Evolution and Human Beings Essay

Allama Muhammad Iqbal is one of the most outstanding poet-philosophers of the Indian sub-continent belonging to the modern period. His intellectual genius has reigned supreme in the arena of Islamic philosophy during the twentieth century and is likely to direct and influence the Islamic Intellectual tradition in the twenty first century as well. His sublime poetry and philosophy inspired millions of Muslims to wake up to the reality of the times and forge a destiny for themselves. Iqbal explained evolution on the basis of his religious knowledge as well as his experiences in the western society. One of the facets of Iqbal’s genius is the fluidity with which he displays his in-depth knowledge and critical analysis of both Islamic and Western philosophies, theories and concepts. He compared the Quranic concepts of evolution with the western ones. Then, he gave his own concept of evolution. Allama Iqbal’s Concepts of Evolution: Allama Iqbal is against the concept of a fixed and static universe. He consistently upholds that existence reveals itself in constant change. If there is anything which is constant, it is the change itself. According to him, God‘s creative activity is ever-continuing and He is constantly sustaining this universe. God is not only the cause but also the reason of the universe. He believed that the Ultimate Ego was Allah, who, though transcendent in His essence, was intimately connected to human beings through His amr. For Iqbal amr stood for the creative power and will of God. He gave the concept of ‘egos’. At the lowest level egos are unconscious, in the higher order of being, they become conscious. Egos achieve utmost consciousness and finally become self-consciousness in human beings, the highest being in nature and the vicegerent of God. Man is the only being awarded with moral freedom and responsibility. Using his freedom of choice with responsibility, humans approach closer and closer the excellence that is divine. Being conscious of one’s real self i.e self realization is the goal of moral actions. Self, according to him, is of two kinds. The efficient self which actually operates and has dealings with others in spatio-temporal world. The appreciative self which is the real ‘I-amness’ and is divine in nature. It is the self which has to be recognized to have a new and different perspective about the world. The process of evolution and self-realization is not aimless. Iqbal believes that it is purely purposive in nature. However, there is no pre-determined single purpose towards which evolution moves. Rather, fresh goals ever continue to be created during the evolutionary course. Obedience, self-discipline and vicegernce of God are three degrees of development of self in man by passing through which he attain the ideal of a perfect manhood. Analysis: This theory explains evolution in a very unique way. Being a muslim, i find no fault in this theory as it explains everything very clearly and its evidence can also be found in the Quranic verses. The way he has explained everything in the islamic context makes it very difficult to contradict with this theory. Following is the elaboration and analysis of this evolutionary theory on the basis of Iqbal’s explanation, in my own words. Concept of Change: As he was of the opinion that the universe is not static, this is true. We can also find it in the verses of Surah Yaseen. God has talked about the way sun, moon, stars and all the planets keep moving all day and night long. Physicists have also proved that things which appear to be solid and motionless are also in constant state of motion. Their particles also vibrate in a specific manner but we can not sense or feel it. Evolution itself is a process which denotes change. There are hundreds and millions of processes which are occurring in the universe in a continuous manner. So, Iqbal’s idea of an ever-changing universe is true. Concept of Evolution: His answer to the question â€Å"how did man first emerge?† is â€Å"he arose through evolution.† For this purpose, we can quote the following verses of Quran: â€Å"Does not man bear in mind that we made him at first when he was naught?† (19:67) â€Å"Yet we are not thereby hindered from replacing you with others your likes or from producing you in a form which ye knew not! Ye have known the first creation, will you not reflect† (56:60-62). He explained his answer on the basis of above mentioned verses. Iqbal claims that, â€Å"this suggestive argument embodied in the last verses of the two passages quoted above did in fact open a new vista to Muslim philosophers. It was Jahiz who first hinted at the changes in animal life covered migrations and environment generally. The association known as the ‘Brethren Of Purity’ further amplified the views of Jahiz – Ibu Miskawaih, however, was the first Muslim thinker to give a clear and in many respects thoroughly modern theory of the origin of man.† In this context, we can say that Darwin said nothing new as the concept of evolution was already present in Islam from the very beginning. Tawheed: Iqbal is not in the favour of deism according to which God became uninterested in this universe after creating it and now it is operating on its own. This is not possible and in accordance with the rules of nature. God is continuously in contact with the universe and is governing every bit and part of it. Being a muslim he added the concept of Tawheed, oneness of God in the theory of evolution. He believed that the concept of tawhÃŒ £iÌ„d contained within it the unity of the spirit and matter, body and soul, the individual and society. The Ego (Khudi): According to this theory of creative evolution, the Ultimate Ego manifests itself, from the lowest forms of matter to the highest evolutionary form i.e. the spiritually most advanced human personality. God is the supreme ego from which only egos are produced. In Iqbal’s words, â€Å"Indeed the evolution of life shows that, though in the beginning the mental is dominated by the physical, the mental as it grows in power, tends to dominate the physical and may eventually rise to a position of complete independence.† What Iqbal means by this is that the process of creative evolution involves a gradual growth of the human individuality or ego (khudi). Iqbal used the word khudiÌ„ to denote the ego, the individuality of a person or the self. He described khudi as follows:- â€Å"Metaphysically the word khudiÌ„ (self-hood) is used in the sense of that indescribable feeling of ‘I’ which forms the basis of the uniqueness of each individual. Ethically the word khudiÌ„ means (as used by me) self-reliance, self-respect, self-confidence, self-preservation, self-assertion when such a thing is necessary, in the interest of life and power to stick to the cause of truth, justice, duty etc. even in the face of death. Such behaviour is moral in my opinion because it helps in the integration of the forces of the Ego, thus hardening it, as against the forces of disintegration and dissolution, practically the metaphysical ego is the bearer of two main rights that is the right to life and freedom as determined by Divine Law.† Iqbal believed in the gradual rising note of khudi or self-hood in the universe through the process of creative evolution till it reaches its highest potential in human beings. The universe according to Iqbal is the spatio-temporal order, where egos of varying levels dwell, interact and take part in the process of continuous change and continuous evolution. Iqbal’s concept of heaven and hell is d eeply connected to his concept of khudi. Hell is basically a disintegration and dissolution of the self or ego whereas heaven is a state where the personality has reached a heightened sense of self-awareness, self-consciousness and distinction. Hell is nothingness, an annihilation of the self. Heaven is the opposite of nothingness. It is to be real, an important, integral part of the Greater Reality. Iqbal quotes the Quran to support his concept of Khudi, the creative will and power inherent in human beings:- â€Å"And they ask thee of the soul. Say: the soul proceedeth from my Lord’s amr (Creative Will and Power) but of knowledge only a little is given to you.† (17:85) It is this nature of the soul that makes human beings distinct and the chosen ones from the rest of creation. Iqbal translates and interprets the word amr as the ‘Directive, Creative Will and Power of God.’ He believes that human beings can share in the creative activity of God by using their own God given creative will and power. Iqbal is an advocate of the freedom of the human personality. He quotes the Qur’an to substantiate his views: By the soul and He who has balanced it, and has shown to it the ways of wickedness and piety, blessed is he who has made it grow and undone is he who has corrupted it. (91:7-10) The ego grows from a position of hardly having any freedom from natural laws and natural appetites, to the position where the ego, through the use of its creative will and power, becomes more and more powerful, free, dynamic and independent. Iqbal says, â€Å"The ‘unceasing reward’ of man consists in his gradual growth in self-possession, in uniqueness, and intensity of his activity as an ego.† He says, â€Å"The fact that the higher emerges out of the lower does not rob the higher of its worth and dignity. It is not the origin of a thing that matters, it is the capacity, the significance, and the final reach of he emergent that matters†¦. It by no means follows that the emergent can be resolved into what has conditioned its birth and growth.† In fact the ideal of the evolutionary growth of the human personality is presented by Iqbal through the words of the Quran referring to the Prophet’s (PBUH) vision of the Ultimate Ego i.e. Allah at the nocturnal journey called the mi‘raaj: ‘His eye turned not aside, nor did it wander’ (Quran 53:17) When Prophet Moses came into contact with God’s Light, he could not sustain the impact. He lost consciousness due to the overwhelming effect of, in Iqbal’s words, the Ultimate Ego. But the emergence of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave perfection to human personality or ego in the evolutionary scale. Love or Ishq: Iqbal believed that behind the process of evolution is the vital impulse of ‘ishq’ or love which is metaphysical in nature and which makes life grow towards higher evolutionary goals. Goal of Evolution: Unlike Bergson, Iqbal believed that evolution has a goal. In fact, the evolution or dissolution of life is dependent on how far the individual chooses to use his or her creative will and power. The perfect man of Iqbal’s conception is mujahid who is ready and willing to face the problems of life, culture and society as he is to face the problems of after-life, spiritual welfare and death. The theory of ‘creative evolution’ as envisaged by Iqbal harnesses human creative potential under the spiritual discipline of religion as the instrument with which human beings become co-workers with God, effecting the destiny of the universe. In my point of view, it is a very comprehensive theory and I totally support it. I would like to end this debate in Iqbal’s words. In the Javid Nama God addresses human beings in this stirring call: Life is both mortal and immortal, it is all creativity and eagerness Art thou alive? Be eager, be creative Like us encompass the whole universe! Shatter into pieces what is uncongenial. Bring forth another world out of thy imagination! It is irksome to the man who is free, to live in a world of another’s making. He who lacks the power of creation is naught to us but an atheist and an agnostic! He has not taken his share of our Beauty. He has not eaten the fruit of the tree of life. Man of truth! Be sharp and incisive like the sword and forge the destiny of they own world!

