hands are forced when a rumble between the Sharks and Jets gets out of hand. Tony promises Maria that he will go and stop the fighting, but when Riff is stabbed by Bernardo, Tony stabs Bernardo in a fit of rage killing the brother of his love. At first Maria is angry and does not understand the event, but eventually she tells Tony to not turn himself in and they will run away together.Tony goes to the soda shop to ide from the Sharks and to wait for Maria to meet him at the bus stop. Maria is detained from leaving for the bus stop by one of the local beat cops. She asks her friend, Bernardo's girlfriend, to get a message to Tony. Anita does not want shop. The Jets are at the soda shop getting ready for more fghting with the Sharks when Anita shows up. She tries to get to see Tony, but the Jets won't le t her through. They treat her very badly and out of frustration she tells them to tell Tony that Maria is dead, killed by one of the Sharks in retaliation for her involvement with Tony.When Tony hears that Maria is dead, he is so distraught he goes looking for a fight hoping that one of the Sharks will kill him. He finds Geno, the boy that was arranged to marry Maria by her brother, and taunt him until he finally shoots Tony. Just as Tony grabs for his abdomen, he sees Maria and knows that she is alive. He is relieved to know that she is alive and dies in her arms. Maria, blames the death of her true love on the hatred of the two gangs, Just as parents of Romeo and Juliet and Pyramus and Thisbe are to blame for the deaths of their children, due to their hatred and closed-mindedness.These stories set the stage for so many more. Stories where the audience hopes that the others will realize the truth before it is too late. One such story is the move, â€Å"An Affair to Remember† directed by Leo McCarey and starring Cary Grant as Nickie Ferrante and Deborah Kerr as Terry McKay. This story has these two individuals meeting on a boat trip from Europe to New York in a time when that is how people traveled. They meet up several times on the ship and decide to disembark in Villefranche-sur-Mer to visit Nickle's grandmother. On this trip, Nickie realizes that he has very strong feelings for Terry.Unfortunately, both are already involved with other people. They decide that in 6 months they will meet at the top of the Empire State Building if they are each free of the current entanglements. Nickie waits for hours on the Empire State Building but Terry does not show. Disappointed and rejected, he leaves to continue his life without the woman he truly loves. Little does Nickie know, Terry, on her way to the meeting place, is hit by a car and badly injured. She is confined to a wheelchair. Not wanting anyone's pity, she does not contact Nickie to explain what happened .After some time both characters et back together with their ex's. At a chance meeting at the ballet, Nickie and Terry see each other, but he does not notice that she is unable to walk as she is seated in her seat. Sometime later, Nickie tracks down Terry and goes to visit her. She remains on the couch with her legs under a blanket. Nickie has no idea of what has happened to her. The audience is left wishing she would Just move the blanket and tell the truth so they can confess their love to each other. Luckily, Nickie notices a wheelchair in the bedroom along with a painting of his of the place where they met.He moves the blanket and realizes what has happened and they embrace, with Terry stating, â€Å"If you can paint, I can walk; anything can happen, don't you think (An Affair to remember)? † This story leaves the audience satisfied and happy. The song â€Å"Our Deal† by Best Coast also has the Romeo and Juliet theme of star- crossed lovers bent on destruction. The video, directed by Drew Barrymore, has warring gangs, the Day Trotter and the Night Creepers tagging up the streets of Los Angeles. A girl from the Night Creepers, Veronica, meets and falls in love with a boy from the Day Trotters, Lucky.They secretly steal away time to be together and confess their love. A gang fght leaves the Night Creepers beat up and a rumble to retaliate is away with her. In response, he spray paints on a wall, â€Å"l Can't†¦ (Best Coast – Our Deal video)† Lucky goes behind the corner of the wall and Veronica runs away. When they meet again it is at the rumble. Angry and hurt, Veronica punches Lucky in the face causing him to lose his balance and fall off the roof of a building down do his certain death. Upon seeing what she has done, Veronica runs down to him. She looks up and see the rest of the message tagged on the wall, â€Å"†¦ it to spend the rest of my life with you (Our Deal)† Veronica, crying looks down at Lucky only t o see him die in her arms. We can see how these stories connect through the commonality of love, loss and misunderstanding. Pyramus misunderstands the bloody shawl and assumes his love is dead and so kills himself. Romeo, having not received Juliet's message, misunderstands the death-like sleep of his true love and kills himself, which in turn, causes Juliet to kill herself. Tony, after receiving the wrong message about Maria, goes out looking for someone to kill him to relieve him of the pain of losing his lover.Likewise, Veronica accidentally kills her love, Lucky, after misunderstanding his message. The only difference in the stories presented here is the one of Nickie and Terry, where misunderstanding and lack of information causes Nickie to come to the wrong conclusion about Terrys absence on the Empire State Building, but in the end of the film, they resolve the issue and assume a happy ending. One would argue that these elements of love, loss and misunderstanding resonate ove r the years with audiences because we can all relate to these feelings.Teenagers, specially, can relate to a love that seems so overwhelming because it is the focus of much of adolescent life (Appleton). The inclusion of forces like parents or friends preventing that love is also one that teenagers can relate with. Many teenagers feel that the only purpose of an adult or authority fgure is to thwart their happiness. This component makes it easy to blame the parents in both Pyramus and Thisbe and Romeo and Juliet. When we do not receive a happy ending, we want to place that blame on someone and who better to place that on than the friends and family who prevented the love from flourishing?

Personal Growth Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Personal Growth Response Paper - Essay Example In lieu of these situations they motivate and develop strategic responses. While being effective leaders the CEOs must actively engage themselves in the realization of action-oriented plans. This meant that leaders are vision oriented whereas the manager is objective oriented. He further emphasized that a leader works under unstructured environment and the manager is facilitated by a semi-structured environment under well-defined policies and guidelines. This lead to an important decision in my life which was a choice between a leader and manager and I came to realize that why should one settle for a manager whose goal is, basically, to maintain the status quo Thus I came to recognize that the true task of a leader is to reinvent strategies so that the organization and every person who works with him continuously become better. A leader should be flexible enough to be associated with the change in structure. To further explain this I would like to quote the example of Z.A. Bhutto explaining that Bhutto's downfall had come as a result of his inability to adapt to the changing political situation in the country. While the military and the U.S. backed out in supporting him, he persisted with his old policy eventually he failed. Therefore a leader needs to change oneself according to the environment and the structure. Sincerity: A leader has to be sincere to all stakeholders on all fronts ranging from

Effects of Drug Abuse on Society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects of Drug Abuse on Society - Assignment Example Shockingly, almost 20 % of costs for hospitals in Medicaid and a quarter of funds allocated to Medicare and spent on inpatient care go to substance abuse treatments. Also, looking at our prisons, about 70% of individual inmates have once been regular drug users. The state prison population growth is accounted for by up to more than a third of drug offenders. Worse still is that this same group of individuals has contributed an 80% growth in the population of the prison since 1985. It can be seen that drug abuse is the number one cause for offenses committed by inmates and is also highly costly to the national budget. As Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse puts it, â€Å"Drug abuse and addiction are a major burden to society; economic costs alone are estimated to exceed half a trillion dollars annually in the United States, including health, crime-related costs, and losses in productivity. However, as staggering as these numbers are, they provide a limited perspective of the devastating consequences of this disease.† This picture shows how other aspects of the society can suffer underdevelopment due to drugs. The drugs problem affects every age group in the society including children who stay with their parents who are struggling with their addiction. Over time, studies by scientists on drug abuse were shadowed by myths. Drug addicts have been thought of as morally flawed and not having willpower. This view majorly shaped society’s response toward drug abuse. Instead of treating it as a health problem, it was taken to be a moral failing. As such, punitive criminal justice was the strategy of choice in curbing it. This was at the expense of therapeutic actions that are preventative and having a base in public health understanding regarding addiction and recovery. Recently done research has identified environmental, psychological and biological factors contributing to addiction development and progression.

