Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Atomic Bomb Essays

The Atomic Bomb Essays The Atomic Bomb Essay The Atomic Bomb Essay There has been a long standing debate on why the atomic bomb was used to defeat Japan.The threat of Russian advancement in Europe and in Asia was enough to worry the top officials in the United States and British governments. Wherever the Russians moved through they took for themselves.The imminent invasion of mainland Japan and the allied casualties that came with it were also a factor in the decision to drop the bomb, as said in document A.The dropping of the bomb was not entirely used to stop the Russian advancement. If the allied forces had invaded mainland Japan, many lives on both sides would have been lost.Most probably more than were lost in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki put together.The tactics that the allies had used up to this point had cost hundreds of thousands of lives onboth sides.This was when the Japanese only had maybe two or three thousand men on an island; whereas on the mainland millions of people who would fight until their death to protect their cou ntry.Can you imagine if the Americans invaded mainland Japan where they had not only soldiers to fight against but the citizens of Japan loyal to Hirohito?Massive destruction, immense loss of life, and prolonging of the war until late 1946, as stated in document A, would result from invading on foot Revenge also played a role in the decision to bomb Japan.The Japanese were not following the Geneva convention in regards to treatment of prisoners of war.Which says that the prisoners are not to be put through torture of the psychological or physical nature. The Japanese did these things anyway, they would decapitate American prisoners, or they would shove bamboo shoots under their fingernails.The American government also wanted revenge for the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.No warning was given by the Japanese to the Americans and no war was declared until after the incident.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

6th Grade Math Word Problems with Answers

6th Grade Math Word Problems with Answers Math is all about problem-solving. One of the best ways to help children learn math is to present them with a problem in which they have to devise their own strategies to find the solution(s). There is usually more than 1 way to solve math problems and children need the opportunity to discover shortcuts and their own algorithms to determine the appropriate solution, they should also justify their solution(s). The following math word problems are specific for children in the sixth grade and are divided into the main math categories: Number Concepts, Patterns and Algebra, Geometry and Measurement, Data Management and Probability. Children should be involved in problem-solving activities every day. Problems for third grade students should be read to them. Students should also be able to describe why their solutions work or how they know its the right solution. My favorite question to children is how do you know. When they have to explain how they arrived at their answer, you immediately know the learning that has taken place. Patterns and Algebra Kellys classroom organized an e-Pal club. 11 people joined the club. Each of them sent an email to each of the members of the club. How many emails were actually sent? How do you know? Ticket sales for the bake sale were underway. Four people bought tickets on the first day of sales, twice as many people bought tickets on the second day and each day afterwards twice as many people bought tickets. How many tickets were sold after 16 days? Data Management and Probability Pet Parade: Mr. James has 14 cats, dogs and guinea pigs. What are all the combinations he could have? How many different types of pizza can you make with the following toppings: pepperoni, tomatoes, bacon, onions and green peppers? Show your answer. Number Concepts Sam bought 8 ball caps, one for each of her eight friends, for $8.95 each. The cashier charged her an additional $12.07 in sales tax. She left the store with a measly $6.28. How much money did Sam start with? Geometry and Measurement Watch your favorite television show from beginning to end. Time each of the commercials and determine the percentage of commercial time for the entire show. Now determine the percentage of time the actual show is. What is the fraction of commercials? Two squares are beside each other. One square has 6 times the length of the other square, how many times greater is the area of the larger square? How do you know?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

International business and economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International business and economy - Essay Example This memo outlines the top 3 such markets outside of the U.S., and discusses the cultural, political, economic, legal and technology issues that must be addressed in order to fully realize the sales potential offered the identified countries. Differences between a successful sales approach in these target countries versus such approaches in the U.S. will also be examined. Outside of the U.S., there are several regions with populations that are aging rapidly. Birth rates have fallen off substantially throughout much of the industrialized world in recent decades, resulting in graying societies that are becoming deeply concerned about the economic impact of ever increasing ranks of the retired supported by shrinking numbers of working age people. Arguably, these trends have been most pronounced in Europe and the Far East. Several countries, including Britain, Germany, Japan, China and Thailand have been cited by demographic experts as being on the cusp of a crisis brought on by the unprecedented shift of population toward the elderly. That "crisis" translates into business opportunity for PM Company through enhanced sales potential. The three countries that represent the greatest of this potential are Japan, China, and the European Union in general - Britain and Germany in particular. An aggressive move by PM into these markets today will reap substanti al financial benefits tomorrow. Japan Japan is, without a doubt, the highest priority overseas market for PM Company's product line. Recently published government data showed that "the share of elderly people aged 65 or older in Japan's total population became the highest in the world while the rate of youth aged 14 or younger fell to the lowest, an indication of the relatively rapid aging of its population" ("Elderly Population Share," 2006). Japan's elderly population is nearly 27 million, about 21% of that country's total population. Japan reported in June of 2006 that they "surpassed Italy as the world's most elderly nation" (Coleman, 2006). The Kiplinger Letter maintains that "An aging Japanese population will demand more medical goods than the domestic industry can produce" ("Companies that export," 2006). These factors suggest Japan is an enormous untapped market for walkers, wheelchairs and related equipment. Combine the shear volume of potential customers with the strength and vitality of the Japanese economy, its democratic political system, and its Post World War II tradition of close business ties with U.S. companies, and the stage is set for a phenomenal boost in PM Company's sales driven by the Japanese market. As promising as this market is, there certainly are some cultural obstacles that will need to be overcome when trying to break into this market. Japan, like many other Far Eastern countries, has built a society on the notion of suppressing individualism in favor of the good of the group. That culture has carried over to the business world, where the Japanese will tend to be governed less by individual aspiration than by promoting the success of their companies and organizations. As the company seeks to expand its sales force into Japan, it needs to be aware of the potential distinction between how U.S. salespeople and those in Japan might best be motivated. For purposes of selling mobility products to elderly and disabled people in Japan, it is also helpful to be aware of the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Written campaign pitch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Written campaign pitch - Essay Example This campaign pitch is designed to work under a strategy known as market-differentiation and through the use of the resources that are available in the Attic stores. The growth of this business as well as the consumer awareness/loyalty will be attained through the use of the resources provided by the three principal partners of Attic stores. The marketing mix to be used by the Attic stores will be centered on the emphasis of the high quality of their products and the fast customer service accorded to the clients by the staff of Attic stores. It is definitely probable that various risks will be involved in this type of a marketing mix. As a solution to this, Attic stores will consider structuring this campaign pitch into four segments. The first segment of this campaign pitch will focus on the instantaneous and responsive business environment accorded to Attic stores. In utilizing the immediate and responsive business environment, the Attic stores shall make use of a campaign slogan to be referred to as ‘fashion mania’. ‘Fashion mania’ can be given wide-meaning showing obsessions that people have for up-to-the-minute clothing and more specifically leisure/sportswear. We shall therefore change our business name to Attic Stores Fashion Mania. As part of our change, we shall encompass various modes for the distribution of our products. That means that we will not rely only on the traditional methodologies that are used by other retail outlets in the distribution of their products. As such, we will employ the use of other methodologies for example mail orders so as to address the clothing needs of our clients who are very busy and do not have free time at their disposal to come personally to the stores (Adcock, 1998). We will also use the internet and the social media like Facebook and blogs sell our products. The use of the social media is particularly important because at this digital era, most of the people

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Journey of Man Essay Example for Free

The Journey of Man Essay It has long been debated both in religion and in science about the origin of man. One cites that man was created out from the flesh of some higher Being while the other has many theories regarding such issues. But whatever the most possible theory might be, there is no denying that over time, scientists have established a profound link between the genetic composition of man and how he has evolved over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his latest book, Spencer Wells tries to trace our evolution up to our very first ancestor. This book tried to answer some long-standing anthropological questions regarding the origin of humans and we were able to migrate. To answer and trace this, he relied heavily on science, specifically the modern techniques and developments in DNA research for support. He basically reiterated that the Y chromosome (that of the male) is the unaffected marker of the human heritage (Wells, 2004). From that basis, he worked backward through time and concluded that the earliest man can be found in Africa who lived between 31,000 to 79,000 years ago which he then called the â€Å"Eurasian Adam†. As time goes by, a subsequent population would grow and become isolated from its fellows who then gain new genetic markers that subsequently created a new (genetic) map in time and space. He also said that the first modern humans â€Å"left Africa only 2,000 generations ago† (Wells, 2004) who speedily crossed out to Asia, Europe and America. Utilizing the same indicators, he was quick to debunk the notion that the Neanderthals are our ancestors. Moreover, in this book, he was able to find unusual links between faraway peoples (which were not specifically named in the book) and was able to give evidences that all Native Americans can be marked out from a group of at least a dozen people. Throughout the book, he was able to elaborate his terminologies and methods which made the human tree seem easy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book thus has compelling arguments with regard to the origin of man. Wells explicitly argued (and as can be seen from the title itself) that the origin of the human race is that of man; but he did not trace any blood samples of that of a woman. In lieu with this, a question may arise as to where was the origin of