Can Technology Make Us More Human? Essay

INTRODUCTION Humanity is the human race, which includes everyone on Earth. It’s also a word for the qualities that make us human, such as the ability to love and have compassion, be creative, and not be a robot or alien. While in the other hand, technology is a word with Greek origins defined as the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area. Besides, technology is a word used to collectively describe or portray the advancements, abilities, creations undertakings, views, and knowledge of a singular group of persons which is us, the humankind. When we speak about relationships between technology and humanity, it is evident that we have to deal with the interrelations between some very complex phenomena of technology, science society or systems of society and systems of rights of a universal nature. The discovery and development of a large number of powerful energy source-coal, petroleum and electricity have enabled humanity to conquer the barriers of nature. All of t his has facilities growth of fast modes of transport, which in turn has transformed the world into a global village. It has shaped our civilization from scrap. Every invention escalated human hunger to know more. Every time it has pushed human potential to a new level. Back in The Stone Age, when humans were still in a jungle, an invention like sharp stone helped them to hunt better and fire helped them to taste food better. Wheels helped them to explore new boundaries, and domestication of animals made life more secure. An invention of currency eased the transaction and barter system was let go. The colonial era began as the invention of advanced weaponry and transportation such as ships which changed the phase of history. More advanced inventions came like the birth of steam engines, the invention of corporations, and mass transportation gained momentum. Then, along came diesel engines, which personalized machine transportation even more. And the Wright brothers forever changed the way of travel by air transportation, like inventing aircraft. As for communication, transistors was the well-known invention, which changed the way we compute, including land phones which also a big part of the communication changes. Personal computers and workstations which reduced paper consumption in offices and mobile phones which permanently changed the world of communication. Then, the best invention of all is the Internet. It localized the whole world as it changed the way we look at the world. And created tons of entrepreneurs and innovators some of the best creation such as e-commerce, which changed the way we access our daily needs, social media which changed the way we communicate with other people, e-banking, which you don’t have to travel all the way, and stand in line just to transfer any amount you want. The e-wallets, which we do not have to stand in line to pay our electricity bills and phone bills. You also have the access to quality education from across the globe. While walking this path we have screwed up the following such as overpopulating the earth. The invention of medicine eradicated the deadly diseases thus reducing death rates. Within a century, we have increased 5 fold of population. We messed up the natural resources and permanently killing almost 30% of species of the Earth and 20% more are critically endangered species which may soon get extinct. Though we take a lot of pride in our invention and development, what we forgot is we share this planet with other species and if we don’t realize it soon, well the planet itself has its own way of controlling things.

AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1900 Assignment Two Essay

AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1900 Assignment Two - Essay Example The argument that social benefits would result from unrestrained enterprise sounds very sincere when one reads Hoover’s writing. He actually adopts a moderate position at some points, recognizing that abuses of power do occur in the business world. He acknowledges that exploitation is possible; therefore he renounces a laissez faire attitude towards the regulation of business (Hawley, 218). The problem arises, says Hoover, when government exerts too much control over business. That is when abuses occur, only this time it is the government in the role of abuser. Finding the balance seems to be his message, but he undeniably states that the vast majority of business should be unregulated or else individual freedom would be lost. These documents reveal that Hoover really views business as a noble benefactor to all who participate. He seems to assume that businesses will pay a fair wage because it is the right thing to do. He also seems to assume that discrimination of any type do es not exist. Discrimination of sex, religion or ethnicity really hinders the freedom of some groups in America. He ignores the fact that business does nothing to address discrimination and the resulting loss of freedom for the individuals affected. Work Cited Hawley, Ellis W. Herbert Hoover as Secretary of Commerce: Studies in New Era Thought and Practice. Des Moines: University of Iowa, 1981. Print. Americans responded positively to the new business spokesmen because their priorities had shifted and they were looking for a new way to address the ills of society. Americans have always felt that their nation was unique among other nations. Some have expressed the idea that America was a sort of Promised Land because of the ideals that are expressed in the Constitution. Others point the freedoms in the Bill of Rights while some point to the abundant natural resources of America as evidence for the nation’s success. That said, most Americans recognize that there are still abidi ng difficulties in our society. Discrimination, poverty and homelessness are problems that were present in the 1920’s, and they still exist today. Americans were so receptive to the idea that business could solve all of societies ills because they recognized some in America were treated unfairly and that there was inequality. Business was so attractive partly because many of the other social institutions had failed to remedy the problem. It is apparent that the writing of the pro-business supporters exposes some assumptions Americans make about their society based on past experiences. Specifically, it shows that Americans have long looked to religion and education to help cure some of the ills in society. Edward Purington was such a supporter of business that he said there was more Christianity in a square inch of the office equipment of leading industrialists that there was in an entire Sunday congregation (Lorence, 188). For Americans to buy into this sort of rhetoric, they must have had bad prior experiences with religion and education. Work Cited Lorence, James. Enduring Voices: From 1865. Washington D.C.: Heath, 1993. Print. The 1920’s were a time of great social change. Many different groups were trying to advocate for their place in society. Division along ethnic lines was especially fierce during this decade. Mexican and Japanese immigrants were routinely denied citizenship and discriminated against in the courts. The rise of the KKK happened during this decade as well

Web Activity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Web Activity - Coursework Example edicare patients who had enough wastes removed from their blood during dialysis (Dialysis Adequacy) in 2010 and patient Survival for January 2007 to December 2010. #9. This information would assist a patient in selecting a dialysis facility by showing you a comparison against all facilities in the United States against those in California with the one that you are looking at. This page also shows you which survival category the patients at the chosen dialysis centers fit into. #10. I would chose West Coast dialysis Center as their survival rate is as expected and this facility had a higher percentage of patients than the others who offered scores and was just under the national average in amount of patients who had enough wastes removed from their blood or had a URR of 65 or more. This facility also had a higher percentage of patients with hemoglobin over 12, 8%, which is less than the national average of 11% of patients. This is a measure that can be used to show how well anemia is managed that is associated with

Collaboration and decision support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Collaboration and decision support - Essay Example The managers access and utilise their required information (through data services option) to devise policies and prepare future plans. In addition, the system also identifies what information could be accessed and helpful for executives from different departments. The next support tool is ‘forecasting’, which enables managers to input business data in system so that system application automatically provides forecasts, estimations and certain calculations in the form of text, charts and tables. Hence, the manual process of forecasting is replaced with this new technology, thereby reducing time involved in decision-making and strategic planning. The third major support tool is known as ‘automatic report generation facility’, which provides updated daily / weekly / monthly reports on progress of the firm so that policy-makers will remain updated regarding business performance followed by changes in external environment. Also, the system provides email and conta ct facilities with real experts and other organisational personnel via intranet so that decision-makers could enhance interaction and information sharing before policy formulation. Reference Ba, Sulin, Karl Lang, and Andrew Whinston (1997). Enterprise decision support using Intranet Technology. Decision Support Systems, Volume 20, Issue 2, pp. 99-134

Analyze the way in which the Surrounded grounds its narrative in the Essay

Analyze the way in which the Surrounded grounds its narrative in the relationship of geographic space and indian identity. what do you make of the text's narrative landscape - Essay Example The paternal conflict between Max Leon and his sons, including his flawed connection with his wife Catharine brings forth the convergence in the novel. Catharine is the daughter of Running Wolf, an honorable Salish Indian man and known as faithful Catharine after her recent conversion. The bridges burned between them and the mostly disappointing offspring they have conceived together. Max, the patriarch of the family, was imprisoned for a crime his sons it appears hascommitted. Stealing cattle, the sheriff failed to arrest the Leon boys. After his release, Max built a grander house for his own and left his wife in the log cabin. The relationship between husband and wife is a testament to the undeniably challenging relationship among Native Americans and the immigrant Europeans. The life they shared seemed but mangled years of disconnect. Epitomized in the novel is the diversity among two immense cultural groups and their inability to understand one another despite their passive aggressive attempt to do so. It exemplifies the clash in culture that was brought upon by the influx of European immigration to the Americas. This brought upon detraction from the traditional way of life and a shift to the technologically advance European innovations. Life as the Natives knew it was swiftly becoming obsolete as the need to cope with the modern white men increases. Tribal cultures were in essence destroyed that it insinuated a feeling of alienation, opposition or inert tolerance to the fate they cannot possibly escape. Families, communities and people lost not only their lands but their identities in the process. But above all these, Mc Nickle painted the inherent connotative perceptions each group possesses for the other. This constitutes an undeniable conflict of contradiction and passivity. Yet it identifies a certain sense of self-awareness and of condescension for each other. Descending from a MÃ ©tis Indian lineage while his

Structure paper of presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Structure paper of presentation - Essay Example At a sore of 30 China features a low score on uncertainty shunning. Truth could also be relative although within the immediate social circles theres concern for Truth with a capital T and rules (but not essentially laws) abound. At a score of twenty China could be a extremely collectivist culture wherever individuals act within the interests of the cluster and not essentially of themselves. In-group considerations have an effect on hiring and promotions with nearer in-groups (such as family) are becoming discriminatory treatment. Worker commitment to the organization (but not essentially to the folks within the organization) is low. Whereas relationships with colleagues are cooperative for in-groups theyre cold or maybe hostile to out-groups. Personal relationships prevail over task and company. At sixty six China could be a masculine society –success minded and driven. The necessity to make sure success may be exemplified by the actual fact that a lot of Chinese can sacrifice family and leisure priorities to work. People are influenced by formal authority and sanctions and are normally optimistic regarding people’s capability for leadership and initiative. Individuals must not have aspirations exceeding their rank. The justice system ought to even have effective mechanisms for reducing, or altogether eliminating, scoundrel and corrupt parts of enforcement agencies. (Hedging against currency risk will add tier of safety to your offshore investments (Charles, 2002). Traditions are often custom-made to suit new conditions. Chinese folks acknowledge that government is by men instead of as within the Low LTO countries by an external influence like God or the law. Thinking ways in which specialize in the total or no confidence, contrastive with low LTO countries that suppose in probabilistic ways. There is abundant labour in