Political Participation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Political Participation - Essay Example Elections will reinforce the political stability and legitimacy of democracy in the country through allowing the citizens to exercise their fundamental rights of selecting their own representatives in several political offices. Accordingly, political elections contribute to self-actualization through confirmation of the basic rights of citizens and reinforcement of self-esteem among the population (Waters 119). Political elections entrench accountability in the management of public affairs and resources across the country. In addition, electoral process forces the candidates to outline their leadership capabilities including past records and future intentions thus acting as a forum for citizens to discuss their political needs and express their public opinion. Elections will provide public education to citizens and safeguard the democratic principles that aim at ensuring proper management of public affairs and full public participation ( Boehmke 234). Types of elections Referendums R eferendum is a electoral process whereby voters express their wishes in regards to proposed legislation or government policy. Obligatory referendums involves statutes or legislation action that seeks approval of the citizens while optional referendum involves popular vote on laws that have been petitioned by a section of the citizens (Boehmke 79). Referendums are useful in advancing legislation in the country since the legislature refers public policy matters to the voters for approval such as tax law changes, changes to the state constitution and other less controversial matters that require the public opinion. Popular referendum is also used to repeal acts of the legislature and statutes through a petition that entails collecting sufficient signatures that require a popular vote for the law to be enacted. Lastly, advisory referendums are used by the legislature or governor in order to determine the public opinion, but the outcome of the vote is not binding. For instance, Rhode Isl and State governor used the advisory referendum in 2002 by asking the citizens to vote on whether or not they wanted to make the three branches of government co-equal, but the outcome of the results were not binding since the governor or legislature did not take any further action (Waters 213). Proponents of referendum assert that it represents a real form of democracy and enhances the political participation of the citizens in legislation process. Referendum will check the excesses of the government before the expiry of term of office and provides the solutions to controversial legislation and statutes. Accordingly, referendums are used to legitimize devolution of political power and unite divided political parties (Tierney 256). Initiatives An initiative is a proposal for a new law or constitutional amendment that entails petition through collection of signatures of certain percentage of citizens in the country. Initiatives to the people requires sufficient signatures that are sub mitted for a vote by the people at the ballot while initiatives to the legislature requires the legislatures to adopt an initiative as proposed without a vote by the people, reject, or refuse to act on the proposed initiative and place it on the ballot for citizens to vote. In addition, the legislature may approve an alternative to the proposed initiative (Boehmke 98). In the USA, 34 states have provided for initiative process with 18

The Exorcist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Exorcist - Essay Example "Purposefully raw and profane, this novel still has the extraordinary ability to literally shock us into forgetting that it is 'just a story'. The Exorcist remains a truly unforgettable reading experience." - Stanley Wiater. The book tells the story of what happens when the actress finds her child behaving most peculiarly; after extensive medical examinations and visits to the psychiatrist, the mother decides that the child is possessed, and the child then begins talking in strange voices, shrieking and committing obscenities and violently abusing herself and any one who approaches her. The Exorcist explored areas and realms of fear in numerous different ways. The clash between good and evil was depicted incredibly emotionally and graphically in this novel, and the significantly obvious religious motives in the film caused incredibly controversy among most of the overall audience, while the Catholic Church in fact embraced the strength of the film's religious overtones. The perhaps most explored forms of fear which are depicted in fact take place between Regan and herself - Regan and Regan with the demon speaking from within her; such as when she speaks a language which both her mother and the priest claim, quite obviously, that she herself would never have known. At first the priest does not want to do an exorcism,... Both men come off as incredibly strong, faithful individuals, but when Priest Karras hears Regan tell him of his mother's death, he becomes incredibly frightened. He asks Regan's mother as he's leaving the house whether there was any way Regan could have known of his mother's death, to which she replied, "Not at all. Why'd you ask" "It's not important good night." Responded Karras. This shows how although Karras is obviously fearful, understanding and realizing for sure at this point that Regan is possessed, he does not want to put any further strain on the mother, and rather than telling her, he leaves and consoles in himself, understanding now what he has to do. The exorcism itself is incredibly lengthy, and unexplainably ruthless, putting Karras to most likely the greatest challenge and testament of his life. Each person in the novel is put through their own test of fears and strengths, although all end up with positive resolutions. There is certainly a significant validity to the exploration of such fears as these, and in regards to whether or not the novel 'goes too far'; basically depends on the reader's opinion. I believe that the novel does not go too far, but rather shows an occurrence in life - whether based on an actual event or not - which must be taken in great seriousness and understanding. The issue of faith, strength, and belief in a higher power are all explored heavily in this novel, and yet each exploration is truly helpful in its own way. When Karras reenters Regan's bedroom near the end of the novel, and sees Merrin's face down on her bed and realizes that he is dead, he loses control, grabbing Regan and throwing her to th e floor, shaking her and nearly strangling her in his fury. This is

Say no to Racism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Say no to Racism - Assignment Example Direct racial discrimination involves treatment of an individual in a less favorable manner compared to others in the same circumstances on the basis of ethnic or national origins as well as actual origins of the victims (Eisenstein 2004, p. 65). Unlike direct racism, indirect racism occurs when application of a certain practice to everyone affects only some races or people from specific national origins. This type of discrimination can also be presented when a small portion of persons from a particular racial group meet a non-discriminatory condition more effectively than other people from different races (Lennox 2009, p. 200). Victimisation takes place when a person is treated less kindly than other people in similar situations because of grumbling about racial prejudice or supporting a person who underwent the same predicament (Lennox 2009, p. 201). Harassment, on the other hand, involves a person violating another person’s dignity on the basis of ethnic or race group. Hara ssment is very typical; it takes place in schools, offices, public transport sectors, and everywhere in the society (Helms 2015, p. 140). Majority of the people become racists because of what they learn from their immediate surroundings (Helms 2015, p. 139). However, some are racist because of ignorance; conservative families do not appreciate culture diversity. Racism is very high in Russia because of the large number of racists. In connection with this, it is evident that Russians often harass black players by likening them to monkeys (Spector 2014, p. 124). It is a result of this that there are many anti-racism advertisements in football (Spector 2014, p. 129). In relation to this assertion, racism can be overcome by enhancing proper child upbringing. Punishment should also be encouraged to those perpetrate the vice in all fields (Helms 2015, p. 144). Eisenstein, ZR 2004, Against Empire : Feminisms, Racism, And The West, n.p.: Melbourne :

This is not a paper just a MIDTERM question Essay - 2

This is not a paper just a MIDTERM question - Essay Example However, it is cumbersome to prepare, offers little information to management, and usually creates parallel accounting systems. It also does not indicate levels of efficiency or address value. Generally, budgeted expenditures are based on a standard cost of inputs multiplied by the number of units of an activity to be provided in that period. It refers to the process of linking costs to activities, then identifying specific outputs to be produced by services or activities. Then setting targets or goals and afterwards preparing budget based on these performance goals set. The new approach to performance budgeting seeks to concentrate on the outcomes rather than the output. This approach has the advantage of offering a means of estimating future expenditures and measurement of activities efficiency. On the other hand, its drawback is that there is a need to distinguish between the fixed and variable costs. Furthermore, it has no benefit in public accounting, as efficiency is not the only measure required. Program budgeting refers to a variety of different budgeting systems that base expenditures primarily on programs of work and secondarily on objects. It involves organization of the business operations into programs with specific goals and missions. After identifying the goals, sub goals and objectives and their input and output are outlined, as budgets are prepared along these programs. They facilitate choice of alternative strategies, evaluation of goals and finally it takes budgeting beyond efficiency compared to performance budgeting approach. However, there is no single methodology to single out alternatives available. In addition, it places heavy demands on officials to achieve their stated goals. Zero-based budgeting operates by justifying budget requests probably of each department or functional unit of operation every budgeting cycle, regardless of prior