women per se come from. In regard to this argument, Wells did not give any hard evidences. Although his primary goal was to find the original male, the real revolution that he was able to illustrate is racial in nature. Racial in a sense that he was able to find links (no matter how odd it may seem) regarding the origins of certain populations today. But, as he elaborates further in the book, he stresses that what makes us distinguished form each other are purely cultural and not solely based on our biology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, the author utilized a new kind of archeology in his research. And this archeology does not dig into remnants or fossils but into human cells and genes. Accompanied by his revolutionary techniques, the author was able to give revolutionary details and insights as to where we came from and how we were able to migrate, our origin and more importantly, our races. With the numerous advancements that science and technology were able to develop, it is quite commendable in the author’s part to attack his research in a refreshing and more scientific approach. He is praiseworthy because he was able to apply his expertise and at the same time, use new methods that proved to be very successful and reliable. Instead of going through the conventional way of finding the origin of man, he was quick to turn to genetics to answer his queries. And thus, he was able to come up with new theories and some new arguments. It also helps that his arguments is backed up by his data by his own researches. Through this, he was able to refute ideas of some anthropologists who claimed that varying human races were subspecies that had its origin from different regions at different times. This further hardened by diagrams and maps that the author provided.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maybe one of the more underrated topics included in the book was how our languages was spread. The author also gives us an idea how language was able to spread and evolve. Much like migration and mutation, language evolved from the addition of new genes throughout time. Analogous to the trail of how the Y chromosome has lead its way out of Africa, Wells says that language encountered that same route but as we develop a new culture, our respective languages are dying at a very fast rate. This means that the original language that we new are added with new meanings and it is slowly using its original sense; but this kind of evolution is not something to fret about for it only signifies that change (good change for that matter) is constant.   As new gene line-ups are added to every race and culture, so as the evolution of language is inevitable. Therefore, culture then is still a major factor to the growth of the race.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many new and refreshing take that one can find in this book. The author clearly gives us a new perspective and arguments regarding our origin. But, unlike many other theories where more questions arise, this book tries to answer its own (and other queries as well) questions. The author had the Y chromosome as his basis for tracking down our ancestors and he employed the latest in genetic mapping which proved to be very successful and reliable. It is also of good importance to note that not only does the author focused on the Y chromosome per se but also on how it migrated and its direction; which implies the migration pattern of the first humans and their journey to the outside world. Moreover, the author also added how language came about its development and evolution throughout time. Lastly, as from the book itself, races were formed from the influx/addition of new line of genes and the environment as they travel through different lands. As humans move from one place to another, they met other people that mostly added to their culture. And perhaps the most startling statement from the author is his argument that races does not exclusively came form genes but importantly, environment and culture were additional factors that contributed to the growth and development of races that we know today. References: Wells, S. (2004). The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey: Random House Trade Paperbacks.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

1787: The Grand Convension by Clinton Rossiter :: essays research papers

The book I reviewed was 1787: The Grand Convention by Clinton Rossiter. In it he Breaks down before during and after the convention into four parts: The Setting, The Men, The Event, and The Consequences. In the Beginning Mr. Rossiter sets up for us a country that was going trough sever growing pains was without some serious help would not become the world power that it is today. The congressional form of common government that was formed during the Articles of Confederation, though not a failure, where not a success either. In order to finish what had begun with the revolution the great minds and characters of that time must band together and set aside the many differences they had in order to become one powerful government instead of a band of bickering siblings. Although Mr. Rossiter states that they did not come to Philadelphia because they all agreed they wanted to form a new structure for they government, they did feel that something had to be done or else the country that they fought so hard for to become free, would fail. Set up for the readers also were the wonderful and easy to understand breakup of all the men who were going to the convention. All of which were well-to-do men with businesses, prior political experience, and degrees from various University’s from all over the New World. As going over the names and descriptions of the Framers of the Constitution we are forced to agree with the author and others as well who say this group is the crà ¨me de la crà ¨me of the political business and military world like Washington, Hamilton, Madison, and Franklin. I must also admit though that those names were the only ones I had heard and recognized. What this book is good for it to fill in many of the spots that were missing in High School and Elementary school classes. The people who are only given 1 paragraph or a few sentences in to describe their personalities come to life in this book. For which we all must applaud Mr. Rossiter for being able to piece this pivotal moment in our history so well from notes and letters taken from the great men of this era. By far the most important part of this book was the description of the event itself that went on for many months from May 14th to September 17th.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Irving Berlin: His Music, His Life Essay