Need to come up with one from you Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Need to come up with one from you - Essay Example The first microscopes enabled the human eye to magnify an object up to 20-30 times but today a microscope can magnify an object up to 1500 times. With the invention of microscopes, the vision changed and it opened the doors to many other associated fields of inventions (Wilkin, 1911). Micro organisms were studied and cellular structures were discovered. Biological uses include tissue and cell analysis to examine for any diseases in the body, whereas in modern times, it is also used to see finger prints for evidence collection at a crime sight. Not only this, several enhancements were made to the original microscope including Compound Microscopes, Transmission Electron Microscopes, Scanning Electron microscopes and Dissection Microscopes (Strain, 2006). Later, when the curiosity to know more about the universe around us grew, telescopes were invented which changed the lives drastically. As the first step, the depressions on the surface of moon were noticed, the sunspots, the rings of the Saturn and the moons of the Jupiter were discovered using a telescope. Not only this but scientific reasoning methods, mathematical laws and logics were applied to understand how the universe works, which laid the foundations of modern astronomy. An exceptional discovery was made by Galileo about the surface of moon which was previously considered as smooth (Wilkin, 1911). He discovered that there are dark areas and shadows on the moon which change in accordance to the positioning of the sun. He concluded that these shadows were the craters and mountains on the surface of moon. Another stunning discovery was made by the use of telescopes that there are four large moons around Jupiter which also rotate. Later, Sir Issac Newton proposed the usage of a curved mirror instead of glass lens in the telescope. Soon after, in the seventeenth century binoculars were designed based on the idea of telescopes. Camera Obscura (the dark chamber) was used

Anna’s Courage and Determination That Results in Her Eventual Emancipation Essay Example for Free

Anna’s Courage and Determination That Results in Her Eventual Emancipation Essay English ‘Year of wonders’ Practice essay #1 â€Å"More than anything else, it is Anna’s courage and determination that results in her eventual emancipation’. Do you agree?† The circular structure Novel â€Å" Year of wonders† by Geraldine Brooks, details the events taking place at a small village called ‘Eyam’, through the eyes of the protagonist Anna Frith. Set in the 1600s, the town of Eyam (along with the rest of Europe) finds them self’s at the mercy of the devastating disease know as the bubonic plague. This relentless and unforgiving infection kills within days and spreads rapidly, making it near impossible to combat. In response, Eyam’s unofficial ‘leader‘ and rector, Mr. Mompellion, imposes a ‘voluntary’ quarantine on the village, which isolates them from the rest of the outside world, leaving themselves to deal with the fear and challenges brought by the plague. Throughout the testing times brought by the plague, the bravery and willpower of the main character Anna Frith is constantly evident and is the main reason why she is able to survive the plague and eventually free her self from the past, with her new life in Oran. This is shown in the novel through Anna’s fortitude to over come her great challenges and fears and her constant endeavor to help others. However her loss in faith throughout the novel also plays a role in the development of her new life. Through one of the most testing times of human history, a young and timid girl in Anna Frith responds by stepping up and growing strong. She had to face tasks, no ordinary women would be capable of, such as; laying her husbands body out for burial and dealing with the mangled remains of her father. And not to mention the countless amount of ‘death beads’ she attended. Further more we learn early learn of Anna’s fear of delivering babies and midwifing due to her mother due to a four-day labor. During this labor, a barber surgeon was called in and used a thatcher’s hook to pull the remains from Anna’s mother. With Anna’s father, Josiah, too intoxicated to realise Anna was in the room, she was exposed to seeing â€Å"the tiny town off arm of [her] stillborn sister† and â€Å"the pale, folded flesh, the tiny, perfect fingers open like a little flower†. This fear is over come by  determination when Elinor Mompellion requests Anna’s help to deliver Mary daniel’s baby. Anna was â€Å"not calm, nor certain and had no skill† but was a great help in the successful delivery of the baby and â€Å"in a season of death, we celebrated life†. Anna then realised that due to the dwindling numbers of the village, it was essential that Anna rise’s to the occasion and start burdening some of the load off Elinor’s shoulders. Anna performs very well in the delivery foreshadows that amount of deliveries she partakes in, and the eventual career path she takes with ahmed bey in oran. Further more, when a young orphaned girl is in desperate need of assistance to save her family mine, Anna jumps at the opportunity. She undertakes the dangerous task even though she dreads that it will leave her â€Å"dead in the dark like Sam†. Even In the presence of these fears she puts the needs of other before her own reservations. It is Anna’s Determination to over come her fear and apprehensions for the greater good of someone else that makes her â€Å"tempered and strong† and allows her release the shackles of her past at the end of the novel and start a new life in Oran. At a time when you were considered lucky to not be ravaged by disease, many would avoid contact with those affected, unlike Anna who was at the forefront helping. With the ever-smaller population of Eyam becoming smaller by the day, Anna realised that it was her duty to assist Elinor in give strength to the healthy, and to also bring solace and peace to those afflicted with the plague. She started becoming an established and capable caregiver even though her official role is as a servant. Through out the novel, Anna continued to help others in the town such as Mr. Mompellion in his duties as rector, Merry wick ford with the collection of led from her mine thus saving Merry’s claim, and also the with the adoption of the young Bradford baby, aisha. By adopting the her she becomes more independent and does not endorse the trends of other women during that time period and does not succumb to the prejudices of society. For Anna, surviving the plague was not enough, she states †Å"I was alive, and I was young, and I would go on until I found some reason for it†. With Anna’s willingness to help people during severely hard circumstances aided her in fulfilling her ambition to complete a â€Å"worthy life’s work† as a midwife on Oran. Although Anna’s persistence largely leads to her emancipation, her loss in faith is also attributed to her new life in Oran. Religion during the 1600s played a very significant role in how people thought, behaved and eventually how they tried to explain the cause of the plague. For many, including Anna, the plague was believed to be a punishment from god, sent to rid the earth of sin. When questioned, the town rector Mr. Mompellion could not explain why God had caused such devastation. Anna is seen to start to question her religious beliefs early in the novel when she says, â€Å"Why I wonder was god so much more prodigal with his creation† and â€Å"why should this good women (Maggie Cantwell) lie here, in such extremity, when a man like my father lived to waste his reason in drunkenness†. When Mr. Mompellion can’t explain the plague from a religious stance, many of the villagers look for other scape goats and turn to superstitions such as witch craft, an d hence the killing of Anys and near death of Mem. Anna does not succumb to the superstition and turns to a thought out explanation that â€Å"perhaps the plague was neither god nor the devil, but simply a thing of nature, as the stone on which we stub our toe†. This loss in faith of religious explanation allows her to find a reason to live purposely and let go of all her ties and memories with the rector. For the duration of â€Å"year of wonders†, Anna Frith demonstrates several strong and purpose driven characteristics that allowed for her to survive severely tough times and escape to her new life in oran. Anna was able to over come her fears, put peoples needs before her own and was able to let go of her religious beliefs which allowed her to move on with life and forget all elements of her past.