Plastic Industry Essay Example for Free

Plastic Industry Essay Yes Plastic Industries Inc should enter the home market because this market is new and untapped. Also it is 5 times higher than their current market. However a thorough Market Research needs to conducted before entering the home market which will be a reality check to  its profitability. When entering the home market first of all the Company should try to create positive attitude on the general public over the  visibility of the product since  it is observed in the home  market that the general public image  of plastic pipes is  that they are  easily breakable and would not  last as long as conventional pipe. Hence in order to solve this specific challenge the company should perform image building work through convincing the middle man. One of the best ways to win the market is through convincing the middle man to take and display the product in the eye caching location on the retail shop. As a result of this the plastics industries Inc. Can create positive attitude regarding the product. Also the advantage that Plastics Inc. Can highlight to the public is the fact that the price of plastic pipe is less than the metal one, hence the company can get acceptance in the home market through providing product at a lower price through penetration pricing strategy. The company can also set a low initial price in order to penetrate the market quickly to attract a large number of buyers and win a large market share. Thus looking at the various positive sides for Plastics Inc. It should definitely try to enter the home market.

Terrorism: Causes, Effects and Prevention Strategies

Terrorism: Causes, Effects and Prevention Strategies In the last quarter of the century, there is a dramatic change in most of the terrorist activities, as they are well-planned, with a purpose to accomplish a precise identifiable and seemingly attainable political goal. In the past, most of the terrorist activities involved incidents like high-jacking an aircraft or the taking of a hostage following which certain demands were made. Their aim was usually to release their friends, or group leaders from prisons. Terrorism in the last few decades has taken a more violent and destructive turn, and quite often the demands are not made. Terrorism today is an act which is sudden, unprovoked, sheer brutal attack on innocent civilians killing several people in a crowded market or a gathering. Most of there terrorist attacks have had a political objective, which have now become rather diffused since the 9/11 attack. It now seems that the idea is to create fear and panic, and primarily to get publicity through the television news and print media According to several orthodox cultures, the terrorists resorted to this particular type of extremism as the only way for accomplishing political change. Also it appears to be interconnected to globalization and the increased impact of the United States and other Western countries. This has added to the resentments of the people of that part of the world. Thus it is the larger developments, changes in the international political structure, and expansion of globalization throughout the world that explains this trend in terrorism. The sixty years of suffering of the Palestinians and their unsuccessful efforts to get an independent state is one of the major reasons for the unrest in the Muslim World. The recent siege (412 Palestinian children perished between the 27th of December 2008 and the 18th of January 2009 as a result of the bombings and atrocities carried out by the Israeli Occupying Forces The end year of 2009 inevitably This markeds the First Year Memorial of Operation Cast Lead, when almost 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians were killed during the course of a brutal military operation carried out by Israeli authorities. Thousands more were wounded or displaced. 412 Palestinian children perished between the 27th of December 2008 and the 18th of January 2009. These children were killed as a result of the bombings and atrocities carried out by the Israeli Occupying Forces) affected the Palestinian social fabric completely. As the trauma grows with every violent incursion into Palestinian communities; hatred and tendency of revenge also increases among them. During the Gulf War, and more recently in Afghanistan, the terrorist groups often resort to psychological warfare because its the only tactic they have available to them. They dont have M-16s, and we have M-16s. They dont have the mighty military power that we have, and they only have access to things like kidnapping, says Haroun, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. (cited in Warner, 2005).1 In reality these terrorist attacks does not harm the enemy physically very much, as few people could be killed in an attack. But the repercussions are tremendous from the psychological point of view. Ordinary people viewing the terrorist attack in person or watching it on television, gets anxious, terrified, and often develop a sense of foreboding fear, which in turn may lead to demoralization in the entire society. Psychological Terror Whatever is their modus operandi, terrorists share very similar aims. Alexander and Klein (2006)[1] concisely identified the aims of terrorism as follows: To create pervasive fear, anxiety and panic To generate a collective and individual sense of helplessness, vulnerability and hopelessness To demonstratereveal the incompetenceineffectiveness and/or inabilityincapability of the authorities to provide security and protectionsafety against such opponents And provoke the establishment into errors or over-reactions which will disaffect the general public or specific influential bodies. The last point is essentially vital as observed by the widespread concerns as for example the shooting of an innocent man by the Metropolitan Police in London sometime ago (as a result of consequent to the wrong information that he was a suicide bomber); the incarceration of terrorist suspects in high security prisons of Guantanamo Bay and Belmarsh; and the introduction of repressive legislation. Moreno (2003)[2] has persuasively proven how easy it is in a democratic society to subordinate hard-earned civil liberties to the need to introduce counter-terrorist legislation. The terrorist attacks provide harsh reminders that in todays world, one does not know what news may come next on television or other news media. Particularly disturbing television images of horrific incidents can trigger the innate startle response no matter how close or far away from home the event happened. Historically, every military clash has led to psychological warfare in some form in one way or another as th e enemy aims to break the morale of their opponent. Due to progress in technology; the popularity of the internet; and increase of news coverage, the rules of engagement in this type of psychological battle have changed. Whether it is a substantial attack or a single dreadful act, the effects of psychological warfare are not restricted to the physical damage it produces. Instead, the intent of these attacks is to instillinstil a sense of fear that is much greater than the actual threat itself. According to Professor Richard Bulliet of Columbia University: There are various ways to have your impact. You can have your impact by the magnitude of what you do, by the symbolic character of target, or the horrific quality of what you do to a single person. Interestingly the way media covers the event in fact determines the effect on the people. For instance, according to Bulliet, the Iranian hostage predicament, in 1979, which though lasted for 444 days, was infact actually one of the most harmless of (word harmless) criticalthings events that occurredhappened in the Middle East in the last 25 years. All the U.S. hostages were released ultimately unscathed., butHowever this hostage event remains a psychological scarblemish for manyseveral Americans who watched powerlessly, each evenings newscast, they counted days the hostages were being held in custody. The terrorists often take advantage of images of a group of masked individuals coercing and intimidating exerting total power over their captives to sendconvey the message that the act is a collective demonstrationdisplay of the groups power rather than an individual criminal act. You dont have the notion that a certain person has taken a hostage. Its an image of group power, and the force becomes generalized rather than personalized. The randomness and the ubiquity of the threat give the impression of vastly greater capacities. (cited in Warner, 2005).[3] Remote Repercussions of Terrorist Attacks When a horrific event occurs, it is natural to feel disturbed, even if the act occurred thousands of miles away. The human reaction is to put oneself in the situation because as normal human beings, people have the capacity to empathize. And consequently these people may develop similar psychological symptoms. Witnessing an act of psychological terror can also disrupt our belief system, says Charles Figley, PhD, director of the Florida State University Traumatology Institute. (cited in Warner, 2005).[4] We walk around, psychologically, in a bubble, and that bubble represents our belief system and values. Most often we assume incorrectly that other people have the same values and social niceties as we do. When that is violated or challenged, the first response is usually an effort to protect our beliefs and, in other words, to deny that it actually happened. When A s soon as confronted with proof of terror, such as pictures of atrocities, Figley says there are a few different waysdifferent ways in which people typically react: They perceive perpetrators to be inhumane. Become fearful as they perceive they are living in a callous and unsafe world because the graph bar of inhumanityhumanity has been lowered even further. Believe that its only a fleeting incident which could be easily explained away or deconstructed by precise things that have taken place, such as if we hadnt done this, then that would not have happened. Its uncomfortable believing that the world is less safe, so we have to imagine or construct a scenario that will allow us to feel more safe again and resist change, says Figley. There is an interesting and strange symbiotic relationship between terrorism and the media. Bruce Hoffman, the director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, in his book Inside Terrorism has written a clear summary of some of the major historical trends in international terrorism. He makes careful distinctions between the motivations that drive political (or ethno-nationalist) terrorism and religious terrorism, and he explains also shows why the rise of religious terrorism, coupled with the increased availability of weapons of mass destruction, may foretellpredict an eraepoch of even greater violence. In the past, Hoffman argues, the main goal of the terrorist was not to kill and destroy, but to attract media attention to his cause in the hope of initiating reform. For the religious terrorist, however, violence is first and foremost a sacred act or divine duty executed in direct response to some theological demand or imperative religious terrorists see themselves not as components of a system worth preserving but as outsiders, seeking fundamental changes in the existing order. (Hoffman, 2006).