America has become a home to diverse kinds of music. It epitomizes the diversity of people and culture that live in it. One great American composer that we consider to have a gargantuan contribution to its development as what it is now is Irving Berlin. Although he was born in Russia, he managed to share his melodies and lyrics to people in an era fraught by war, cultural alienation and economic instability. The son of an impoverished Jewish cantor, he was taken to America at the age of five. His father died when he was 13, and a year later he ran away from home, rather than be a burden to his mother. He sang for pennies outside cabarets, became a chorus boy, a stooge in vaudeville, a song plugger and a singing waiter. Berlin had no formal musical training, but taught himself to play the piano, if only in one key, F . He began churning out songs, usually serving as his own lyricist, and finally caught America’s ear with ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’ in 1911 (Bordmann, 2001). According to New Grove Dictionary, Berlin’s first complete stage work, â€Å"Watch Your Step† (1914), purported to be the first musical written entirely in ragtime. However, his supporters would argue that that was not strictly so, but cannot dispute that Berlin played a major role in making ragtime popular, just as the real genre was fading away. The show’s hit was ‘Simple melody’. Between â€Å"Watch Your Step† and â€Å"Mr President† (1962) Berlin wrote all or most of the songs for 19 other Broadway shows. As a Jewish, Berlin maintained his ties to his own community. Berlin was very much a part of New York City’s radically multicultural milieu, which encompassed, in addition to his own group, Jews who had been in the United States for several generations; other recent immigrants to the New World from such places as Italy, Sicily, Portugal, and Turkey; Irish, Germans, and Scandinavians who had come over a generation or two ago; Americans of British heritage who had a much longer history in the United States and who had largely shaped the nation’s political, educational, and cultural life; and some blacks, who were still very much on the fringes of American society. Like David Quixando in Zangwill’s play, Berlin had personal and professional association with many people outside his own ethnic group: Chuck Connors, a friend and protector during his early days in Chinatown; his first collaborator, Mike Nicholson; Edgar Leslie, born in Stamford, Connecticut, and a graduate of the Cooper Union; the Irish-American George M. Cohan and the Dublin-born Victor Herbert, who became mentors and friends. He associated as freely as was possible at the time with such black musicians as Eubie Blake (Hamm, 1997, p.ix). Hamm (1997) cited that some of Berlin’s biographers have singled out â€Å"When I Lost You† as his first mature, fully successful ballad. They have related the content of the lyric to the fact that in early 1912 Berlin married Dorothy Goetz, the sister of his friend and collaborator E. Ray Goetz, and that the bride died five months after their wedding of typhoid or pneumonia probably contracted during the couple’s honeymoon in Havana. â€Å"When I Lost You†, published several months after her death, has a lyric lamenting the loss of a loved one. I lost the sunshine and roses, I lost the heavens of blue, I lost the beautiful rainbow, I lost the morning dew; I lost the angel who gave me Summer, the whole winter through, I lost the gladness that turned into sadness, When I lost you. It’s not true that the song is â€Å"unlike any song Berlin had previously written† in being â€Å"an exceedingly simple and stately waltz employing a bittersweet† (p. 162). In 1925, Berlin met and fell in love, for the second time, with Ellin Mackay, the daughter and heiress of Clarence H. Mackay, head of Postal Telegraph. As a devout Irish-American Catholic and a member of an elite New York society, Clarence Mackay recruited his immense power and resources in an attempt to prevent their marriage and, when all other strategy failed, he sent his daughter off to Europe for several months. During her absence, Berlin wrote several of his most poignant love ballads, including â€Å"Always† and â€Å"Remember†. When she returned to New York they were married secretly at City Hall on January 4, 1926, embarking immediately afterwards on a European honeymoon. When news of the marriage leaked out to the press, the newspapers gave much publicity to the romance which had so dramatically broken down social and religious barriers. The event even found its way into music in â€Å"When a Kid Who Came from the East Side Found a Sweet Society Rose† (lyrics by Al Dubin and music by Jimmy McHugh). Although Clarence H. Mackay disinherited his daughter and refused to communicate with her, even after the Berlins’ first child was born, he later allowed a reconciliation to take place, and he remained sympathetic to his son-in-law (Ewen & Ewen, 1962, p. 24-25). Irving and Ellin had three daughters—Mary Ellin, Linda, and Elizabeth, all of whom were raised Protestant—and a son, Irving Berlin, Jr. , who died before his first birthday, on Christmas Day in 1928. As a father, Berlin was absent too much to be a doting father. During World War II, he traveled with his show, This Is the Army. When he wasn’t on the road he worked at night, going to bed at 4 or 5 AM and sleeping until noon. There were three faiths in the house – Ellin was Catholic, Irving was Jewish and the three girls were raised Protestant, largely because Ellin was in favor of religious tolerance (People Weekly, 9 October 1989). Popular songs in the first half of the twentieth century had been touted with the domination of Jewish Americans. More important, their cultural and musical heritage colored their products, giving them a flavor quite different from that of earlier popular songs and bringing yet another ethnic strain to the already diverse style of American song. If a single songwriter were to be chosen to epitomize the era, it