Directing Act II - the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Directing Act II the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet was originally a play written by William Shakespeare, who was a talented and popular playwright in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century. As there was no cinematography in his time, his plays were performed in theatres.  As I am directing Act II the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet, I have many advantages. In this day and age, we have the latest equipment and techniques for filmmaking. As a director I have to consider many technical factors such as camera angle, lights, effects, props and costumes. I am not going to muddle with the story line, but will make some changes, which will differentiate my scene from the original. To present a good performance, I will have to take some imperative factors into account. Such as the place the scene has in the overall structure of the play, historical background, the setting, development of character, themes and the use of language. Let me begin by describing the place the scene has in the overall play. Originally before Act II in Act I, we are introduced to the feuding families of the Montague and the Capulets. We learn that Romeo a youth, who is in despair with his unsuccessful love for a girl Rosanline, is the Montagues son. Eventually Romeo is persuaded by his friend Benvolio and Mercutio to go uninvited to a Capulet ball. There he meets Juliet who is the Capulets daughter and falls in love with her at first sight. The events in Act II describe what follows with this new love story. This scene infact is the turning point of the play. The plot begins to thicken from this scene on. I have decided that I will stick to the basic story line and begin my film with similar events. The next factor I have to consider is the historical background. Originally the story is based in Verona, Italy. Verona is a city-state, which is governed by a prince, such as present day boroughs and counties administered. In Verona there are two very powerful and wealthy families the Capulets and the Montagues. They have an ancient family feud between them of blood loss and killing. They are like cats and dogs always quarrelling with each other. My film will be based in Delhi, India. This is a huge district and is under the control of the commissioner of police. In Delhi there are two very powerful and rich industrialists who have a long aged feud between them. They would try to cause harm to each other at any cost. The setting is the factor, which will differentiate my scene from the original. As I have set my play in India. I will also set it in the modern era unlike the original, which was set in the seventeenth century. I will use modern day spoken English and not the original Shakespeare English. Modern day clothes will be worn, modern day props and environment will be used. I will have to keep factors such as camera angle, lights and effects in mind throughout the shoot of the scene. The set will be a massive mansion, which will be the Capulets house. This will just be a part of the house where Juliets balcony projects out. There will also be projections out of the wall where flowerpots will be kept and there will be creepers on the wall. This will eventually help Romeo to climb up to Juliets balcony. The filming of the scene takes place in the same manner as it took place in the original play. The shoot will take place at dawn, so that the dialogues correspond. The scene takes place like this; Romeo jumps over a wall and finds himself in a compound, which has a garden. He finds no one as it is early morning but sees the lights in Juliets room switched on. He tries to climb up to the balcony when suddenly Juliet appears. He remains quiet and listens to what Juliet is saying to herself. As Juliet is leaning on the balcony Romeo breaks his silence. Then both them become engaged in a romantic conversation. Then suddenly the nurse interrupts them. Juliet then becomes worried and excited tries to complete the conversation hastily. Eventually the they exchange vows and Romeo cautiously sneaks out of the Capulets mansion. The next factor is the development of character. As a director this is a factor I will have to stress upon in order to make my performance an attractive and successful one. In Act II The Balcony Scene there are many changes in the character of Romeo and Juliet. Basing my scene on the original, I will use the original lines to signify the change in character. Romeo at the beginning of the scene is immature and foolish. After seeing Juliet at the ball and falling in love at first sight, he tries to encroach into the Capulets house to meet Juliet. This was foolish of him as he was walking into a pit. Then when he is spying on Juliet, he expresses his feeling for Juliet to himself. He is idealistic about Juliet, for example It is the east and Juliet is the sun! Then eventually he becomes romantic and poetic, for example It is my lady, O it is my love! and The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp and Her eyes in heaven, Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night. He is very elaborative in his views about Juliet, such as O speak again bright angel, for thou art. When Romeo meets Juliet he carries on the conversation delivering his dialogues in his poetic, romantic and idealistic way. At a point in the scene Romeo even wishes for physical desire. For example O wilt thou leave me so unsatisdfied?Eventually at the end of the scene he becomes mature and plain in his expressions. For example By the hour of nine, he says this when Juliet asks him what time they should get married. Overall Romeos character is unbalanced and not focused. He is immature in his approach and gradually matures by the end of the scene. Most of the time he expresses his love for Juliet in an idealistic, poetic and romantic way. He likes to flirt and tries to touch the sentiments of Juliet. On the other hand Juliet is a person who is mature in her views. From the beginning till the end of the balcony scene she remains sober and focused about her views and expression. Her character remains being practical and down to earth. She shows passion towards Romeo at all times but with control emotions and feelings. In the beginning of the play she sardonically refers to Romeos and her selfs parents acting as wall between their love. For example Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not be but sworn my love; And Ill no longer be a Capulet. She also goes on describing the significance of their names in their love affair, for example Tis but thy name that is my enemy: Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. When Romeo breaks his silence and when they meet, Juliet becomes puzzled and curious about his presence, but she is also pleased within as for the effort he made to come. She refers by saying How camst thou hither, tell me, and wherefore; The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art. As the scene progresses Juliets character remains as same, being practical and focused about her views. She replies to Romeos elaborated comments with control emotion and lucidness. For example O swear not by the moon, thinconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Visiting Beijing, China †Peking! Tourist destinations

Visiting Beijing, China – Peking! Tourist destinations Beijing – Peking! NÇ  hÇÅ ½o! (Hello in Mandarin) Beijing is the second largest city in China and is known for its culture, politics and education. Beijing in Chinese means ‘Northern Capital’ and was known by many other names in its earlier days. It has been the home for the Ming and Qing dynasties and is surrounded by hills. This city, which hosted the Olympics in 2008 has a population of over 20 million and is the most populous city in China. A lot of tourists visit this vibrant city to see the city of culture and relish the traditional food and tea. You will also be fascinated by its various temples, architecture, culture, and museums. While you are here, do ensure that you see the Great Wall of China, one of the wonders of the world. Best Season to Visit Beijing Beijing has a continental climate with hot and humid summers and cold winters. Summers are very hot, but this doesn’t deter the tourists from visiting the city. Spring in Beijing is dry and warm and you will see dust storms. Smog can be a huge challenge as well which is more during winters. You will also see snow in winters with temperatures going below -10 degrees. The best time to visit Beijing is in the months of September and October (Golden Autumn season). Highlights (Special things to do in Beijing) Visit the largest square in the world, the Tiananmen Square. Be amazed at seeing the Great Wall of China! Explore the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), which is a UNESCO Heritage Site. Learn about Peking man and ancient archeological discoveries at the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site Museum. Visit the Lama Temple, which is the most traditional and magnificent among the numerous temples in the city and the best place to see the Tibetan traditions and prayers. Visit the interesting Bell and Drum Towers, which was used for time keeping in the earlier days. Visit the world famous National Stadiumalso known as the ‘Birds Nest’. Watch the theatre performances and acrobats that are unique and different from any other city in the world. Enjoy the sunset at Houhai Lake on a romantic boat ride with your loved one. Enjoy a peaceful leisure stroll at the Beihai Park. Explore the courtyard and streets of Hutong by walk or cycle rickshaw. Relish Beijing’s most famous Peking roast duck, lamb kebabs, candied haw berries at its restaurants or at the street shops. Experience visiting a Tea House, which has acrobatics and other folk performances at the tea ceremony. Relax at the end of your vacation with a Chinese massage with aromatherapy or shiatsu. Hotspots of Beijing Tiananmen Square: This is the largest square in the world and is one of the top things you have to see when in Beijing. The Square has numerous tourist attractions around it – Museum of the Chinese Revolution, Museum of the Chinese History, Great Hall of the People, Qianmen Gate, Monument to the Peoples Martyrs and several others. Great Wall of China: You can plan an afternoon to see one of the wonders of the world. You can see the ruins of the Great Wall, which was built by the Ming Dynasty. The Badaling stretch of the Great Wall with its beautiful landscapes is spectacular and will make you ponder how it was built in the earlier days. If you are fit, do attempt to trek at the Great Wall and make it an unforgettable experience. Forbidden City: Known as the Purple Forbidden City in Chinese, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the Palace Museum. It has the largest collection of ancient wooden structures preserving historical findings about the Ming dynasty. The architecture and collection of paintings is marvelous here. Summer Palace: Located by the Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, the summer palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Tower of Buddhist Incense is a prominent structure and can be seen from any part of the palace and garden. It is a popular tourist attraction for its architecture, gardens, bridges, temples and for the serenity around the palace. Beihai Park: This is the largest park in China. It is located by the lake and is famous for its numerous temples, structures and temples in the park. The highest point on the Jade Flower Island is the White Pagoda which is a prominent structure. Nine-Dragon Wall at the Five-Dragon Pavilions is famous across the country for its artistic paintings. There are several pavilions, temples and gardens inside the park which is a unique experience that you would like to see again. Beijing Zoo: The Beijing Zoo is popular for its adorable Pandas at the Panda Hall. The zoo has 16 exhibition halls with its most famous ones being the Panda Hall and the Gorilla Hall. The zoo has polar bears, giraffes, elephants, zebras, kangaroos, golden monkeys and various other animals. It is a perfect place for kids who will be fascinated and excited to see all the animals. Shopping in Beijing Beijing is known for its artistic craftsmen who create curios, silk, ivory carvings, pearl, jade and lacquer. You can shop for a lot of things in Beijing, which includes clothes, curios, jewelry, electronics, traditional silk printed items, artistic lacquer items and unique house decors. The popular shopping centers in the city are Xidan Commercial Street, Wangfujing Street, Hongqiao Pearl Market, Lufthansa Centre, Qianmen Street, Jade Factory and Silk Market. You must visit the Tea Street or Maliandao Tea City that have a large number of tea stores who stock an exceptionally high variety of tea. If you want to buy antiques then Panjiayuan Flea Market and Colored Glaze Factory are the places to visit. How to reach Beijing By Air – Beijing Capital International Airport (second largest airport in the world) is the main airport and caters to both international and domestic flights whereas Beijing Nanyuan Airport is a domestic airport. The airports are well connected with taxis and shuttles. Be careful about the taxi you take from the airport and make sure that the queue manager guides you to the right taxi. By Train – Beijing Railway Station is the main station; there 4 other stations – Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing East Railway Station, Beijing North Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station and Huangcun Railway Station. The main station, West and South connect all major cities within the country, Russia and North Korea. The others are smaller stations with lesser scheduled trains. By Road – There are several expressways to Beijing which are very well maintained and easy to commute by car. There are National highways as well connecting other major cities within the country. By Bus – There are long distance buses to/from Mongolia and Shanghai. The city has over 20 bus stations connecting all cities within the country. There are sleeper buses, regular and express buses. You can also avail meal services if you pay additional charges. How to get around in Beijing Taxis are the best way to get around in the city and also the most convenient and easily available anywhere in the city. The taxis are comfortable cars and fares are reasonable. The minimum starting fare is  ¥ 13 for 3 kilometers and then additional  ¥2.3 per kilometer. The downside is that not all taxi drivers speak English and you could waste time in traffic jams. Black cabs are more expensive. If you hire a cab be prepared for traffic jam delays and complicated routes. Subways have good connectivity to all parts of the city; they have English markings and are faster to travel to any part of the city and cheaper. Buses are also cheap but crowded and only some buses announce the stop names in English; the bus stop boards are not in English. Beijing has excellent bike lanes on all major streets and offers a good way to explore the city. Minibuses are ideal for countryside travel. Top areas in Beijing Beijing City Centre – This is the main financial center of the city. Most of the finance and media companies operate from the skyscrapers in this vicinity. The view of the city center from the Beijing TV Centre at night is spectacular. Beijing CBD International Business Festival is the most famous festival held here. The real estate prices in the area have been on the rise in the last decade. Chaoyang – The area has Beijing’s Central Business District and is famous for its restaurants, shopping, nightlife and the tourist attractions – Chaoyang Park , Chinese Ethnic Culture Park , Happy Valley Amusement Park , Side Park, Dongyue Temple , National Stadium , National Indoor Stadium , Olympic Sports Center Stadium , Art Museum of the Beijing Fine Art Academy, Blue Zoo Beijing, China National Film Museum, Sports Museum, World Trade Center Tower III and numerous art galleries and theatres. Chaoyang has the maximum tourist attractions in the city and is always busy bustling with tourists. Dongcheng – The city’s most famous Tiananmen Square is located in Dongcheng and this is surrounded by numerous tourist attractions – museums, galleries, parks, theatres and shopping arcades. Poetry Cafà © located in the area is a unique cafà © with a lot of travel and photography information. Xicheng – This is part of the old city in Beijing and is home to many tourist attractions that are rich in history and traditional architecture. There are numerous temples and parks and also Qianmen, Beijing Zoo, Fayuan Temple, Huguang Guild Hall, Capital Museum, Beijing Zoo and Aquarium and several others. National Centre for the Performing Arts stands out for its architecture and is a must see place if you visit Beijing. Haidian – Located less than an hour from the center of the city is Haidian which is famous for its Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace, Five Pagoda Temple, Purple Bamboo Par, Beijing Botanical Gardens, Fragrant Hills, World Art Museum Millennium Monument and Haidian Theater. Haidian is also famous for its shopping at New Wudaokou Clothing Market, Wudaokou Clothing Market and Golden Resources Shopping Mall and for electronics at Dinghao and Hailong. There are several clubs here that have live music bands playing among which D 22 is most famous. Sculpting in Time, Propaganda and Lush are popular pubs in the vicinity. Wangfujing – This is the most famous area in the city for shopping. You will see tourists in the area only for shopping; majority of the people who reside in this area are locals. The area has high end homes with the Qing dynasty and other aristocrats residing in the vicinity hence the name as Wangfu means ‘princely residence’. Houhai – The name means ‘Rear Sea’ in Chinese. It is a beautiful area that is famous for its lake. You can go for a boat ride during the day or at night both of which have stunning views of the city and landscapes. The area is famous for its restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs along the lake which attracts a lot of young locals and tourists. Xie Xie! (Thank You in Mandarin)