[5] In this context Hoffman does not choose sides, he refers to in this framework, pointing to the bombings of the World Trade Center ,and Oklahoma City and the Tokyo,to the Sarin nerve gas attacks, in Tokyo in order to demonstrate that radicalsfundamentalists of any religious denomination are capable of extreme acts of terrorism. Terrorism is an aggressive-hostile action which is mainly intended to harm and terrify civilians, in order to promote a particular aim, or with an the idea, which may be social political or other. The terrorist attacks, are now gaining major importance than wars in the news headlines worldwide Terrorism and its Effects on Mental Health Whether its a massive attack or a single dreadfulhorrific act, the effects of psychological warfare are not restrictedlimited to the physical damage inflicted. Infact the primary objectivestead, the goal of these attacks is to inculcate a sense of fear whichthat is much greater than the actual threat itself. Therefore, the impact of psychological terror depends largely on how the acts are revealedpublicized and interpreted. Typical reactions to major trauma on the individuals and communities are well-documented but the literature on the individual reactions to terrorist incidents is scarce. Most of the reactions at the initial phase following trauma are normal reactions and only few individuals display florid psychopathology. (Alexander and Klein, 2006).[6] Normal individual reactions to a terrorist attack are: Emotional Reactions : shock, numbness, denial , fear, anxiety , helplessness, hopelessness. Cognitive dysfunctions as disorientation, confusion ,intrusive thoughts, images, memories ,hypervigilance (i.e. increased sense of risk),impaired concentration and memory. Changes in social interaction, like withdrawal ,irritability ,loss of trust and faith , avoidant behaviour (i.e. of any reminders of the event). Physical reactions as autonomic hyperarousal , ,loss of energy. insomnia Autonomic hyper-arousal, insomnia, loss of energy. Emotional shock, numbness, denial, fear, anxiety helplessness, hopelessness. Cognitive disorientation, confusion, intrusive thoughts, images, memories.Hyper-vigilance, impaired concentration and memory. Social withdrawal, irritability, loss of trust and faith, avoidant behaviour (i.e. of any reminders of the event). These normal reactions comprise most of the core symptoms of PTSD, i.e. intrusive experiences, hyper-arousal and avoidant behaviour, as defined in the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders (ICD-10; WHO, 1992).[7] For a formal diagnosis of PTSD, such symptoms must be experienced for at least a few weeks. (The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-IV] also necessitatesrequires that such symptoms mustto be present for one month. (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).[8] In addition the impact on individuals, terrorism has mass psychogenic impacts. Mass psychogenic illness has been defined as: The rapid spread of illness signs and symptoms affecting members of a cohesive group, originating from a nervous system disturbance involving excitation, loss or alteration of function whereby physical complaints that are exhibited unconsciously have no corresponding organic aetiology. (Bartholomew Wessely, 2002). [9] As regards community reactions, they may present with distinct features. Tyhurst provides a three phase model of community response. (Tyhurst, 1951).[10] In Phase I, most individuals are liable to be stunned, numbed or even in denial. Denial was the commonly reported reaction among the office staff of Capital Hill, Washington DC following the anthrax scare in 2001. It took some time for the affectees to realize they might have been exposed to a toxic substance. North et al., 2005).[11] Widespread panic is not a typical reaction (though widely depicted in disaster films, etc.). Approximately 10 per cent of victims are likely to panic, and this reaction is most likely when victims believe they are trapped and feel helpless. Durodie Wessely, 2002).[12] In the 1987 Kings Cross underground fire most passengers did not panic; on the contrary, they sought out the usual methods of entry and exit. (Donald Canter, 1992).[13] Similar personal reactions were observedgiven after the London terrorist incidents of July 2005. Hence the civil contingency planning clearly should not be based on ill-informed assumptions about human behaviour. Even in extreme situations human behaviour can be rational, altruistic, and even heroic. In Phase II which is the Recoil Phase, individuals seek to make sense of what has happened. They seek reunion with their common sources of support, e.g. families, friends and colleagues. Even makeshift groups may develop as individuals seek understanding and mutual support. During this period, the community develops a sense of order and control, and the concerned relief authorities can do a lot much to facilitate this step towards recovery.. Phase III, the Recovery Phase is characterized by alternating episodes of adjustment and relapse and there may be some obvious examples of resilience and positive outcomes. Further comprehensive research studies must be A lot of research still needs to be done in order to understand how communities cope with chronic exposure to threat and adversity, but Jones and his colleagues have reassessed the social effects of air raids in Great Britain during the Second World War. They indicate a high level of civilian resilience developed during that period. (Jones et al., 2004).[14] Similarly, law enforcement authorities have commented on the apparently low level of violence-related psychopathology reported in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Clinical data is still not enough to identify It is unclear, as to what are the protective factors in these circumstances. Extensive denial, social cohesiveness, a united front against a common enemy or some other as yet undetermined influences could be termed as protective factors. Mental Health Studies Mental health research studies are conducted worldwide to explore the effects of terrorism both on the individuals and the community. Whereas some emphasize the psycho-pathological effects of terror (Galea, Ahern, Resnick et al., 2002),[15] others focus on the human suffering, which is not identical to psychiatric morbidity (Wessely 2003),[16] and on community and cultural factors that enable people to endure the stressful event (Hobfoll, 2003).[17] This conflict between two distinct approaches (Wessely, 2003) ishas yet to be bridged. Any horrific event can affect people directly or indirectly even if they are not the targets. Hence the target of the interventions is not the individual victim only, but all the people more indirectly affected by the incidence. An impartial approach may be suitable. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidelines for action during emergencies which seem to support such a stand (WHO, 2003).[18] Experiencing or witnessing a violent attack does not necessarily mean that the individual will inevitably develop psychiatric morbidity (Curran, and Miller, 2001).[19] After the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, it was observed that: In the aftermath of terrorist attacks, many Americans regarded their distress as a normal reaction rather than a disorder needing [psychiatric] care. (Drus and Marcus, 2004).[20] Presently available data suggest that it takes more than the agent (e.g., threat to life) to lead to psychopathology. Indeed, the role of the environment is of significance, as a part of the epidemiological triangle that has been discarded by a greater focus on host-related factors (e.g., gender or age of the victim). ) A study on adults have recognized a group of factors, including religious beliefs, ideological commitment and social capital, that have protected communities which were highly exposed to terrorist attacks (like the loss of dear ones, physical injuries and property damage etc). Ideology and religion may be used as a healing power, but also as a weapon. This is especially true in the [Middle East] region. (Solomon, and Laufer (2005);[21] Shalev et al.; Shalev,[22] Tuval-Mashiach Hadar, 2004; Kaplan et al.; Kaplan,[23] Matar, Kamin, et al., 2005; Billig, Kohn, and Levav, 2004).[24] All the research data today gives hope that, by advancing research on the mental health effects of war-related activities will be conducive to the development of new techniques to counter the psycho-social aftermath of wars and other such traumatic events., Ppsychiatrists worldwide are joining the call by WHO member states to devise means to restore the psycho-pathological damage sustained by victimized populations. The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) has been active in the recent Gaza Massacre,by giving an official statement. (See Mario Maj. statement in Chapter 1V -Wars in the Muslim World1).[25] Nonetheless On the other hand, psychiatrists could play other roles even at the risk of raising idealistic initiatives which cynics might like to dismiss. There are several possibilities open for psychiatrists who, by the nature of their profession can, besides promoting health, support peace rather than war. Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals from countries in conflict could engage in alliance in a number of activities (e.g., teaching, exchange of experiences in program development and services, communication), while they are actively, tenaciously and continuously supported by WPA. Most importantly, psychiatrists must endeavour to make their societies even more ardently aware that in armed confrontations no one is a winner but that everyone is a victim. The model of collaboration in the Balkans, where mental health is a bridge to reconciliation within the framework of the Stability Pact, is a concrete example of what could be achieved when a unifying language is spoken, and when such an effort is reinforced by dedicated support from sources that are not part of the conflict. Terrorism is a paradox—a topicalcontemporary, high-profile subject with clear relevance to the real-world today relevance, yetNevertheless with limited authentic and desperate shortage of research data available es in the area. Therefield there is an urgent need to encourage the younger researchers to take a keen n interest in continuing maintaining research activities .y in the area. Psycho-Social Effects of Terrorism on the Muslim World While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer, nothing is more difficult than to understand him. (Mikhailovich Dostovsky) The Muslim World has endured a succession of terrorist attacks in the last decade and faced the war against terrorism with endurance and resilience. The countries most affected were Iraq, Gaza, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and particularly the FATA region in Pakistan which has been labelled as the centre of terrorist training. Pakistan also became the first line of defense in this War on Terror. The most distressing aspect of this war is the amount of destruction, damage and killing of innocent civilians of these regions. Ironically the damage done following the declaration of this war is to a large extent much greater than the loss which resulted due to the actual terrorist incident of 9/11 in New York. The Muslims worldwide have confronted the worst degree of terrorism from the powers who claim to bring peace and justice in the world. It is logical and justifiable to control and battle against those who are involved in such degrading and inhumane acts of terrorism, however, some contemplation is necessary to remodel unreasonable and illogical methods or strategies chosen to fight this terrorism. The international media has been a major partner in this war against terrorism and played a key role in portraying religious extremism in Islam as the major cause of present-day terrorism. But this is untrue since Islam is primarily a religion of peace, love and harmony. Unfortunately, clerics who have limited knowledge of the teachings and values of the Islam have misguided some people for their vested interests. The misinterpretation of the teachings of Islam by irresponsible clerics has led to fanaticism. Islam is the most practical religion of the world. As narrated by Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi:[26] The concept of human rights in Islam is based on two important principles: dignity of human beings and justice. Islam emphasizes that all human beings are honoured by Allah subhanahu wa taala. Allah wants all human beings to live in peace and harmony and for this reason He wants us to establish justice in this world. Without justice there is no dignity and without dignity and justice there cannot be any peace. There are several passages in the Holy Quran verifying the above narration: If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what God (Allah) hath revealed, they are (no better than) unbelievers. (Holy Quran 5:44). o ye who believe! Stand out firmly for God (Allah), as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear God (Allah). For God (Allah) is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (Holy Quran 5:8). Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without justification. Violating this rule is equivalent to killing all of humanity: if anyone slew a person — unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land — it would be as if he slew the whole people. (Quran 5:32). Hence the Holy Quran advocates that death of a single human being is a death of humanity. At present it is vital to understand that words terrorism and war against terrorism apparently seems to be propaganda against Islam and Muslims. Such perceptions against Islam and the Muslims have taken a toll on the social, psychological and emotional well-being of Muslims in different parts of the world. (Zafar, 2007).[27] Psycho-Social Impacts of Gaza Conflict: On 31 January 2008, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) organized a Conference on Effects of Siege on Life and Mental Health of Palestinians in Gaza Strip. Taysir Diab, Clinical Psychiatrist and Supervisor at GCMHP, talked about the mental impacts of the siege based on GCMHPs experience. He stated that there It is not one, but were a group of bio-psycho social factors that which caused mental illness. Diab of these factors under the siege on Gaza; and that the and its psychological, physical and social impacts of these factors were clinically identifiable. The siege, he said, had a direct effect on the appearance of new psychiatricmental cases and the relapse of old ones. There are personal differences on the physical and psychological levels; there are protective factors such as religion, patriotism, norms and values, as well as social support. All these factors along with others contributed in the protection of individuals. and the development of new mental illnesses in the Palestinian people. According to Diab, a vast majority of the Palestinian populations were suffering from symptoms of psychiatricmental disorders. He pointed out that the clients of GCMHPs Community Centers suffered from various psychological problems, including panic, insecurity feelings of insecurity, easily provoked aggressiveness, anger, easily provoked, psychosomatic disorders, depression, frustration, low morale, fear, poor concentration, lack of belonging or affiliation, lack of confidence in self and others, emotional numbness,numbness, and PTSD symptoms., various physical complaint, Oobsessiveon-Ccompulsive Disorders were common, and there was a definite rise in illness relapses.rise in illness relapses. Diab further mentioned that the siege affected the vulnerable groups, in particular children who suffer increasingly from fear, panic, and at times apathylack the feeling of risks, tendency of sadness and insecurity feelings of insecurity., as well as Bbed-wetting and stutteringstuttering, was also a common presentation. He also pointed that the siege affected the mental health professionals in term of increasing their mental stresspressures and state of frustration, avoidance, nervousness, and professional burn-out. Furthermore, Ahmad Abu Tawahina, Senior Clinical Psychologist and Director General of GCMHP, statedmentioned that the major aimplan behind the siege imposed by Israel wasis to implantinstil panic and fear among the Palestinians citizens. He said: We, as Palestinians, must never live a frustrating and despairing life and have to get rid of the negative impacts of siege since life goes on, and the professionals must exert all efforts in order to help people cope with the difficult situations. Twahina also stated that it was vital that Palestinians should not drown in terror and fear since most of the above mentioned symptoms are natural reactions to a madcrazy reality. He also addressed the concept of victimof victim psychology and commented on the importance of offering the mental services for people who suffer from frequent depressions, and increasing concerns. According to him the mental suffering affects everybody but at different levels, and that theere is depression, anxiety, tension, and despair is prevalent at the entirewhole community levels. In his work paper, . Samir Zaqout, a psychologist at GCMHP, discussedtalked about the social changes resulting from the siege. He statedadded that: the siege started in 1948 when Israeli Occupation practiced siege policy in an attempt to deny the Palestinians their identity: The siege is doubled as it is imposed by Israel and the international community since they didnt allow the Palestinians to practice their rights in a democratic way. Further, Zaqout pointed that the siege affected the Palestinian social fabric and domestic relations as hatred and tendency of revenge increased among the Palestinians. It also affected the moral values and accepting the other as well as increasing inter and intra familial disputes and conflicts. Summing up the proceedings of the Conference Eyad el Sarraj pointed to the significance of highlighting such statistics and showing the direct impacts of the siege on the citizens. He stressed on the importance of the accuracy and avoiding exaggeration in stating any statistics. Sarraj focused on the victim psychology. He said: Since we, as Palestinians, shouldnt adopt the role of victim, and exaggerate in blaming others and defaming ourselves. Our priority should be national reconciliation and unity and supporting the Palestinian resiliency so as to achieve our legitimate rights, endorsed by international conventions. Concluding the conference the mental health experts reiterated that it was crucial that the siege must end and professionals must undertake their roles in the field of education and mental health. This would be the first step in to bring some semblance of normality to the lives of the Gaza Community. This step was vital, in order to enable them to cope with negative consequences of the siege and minimize the resultant burdens. Moreover, it was agreed to work on the promotion of mental resilience programs for ending the siege and developing coping strategies to counter the negative mental health consequences. It was agreed that the Palestinian people are steadfast and live with dignity, and should not bend or despair and take matters positively and effectively in order to resist all schemes aiming at weakening Palestinian social fabric, and to achieve the Palestinian rights in freedom, independence and establishing the Palestinian state. Further, the attendants emphasized the importance of working, as specialists in various fields, on influencing the decision makers in the Palestinian society and acquaint them with the destructive impacts of the siege at all levels, especially the mental health of the future Palestinian generations. The physical and mental health needs of sufferers of Gaza are extremely challenging to address, particularly the psychological and emotional crises. During the last Israeli military strike in the period from December 2008 to January 2009, approximately 1380 Palestinians were killed, of whom 431 were children and 112 women. (United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (2009). At least 5380 people were injured, including 1872 children and 800 women. In these improvised settings within health facilities such as maternity wards and operating theatres were transformed into trauma units. The consequences must be drastic in terms of maternal and child morbidity and mortality because 3500 deliveries were expected to have taken place during the twenty-three days of military operations. Findings from a recent UNFPA assessment indicate that, during that period there was an increased number of miscarriages in pregnant women (Shifa, Al Aqsa, Naser, Rafah), and an increased neonatal mortality in Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. (UNFPA, (2009). According to World Health Organization (WHO), only the rough estimates show that during the last Gaza crisis 25000 to 50000 people underwent severe mental stress and need some form of psychological intervention to address long-term effects. Women, separated children, elderly people, and people with prior physical or mental disabilities are at high risk of severe emotional distress than others. The restoration of normal socioeconomic conditions, secure living