would certainly be Irving Berlin. He wrote songs from the very beginning of the period through to the end (and even into the next era); his songs represent all of the various types that characterized these years; and dozens of his songs were among the most popular products of the Tin Pan Alley years. Furthermore, his career and his music point up the strong links between the first and second generations of Tin Pan Alley, and the emergence of a somewhat different song style in the 1920s and ’30s (Hamm, 1979, p. 329). To gain a better perspective on this issue, one must understand the Tin Pan Alley aesthetic. New songs were judged by audience acceptance or rejection, not by abstract analysis of their musical and lyrical components. As Wilder put it, for Berlin and his peers â€Å"a good song and a hit song [were] synonymous (p. 92). † To ensure that their songs would be immediately accessible to their audiences, composers drew on already familiar musical styles, including the most popular songs of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, widely disseminated pieces of the classical repertory, and social dances of the present and immediate past. Berlin himself wrote in the Green Book Magazine for April 1916, â€Å"There’s no such thing as a new melody. Our work is to connect the old phrases in a new way, so that they will sound like a new tune. † During World War I, Berlin served first as a private, then as a sergeant at Camp Upton, a temporary station for troops embarking for Europe. Convinced of the need for entertainment for these troops–and encouraged by the commanding general of the camp, who needed $35,000 for a new service center–Berlin prepared an all-soldier show, Yip, Yip, Yaphank, for which he wrote book, lyrics, and music. This musical, which opened at the Century Theatre in New York City on July 26, 1918, presented various aspects of a rookie’s life at camp in song, comedy, sentiment, dance, and production numbers. Berlin’s best songs were â€Å"Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning† and â€Å"Mandy. † Yip, Yip, Yaphank eventually netted over $150,000 for the Camp Upton Service Center. However, it is indubitable that â€Å"Annie Get Your Gun† (1946) Berlin’s most successful musical. Based very freely on the life of Annie Oakley, the show was originally to have had music by Kern; he died while working on it, and Berlin replaced him. At the first performance, Ethel Merman sang the title role and Ray Middleton played Frank. Annie has entered the repertory of opera companies in the USA, and the Vienna Volksoper. Upon his return to civilian life, Berlin began to expand his activities beyond songwriting. He formed his own publishing house, Irving Berlin, Inc. –an occasion that inspired an â€Å"Irving Berlin Week,† celebrated throughout the country with performances of his songs in theatres and night clubs. He also embarked on a career as a vaudeville headliner, appearing in performances of his song hits in leading theatres. In 1927, Berlin wrote a ballad, â€Å"The Song Is Ended,† almost as if he had a prophetic glimpse of what awaited him: the uncreative years between 1929 and 1932. During this time he wrote little and seemed incapable of producing anything that either satisfied him or could win public approval. This period of sterility was made even more difficult by the depletion of his fortune during the economic crisis. The hit of his last success, Call Me Madam (1950), was â€Å"You’re Just in Love†. Berlin also created the music for many films. Berlin’s music was always catchy as it kept abreast of the latest in musical fashions and constantly composed memorable, musically inventive songs in the idiom of the moment (Bordman, 2001). Berlin’s rise from poverty to fame is quite inspiring. Starting with nothing on the Lower East Side, sleeping in flophouses on the Bowery, he earned a vast fortune by the time he was thirty and married Ellin McKay, the daughter of one of the richest men in America. Although he never lost his East Side accent, he assumed the privileges of wealth as one to the manner born; his daughter describes a life of quiet, tasteful luxury marred only by her father’s long bouts of depression, during which he would become even more invisible than usual, shutting himself off even from his family (Schiff, 1996). Through his great life we learn that music has great role in our lives and it is difficult to fathom why. Flutes have been found in France dating â€Å"as far back as 30,000 years† (Jensen, 2001, p. 15). This and other evidence implies that music has been used throughout human history. Music has been used by every culture to inspire, tell stories, pass on history, glorify achievements, amuse, relax, and educate. Music is used to express love, anger, despair, and hope. Some admit that music is indeed a universal language. In the United States, we have become culturally diverse in our musical tastes and embrace every genre and style from folk to classical, jazz, blues, rock and roll to rap. Berlin was a prominent figure in a time where jazz tunes reigned supreme. Thus, to share the wondrous life of a musician like Irving Berlin, people could celebrate the unique music of cultures and ethnic groups and we could show younger generations that diversity is something to be respected and treasured Works Cited Bordman, G. â€Å"Berlin, Irving†, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. S. Sadie and J. Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001). Ewen, David H. , and David H. Ewen, eds. Popular American Composers from Revolutionary Times to the Present: A Biographical and Critical Guide. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1962. Hamm, Charles. Irving Berlin: Songs from the Melting Pot: The Formative Years, 1907-1914. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Hamm, Charles. Yesterdays: Popular Song in America. New York: W. W. Norton, 1979. Jensen, E. Arts with the Brain in Mind. (Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001) People Weekly. Irving Berlin: Music and Myth, 32. 15 (9 October 1989):3. Schiff, David. â€Å"For Everyman, by Everyman: In Creating Himself According to the Nation’s Enthusiasm for His Songs, Irving Berlin Helped Create a National Identity. † The Atlantic Monthly Mar. 1996: 108+. Wilder, Alex. American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1972).