Bilingual Education: Building Bridges Essay example -- Education

Bilingual education, as an educational program, was initially promoted by educators in the seventies (Hunger of Memory 26) and since then has been a topic of many debates in America. Some argue that bilingual education only serves as a detriment to American culture. Others argue that bilingual education is beneficial to those who come to live in America and want to become a part of the culture, but lack proficiency in the English language. Two authors, who have each taken opposite sides of the debate on bilingual education in America, are: Richard Rodriguez and Ariel Dorfman. Richard Rodriguez believes that bilingual education creates a feeling of separateness between foreign language speakers and American society; therefore, bilingual education delays the formation of a public identity. In contrast, Ariel Dorfman argues that bilingualism in America will be a bridge to better understanding other cultures. I assume the position of being neither, against or entirely in favor of bilingu al education. I am in favor of bilingual education because it can be an effective segue to learning the English language and I believe it is very important to remain connected with our family’s language and culture. However, I also recognize the negative feeling of separateness from the larger public that bilingual education can have on foreign language speaking families, which hinders my ability to fully embrace bilingual education. Ariel Dorfman is an Argentinian author who struggled throughout his life to find a balance between the Spanish and English languages. As a result of Dorfman’s â€Å"bilingual journey† (Heading South 25), he argues that bilingual education is beneficial to American society. Dorfman believes that bilingualism will serve as a ... .... ---. Heading South, Looking North. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1998. Print Garcia, Maria E., Ofelia Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove Torres-Guzman. Imagining Multilingual Schools: Language in Education and Globalization. Clevdon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, 2006. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. Hadi-Tabassum, Samina. Language, Space and Power : A Critical Look at Bilingual Education. Clevdon, GBR: Multilingual Matters Limited, 2006. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. Rodriguez, Richard. â€Å"Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood.† Conversations: Reading for Writing. Ed.Gack Selzer. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 2003. 153-166. Print. ---. Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez. New York: Bantam Dell, 1983. Print Salomone, Rosemary C. True American: Language, Identity, and the Education of Immigrant Children. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.

Telecommunication :: essays research papers

Fuzzy Sets and Systems Lotfi A. Zadeh, The founder of fuzzy logic comp.ai.fuzzy New fuzzy archive by thread. Fuzzy Logic Tools and Companies. General sources of fuzzy information. Maintained by Bob John. Conferences and Workshops on Fuzzy Systems: 1990-2001 From the Parallel and Distributed Processing Laboratory of the Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece World Federation on Soft Computing Artificial Intelligence-related Frequently Asked Questions Professional Organizations and Networks International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA) IFSA is a worldwide organization dedicated to the support and development of the theory of fuzzy sets and systems and related areas and their applications, publishes the International Journal of Fuzzy Sets and Systems, holds International conferences, establishes chapters and sponsors other activities. Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Systems (SOFT) Established in 1989. SOFT has 1,670 individual members and 74 company members, publishes an official bimonthly journal and organizes fuzzy systems symposiums. There are 8 regional branches and 8 research groups in SOFT. Berkeley Initiative in Soft Computing (BISC) BISC Program is the world-leading center for basic and applied research in soft computing. The principal constituents of soft computing (SC) are fuzzy logic (FL), neural network theory (NN) and probabilistic reasoning (PR), with the latter subsuming belief networks, evolutionary computing including DNA computing, chaos theory and parts of learning theory. North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society (NAFIPS) As the premier fuzzy society in North America established in 1981, our purpose is to help guide and encourage the development of fuzzy sets and related technologies for the benefit of mankind. Please mail questions/comments to the NAFIPS president (president@nafips.org) or to the NAFIPS web site maintainer (webmaster@nafips.org). Spanish Association of Fuzzy Logic and Technologies Promotes and disseminates the methods, techniques and developments of Fuzzy Logic and Technologies; Establish relations with other national or international Associations with similar aims; Organizes seminars and round tables on Fuzzy Logic and Technologies. Fuzzy Research Groups in Spain. The European Society for Fuzzy Logic and Technology (EUSFLAT) Established in 1998. The main goal of EUSFLAT are to represent the European fuzzy community of IFSA. To become a member of EUSFLAT please fill in the registration form. Hungarian Fuzzy Society Established in 1998. Honorary president: Tibor VÃ ¡mos. President: Imre Rudas. EUROFUSE Working Group on Fuzzy Sets of EURO Established in 1975. The purpose of EUROFUSE is to communicate and promote the knowledge of the theory of fuzzy sets and related areas and their applications. Telecommunication :: essays research papers Fuzzy Sets and Systems Lotfi A. Zadeh, The founder of fuzzy logic comp.ai.fuzzy New fuzzy archive by thread. Fuzzy Logic Tools and Companies. General sources of fuzzy information. Maintained by Bob John. Conferences and Workshops on Fuzzy Systems: 1990-2001 From the Parallel and Distributed Processing Laboratory of the Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece World Federation on Soft Computing Artificial Intelligence-related Frequently Asked Questions Professional Organizations and Networks International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA) IFSA is a worldwide organization dedicated to the support and development of the theory of fuzzy sets and systems and related areas and their applications, publishes the International Journal of Fuzzy Sets and Systems, holds International conferences, establishes chapters and sponsors other activities. Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Systems (SOFT) Established in 1989. SOFT has 1,670 individual members and 74 company members, publishes an official bimonthly journal and organizes fuzzy systems symposiums. There are 8 regional branches and 8 research groups in SOFT. Berkeley Initiative in Soft Computing (BISC) BISC Program is the world-leading center for basic and applied research in soft computing. The principal constituents of soft computing (SC) are fuzzy logic (FL), neural network theory (NN) and probabilistic reasoning (PR), with the latter subsuming belief networks, evolutionary computing including DNA computing, chaos theory and parts of learning theory. North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society (NAFIPS) As the premier fuzzy society in North America established in 1981, our purpose is to help guide and encourage the development of fuzzy sets and related technologies for the benefit of mankind. Please mail questions/comments to the NAFIPS president (president@nafips.org) or to the NAFIPS web site maintainer (webmaster@nafips.org). Spanish Association of Fuzzy Logic and Technologies Promotes and disseminates the methods, techniques and developments of Fuzzy Logic and Technologies; Establish relations with other national or international Associations with similar aims; Organizes seminars and round tables on Fuzzy Logic and Technologies. Fuzzy Research Groups in Spain. The European Society for Fuzzy Logic and Technology (EUSFLAT) Established in 1998. The main goal of EUSFLAT are to represent the European fuzzy community of IFSA. To become a member of EUSFLAT please fill in the registration form. Hungarian Fuzzy Society Established in 1998. Honorary president: Tibor VÃ ¡mos. President: Imre Rudas. EUROFUSE Working Group on Fuzzy Sets of EURO Established in 1975. The purpose of EUROFUSE is to communicate and promote the knowledge of the theory of fuzzy sets and related areas and their applications.