Application Of Industrialised Building System Construction Essay

Application Of Industrialised Building System Construction Essay This is because under the Seventh Malaysia Plan (1996-2000) the Government of Malaysia for the first time to introduced the Low Medium Cost Housing category (the previously it was classified together with medium cost housing category) due to the always increasing demand for housing in this category. In additional, it is to ensure that the middle low income group with salary ranging from RM1,501.00 to RM2,500.00 per month and able to own a house. However, the pricing of low medium cost housing are around RM42,001.00 to RM60,000.00 per unit only. Using IBS in this types of housing project are more suitable because high volume and stability of demand for buildings is the advantages of using IBS. Besides that, it will also reduce the selling price of low medium cost housing. The IBS is a manufactured the building components at factories (off site manufacture), will enable cost saving; safety and health; productivity and quality improvement through the reduction of labour intensity and construction standardisation. Apart from this method, it also offers minimal site wastage, less site materials, cleaner and neater environment, controlled quality, and lower total construction costs. Using higher percentage of IBS in the construction of public housing and other building projects will provide better productivity, quality, and safety, especially for the total construction time saving and cost saving. IBS will contribute towards a better construction industry, as well as improve the global competitiveness of Malaysian builders. Nowadays, IBS in Malaysia become more popularity in the construction industry especially for the Government project. An early effort by the Government of Malaysia to promote usage of IBS and develop an Open Building system (OBS) concept as an alternative to conventional and labour intensive construction method has yet to make headway. According to Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed, the prefabricated parts will be used in all Government projects in a proposal to reduce the dependence on foreign workers. Besides that, it wills also reducing inherent social problems involving these foreign workers. The use of prefabricated parts was part of the IBS which would be adopted for all Government projects. The Government of Malaysia has ordered all government agencies carrying out development and peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s housing projects to use at least 70% IBS content in those projects. In the beginning, literature review was conducted to determine an overall idea regarding IBS for public housing. This refers to collecting the latest secondary data and information from different sources which including books, journals, magazines, dissertations, conference papers, and information from the internet. These materials were used for background reading to obtain full understanding and information needed for discussion and analysis in the research. Conventional construction method is defined as components of the building that are prefabricated on site through the processes of timber or plywood formwork installation, steel reinforcement, and cast in-situ. This construction method is mostly built of reinforced concrete frames for conventional building. Using the wooden formwork mainly is for the traditional construction method and need take some time to construct the formwork before concreting. This construction method is much more costly for construction which is need includes total labour requirement, raw material, transportation and very importance once is low speed of construction. The main objective of a cast in-situ construction method is to weed out and reduce the using traditional timber formwork, brickwork, and plastering. A carefully planned in-situ work can maximise the productivity, speed and accuracy of prefabricated construction. Cast in-situ method uses lightweight prefabricated formwork made of steel or fibreglass or aluminium that is easily erected and dismantled. The steel reinforcement is placed within the formwork after finishes construct the formwork. After placing the reinforcement they are being erected and concrete is poured into the mould. When the concrete is set and according to the required strength, the moulds are dismantled. The workers can be easily trained to erect the moulds and set the steel reinforcement. These construction methods are required limited labour and it will reduce the total labour need. Its advantages over the conventional construction method include, low skill workers requirement, speedy construction, low building m aintenance, durable structure and less construction cost. These prefabricated timber framing systems is using the timber in the construction industry for construct the building. Usually the timber framing system are consists of timber building frames and timber roof trusses (show as below figure 7). While the steel framing systems have been the more popular choice on construction industry, but the timber roof truss system also have its own market where it is offering interesting designs from simple dwelling units to buildings requiring high aesthetical values such as chalets for resorts. This prefabricated timber framing system we can see in the traditional building. Prefabricated construction in Malaysia started way back almost fourth years ago with the completion of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Public Housing Estate or commonly known as the Pekeliling Flats. No proper plan was formulated by the government for the industrialisation of construction and until the inception of the IBS Roadmap 2003-2010. This is a master plan to facilitate the transformation the Malaysian construction sector was formulated with inputs from industry and endorsed by the Cabinet back in October 2003. Known as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Industrialised Building System (IBS) Roadmap 2003-2010à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , the master plan is based on the 5-M Strategy (Manpower, Materials-Components-Machines, Management-Processes-Methods, Monetary economic and financial and Marketing promotion) with the aim of having an industrialised construction industry as well as achieving Open Building by the year 2010. The transformation of the construction sector is crucial in ensuring the successful achieveme nt of Vision 2020. Each part on the IBS Scoring was having their own rules and regulation to calculate the points. For example: under Part (1): Structural System, the points are awarded for various types of structural system used such as precast concrete beams and columns, steel, and prefabricated timber. For the Part (2): Wall Systems, the points are awarded based on various types of wall systems used such as precast concrete panel, glass, dry partition and block work. For the Part (3): Other Simplified Construction Solutions, the points are awarded based on usage of other simplified construction solution for example standard components based on MS 1064, standardized grids, other 3D prefabricated components (prefabricated toilets, and staircases). IBS Score calculation only considers the superstructure elements of a building and sub-structure works are not taken into account in the calculation.