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Adoption of Islamic Banking Essay

The intention of the study is to identify the benefits which could be drawn in Adoption of Islamic banking by conventional banks and to determine the challenges they are going to face in the adoption. The 60 respondents from various conventional, non-Muslim banks have been chosen through simple random sampling. The result of the survey for the questions regarding the awareness of the local people was considered positive in Edgware Road, London. They were mostly familiar with Islamic banking since there is already established Islamic bank in the area. The first branch of The Islamic Bank of Britain was in this area. It was also found out that a good portion non-Muslims are aware about the features of Islamic banking. A number of these non-Muslim respondents were also found to be employees of Islamic banks. The fact that Islamic Bank of Britain employs the best person for the job regardless of color, creed, gender, and ethnicity, the system makes it more familiar to non-Muslims. It may be concluded that although Islamic banking is a good alternative to the conventional banking system, it should not replace the conventional system. The benefits drawn in the adoption of Islamic banking may be a very good alternative for investors who could use either or both systems to maximize the outcome of their investment plans. Chapter 1 Introduction 1. 1 Introduction What is Islamic Banking? Islamic Baking is quite a different system compared to a conventional banking system. The Islamic banking system prohibit usury and interest categorized as riba. It is governed by Shariah where Islam does not distinguish interest and usury (Haron 1995, p. 26). Currently, there are more than 150 interest-free institutions all over the world according to the International Association of Islamic Banks. Islamic banks nowadays were also serving non-Muslim countries such as Denmark, Switzerland and other Western countries. No interest is paid nor charged in an Islamic Bank. (Haron 1995, p. 26). The pioneer Mit Ghamr Local Savings Banks was established in 1963, somewhere in Nile Delta, Egypt, a provincial rural center. Although most of the banks operate in Muslim countries, it was also extended to the Western world. An example is the Islamic Banking System International Holding which was established in Luxembourg in 1978. It is considered as the first Islamic bank in the Western soil. The establishments of these banks were followed by other Islamic banks not only serving Muslim customers but also those who expanded their operations to service non-Muslims (Haron 1995, p. 27). After more than a decade since its establishment, it was estimated that over US$20 billion to US$40 billon of assets existed in the Islamic banking system worldwide. Currently, they have grown for more than US$60 billion. A study shows that the adoption of Islamic Banking in a financial system has not led to collapse as some feared to happen (Ghannadian & Goswami 2004, p. 242). Islamic banking is also playing a very important role in resource allocation, mobilization and utilization. It means Islamic banks are also providing savings to depositors and credits to the needy. Normal deposits such as savings account, current account and investment deposits are very available to customers. Islamic banks provide financial assistance in a short or long term business and individuals. They are also involved in international trade activities (Haron 1995, p. 27). 1. 2 Research Background It is difficult to pinpoint when Islamic banking started, but consensus suggests that it took place in Egypt in the 1960’s. In the mid 1970’s, Islamic banking started to take root in other Muslim countries. The changes were explained into main factors. First, the 1970s have seen oil price shocks which led to a massive transfer of wealth for the oil-consuming to oil-producing countries. Second is the fact that the oil shock coincided with the Iranian revolution which brought about the Khomeini government and the first Islamic republic (Akacem & Gilliam 2002, p. 126). By 2003, there were about 176 Islamic banks around the world, handling over US$ 147 billion and 32 banks are in an Arab state (Info Prod Research, 2003). This form of specialized banking may help to promote growth in the developing countries (Ghannadian & Goswami 2004, p. 242). As recent as 2003, there have been news about the introduction of Islamic hedge funds which could tap into the capital of Islamic families that could be worth a trillion dollars in asset management. According to banking statistics, the growth rate of Islamic banking has outpaced the growth of traditional banking in the past decade. Transformation Oriented Developing Economies (TODEs) made the transformation of society into full pledged market based economies (MBEs) a centerpiece in overall strategies. Many structural changes are required in its financial institutions, especially that the role of a financial intermediary in supplying funds to a growing new industry is crucial. Moreover, there are times when improper resource allocation may potentially result destabilization due to either faulty risk assessments. Or because of the design of its contract could be significant in examining the implementation of an Islamic banking system and how Islamic banks can provide liquidity and aid in creating money. This is through offering transactions accounts with compensation for inflation to risk-avoiding depositors (Ghannadian & Goswami 2004, p. 242). Evolution of Islamic The first modern experiment with Islamic banking was undertaken in Egypt. The pioneering effort of projecting Islamic image was led by Ahmad El Najjar who aimed to establish a savings bank based on profit-sharing in the town of Mit Ghamr in 1963. This experiment lasted until 1967, and by that time there were nine banks operating in the country. These banks neither charged nor paid interest and invested mostly in trade and industry directly or in forms of partnership and shared their profit with the depositors. This function is essentially a savings investment institution rather than a commercial bank. The Nasir Social Bank was established in 1971, IDB established in 1974 by the Organization of Islamic countries, and was the primarily inter-governmental bank aimed at providing funds for development projects in member countries (Sohrab 1996, p. 