A Splendid Exchange Essays

A Splendid Exchange Essays A Splendid Exchange Paper A Splendid Exchange Paper Essay Topic: The Peloponnesian War Dennis BerkA. P. World Dr. Andrews Summer Assignment The accelerating pace of international trade is one of the most dominating, and important features, of contemporary life. Globalization is creating widespread changes for societies, economics, and governments. Since the invention of the steam engine, transportation and communication limits have faded away and, with the development of the Internet, practically disappeared. A case can be made for the proposition that trade, throughout history, has been the main engine for the development of the world as we know it today. In his book, A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World, William J. Bernstein makes this case. The main thesis of A Splendid Exchange by William J. Bernstein is to describe how, where, and why trade goes on in certain parts of the world, and how it affects completely different regions on Earth. Bernstein does this by using facts, details, and accounts of other economists and writers. A Splendid Exchange is not just about the trading of silk, tea, or coffee. It also speaks about the movement of diseases throughout the world. For example, when Christopher Columbus sailed the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria into the New World, disease quickly spread throughout the Americas, such as small pox. Obviously at the time the diseases made life miserable for many of the people living in the Americas, killing loved ones, friends, and family making it much more difficult for everyone to live. However, because the disease was spread, many people that now live in the Americas are immune to these diseases, including small pox. This is a classic example of the idea of natural selection, stating that only the fittest survive. Bernstein writes about this again in his novel while talking about the plague that rampaged through the streets of cities in Europe during the Dark Ages. This plague killed off an enormous amount of the European population, but eventually Europeans grew immune to the disease and now many cities in Europe are prospering. A Splendid Exchange has greatly changed my view of history. It has shown me how important trade was and how difficult it used to be compared to now. Today, many people have cell phones and even more people have access to a elevision, radio, or the Internet, so, for example, if an event occurs in South Korea in less than an hour news stations all over the world are reporting about it and have analysts debate about it for hours. However, back in the 1000’s and 1100’s, if you were living in France, and an event occurs in China, there is a good chance that the person living in France would never know about it. Also, in the 1000’s or 1100’s if y ou were born in a village in England, unless you were a merchant, chances are that you would not go further than 50 miles in any direction from where you were born. Transportation in the 1000’s and 1100’s was limited to walking and sea travel. Sea travel was very dangerous, due to pirates and poorly made ships, so many Europeans didn’t risk it. Today, with the invention of the steam engine, automobile, and airplane to go from New York to California by plane takes only six hours, although you are traveling around 3000 feet. In today’s world it’s no big deal if you travel 3000 feet in one day, but in the 1000’s and 1100’s this was such a radical thought that no one had ever even wasted their time trying to think about it. William J. Bernstein asks many questions in his novel. One of them is how goods got from China to Rome. Bernstein answers this question by saying the trade was very slow, and the process went in stages. Bernstein describes how Chinese merchants sailed their ships down to Indochina and how the goods were exchanged by six different nations before reaching Rome. Obviously, this is a very long process, and the trade was only sped up by the invention of better ships, and eventually the airplane. Another question asked in A Splendid Exchange is what drove early man to trade? This question is answered by Bernstein stating that political stability was most important for man to want to trade, and he says that the technological innovations of land and sea transport are secondary. With political stability, nations are able to expand and then there is a sudden increase in demand for more goods, which can only be completed by trade. In A Splendid Exchange, the thing I was most surprised to learn about was the great impact that the Peloponnesian War had on trade. Greece’s city-states didn’t have the best soil to plant on before the Peloponnesian War, and certainly not after it. Because of all the battle that took place, much of Greece’s fertile land was destroyed. Because Greece now had less arable land, and less people to farm this land because of all the deaths during the Peloponnesian War, the city-states of Greece had to rely heavily on trade. Another thing I was surprised to learn about was how a country 1000s of miles away from another country can be the reason that country continues to live on. As an example, the Greeks could not grow wheat. Clearly, without wheat a country simply cannot prosper, as it is put into so many foods necessary for the body to properly function. In order for the Greeks to continue living, they would need to trade for wheat. As many countries of the Mediterranean did, Greece got its wheat from Egypt. Had the Egyptians not traded their wheat to Greece, it is very possible that Greece would have been conquered by another nation. It’s amazing how trade that went on centuries ago has affected the world as we know it today. In Bernstein’s novel, the thing I was most disappointed to learn about was Zaccaria opening the Strait of Gibraltar to plague ships. These plague ships eventually spread the black death. Had Zaccaria not opened the Strait of Gibraltar, the Black Death could’ve came in more methodically, allowing Europeans more time to prepare for it, as opposed to the Black Death being thrown onto the Europeans, thus giving them less time to prepare for it and try to stop the plague or evacuate from the cities. Because the housing in the cities of Europe during the Dark Ages were so tightly packed together, once one person got a disease it would spread almost instantaneously, and had there been more warning for the plague, actions could’ve been taken so that less people would have died. I enjoyed A Splendid Exchange by William J. Bernstein very much. The book has given me invaluable knowledge about the ancient world and how the ancient world has affected the modern world. Bernstein does a great job explaining how trade affects the entire world, and he backs it up with facts and quotes from economists and historians. Bernstein also shows how trade developed, starting with the trading of ancient Sumer all the way up to modern day trade and what this all means. I thought the novel was worthwhile, and so did many others because it won the Financial Times and Economist Best Book of the Year award. If I were having a discussion with a friend about A Splendid Exchange by William J. Bernstein, I would tell them that it completely changed my view of history. Bernstein’s novel has taught me many new things and has shown me how important trade is in today’s world. A Splendid Exchange really makes you think of how important events that occurred over 1000 years ago are today. The novel also describes how trade developed from not only adjacent countries trading, but how countries from different sides of the planet were able to trade. I absolutely would recommend this book to my friend because it teaches you so many things about world history and how important trade is. In Bernstein’s novel, he showed some preconceived biases. One of these biases is that Bernstein seems to favor protectionism and tariffs rather than free trade. In the chapter, The Triumph and Tragedy of Free Trade, Bernstein seems to speak more about the tragedies of free trade rather than the triumphs of it. This shows that Bernstein has a bias towards free trade and prefers tariffs and protectionism. In A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World, by William J. Bernstein, he shows how and why certain things are today because of trade. Bernstein proves how trade from thousands of years ago has had an impact on today’s world. William J. Bernstein has shown that trade on one side of Earth affects the other side in many different ways. Bernstein also shows how natural selection played a big role in trading thousands of years ago. A Splendid Exchange has changed my view of history and my view on the importance of trade.