Overweight Children Essay

Being overweight is one of the major health problems among the youth of today. In the United States, the number of children becoming overweight is steadily increasing as they allot more time watching TV, playing video games, and surfing or chatting on the Internet (Nemours Foundation, n.d.). According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, from the latter half of 1970s to 2004, the pervasiveness of excessive weight among children 2 to 5 years of age rose to 13.9 percent from 5 percent.   Among children 6 to 11 years of age, it escalated to 18.8 percent from 6.5 percent, while it increased to 17.4 percent from 5 percent among those who are 12 to 19 years of age (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]), 2008). Thus, certain efforts were made by health and education experts to help parents encourage their children to engage in sports, exercise, and eat a healthy, balanced meal. After all, prevention is better than cure. If not taken care of, the excessive weight can make children vulnerable to certain diseases like high blood, diabetes, and other health illnesses (CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007). Many experts suggest that one of the ways to help these children to lose weight without sacrificing the food that they want to eat is to encourage them to engage in sports and other group activities (Weintraub et al., 2008; Nemours, n.d.; Boyse, 2007). By engaging in physical activities, it will not only help the individual shed body fat, it would also promote self-esteem (Weintraub et al., 2008). Definition, Detection and Causes of Overweight   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being overweight is a result of imbalance between the food intake and the activities needed to spend the energies taken (Daniels, 1997). It is characterized by an exceptionally large volume of body fat with respect to lean body mass (Stopka, 2005). To know if an individual is obese or overweight, his or her body mass index or BMI is computed (Stopka, 2005; Daniels, 1997). This method considers the proportionality of the individual’s weight to his or her height child (Stopka, 2005; Daniels, 1997). The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) states that individuals with BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered as â€Å"overweight,† while those with a BMI of 30 and above is considered as â€Å"obese† (Stopka, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A number of studies have discovered that that breastfeeding is associated with overweight children (Hediger, et al., 2001). Once a mother fails to nurture her child with the practice of breastfeeding, chances are that the child will become overweight in the future. Breastfeeding helps to lower the risk of obesity during the stage of childhood and adolescence (Hediger, et al., 2001). Most cases of overweight among children occur during the adolescence stage when the transition from child to adult happens (Hediger, et al., 2001). The food intake is later on built up as fats if not properly burned out of the body (Hediger, et al., 2001).   Fat distribution is also changed during this stage which also incorporates hormonal influences. The condition also varies according to gender. According to Heidger and his associates (2001), girls are more likely to be overweight than boys.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most individuals on the adolescence stage are busy with their studies and participate in activities that will help them be informed and entertained. Many of them play video games and watch television after school as their own way of overcoming stress and pressures from school. While in the midst of these activities, they also munch junk food and drink sodas. As there are high amounts of calories in unhealthy food and drinks, they make children overweight (Collins, 2007). The incessant rise of fast food chains, consumption of calorie-dense foods and taking too much soft drink bring out more energy intake (Collins, 2007). However, this would not be a problem if the child regularly exercises and participates in activities. Lack of necessary exercise and physical activities also causes children to be overweight. When children eat more calories, they also need to burn more calories (Collins, 2007). Eating food that is detrimental to one’s health without enough physical activities to burn it will guarantee a child to be overweight (Collins, 2007). This is also said to be an environmental cause of obesity due to the technological means of entertainment available for children today. Collins (2007) calls this phenomenon as modern obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another cause of being overweight is the genetic roots of the child. The genes of the parents are inherited by children upon birth. Babies who are born to mothers who are overweight are more likely to gain more weight and are less active in actions (Collins, 2007). The metabolism of a child is also inherited from his or her parents. Thus, an obese parent whose metabolism is slow would have children with slow metabolism as well (Collins, 2007). The family eating habits also play a great influence as to why a child becomes overweight. Preparing and laying too much food on the table causes a child to eat more. Shopping and buying unhealthy foods and calorie-rich items will also cause the weight of children to increase (Collins, 2007). Effects of Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Risks are always present once a child is overweight. Chances are that the child will accumulate certain diseases most of which are related to too much calorie, cholesterol and sugar intake. Bone problems are also expected for overweight and obese individuals. The social development of a child is also affected because of being overweight. The overweight children may find it difficult to breathe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obese children are often inactive and lazy to do physical activities. This causes their hearts to weaken. With their relatively weak heart, it will pump harder than the normal sized individual. This condition is commonly known as cardiovascular abnormalities (Daniels, et al., 1997). Another cardiovascular abnormality that occurs in overweight or obese individuals is the escalation of blood pressure. When a child is obese, the blood pressure is more likely to increase. These cardiovascular abnormalities usually lead to a disease known as left ventricular hypertrophy which is a prevailing condition among obese and overweight children (Daniels, et al., 1997). This disease is characterized by an â€Å"increased left ventricular mass,† along with â€Å"lean body mass, fat mass and abnormalities in the systolic blood pressure† which predicts the accumulation of diseases such as â€Å"coronary heart disease, stroke and sudden death† (p. 804). Hypertension is also common for children with too much weight (Daniels, et al., 1997; Nemours Foundation, n.d.; CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The disease Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is also common among overweight children with a BMI of >30 kg/m2, which, according to adult standard, is counted as â€Å"obese.† According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, acquiring this disease also makes them vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases such as a coronary artery disease (Daniels, et al., 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being overweight also causes a child to mature early. In general, an overweight child’s body develops faster than those who have normal body sizes. Overweight female children also reach the pubertal stage earlier. This may be due to the fact that most overweight female children do not have strenuous activity that can help them lessen their weights. Since most foods taken by obese children are rich in oils and other fatty acids, they are also prone of having pimples, acnes and skin problems (Nemours Foundation, n.d.; CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychological and social problems are also present when a child is overweight. One of the most common issues on this is depression. When a child grows bigger than his or her peers, he or she is more likely to be humiliated and teased in school for having a different body shape. This is a delicate issue which the child may find hard to overcome. It also results in the child’s low self esteem and negative self image (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Nemours Foundation, n.d.). The normal interaction towards other children is also limited because of this. More often than not, overweight children have fewer friends and their social life is limited to those who accept them as they are. Obese children are more likely to stay at home rather than go out and play with other people. They are isolated which makes them feel depressed, lonely, and stressed out. Teasing overweight children is also said to be associated with increased suicidal tendencies out of frustration and depression. Their condition causes them so many complications physically, emotionally and developmentally (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Nemours Foundation, n.d.). Prevention of Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is better to prevent being overweight rather than regret it once a child becomes obese. This is not easy to do but it needs to begin as early as childhood days. This should be considered especially for those who are born to overweight parents. Behavior is also one good way of handling childhood obesity. Diminishing unhealthy eating habits and getting right exercise result in a healthier body and lifestyle. In addition, reducing stagnant physical activities like watching television and video games will also lower the chances of being overweight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Limiting the intake of calories will also stop one from being overweight. Instead of drinking sodas and other carbonated drinks, a child may switch to drinking fresh fruit juices. Fresh juices are healthier instead of artificially made juices. Drinking the recommended number of glasses of water a day (8 to10 glasses) will also help in replenishing lost water in the body and digesting food easily, and therefore, prevent all those fatty food and huge amount of calories from getting stuck in the body. The children should also be advised to avoid eating meals in fast food restaurants, where the meals served contain preservatives and too much food extenders that have more calories (Matheson et. al., 2004). Parents should also encourage their child to eat home cooked meals and convince him or her that these meals are more delicious than those that can be bought outside. (Matheson et. al., 2004). This will also guarantee parents that the food eaten by their child is clean and well-prepared. The parents should also stop preparing large servings for their child, as this entices a child to eat more and makes him or her always expect the same size of serving every meal time (Matheson et. al., 2004). They should also limit the inactivity of children by giving them scheduled time for television and playing computer games (Matheson et. al., 2004). It will also help if a child is encouraged not to eat and watch at the same time. Too much focus on the television program makes a child unaware to the amount of food already consumed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For difficult cases like gene-related obesity, it is important to counter this by doing physical activities. Regular exercise helps to achieve good digestion and good metabolism. Physical activities such as â€Å"biking, walking, and swimming† can also be done with the whole family. These activities also help brings the heart in good condition. Playing ball games also prevents being overweight and helps children become more sociable towards their peers (Campbell et al., 2001). Basketball and soccer are some examples of sports which can help overweight children lose and maintain their weight. At the same time, by engaging in these kinds of group activities, they will enjoy themselves with their peers (Campbell et al., 2001). Indoor physically activities like dancing will also help children lose weight (Campbell et al., 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a recent six-month experiment conducted by Weintraub (2008) and her colleagues among fourth and fifth graders, they divided the 21 participants into two groups. The first group received a health education program after school, while the other was subjected to a soccer program. Midway through the study until the end, a significant decline in BMI was found among participants in the soccer group as compared to those who were in the health education group. In three months, there was also a considerable increase in the everyday average and strenuous physical activities among children in the soccer group. The authors concluded that making overweight and obese children participate in an â€Å"after-school soccer program† is a practical, agreeable, and effective method to control the weight of these children. Excessive weight increases the likelihood of children to acquire fatal diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Being overweight also negatively affects their self-esteem and self-image, leaving them depressed as a result. Encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and do physical activities such as family and school sports can aid overweight children in losing and maintaining a standard weight. This is a great opportunity not only for the children but for the whole family to stay fit and active. References: Boyse, K. (2007, February). Obesity and overweight. University of Michigan Health System. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/obesity.htm Campbell K, Waters E, O’Meara S, & Summerbell C. (2001). Interventions for preventing obesity in childhood: a systematic review. Obesity Review, 2, 149–157. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2008, March 4). Overweight and obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ Collins, Anne (2007). Causes of obesity. Anne Collins. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/causes-of-obesity.htm Daniels S.R., Khoury P.R., & Morrison J.A. (1997, June). The utility of body mass index as a measure of body fatness in children and adolescents: differences by race and gender. Pediatrics, 99 (6), 804–807. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from Pediatrics Database. Matheson D.M., Killen J.D., Wang Y., Varady A, & Robinson T.N. (2004). Children’s food   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   consumption during television viewing. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79 (6), 1088–1094. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from the AJCN Database. Nemours Foundation (n.d.). Overweight and obesity. KidsHealth. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html Hediger M.L., Overpeck M.D., Kuczmarski R.J., & Ruan W.J. (2001). Association between infant breastfeeding and overweight in young children. The Journal of American Medical Association, 285 (19), 2453–2460. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from JAMA Database. Stopka, C. B. (2005) Chapter 18: Students with temporary disabilities and other special conditions. In J. Winnick (Ed.),   Instructors Manual, Adapted Physical Education and Sport, 4th Edition (pp. 323-340). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Strauss R.S. & Pollack H.A. (2003). Social marginalization of overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 157, 746–752. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from Archpredriatics Database. Weintraub, D.L., Tirumalai, E.C., Haydel, F., Fujimoto, M., Fulton, J.E., & Robinson, T.S. (2008). Team sports for overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 162 (3), 232-237. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from Archpredriatics Database.