287). In considering the adoption of Islamic banking by conventional banks, what kind of benefits may be drawn from such adoption and the challenges they are going to face in undertaking such? Most benefits that may be drawn from the adoption of Islamic banking by conventional banks come from the features of its equity financing contract. With Mudaraba (trustee financing) and Musharaka (equity participation), entrepreneurs with little means and substantial collateral are able to gain access to capital (Sohrab 1996, p. 288). In addition, few businesses are able to operate strictly on cash basis without taking on debt or selling a portion of the business just to cover shortfalls or when there is a need for expansion (Bartlett & Economy 2002, p. 184). Because of this, it will be more attractive to engage into Islamic bank equity financing than that of conventional banks offering debt financing thus, making Islamic banking more competitive with regards to innovative entrepreneurial customers.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on True Father Of Huck

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, tells the story of Huck’s travels down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave. Huck lived in a small town with his biological father, Pap; a drunk who had caused him many problems. However, in the novel, the character of Jim is portrayed as the â€Å"true father† of Huck. Because Jim acts as a role model and a mentor to Huck along their journey down the river, he proves to be more of a father figure to Huck than his biological father Pap. A father teaches his son lessons. Jim taught Huck many lessons both intentionally and indirectly. Jim shows Huck that slaves are real people, just like himself, despite the different color of skin. Huck gained a greater amount of respect for Jim when he talked of missing his family. Jim also shared with Huck that he remembers beating his little four-year-old girl once. Jim told Huck he regretted his actions and was overcome with sadness, and of how he misses his family towards the end of the novel. Jim teaches Huck that slaves are not different because of color; they have feelings, emotions, and love their families just as much as whites. Sharing this compassionate side of Jim teaches Huck that slaves are not completely different simply because of color. Jim allows Huck to see that slaves have feelings, emotions, and love their families just as white folk would love theirs. Jim cares for and protects Huck, just as a father should. When Jim and Huck went exploring in the two-story house, Jim would not let Huck see the dead man in the house. â€Å"’Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face- it’s too gashly’. I didn’t look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jim covered the man so Huck wouldn’t have to look at him. The dead man was his Pap. Jim did not want Huck to have to see his father’s face and be upset. Jim was looking out for Huck and t... Free Essays on True Father Of Huck Free Essays on True Father Of Huck The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, tells the story of Huck’s travels down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave. Huck lived in a small town with his biological father, Pap; a drunk who had caused him many problems. However, in the novel, the character of Jim is portrayed as the â€Å"true father† of Huck. Because Jim acts as a role model and a mentor to Huck along their journey down the river, he proves to be more of a father figure to Huck than his biological father Pap. A father teaches his son lessons. Jim taught Huck many lessons both intentionally and indirectly. Jim shows Huck that slaves are real people, just like himself, despite the different color of skin. Huck gained a greater amount of respect for Jim when he talked of missing his family. Jim also shared with Huck that he remembers beating his little four-year-old girl once. Jim told Huck he regretted his actions and was overcome with sadness, and of how he misses his family towards the end of the novel. Jim teaches Huck that slaves are not different because of color; they have feelings, emotions, and love their families just as much as whites. Sharing this compassionate side of Jim teaches Huck that slaves are not completely different simply because of color. Jim allows Huck to see that slaves have feelings, emotions, and love their families just as white folk would love theirs. Jim cares for and protects Huck, just as a father should. When Jim and Huck went exploring in the two-story house, Jim would not let Huck see the dead man in the house. â€Å"’Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face- it’s too gashly’. I didn’t look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jim covered the man so Huck wouldn’t have to look at him. The dead man was his Pap. Jim did not want Huck to have to see his father’s face and be upset. Jim was looking out for Huck and t...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Angels in America - Character Analysis of Prior Walter

Angels in America - Character Analysis of Prior Walter The Full Title Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes Part One - Millennium Approaches Part Two - Perestroika The Basics Angels in America is written by playwright Tony Kushner. The first part, Millennium Approaches, premiered in Los Angeles in 1990. The second part, Perestroika, premiered the following year. Each installment of Angels in America won the Tony Award for Best Play (1993 and 1994). The plays multi-layered plot explores the lives of two very different AIDS patients during the 1980s: the fictional Prior Walter and the non-fictional Roy Cohn. In addition to the themes of homophobia, Jewish heritage, sexual identity, politics, AIDS awareness, and Mormonism, Angels in America also weaves a very mystical component throughout the storyline. Ghosts and angels play a prominent role as the living characters confront their own mortality. Although there are many significant characters within the play (including the Machiavellian lawyer and world-class hypocrite Roy Cohn), the most sympathetic and transformative protagonist in the play is a young man named Prior Walter. Prior the Prophet Prior Walter is an openly gay New Yorker in a relationship with Louis Ironson, a guilt-ridden, Jewish intellectual legal clerk. Shortly after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, Prior needs