The Fed and Interest Rates Essays - Monetary Policy, Free Essays

The Fed and Interest Rates Essays - Monetary Policy, Free Essays The Fed and Interest Rates Dave Pettit of The Wall Street Journal writes a daily column that appears inside the first page of the journal's Money & Investment section. If the headlines of Mr. Pettit's daily column are any accurate record of economic concerns and current issues in the business world, the late weeks of March and the early weeks of April in 1994 were intensely concerned with interest rates. To quote, "Industrials Edge Up 4.32 Points Amid Caution on Interest Rates," and "Industrials Track On 13.53 Points Despite Interest-Rate Concerns." Why such a concern with interest rates? A week before, in the last week of March, the Fed had pushed up the short-term rates. This being the first increase in almost five years, it caused quite a stir. When the Fed decides the economy is growing at too quick a pace, or inflation is getting out of hand, it can take actions to slow spending and decrease the money supply. This corresponding with the money equation MV = PY, by lowering both M and V, P and Y can stabilize if they are increasing too rapidly. The Fed does this by selling securities on the open market. This, in turn, reduces bank's reserves and forces the interest rate to rise so the banks can afford to make loans. People seeing these rises in rates will tend to sell their low interest assets, in order to acquire additional money, they tend move toward higher yielding accounts, also further increasing the rate. Soon this small change by the Fed affects all aspects of business, from the price level to interest rates on credit cards. Rises and falls in the interest rate can reflect many changes in an economy. When the economy is in a recession and needs a type of stimulus package, the Fed may attempt to decrease the interest rates to encourage growth and spending in the markets. This was the case from 1989 until last month, during which the nation's economy was generally considered to be in a slight to moderate recession. During this period the Fed tried to keep interest rates low to facilitate growth and spending in hard times. However, when inflation is increasing too quickly and the economy is gaining strength, the Fed will attempt to raise rates, as it did late last March. This can be considered a sign that we are pulling out of the recession, or atleast it seems the Fed feels the recession of the early nineties is ending. Directly after the Fed's actions, the stock market was a mess. The Dow took huge dips, falling as much as 50 points a day. Although no one knows exactly what influences the market, the increase in interest rates played a major role in this craziness. Mr. Pettit's column on March 25th highlights, "Industrials Slide 48.37," Mr. Pettit attributes a large portion of the market's "tailspin" at this time to, "Rising interest rates at home." It is certainly no coincidence that these two events happened at the same time. Alan Greenspan, the current chairman of the Fed comes under great attack and praise with every move the Fed makes. He is, in a sense, the embodiment of the Fed. He has been in charge of the Fed since 1987. Some economists blame him for the recession of the early nineties. His influence on the interest rates as chairman of the Fed is monumental. It is his combined job as the Fed to steer the economy in a balanced manner that does not yield too much to inflation and to keep growth steady. Predictably, most economists are back seat drivers when it comes to watching the actions of Allen Greenspan, and they tend to feel they could much more successfully manage the economy than he. Many also agree with his tactics, so it is a two way street on which the chairman is forced to drive. It seems that not only the analysts are in disagreement of how the fed should operate, but interestingly enough, the internal policy makers seem to also disagree on what stance the Fed should take. Some of the internal policy makers are interested in making a more substantial increase now, while others opt for a more conservative approach, where the market can be tested for both good and bad influences from the rate increases. Allen Greenspan is one of this more conservative group, and it is he is critisized by some for the irradic behavior in the stock market as of late. The equilibrium that the Fed