Why Religion Is Important Essay -- Why Study Religion?

"You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself." -- Swami Vivekananda "I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is." -- Albert Camus In this essay, I will explore the religious experience in general and some of its variations around the world. The focus will be on the types of religious beliefs and religious leaders, especially in small-scale societies. An exploration of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or any other major religion is beyond the scope of this essay. The approach taken is that of cultural relativity--religious practices or beliefs are not evaluated in terms of their "correctness" or "sophistication" but, rather, in terms of their function within the societies that have them. What is Religion? A religion is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings. Religious beliefs provide shape and meaning to one's perception of the universe. In other words, they provide a sense of order in what might otherwise be seen as a chaotic existence. Religions also provide understanding and meaning for inexplicable events such as a loved one being killed in an earthquake or some other unpredictable force of nature. For most religious people, their beliefs about the supernatural are at the very core of their world views. Rituals in Religion The performance of rituals is an integral part of all religions. Rituals are stylized and usually repetitive acts that take place at a set time and location. They almost always involve the use of symbolic objects, words, and actions. For example, going to church on Sunday is a common religious ritual for Christians around the... ...what is right and wrong behavior. If individuals do the right things in life, they may earn the approval of the gods. If they do the wrong things, they may suffer supernatural retribution. For instance, the most sacred text of Islam, the Koran, not only provides detailed lists of specific kinds of crimes and appropriate earthly punishments, but it also gives descriptions of how to do mundane tasks such as eating specific kinds of food. The sacred texts of religions usually set precedents for proper behavior in common situations. The Judeo-Christian Bible stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, Noah, Job, Moses, Solomon, and even Jesus provide examples of how virtuous people should lead their lives. It does not matter whether the sacred stories or myths of a religion actually occurred in every detail--they are still illustrative of correct thought and behavior.

Good And Evil Are Bedfellows in Flannery O’Connor A Good Man is Hard to

The Flannery O’Connor story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† illustrates a parallel between the Misfit and the grandmother, showing that good and evil are not mutually exclusive in an individual. The grandmother and the Misfit display a flowing, changing state of character, representative of this shift. Flannery O’Connor develops these two characters on the surface as simply being a good person and a bad person. However, there is more to each character than the surface level, as they exhibit traits that wouldn’t ordinarily seem fitting in regards to what would be expected. It is this complexity in human characteristics that O’Connor takes the time to develop and show the audience the depth of humanity. William Burke defines the bond between the Misfit and the grandmother by observing a â€Å"shared moral principle† (99). This moral principle is the belief that they deem themselves a good person, though, for entirely different reasons. As the family begins its trip, despite her initial objections, the grandmother is content with the ride (O’Connor 203). Her agreeable nature portrays her as being a kind old woman and therefore the good person she strives to be. Despite his criminal history, the Misfit is introduced as a considerate motorist, stopping to help the injured family and their damaged vehicle (208). Considering his reputation, had he truly been a man of evil, the family would have been in immediate danger, as opposed to just the point from when the grandmother recognized him. Upon the realization that the Misfit may, in fact, be no different than one of her own children, her subsequent murder reveals the Misfit’s own regrets about his misdeeds (Oà ¢â‚¬â„¢Connor 212). On the other hand, the grandmother and the Misfit both â€Å"act... ...s in mind â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Come By† because a solely good man is a rarity among individuals. Regardless of the role the person may have in society, a grandmother or a criminal, perhaps, there are more intricate blends in a personality than just good or evil. Works Cited Burke, William. "Protagonists and antagonists in the fiction of Flannery O'Connor." The Southern Literary Journal 20 (1988): 99. Evans, R. (1997, January). A good man is hard to find. Short Fiction: A Critical Companion, Retrieved November 23, 2008, from Literary Reference Center database. Kane, Richard. "Positive deconstruction in the fiction of Flannery O'Connor." The Southern Literary Journal 20 (1987): 45. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2007. 202-212.

Astron 2b03

Astronomy / Origins 2B03 Practice Midterm Questions 1. Our solar system is located in the a) Milky Way's galactic halo b) Milky Way's central bulge c) Milky Way's galactic disk d) space between the Milky Way and its neighbouring galaxies e) none of the above 2. What happens when you shine a laser beam horizontally across a room? ) the light would be deflected upwards slightly b) the presence of the gravitational field makes the light move slightly faster c) light travels a perfectly straight path d) the path of the light is curved downward very slightly e) none of the above 3. The terrestrial planets are a) Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars b) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune c) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto d) Venus, Earth, and Mars e) none of the above combinations 4. From lowest energy to highest energy, which of the following correctly orders the different categories of electromagnetic radiation? a) gamma rays, X rays, visible light, ultraviolet, infrared, radio b) visible light, infrared, X rays, ultraviolet, gamma rays, radio c) radio, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X rays, gamma rays d) infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X rays, gamma rays, radio e) radio, X rays, visible light, ultraviolet, infrared, gamma rays 5. Evidence of the expansion of the universe is shown by a) the Einstein Cross b) the 4. billion year age of the Earth c) the abundances of the elements in stars d) the redshifts of distant galaxies e) time dilation 6. Suppose we look at two distant galaxies: Galaxy 1 is twice as far away as Galaxy 2. In that case, a) Galaxy 1 must be twice as big as Galaxy 2 b) we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at an earlier time in the history of the universe than Galaxy 2 c) we are seeing Galaxy 1 as it looked at a later time in the his tory of the universe than Galaxy 2 d) Galaxy 2 must be twice as old as Galaxy 1. ) none of the above 7. A black hole and a normal star have the same mass. They each have an Earth-sized planet orbiting them at the same distance as the Earth is from the Sun. a) the black hole pulls harder on its planet than the normal star does b) the two planets feel identical pulls c) the normal star pulls harder on its planet than the black hole does d) the planet is sucked into the black hole e) none of the above statements are correct 8. Which of the following is not part of the official International Astronomical Union definition of a planet? A planet †¦ a) is close to round in shape b) is a satellite c) is in orbit around the Sun d) has â€Å"cleared the neighbourhood† around its orbit e) none of the above 9. We can determine the distance to a galaxy that contains Cepheid variable stars by using a) the period-colour relation b) the mass-luminosity relation c) the mass-radius relation d) the period-luminosity relation e) none of the above 10. Ann sees Bob travel by her in a very fast spaceship a) Ann observes Bob’s clock to be running slowly and Bob observes Ann’s clock to be running slowly b) Ann observes Bob’s clock to be running slowly and Bob observes Ann’s clock to be running fast c) Ann observes Bob’s clock to be running fast and Bob observes Ann’s clock to be running slowly d) Ann observes Bob’s clock to be running fast and Bob observes Ann’s clock to be running fast e) something else 11. Which space time diagram(s) violate special relativity? a) ii b) ii and iv c) iv and v d) i and iii e) iii and v