Change, Follow, or Get Out of the Way Essay

Change in an organization can be and usually is difficult for various reasons. Much of the difficulty is in the approach used to initiate change and the willingness to stay engaged and stamina to sustain change through to the end. Organizations can choose to lead by recognizing and implementing change, follow in the shadow of organizations leading the market, or get out of the way by standing still and eventually going under. With this said; if change was easily done and successful for every organization there would be no need for change management specialists and years and years of study to establish approaches and models for implementing change. Change would be a natural evolutionary process such as a caterpillar evolves into a butterfly, but it is not that simple. Seemingly simple changes to processes or procedures can cause an unbalance with leaders and employees alike. First the need for change needs to be identified; followed by the proper model or approach used to implement this change. During this paper, I will discuss implementing the Advanced Skills Management (ASM) software change in an organization by using Kotter’s Eight-Step Approach. First it is important to give some background on how organizations are structured specifically aviation squadrons with respect to the Marine Corps. The military branches are large separate decentralized organizations that are controlled ultimately by the President of the United States. Since it is impossible for the President to efficiently manage all branches and all the separate divisions within them, each branch has a leader or CEO. Aviation squadrons are made up of different Military Occupational Specialties that pertain to the type model series aircraft assigned. Each specialty has different responsibilities in the care and maintenance of the aircraft; therefore, requires separate and different training and is broken down into separate departments. It has all the typical levels of management expected; executive managers, middle managers, and frontline managers as well as managerial types such as staff managers and line managers. The Commanding Officer would be considered the CEO with the Executive Officer, Sergeant Major, Maintenance Officer, and Maintenance Training Chief falling into the general manager level. The Officer in Charge of each division would fall into the mid-level and the Senior Marine in each department being the front-line managers. Each has similar reporting criteria, responsibilities, and decision making power as would a civilian organization structured this way. As one might imagine with a military unit it has a mechanistic structure with a high use of rules and procedures, with formal relationships between workers. In regards to the degree of delegation of decision making authority and power the organization is primarily centralized; however, some decentralization does exist to allow latitude in day to day business. The organization I have chosen is an organization I was previously attached. Diagnosing this change falls under the Action Research Model, primary because an outside agency comes in to perform audits looking at our processes and procedures to ensure proper adherence to applicable rules and regulations are being followed and to train or advice on changes required. Through their process they discovered our organization’s documentation was incomplete or not correctly annotated. This probably does not seem like a very difficult change to make considering it is just documentation; however, it does go deeper than simply changing how maintenance training is documented. The Chief of Naval Operations has established goals of seventy three percent MC (mission capable and fifty six percent FMC (full mission capable) as the overall material readiness goal (Aircraft Material Condition Readiness, 2012). When qualifications and training are not properly documented the ability and efficiency of the squadron is impaired causing the organization to struggle to me larger goals such as those of the Chief of Naval Operations, not to mention not being able to execute our Marine Corps mission. This change is difficult to determine if it should be referred to as first or second order changes, because it will and has affected the organization as a whole and for most members this will be a radical change. Within aviation squadrons each member is required to complete training syllabi for each of their different Military Occupational Specialty, ground support equipment, and advanced qualifications. Other training requirements such as safety training, NAVOSH (Navy equivalent to OSHA), Military Occupational Specialty classroom training, and on records of on-the-job training are maintained. All of this information is recorded on paper and kept in each members training jackets requiring large amounts of time to keep current. The first of Kotter’s Eight-Step Approach is establish a sense of urgency to have a pressing importance of action towards addressing issues and without this sense of urgency employees will not be motivated to examine markets and competitive realities needed to identify and discuss crises, potential crises, or opportunities the organization may be faced with (Weiss, 2012). In this instance the sense of urgency or the pressing importance of this change intervention on saving time on administrative actions, providing an efficient process for accurately recording training information for auditing purposes, and using that time on aircraft maintenance to enable the organization to better meet the Chief of Naval Operations goals for aircraft readiness. Also, confronting the brutal facts that training, because of the time consuming process now is not being documented accurately or in a timely manner, sometimes not at all. The goal here would be to help others recognize the need for change and generate a need to act immediately at all levels. To help all levels of leadership see the urgency, showing them the advantages to implementing the software would be my immediate action. First demonstrating the reduction of man hours spent maintaining and updating records. The work performed in military aviation is not measured in by a monetary bottom line as is the case in most civilian organizations. Success is measured by maintenance hours versus flight hours and mission readiness of the aircraft we maintain, so the more man hours saved the more can be spent towards the mission. Second advantage is the ability to standardize training and syllabi not only as an aviation community, but for each platform or type aircraft. This will allow easier transfer of personnel and qualifications from one squadron to another again easing the administrative burdens as well as better audit results. Third advantage is the software will link with the maintenance management system used to record all maintenance on the aircraft. This link will transfer on-the-job training for each member from the maintenance document to the on-the-job training section in ASM again saving administrative time of having to physically write each job performed in the training jacket. Second step of Kotter’s Eight-Step Approach is forming a powerful guiding coalition; done by assembling a team of top-level officers or other key influential members from the various levels with enough power and credibility to lead the changes and encourage these members to work as a team (Weiss, 2012). In the military, changes are often implemented simply through adherence to orders given by superiors. Members roger up and get the job done whether they agree or not, but the reason for change should be deeper than this. Sustaining the change under this type of implementation is very difficult and often does not hold. To be able to form a powerful coalition and convince leaders this proactive change is good and get buy-in both the implementation and the sustaining will be easier. In the case of ASM, it seems being able to demonstrate and show leaders at all levels of the management the advantages to implementing the software would be the first step in getting buy-in from them and to begin the coalition. These leaders will not entirely be those with legitimate power, but include those members whose expertise will also lend credibility to the need for this change. An example of this would be those who are responsible for ensuring training is properly conducted and recorded. Furthermore, to demonstrate how the software will save them administrative time, how it will enable better record keeping, show them the data warehousing to enable easier and more accurate reporting of core competencies, and eventually allow them to focus more man hour time on the mission. Third step in Kotter’s approach is developing a vision; meaning to create a vision as a guide to direct the changes along with the strategies that will be needed for achieving the vision (Weiss, 2012). Vision, or common goal, is something for the organization to strive for. This is not likely to be immediately achievable, but gives employees something to believe in and a direction for the company to focus their efforts (Weiss, 2011). The Marine Corps vision states â€Å"The Marine Corps of 2025 will fight and win our Nation’s battles with multicapable MAGTFs, either from the sea or in sustained operations ashore. Our unique role as the Nation’s force in readiness, along with our values, enduring ethos, and core competencies, will ensure we remain highly responsive to the needs of combatant commanders in an uncertain environment and against irregular threats. Our future Corps will be increasingly reliant on naval deployment, preventative in approach, leaner in equipment, versatile in capabilities, and innovative in mindset. In an evolving and complex world, we will excel as the Nation’s expeditionary â€Å"force of choice† (Marine Corps Vision & Strategy 2025, n. . , pg. 6). The Marine Corps vision mentioned, among other things, being â€Å"innovative in mindset†. Part of being innovative is finding ways to be more engaged in the mission and making sure assets are ready whenever and for whatever called upon. Innovation and change normally bring about efficiency and hopefully savings in either money or in this case man hours. The vision for implementing ASM is to create efficiency through innovation; simplifying indirect mission essential tasks allowing more focus on the direct mission goals. Strategy for implementation would be fairly simple and would require to first receive classroom training to learn basic functions of the system. Next phase would include implementing the system at the organization, which would include loading and entering all required qualifications and training from the paper versions of the training jacket. This would include further over the shoulder training from the company who developed the software to help speed the implementation process. This would serve two purposes; first it would allow members to get further training and confidence in the system by learning where information is stored and second they would have experts available to answer questions and issues during the implementation process to help further personal mastery. Fourth step is for the coalition or team formed in step two must communicate the vision by any means possible ensuring employees understand the vision requiring these team members to model the behaviors needed for the vision and strategies to be successful (Weiss, 2012). The vision will be communicated at every opportunity through emails, meetings, flyers, screen savers, texting, and memorandums throughout the squadron to ensure people are aware. Part of communicating the vision would include leaders receiving the training first to help during the implementation process and to show or be visible to the other members by setting the example using the new software with the intent that they will begin to communicate further to members below them. â€Å"A vision is not a vision if people don’t know about it. Repeat the vision, keep it simple, use metaphors and analogies, spread it in many forums and forms. Above all, lead by example. If integrating EH&S into every decision and business process is the vision, make sure you do it, no matter how trivial the decision. This sends a powerful message to everyone you encounter† (Lawrence & Ruth, 1998, para. 7). Step five involves empowering others to act on the vision. At this stage it is important that members become involved in the change and begin to take ownership in determining the success. Members will have received their training and will be operating the system on a day to day basis. This is where those members that have not bought into the change will begin to manifest themselves. They will begin to create barriers and want to revert back to the status quo, because they are comfortable with the old way of conducting business and where short-term wins will be important in showing them how the system is or will benefit them. â€Å"With the urgency established, the vision created, the guiding coalition and communication vehicles established, give employees the chance to take ownership. Eliminate obstacles that impede progress, such as lack of skills, or people who poison the water against change. Facilitate the use of cross-functional teams and allow employees to push the envelope with fresh ideas and renewed energy† (Lawrence & Ruth, 1998, para. 8). Step six is generating short-term wins to solidify the benefits of the change. Short-term wins with the ASM system would include saved time for the administrators maintaining the system and training records. By now there should be noticeable or measurable results available showing the amount of saved man hours or more than likely a measurable increase in man hours spent on the aircraft maintenance mission. As a result, the aircraft readiness should also be increasing allowing the squadron to reach or exceed the CNO goals. Another short-term win will include improved results on audits related to training management with more timely input of information and better accuracy. This in turn should increase the urgency and begin to create or solidify the new culture of using this system. â€Å"To ensure success, short term wins must be both visible and unambiguous. The wins must also be clearly related to the change effort. Such wins provide evidence that the sacrifices that people are making are paying off. This increases the sense of urgency and the optimism of those who are making the effort to change. These wins also serve to reward the change agents by providing positive feedback that boosts morale and motivation. The wines also serve the practical purpose of helping to fine tune the vision and the strategies† (Kotter International, 2012, step 6, para. 3). Step seven requires consolidation of gains and the production of more change. This is done by using increased credibility to change systems, structures and policies and hiring, promoting, and developing members to further implement and reinvigorate the change (Weiss, 2012). Policies such as time limits on completion of syllabi, testing procedures, and access permissions for example would be generated to better control and further enhance the efficiency of the system. Also those members who were causing the barriers for progress of the system would need to be dealt with in order for the change initiative to continue. Unlike many civilian organizations, hiring and firing employees to better position the organization is not an option. Leaders in the upper levels can be relieved, but at lower levels positions are filled by external agencies and you have what you get and make the magic happen with the talent that exists. This often times is very difficult to juggle putting the right people in the right positions to conduct day to day business, much less initiate change and sustain it; so much time is spent trying to develop Marines. During this paper, I discussed implementing the Advanced Skills Management (ASM) software change in an organization by using Kotter’s Eight-Step Approach. It can be a difficult task to implement change, especially when dealing with the various different personalities involved. Having a plan to be able to create urgency for the change, creating coalitions with leaders, and empowering employees with knowledge can make the change process easier by ensuring employees are a part of and take responsibility for the success. In civilian organizations removing those who do not want to be part of the change is an option; however, in the military setting this is not a likely solution making the idea of getting buy-in from members even more important.