Discuss the detail information of the movie Rossie the Riveter Essay

Discuss the detail information of the movie Rossie the Riveter - Essay Example The movie explains about the life of a plant worker Rosalind Warren, and the way in which she struggles to survive as a plant worker during war time 1944. Apparently, the main message of the movie was to emphasis on the equality of gender and race and how women can work her way towards success with her will power and determination. In this movie the Rosie with her friend Vera Watson and two other male colleagues had to share the last room which was available in town, while working for a factory. This movie clearly portrays the gender and race economics through the character of â€Å"Rosie† and also conveys how the government aimed at persuading the American women to join the work force to enhance the economy and also to build the lives of women themselves. The movie was focusing on the factor that gender is never an issue when it comes to work, and, every individual had the right to work hard and earn their livelihood. The main propaganda behind this movie was to explain the r acial discrimination, gender inequality and economical downturn during the World War II. The economic status of the war time demanded a revolution and highly necessitated a need for the women of the American society to join the workforce. This process stole many positions of men as women occupied positions which required masculinity and courage as equal to male workers. Here the movie points out the life experience of Women in the war front and the process by which they came forward to join the workforce competing with men. Here the division between men and women has been erased to a major level and female power is focused on. The traditional image of women is given a twist and her empowerment as a female power is highlighted and exalted. The Movie projected the working phase of three black women and two white women during the World War II industrial revolution. The movie shows that the racial and gender discrimination were put off from the minds of American culture and equality was promoted to bring about justice and rights to women in the society. This action of the government gave a message to the public that women could handle both home and profession at same time successfully. Rosie the lead character of the movie had to live with men along with her female friend and this was not an easy task for women of that century, in which existed lot of social taboos on female. This movie however, had eluded many feminist historians as the female characters of the movie were epitomes of courage, determination and positive thinking. Moreover, the movie showed how the black women can rise in the society as a worker and home maker like other races without facing any bias and prejudice. The three black women and the two white women portrayed in the movie come as an example for the future generation to understand that the race and gender should not be criteria when it comes to employment opportunity. Here in the movie the high spirits, undying energy, positive mind and s trength of women are highlighted in a profound manner. These female characters in the movie were excited about working in a risky atmosphere and were eager to make money on their own to have a livelihood. The female characters in the movie took over job which was done previously by military men and this was a factor of awe and inspiration for the women in the society. This could be the main reason why the character ‘

Religion and Music Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Music - Research Paper Example People face numerous situations where they are compelled to listen to music whether by choice or without it. Even in our Muslim state no matter where we go we are required to listen to music. Restaurants, department stores, homes, cars there is no place where music isn’t played. With the availability of cell phones, I pods and so many electronic gadgets like these have eased the access to listening to music. It is imperative for us to know that what our religion teaches us about music and to what extent it permits us to listen to it. For this we need to refer to the Quran, Hadith and sayings of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and Prophet’s companions. According to these sources, music has been termed as ‘haraam’ in our religion. Interpreters of the Holy Quran have identified the term â€Å"lahwal hadith’ as listening and singing songs, buying singers and buying instruments for amusement. Sayyidana Abdullah Ibne Mas`ood, a close companion of the Holy Prop het was inquired the meaning of the phrase â€Å"lahwal hadith’ and he answered, â€Å"I swear by Him besides whom there is no other God, that it refers to ghinaa (singing).† It is believed that he repeated this statement thrice and his views have been seconded by the Four Caliphs, the prominent Sahaba and other reliable personalities in Islam. Music is forbidden and also regarded as a major sin in our religion. Playing of musical instruments is also a major sin hence it is haraam to play the guitar, piano, drums etc. Imam Ali ibne Musa Reza says, â€Å"And to be engrossed in musical instruments is also one of the great sins.† (Bhimji) A verse from Surah Luqman in the Holy Quran is often offered as a proof of prohibition of music, ‘And there are among men those who purchase idle talk in order to mislead others from Allah's path without knowledge, and who throw ridicule upon it. For such there will be a humiliating punishment.† The word â€Å"idle t alk’ here refers to the word ‘lahwal hadith’ which has been discussed earlier. This word has been interpreted in two more ways but they refer to shirk (polytheism) and diverting people from Allah’s worship which takes us to the same idea of engaging in prohibited activities. (al-Kanadi) However there are contradicting views that can be found among people and some misinterpret that music is permitted in our religion. The Quran says, â€Å"And verily, We did favor some of the prophets over others, and to Dawood We gave the Psalms†. This verse of the Quran is not a proof for those who consider music being legal. Psalm (Zaboor) was the Holy Scripture that was given to Hazrat Dawood by Allah and it contained teachings of wisdom and talked about Allah’s greatness. Nowhere in the holy book is it mentioned that music or musical instruments are allowed. The truth is that Prophet Dawood was blessed with a melodious voice which was intensely beautiful a nd captivating that when he recited the Zaboor men, birds, animals and jinn gathered around him to listen to his recitation. This in by no means indicate that Zaboor was reveled with musical instruments or talked about music.(al-Kanadi) Some people believe that another verse from the Holy Quran relating to Prophet Ayyub permits music and dancing. Allah the All Mighty, commands Prophet Muhammad in Holy Quran, "And recall Our servant, Ayyub, when he cried unto his Lord, 'Verily, Satan has afflicted me with distress and suffering.' It was said unto him, 'Strike the ground with your foot; here is a spring for a cool bath and water to drink†. Many Sufis have taken the phrase ‘Strike the ground with your foot’ as an act for allowing music and dancing however the tafseer of the Holy Quran re