Advantages and Disadvantages of Teamwork

Advantages and Disadvantages of Teamwork Advantages: * The first and the most important advantages of group work is that it increases the total productivity. You can use the very best of every member of the group and thus have quality output. The best skills of every member of the group are utilized to the maximum, and thus there is no compromise on the productivity when you are working as a group. This advantage would undoubtedly come first in the list of advantages and disadvantages of working in groups. The more members you have in a group, the more resources you have at the end of the day. This means you can meet more ends with these resources. Another way to look at it is that as the number of people go on increasing, the knowledge of the team also increases. All these people bring in their very own experience which adds to that of the group. This means, at the end of the day, the group has more knowledge, more experience and more resources. The assets of the company just increa se in this way. * When you give a particular project to a group for completion, you also give them a deadline.When there are more number of people working in a group, you naturally intend to trust that group more as they have the manpower. If a few of the members are absent or not coming to work, the rest can still finish the project. Groups are bound to land up with more projects as they can develop more number of plans and more options for one particular problem. In the end, you are more in profit if you work in a group. * When you work alone, you are automatically biased towards someone or something. You are human and this is bound to happen from the best of managers.However, when you work in group, you reduce that bias considerably. While working in a group, you need to tell everyone why you are taking a particular decision. Once you tell the entire group about your decision, even they have to agree to it so that you can execute it. This way, you tend to think in a more professi onal way, which works better for you! Disadvantages: * One of the greatest drawbacks of working in a team is that there is no freedom of doing as you wish. How much ever you prove your point and the rationality of applying your decision, it won't be agreed upon if the other members in the group disagree on it.Every action of yours needs approval from everyone else in the group. This becomes a bit time-consuming. Another problem is that working in a group is bound to give rise to ‘groupism', which might add to the negativity in the working atmosphere and hamper the quality of work, not the quantity. * Another important mention in all the advantages and disadvantages of working in groups is the time factor one needs to evaluate all the members of the group. Most organizations look at the overall output and don't look into the details if the work is presented as they wanted it.However, at such times, they don't realize that some employees have hardly put in any effort and some ha ve done maximum work. There are many escape routes while working in a group. Judging the productivity of every employee doesn't only take time but is sometimes, impossible if there are no records. * When you work in a group and achieve more than the productivity required, you are bound to get some rewards. Sometimes, these rewards are equal for all while at times, they aren't. Suppose there is only promotion available, who will get it?It is very difficult to measure the work done by every employee in comparison to others. This means that the possibility of unequal credit cannot be denied. Increments will vary for everyone in the group and this might add to the inequality. If ‘A' has done 10 things and ‘B' has done 100, B will be rewarded more in normal circumstances. Very few will take the efforts and check who has actually given more revenue. * While working in a group, many people develop a competitive attitude or approach towards their work. They are constantly trying to work ‘more' than the others.What they should actually focus on is working ‘better' than the others. This kind of attitude reduces the quality in the overall productivity and thus the objective of working as a team is lost. If you work in a creative field, this attitude will reduce the creativity to a great extent. Losing the focus is easy when all you are worried about is winning the race. Instead of competing with other groups members, people should compete with their own self to give a better output as an individual, and eventually as a team. * These were all the advantages and disadvantages of working in groups, that are not only mportant from the knowledge perspective but also because you need to find solutions to all the disadvantages. The benefits of working in groups undoubtedly weigh more than the disadvantages of group working. You need to focus more on the advantages of group work to gain maximum, quality output, efficiently. Thus, working together in group s and teams is more beneficial for a company or for a project in school even. Continue doing the same! By Neha Joshi Last Updated: 9/27/2011 Buzzle:Â  http://www. buzzle. com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-working-in-groups. html Advantages and Disadvantages of Teamwork Question: Advantages and disadvantages of teamwork. Answer: There are many advantages of teamwork. First is about this way can train people about leadership. Everyone knows that county needs a leader to maintain the freedom of our people. Leadership is important to person especially students because in future they have their own experience about this. In fact, this way will help students to get a job in the future. Second is about teamwork can save their time to do task that has given.Take example students, they have many assignment and task to do when studying at university. If they have great teamwork, they can submit their task before dateline. Students also have time to check the task to make sure it is perfect. Least but not last is about can make new friends. As a student at university, we need friends to help and caring each other. In teamwork, they can understand each other even though they in different races, culture and religions. This can make the relationship between team mates better. Next is about disadvantages.First is about trust to each teammate. We know that first thing about teamwork is trust each other. If someone of them is cheating or do something negative, teamwork will become worse and not united. In addition, task will not complete in time and make them fail to success about this task. Teams that have many members also give disadvantage of teamwork. That is because some of them don’t do the great job that have given and not successfully complete it. It is better for small group consist of 5-6 people to make work easier.Besides that, this way will not give people a real experience to do a full task and difficult for them to understand the whole task. Last point is about hard to meet the teammates each other to discuss about task. As a student, they have different timetable and hard to find a free time to discuss. Sometimes they have class; lecture and even some of them didn’t cooperate when we make a meeting. This problem wi ll make them left behind about what they have discussed earlier. It will takes time to meet again and repeat the same thing, so that the task will be late to be finished.

Cultural Stereotype Essay

Human beings are unique and different in many ways. However, people from other countries may also have certain similarities in character and perception. Cultural differences give people an idea on how to describe or identify a person who belongs to a certain group. Most of the time, people give a preconceived or oversimplified generalization about another group of people. The world is full of different groups of people that make up the whole of the society. These groups, however, have their own classifications based on how people perceive them. Stereotyping can sometimes be positive, but it may also bear a false assumption toward a certain group or person. Stereotyping is definitely inevitable because this is one way of giving a certain group an identity for them to be easily recognized by the people who share the same perception towards them. In most cases, stereotyping affects the way the society views a certain group of people, and worst, the image and perception that the society has towards them may be considered as reality rather than just a representation of that group. For example, the society looks at women as oppressed and vulnerable while the teenagers are perceived as aggressive and carefree individuals. The politicians are viewed as cheaters and liars while the loner people are stereotyped as weird or geek. These kinds of perception are stored in the minds of other people until they get to know one person from the group and prove that not all people with the same color, interests, gender, and designation have the same characteristics. Most often, however, stereotypes are wrong and negative which instill a permanent image or representation of an individual who belong to that cluster. The world might have been changing but the stereotyping remains as old as the culture that each country or each group has reserved for the past centuries. It is a manifestation that stereotyping can never be avoided or eradicated for it is part of the lives of the mainstream. Oftentimes, stereotyping offends the person or the group because of exaggeration in naming and injustice in giving information without proper evidences. Unfortunately, a certain group that had been rendered a stereotyped judgment tends to create an image which would remain inculcated in the minds of the people in the society. The impression that a group leaves to the people around them would be the same impression that would be gained by the other group which looks, acts, talks, and even shares the same beliefs with them. It has been said that mass media is one of the strongest factors in creating a stereotype judgment toward a person or a group. Apparently, people pattern their views based on how media portrays a specific group on media sources. The media does not teach the society on how they should perceive a group but their portrayal of that group on television shows, magazines, newspapers, and radio would give people an idea on the characteristics of the individuals that certain group has. Sadly, the media most of the time, tends to overlook the consequences of negative depiction of a certain group. On the other hand, stereotyping makes a certain group distinct from others. Because of the image that the society created pertaining to them, a group would be easily recognized and would gain a unique identity. Stereotyping may be favorable to those that have been having a good image representation because the society may not easily notice their negative sides. However, it would be unfair for those who already have a negative judgment from the society because people may perceive them only based on what they have learned and heard about that specific group. Every individual believes and practices different cultures and these may affect the way people view one another. However, making themselves familiar to the culture and beliefs of others may somehow lessen the negative impact of stereotyping. As stated in this article, not all stereotypes are bad and damaging for a group of individuals who share the same perspectives. Rather, it is the ignorance and the refusal of another group to know more about the culture of the other that makes it offensive. People should evaluate first the image that they have conceived from other people or from the media in order to avoid the negative perceptions caused by stereotyping.