Does God cause bad things to happen to His children? Essay

As one goes through life, tragedy and misfortune seem inevitable. One may be afflicted by diseases, involved in an accident or one’s child could die. Some people may consider this as purely bad luck. Others yet may consider it as karma coming back to haunt them for their past wrongdoings and transgressions. Nevertheless, it is common for people to question if God is the force behind the bad things. The question then arises, does God indeed cause bad things to happen to his children, or is there some force behind it? As long as one has faith and belief in God, the question is inevitable at certain points in life. However, the question as to whether God really does cause bad things to happen to his people is openly debatable. On the one hand, believers and non-believers alike would like to think that God punishes us and causes bad things to happen. To this group of people, God is trying to teach His children a lesson in addition to bringing them back to glory. On the other hand, others are of the opinion that God causes bad things to happen to them just to get their attention or to get His point across. The Book of Romans, 8: 28 – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose, forms the basis of this argument (Nelson, 1982). Free will. It would be safe to argue that God does not in any way cause bad things to happen to his children. In John 3: 16, the Bible talks of the undying love that God has for his earthly children that he gave his only son to die so that they could be saved from eternal damnation (Nelson, 1982). Accordingly, God has accorded human beings with the necessary freedom to act as they wish on earth but has also provided the rules that are to guide their action. More over, the consequences for disobedience have clearly been stated. The Good Book, the Bible, contains the Ten Commandments that God’s children are to abide by. Flouting the rules results in tragedy and misfortune. When people misuse their freedom, they cause bad things to happen to them. Too much of anything is poisonous. Concomitantly, too much freedom is harmful. Out of free will or freedom, men commit murder and even genocide (McLarty, N. d. ). When people err and disobey his rules and commandments they are separated from God love. This is what is referred to as falling from grace in the Bible. Thus, the same freedom accorded us by God is the same freedom that separates men from the love of God and also causes bad things to happen. It is worth noting that faith does not in any way qualify as some kind of insurance policy. On the contrary, it can only be described as a mantle of assurance (Riverpower. org, 2008). Consequently, there is no way that God causes bad things to happen to his children because He has assured in His Holy Word that He will be with us no matter what we encounter or go through in this life. This is because He is considered to be an all caring all loving God. He hurts when His children hurt which then means that there is no way that God would then cause suffering, tragedy and death. However, one can then ask the question. Since God is all loving, all caring and does not want his people to suffer, how is it that he does not stop bad things from happening? This takes us back to the point that God has accorded his children with free will that they are to apply accordingly. One has the option to do good or evil, both of which have consequences. It is openly clear that God operates under certain rules. Unlike humans who openly flout the rules provided for them, God does indeed respect his own rules. He keeps his end of the bargain as long as his children keep theirs. He will rescue those who call out to him and ask for his help because he is all loving and caring (Riverpower. org, 2008). If God was the cause of both good and bad things happening to his children, it would be tantamount to control. This would then make nonsense of the freedom/free will he has given to His people. Again, control would only serve to make them like puppets. God does not in any way seem to supersede human free will to choose their best course of action and enjoy the benefits or suffer the consequences after ward. The first evidence that God does not override the free will/freedom he has accorded his children is in the Book of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden, He had provided Adam and Eve with the necessities plus he also put rules in place that they were to adhere to; not to eat from the tree at the centre of the Garden (Nelson, 1982). He then let them choose their own actions. Consequently, he decided not to interfere with Eve even when she chose to eat from the forbidden tree. Ultimately, God does not in any way cause bad things to happen to his children rather they bring it upon themselves.

The Long Telegrams Impact on the Truman Doctrine

pThe long Telegram and It’s impact on the Truman Doctrine George Kennan’s long telegram had many impacts on the American foreign policy. Its influence can be seen directly through the Truman Doctrine in 1947. The Long Telegram influenced Truman’s doctrine of containment, and it opened the eyes of many Washington officials as to how dangerous the Soviets and more specifically communism was. George Kennan’s Long Telegram was a reply as to why the Soviets weren’t supporting the World Bank and the International Money Fund.At the time, the  American view of the  Soviet was friendly, yet cautious because the  Soviets had been  allied with the US in  WWII. The long telegram, which wasreleased to the public in 1947, basically created the foundation on which the Cold War stood from the US’ point of view. By claiming that the Soviets were completely against capitalism, would side with Marxists, and separated from reality, Kennan set up a stan dard system of beliefs  that the US would follow throughout the Cold War, and even gave ideas as to how to combat the Soviets if need be.The Long Telegram gave the US clear reason to consider war with Russia inevitable. It fostered further fear in America of the Soviets by talking  about how  Russia couldn’t be trusted and great lengths should be taken to ensure the absence of Soviets and their influence  in America. The Truman Doctrine was a contribution made to foreign policy by Harry Truman in 1947, after the Long Telegram had come into being. Truman declared, kind of like Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy, that it was the US’ duty to spread democracy and battle communism.Truman asked Congress to send aid to Greece and Turkey. After being ravaged by Germany in WWII,  Greece had been about to lose aid from Great Britain; Turkey had also depended greatly on the help of the US and Britain. The US would  have been  in danger of losing power over the Soviets and in Europe and Asia had Russia gained the two countries. This proves that what George Kennan wrote helped Truman realize that he needed to help other nations and create the foreign policy.Kennans telegram greatly impacted many other aspects of the Truman doctrine, for example the truman Doctrine all but promised that the United States would resist any Soviet expansion. This refects Kennan’s advise that the United States must carefully choose its points of resistance. Kennan's notion of containment which was expressed in the Long Telegram was also illustrartes in the Truman Doctrine. George Kennans writings inspired America and thanks to the Long Telegram and the Truman Doctrine, America opened their eyes and did what was necessary to not allow themselves to be over ruled by the soviets.