Success of Islam Essay Example for Free

Success of Islam Essay Islam word means peace literally, surrendering of the wills i. e. for the sake of God loosing oneself and for the pleasure of God surrendering one’s own pleasure. 1400 years before through the Holy prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the message of Islam was revealed. It was sent down by the angel Gabriel (pbuh) and in the Holy Quran it was preserved. The best features of the earlier scriptures are said to be recorded in the Holy Quran, which is a guarantee that’s Divine without any interruptions or errors. Unity of God is the primary message of Islam, only one is the creator of this world and only he is worthy of worship and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger and we all are its servants. A person who believes in these is a true Muslim. Other beliefs of a Muslim are in the revealed Books of God, God’s angels, belief in all the prophets from Adam to Jesus (pbuh), in the Day of Judgement and in God’s Verdict. There are five main pillars to Islam or you can say five main duties to perform, these are of being a witness to the Unity of Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as His Messenger, prescribed prayers observation, the payment of Zakat, in Ramadhan keeping the fasts and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca. Every person is born pure is what the Islamic beliefs say. God has given the human beings a choice to seek its pleasure through charity, faith and prayer and also a choice between good and evil is what the Holy Quran says. In God’s image mankind is created, says Islam and in order to attain nearness to Him mankind needs to fill in the attributes of God on a human level. Worshipping God and treating all of His creatures with compassion and kindness is what’s the main message of Islam. The rights of the needy orphans and old parents are clearly stated in the Holy Quran. 1400 hundred years ago the rights of women were safeguarded when the world was in complete darkness about liberation. The principles and rules of Islam are universal truly and have stood the test of time and the teachings of Islam also encompass every situation that’s imaginable. Neglecting the bounties of nature that are lawful is not indicated by Islamic virtue. Leading a healthy life is what it encourages, living our life with the qualities of kindness, honesty, charity, patience, politeness, courage and chastity. Basically Islam has all the guidance code for the individuals as well as communities as a whole. As time changes and time passes the messages of Islam are indisputable as the entire message is derived from the Holy Quran and the Hadith and Sunnah. Regardless of the human changes it is easily adaptable in actual fact though it may appear rigid to the eye. The spiritual path is open to all is what Islam teaches. Through sincere and earnest worship any individual can seek nearness to God if he/she believes in One Creator, establishing a relationship with the Almighty is central. A positive message like this fills the heart with courage and hope (Azam). In more than 50 countries of the world there are 1. 5 billion Muslims worldwide. The fastest growing faith in the world is Islam with its beautiful message reaching in the far corner of the earth to millions. To a merchant family the Holy prophet was born in Mecca. At the age of five he had been orphanage. To become a caravan manager he grew up and married widow rich women eventually who was his employer as well. He began to experience the visions inspired by Allah in his middle years. The Holy Prophet had believed that even though Allah had revealed himself through Moses and Jesus in parts through Hebrew and Christianity the final of the revelations were given now to him. On the basis of which the followers were to live were contained in the Quran which were the guidelines for mankind sent down as revelations to the Prophet. The teachings of the Prophet formed the basis of the religion Islam which means the ‘submission to the will of Allah’. Everything in this universe and the universe itself was created by Allah Almighty himself. For an everlasting life the humans must subject themselves to the will of Allah. The followers of him were called Muslims which meant â€Å"practitioners of Islam† Prophet Muhammad set out to convince the people of Mecca after the revelations were received. Many of the people at first thought of him as insane whereas some other people feared that the attacks of him on the corrupt society would disturb and social and political order. At the time of the failure of the Meccan’s in making people accept the religion the Holy Prophet along with his close followers migrated to Yathrib which was later renamed Medina (city of the Prophet). The holy Prophet had been invited to that town by some prominent residents over there. The Holy prophet soon had begun to win the support of the Medina people and other Bedouin tribes in the countryside surrounding it. He then formed the first Muslim community by these groups. There was no separation seen by the Muslims in the social and political authority, as to them the submission to the will of Allah was seen as submission to the Prophet Muhammad. The Holy Prophet then soon became a political and religious leader. By his military and political skills he was able to put together a reliable military force, with whom he had returned to Mecca in 630, to the new faith converting the city and the townspeople. Across the Arabian Peninsula Muhammad’s ideas began to spread quickly from Mecca and within a short period of time it resulted into both the political and the religious unification of the Arab society (Spielvogel, 64). For the balancing of the individual and the spiritual life of an individual the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has provided guidance. The guidance of the Holy Prophet Muhammad was accepted by all Muslims and they were interested more in the spiritual and individual activities of the founder than his activities as a new social order founder. The success of the Prophet as the movement leader having worldwide implications can be explained by two aspects, spiritual being the first and the other being material. Generally accepted by the religious scholars and the other Muslims the first aspect holds that Prophet Muhammad was chosen as a Prophet by Allah and his success was divine. The second one which had been used and embraced by the historians and the western researchers believe that it was the distinctive leadership skills and the charismatic personality of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) that had helped in the success and also the success was believed to be the result of historical and experimental motives. The ideal personality and the historical personality were both aspects of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) that were regarded as the models of Islam. Both of these models require different research and analysis methods to be examined carefully, they do not contradict each other. With the existence of his great individual skills he lived a simple life which had been witnessed by other people. The life of the Holy Prophet would not have been considered a perfect model for humanity in the Holy Quran if this was not true. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) was sent as a guide to the wide variety of people with different emotional, aspirational and moral needs, with the mental and spiritual maturity that he possessed embraced the social and individual needs of these people and helped them in solving their problems. The depth and breadth in his policies were applied to all the societies and individuals with enormous human nature range with great sensitivity. In the social, political and economic fields Prophet Muhammad was the first Prophet and leader to put his policies into practice. To the sublime quality of the Prophet such implementation of the guidance and the leadership mission was a testament. Contrary to the Mecca situation, during Hijrah, the Prophet’s political aspect and his presidential status in particular for a state newly found had emerged. Along with his religious guidance his political leadership, the establishment of the relationships between the Muslim society and the other groups had started to grow importance. The holy prophet did not gain power or became the ruler of median at the time of Hijrah but acquired the control on the city when he had defeated his enemies in Mecca and the other places when people of Medina who had accepted Islam came to join him. Several years before the demise of the Holy Prophet the political leadership of the Holy prophet became undisputed with the subsequent developments when most of the Arabian tribes had accepted Islam. Therefore, it had been seen that under his ruling a wide political unity had been developed. The personal skills, the highly developed wisdom, his diplomacy as a ruler, his understanding with other people and his tactfulness cannot be separated from his success even if the conditions were said to be in his side always. The good behavior of the Holy prophet and his politics and leadership skills played a great role in the success besides the attractiveness of Islam and the fact that Islam responded to the needs of the Arab states religiously and as a social system (Abdul Rahman,25). Under the leadership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the political structure of the Arabian Peninsula changed with the quarter century. Due to the efforts of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) the Arabs had become a nation, first who were living as nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes. Rotting in terms of these concepts a new moral and social order in the society was also formed by the Prophet besides struggling heavily with the dominant religion, institutions and the social concepts. The superiority concept that was believed to exist since birth was ended by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) besides his elimination of the social injustice, tribal animosities and the inequalities. The artificial obstacles that tend to separate an individual from the society were also removed by him. A society that was based on affection, fellowship and cooperation was founded by him. The misbehavior toward women and the killing of girls was also stopped by him. The status of women was raised to such an extent by the Prophet that from the oppressive obedience rule they were made to share their lives with the men and had mutual amount or responsibilities and rights. The women were allowed to have their legal professions; they could purchase detached residences and spent their money on whatever they wanted. The old perceptions which did not treat or regard women’s as independent individuals were eliminated and he had invalidated the provisions in the field of family law of women. Steps to abolish slavery were taken by the Prophet (pbuh). After a short period of time as a matter of fact the liberated slaves began to outshine their masters in different fields like scholarships arts etc. In the tenth year of Hijrah as the entire Arabia had come under the Islamic rule and the Medina regions became Islamic state provinces the people from the Prophet’s tribe were assigned these provinces to administer. Through merit and personal ability these people were assigned the provinces. In recalling the people who were incompetent and assigning the provinces to the more skilled workers the Prophet was never hesitant. A person who was well skilled and well informed would not be assigned the work if he had issues with overcoming the task. From the values of nobility, class, tribal superiority and wealth the value of faith was more essential in administration. According to their personal capacity everyone was given the opportunity to achieve. It is hence seen that only the competent believers were assigned by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) (Malise,43). The act of consultation was one of the indispensible actions he employed in administration. On the issues of significance he consulted leading believers and took their opinions. The decision he used to make was enact to the decisions formed by these consultants even if it contradicted his own opinions (Ozel). The Holy prophet possesses some great leadership qualities which played a major role in the success of Islam at the time of the unification of Arabia. The Holy Prophet when received his first revelation, he with fear was trembling. Of the great responsibility he was fully aware of the great responsibility being given to him. He could only confide about this was to his wife Khadija as he was so fearful. The confidence by which the Holy Prophet took Hazrat Khadija in confidence was remarkable. Regardless of the prevailing norms it reflected his inner strength and confidence in judgment. At that time he trusted and respected his wife for her support something which was very rare at that time. The Holy Prophet’s deep humility was also reflected. He only preached to his family and close friends in the start, true to his humility. He was completely aware of the fact that this would completely turn his community upside down but would transform it for the better. He took the risk of dividing his community with great courage. His desire was to save the community and not destroy it (Khan). The followers of the Holy Prophet used to carry out all the orders of the Holy Prophet without any kind of hesitation as they all had blind faith in him and if they were asked to plunge themselves in the river of fire they were also ready to do that but the Holy Prophet never adopted any of the methods that were dictatorial. At times when the Holy Prophet received no instructions from Allah he used to consult his companions about the issue and respected whatever views they put forward and considering those he took his decisions. To the advice of his companions in the battle of Badr about choosing the camping grounds, taking military action against the enemies, how the prisoners should be dealt with etc were all left to the companions. He also consulted his companions at the time of the battle of Uhad about whether to attack the troops from within the city of Medina or from outside of Medina. On the Battle of Ahzab and Tabuk also he consulted his companions (Hart). The Holy Prophets kindness and tolerance, his anxiety in seeking the forgiveness of its community’s sins, he giving so much of importance to his companions and all his consultations with them were all main factors that had contributed to the great influence and wonderful exercise over his companions. The maximum qualities of leadership were all that he himself possessed. Like firmness, boldness, determination, no fear of any consequences of an action, bearing criticism, delegation of the powers in accordance to their abilities, giving importance to others, flexibility in his personal matters, emotional and practical talents, modesty, humility, contentment, simplicity, dignity, elevation of manners and great interest in the organizing of human resources (Mutahhari). At the disposal of humanity a complete program and a code of comprehensive laws had been placed with the raising of the Prophet of Islam. The teachings and laws implementation of Islam would ensure the happiness and the prosperity of the human beings in this as well as the next worlds. When the Quraish saw Islam as a threat they started torturing the Holy Prophet and all of his followers. But in spite of the unbearable hostility and suffering they were firm on their belief and held fast on their faith. When the news of the success of Islam reached the Quraish in general and the Umayyad in particular they with the Jews conspired to uproot the Muslims. Treachery was widespread and the Holy Prophet who had never yielded a weapon had to defend Islam by the force of arms. From the battle of Badr commencing a series of the battles were being fought in which the community had defended itself successfully. The Muslims remarkable achievements were primarily due to the outstanding leadership qualities of just one man- the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his teaching and explicit faith in Islam. By the same spirit his followers were also imbibed, which had carried them across the continents and inclined them against the two mighty empires, as the Muslims armies marched on were swept aside (Lodi). A successful prophet was Muhammad and a statesman who in brief span of 21 years went from the visionary of persecution to the ruler of Arabia. It was his success that made Islam a powerful tool for the providence and the second largest religion in the world. So the success of Islam is great due to the skills of the Holy Prophet which lead it to become a widespread strong belief religion (Cromwell).

Jack London :: essays papers

Jack London A Study of Jack London’s Belief in Darwinism Jack London has a strong belief in Darwinism, survival of the fittest, during the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s, when he wrote. Throughout his writings, many characters display London’s belief in Darwinism. In the novel, The Call of the Wild, Jack London’s belief in social darwinism is portrayed by animals interacting with humans, each other, and the environment. This can be shown through Buck, a house dog turned sled dog, interacting with his masters, other dogs, and the Yukon wilderness. As Buck travels from master to master throughout the course of the novel he learns, through trial and error, what behavior brings rewards, and that which brings punishment. [Buck] had never been struck by a club in his life, and did not understand. ...he was [now] aware that it was a club, but his madness knew no caution. A dozen times he charged, and as often the club broke the charge and smashed him down (London 18). Buck â€Å"...had learned the lesson, and in all his after life he never forgot it. That club was a revelation. ...the lesson was driven home to Buck: a man with a club was a lawgiver, a master to be obeyed...† (London 20). Buck learned to do as his masters say. â€Å"...he grew honestly to respect them. He speedily learned that Perrault and Francois were fair men...† (London 21). Buck also learned when and how to defend himself against man. London’s depiction of Buck’s struggle to learn how to survive in an unfamiliar environment has been compared to western society’s struggle with encroaching communism. â€Å"The study of Jack London’s work became a mirror of the turbulent McCarthy era...† (Veggian 2). Through these struggles, Buck was able to adapt and survive in a world controlled by man. Buck also had to learn when and how to fight other dogs. Eventually Buck Fought and killed Spitz to become lead dog. â€Å"Buck stood and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good† (London 42). London often witnessed these dog fights and this influenced his writing. â€Å"...he found the first successful theme for his writing in a last frontier splurge...† (Walker 12). Although Buck had troubles with his new peers, he also had a great conflict with his new home.

Restaurant Evaluation

Burger King Your Name Your School Restaurant Evaluation Walking into a fast food joint, one expects to be met by a sweet aroma of the delicious foods that are quite appealing. Considering they are supposed to serve customers as fast as they can while at the same time maintaining quality service. Upon entering a fast food restaurant, one would expect to have a view of the whole place in a glance, with counters just around the bend for customers to make their purchase. One would also expect to find people around helping customers make fast purchases as well as clearing tables for people to eat.Without such quality, a fast food restaurant cannot be up to par. Burger King is the fast food restaurant I visited a few days ago, and fortunately did not disappoint my expectations; rather, I was surprised by their smooth, fast service and tasty foods as well as the restaurant itself. Once I entered the restaurant, I was met by the aroma of grilling hamburgers and other foods, which is not usua lly the norm in other fast food restaurants, where food is mostly micro waved. The interior of the restaurant is well designed, spacious to allow many people to be served at the counter without much congestion.Their prices are well marked on the menu, which is well labeled with pictures that are just as alluring as the aroma. Just as their phrase suggests, â€Å"Have it your way,† one can ask their hamburger to be made the way they want. This makes it ideal for everybody rather than having to standardize everything to suit all, which is not possible. For instance, when ordering a whopper, you can choose what to be included in it to suit your preference. This makes it a strong point for people who want a hamburger served with what they want.On the other hand, it serves as a weakness since having to order it the way you want takes a little more time and this requires patience. The tables are well set with enough space between them and decoration is just good for a fast food res taurant. This gives space for people to have their meal easily in less congestion. However, this has its weakness considering the restaurant is frequented by many customers at one time especially during lunch hour. Many people may want sitting space but due to their spaciously arranged tables, they can only provide a few with sitting space, forcing people to carry their orders, even if they may not want to.Entering at around 2. 00 P. M. , I was already receiving my order the way I wanted it in less than five minutes after direction from one of the workers in the restaurant who offered me help with my order. The restaurant is well set with counters strategically positioned to access from any table in their restaurant with ease. After receiving my order, finding a table was not easy considering it was still a few minutes from 1 o’clock when many people are on lunch break. I ordered a Whiplash Whopper that appealed to me, first from its name. I expected quite nourishment from it .The sandwich came with a whopper meat stacked in it, with spicy crispy fried onions, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, pepper and cheese. The ingredients were well balanced with the meat being standard, fresh lettuce, and the crispy onions added to the experience. The meat itself was well grilled and soft though I prefer it a little crunchy and more burnt. The other spices were on a fair balance and I could have loved a little more pepper in it as well as tomato. The hamburger was quite delicious and every single bite was an experience different from other hamburgers I have taken.Although not everything was according to my taste, most of what I look for in a hamburger was there. Going at $3. 99, it was worth the amount and most definitely, I am sure I will come again to this restaurant to try other foods. Burger King has many competitors such as McDonalds among other fast food restaurants owned by individuals. The location of the Burger King serves as the strategic point of hav ing such a facility considering the many people who want to save as much time as they can. This makes it ideal for people working around there, as it is quite convenient.This is one of its strong points but also its weak point. During the day, since there are many people working around here, it has many customers, but during the night, there are fewer customers. In conclusion, the restaurant is well above the standards and the food served is delicious and to high standards just as the restaurant itself. In the first criteria of the service delivery, the restaurant was average when it came to the sitting area. Everybody knows that fast foods are not required to have spacious, luxurious sitting spaces.Burger King can increase their table to accommodate more people. In terms of the food served, it is quality and delicious. Since it is a fast food, one expects the food to be easy to pack or take away since many people may choose to carry their food. Burger King has achieved this by cook ing their food through grilling, which ensures food does not break up when heating unlike microwave food. Finally, its locations serves them well during the day and it is at a hot point. They can only accommodate more during the day to compensate during nighttime.

First Few Weeks in High School Essay

High school is an enjoyable, but challenging part of life. From the first day of school to the 5th week of school I was confused, excited, and lost. My challenges are getting A’s in all of my classes and being one of the top students in my classes. My successful moments have been getting A’s on my History, English, Geometry, and Biology tests. My goal in AVID is to find which college would best suit me. Also, I would like to increase my public speaking skills. The transition from middle school to high school is a giant leap regarding the amount of work required and the quantity of responsibilities. First of all, from the first Day of high school to the 5th week, I was confused, excited, and lost. For example, I was excited because I wanted to meet new people and extend my leadership skills. In addition, I was confused because it was a whole different schedule and there was a variety of new topics that I had never heard about. Furthermore, I was lost because the school was enormous and there were a lot of new things to deal with. To conclude, during the first five weeks I still felt like it was summer so I didn’t have my act together which made a couple of things tough on me. Secondly, I have set up a couple of challenges and had a few successful moments. One of my challenges is getting A’s in all of my classes. Another challenge I havpre is being one of the top students in my classes. My successful moments have been getting A’s on my History, English, Geometry, and Biology tests. In conclusion I have challenged myself by setting up a few challenges that I must accomplish and I have had a couple successful moments so far in high school. My goal in AVID is to find which college would best suit me. Also, I would like to increase my public speaking skills. Even though I am in my first  year of high school planning ahead for my future is good because that way I can prepare for what is coming and I won’t have to do anything at the last minute. AVID also helps increase people public speaking skills which is a crucial aspect required for a lot of things that may occur in the future. Another thing AVID provides is community service, which gets you involved with the community. To finish off with, AVID is a great and important program if you want to succeed in high school and in the rest of your life. In conclusion, the transition from middle school to high school is a giant leap regarding the amount of work required and the quantity of responsibilities. From the first day of school to the 5th week of school I was confused, excited, and lost. My challenges are getting A’s in all of my classes and being one of the top students in my classes. My successful moments have been getting A’s on my History, English, Geometry, and Biology tests. My goal in AVID is to find which college would best suit me. Also, I would like to increase my public speaking skills. High school may seem hard with all the work, but It can be easy if you really try and put your mind to it.

Creation and Cures essays

Creation and Cures essays Imagine not worrying about being perfect. Having IQ levels better than Einstein, but with an appealing appearance, singing better than the Backstreet Boys, and playing a favorite sport like a professional. Well, fortunately scientists have found a way of making those imaginative thoughts into reality through Genetic Engineering. Decades ago genetic engineering began, in its most simplest form, by cross breeding crops and cattle as well as domestic pets. Different traits were strengthened while other traits were lessened in these organisms. Now with a better understanding of the genome genetic engineering has taken on another level. Scientists can now insert or activate, genes within our DNA which results in turning on or off or adding and removing traits. Scientists should use genetic engineering to improve our lifestyle. Just by inserting or removing that extra gene they can examine a human before birth and prevent humans from having diseases. Positive eugenics encouraged parents displaying favorable characteristics to have large families. Superior intelligence, intellectual achievement, and artistic talent are examples. (Klug10). Almost every parent wants the best for his or her child and genetic engineering can provide some of those wants by transferring genes. In the future if genetic engineering is proposed, I for one would surely want to make my child into someone with a high IQ level, and I know many people would do the same too. Most parents take their children to piano lessons or swimming lessons and/or even pay for a school tutor, but if one could insert that one gene think about all the time and money one could save. I mean it is not like were not transferring genes right now; take vegetables as an example. Most scientist or farmers breed plants which consist of special genes for better results, and until this day they are sold across North America. Geneti ...

How to Make Homemade Ink in 4 Easy Recipes

How to Make Homemade Ink in 4 Easy Recipes Ink is one of the practical contributions of chemistry. Using basic materials found at craft supply stores, you can make invisible inks and tattoo inks in addition to writing and drawing inks. Although some ink recipes are closely guarded secrets, the basic principles of preparing ink are simple. All you have to do is mix pigment with a carrier (usually water). It helps to include a chemical that  will allow the ink to flow fluidly and adhere to the paper (typically gum arabic, which is sold in powdered form). Black Permanent Ink  Recipe The most popular ink, black permanent ink can be prepared at home using the following materials: 1/2 tsp lamp black (This you can buy or make yourself by holding a plate over a candle and collecting the soot, or by collecting another form of char.)1 egg yolk1 tsp gum arabic1/2 cup honey Mix together the egg yolk, gum arabic, and honey. Stir in the lamp black. This will produce a thick paste that you can store in a sealed container. To use the  ink, mix this paste with a small amount of water to achieve the desired consistency. Applying a small amount of heat may improve the consistency of the solution, but be careful- too much heat will make the ink difficult to write with. Brown Ink  Recipe Brown ink is a popular alternative to black ink and can be prepared without any char or lamp black. All you need to make it is: 4 teaspoons loose tea or 4-5 tea bags1 teaspoon gum arabic1/2 cup boiling water Pour the boiling water over the tea. Allow the tea to steep for about 15 minutes. Squeeze as much tea (tannin) as possible from the tea or teabags. Stir in the gum arabic and mix until you have a consistent solution. Strain the ink so that you are left with a thick paste and allow it to cool before bottling it. Prussian Blue Ink  Recipe An even simpler recipe, and one that produces a bold color, is this recipe for Prussian blue, which painters have been using since the early 1700s. All you need to make it is: Prussian Blue pigment (sometimes sold as laundry bluing)Water Mix the pigment into the water until you have a rich blue ink with a thick consistency. Unless you happen to have a calligraphy pen, the easiest way to use these inks is with a homemade quill or a paintbrush. Blackberry Ink Recipe Like the recipe above, this one produces a rich blue ink, but one that is darker and made entirely of natural materials. To make it, you will need: 1 cup blackberries1/2 cup water1/2 tsp gum arabic4 drops thyme oil First, heat the blackberries in the water, pressing them to release the juice. Once the mixture is dark blue and all of the juice is released, strain the mixture and stir in the gum arabic until you have produced a thick paste. Add the thyme oil and stir. Allow the ink to cool before bottling it.

How Does Common Core Work for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Assignment

How Does Common Core Work for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Assignment Example Before the Common Core Standards came in place, each state had its own standards. The standards varied considerably in the areas of focus and content hence leading to different learning outcomes. As such, there was a need to formulate a common national standard for learning by which states could make tailored changes that meet their priority. Individuals without hearing loss acquire 80% of their information through accidental means. However, the figures for those who are deaf and hard of hearing is lower due to the fact that hearing loss interrupts the path of information from the teacher to the student. Consequently, there is the need for specialized training for teachers of students who are deaf or are hard of hearing so as to address the needs of these students. It states that transitions from school to the real world environment are a real challenge for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Therefore, Gunderson claims that the Common Core State Standards have been expanded to incorporate eight fields which are, audiology, family education, functional skills for success in education, communication, technology, self-determination and advocacy, and career education. According to Gunderson, the Common Core State Standards should empower the students and help them in understanding their current predicaments through audiology. This is one method of early intervention and will help them to understand themselves at an early age. Family education is a crucial component of the Common Core Standards. The families of deaf and hard hearing children may be faced with numerous challenges such as acceptance, educational services, language to use and mode of communication.

Sport and meida reading proof assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sport and meida reading proof assignment - Essay Example The behavior of people when conceiving visual sporting activities on television is different from newspapers and audio. Effective communication and expression is more attainable in visual images that are experienced in television. The diverse concepts addressed in sporting media plays central role in actively initiating mental reaction towards various activities. For instance, in the contemporary sports activities like Football and athletics, stadia are surrounded by several advertisements. The reason behind such advertisements is that people tend to associate images with events which have significant effect in the mind of the spectators. The aesthetical effect of sports in the mind is active and calls for insightful study of how images infiltrate thoughts that sound. Media has used this concept to tune the mind of the mass and provoke widespread politics in sports (Kirsten, 2007). According to Fransen, long period of exposure to television make people to begin developing a strong relationship with respect to media content. Considering the increasing popularity of football across the world, people tend to associate watching television with various European premier leagues and this in turn promotes media commitment to meet people’s