serious medical attention. However, Louis, compelled by fear and denial, abandons his lover, ultimately leaving Prior betrayed, brokenhearted, and increasingly ill. Yet Prior soon learns that he is not alone. Much like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Prior will meet important companions who will aid his quest for health, emotional well-being, and wisdom. In fact, Prior makes several references to The Wizard of Oz, quoting Dorothy on more than one occasion. Priors friend, Belize, perhaps the most compassionate figure in the play, works as a nurse (for none other than the dying, AIDS-ravaged Roy Cohn). He does not waver in the face of death, remaining loyal to Prior. He even swipes experimental medicine from the hospital directly following Cohns death. Prior also gains an unlikely friend: the Mormon mother of his ex-boyfriends lover (yes, its a complicated). As they learn about the others values, they learn that they are not as different as they first believed. Hannah Pitt (the Mormon mother) stays by his hospital bedside and listens in earnest to Priors retelling of his heavenly hallucinations. The fact that a virtual stranger is willing to befriend an AIDS patient and comfort him through the night makes Louis act of abandonment all the more cowardly. Forgiving Louis Fortunately, Priors ex-boyfriend is not beyond redemption. When Louis finally visits his weakened companion, Prior scorns him, explaining that he cannot return unless he has experienced pain and injury. Weeks later, after a fight with Joe Pitt (Louis closeted Mormon lover and the right-hand man of the contemptible Roy Cohn see, I told you it was complicated), Louis returns to visit Prior the hospital, beaten and bruised. He asks for forgiveness, Prior grants it to him but also explains that their romantic relationship will never continue. Prior and the Angels The most profound relationship which Prior establishes is a spiritual one. Even though he is not seeking religious enlightenment, Prior is visited by an angel who decrees his role as a prophet. By the plays end, Prior wrestles with the angel and ascends to heaven, where he finds the rest of the seraphim in disarray. They seem overwhelmed by paperwork and no longer serve as a guiding force for mankind. Instead, heaven offers peace through stillness (death). However, Prior rejects their views and rejects his title of prophet. He chooses to embrace progress, despite all of the pain that it entails. He embraces change, desire, and above all things, life. Despite the complexity of plot and the political/historical backdrop, the message of Angels in America is ultimately a simple one. During the plays resolution, Priors final lines are delivered directly to the audience: You are fabulous creatures, each and every one. And I bless you. More life. The great work begins. It seems, in the end, Prior Walter accepts his role as a prophet after all.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Opinion Polls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Opinion Polls - Essay Example Findings are then tabled, presented or read out to the public so that they know how the whole initiative was received. (Word web online, 2008). Recently, media companies have also included opinion poll in their prime time bulletins where a sample of the views given out is read and the percentage of the voting shown. The power of these polls can not be taken lightly since they have in many occasions reflected their contributions in decisions made concerning different matters. There are allegations that the results from the polls sometimes do not reveal the reality. The evidence against them is usually demonstrated by parties who see it as being more critical than considerate. These claims go further to indicate that the views presented were in fact not randomly sampled. The argument whether opinion polls should be done away with or the question of their importance in elections needs to be tackled carefully. Opinion polls in last elections would have caused a stir of mixed reactions just incase the final vote outcome went otherwise. Many people were keeping an eye on them, unrest was most likely to occur then. Liberal Democrats polls indicate that the party is not fairing badly. Its members applause the fact, saying its been a tradition. Recently, polls stood at almost fifty percent before fluctuating. Liberal is blaming conservative for allegedly fixing the election. Members of conservative were denied democratic rights of voting for sitting MEPs contrary to their style where all members cast the ballot in the same box. (Liberal Democrat Voice, 2008). The Liberal Democrat Opinion has strongly come out against its opponent criticizing them of failure to deliver their promises. Among the issues given the priority include economic recovery, crude oil and its products ever rising prices and the main contest, the ability to retrieve British troops in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East. The two closely competing parties that are conservatives and labour have had fierce battles against each other with the aim of finally being the torch bearer. Elsewhere Labour party continues to give the government headaches, laxity in the judicial system and the controversy in the Home office. There are claims that the government has no clear intention for its citizens. The working force too is clogged with inefficiency, malice among other failures. Opinion polls carried out recently indicate that the voters feel the same way about the order of the day. There have been calls for Blair to resign but he would not just yet. A lot of interest has been shown by people who closely monitor the activities of the polls. As a result, mixed reactions come up due to different personal views. There are groups who back them totally while others are so against them. Another lot lies neutral but with their recommendations on how these opinion polls can be made better. On rare occasions though people have agreed on poll results only to differ completely when maters they have a hand get voted against. Polls have it that a third of supporters are now backing the Liberal Democrats rather than the two other parties that is, the Conservative and Labour. In the wake of general elections, polls come in handy and indeed offer statistics about a feel of the real thing on the ground. Labour has taken advantage and taken the priority to ensure Britain's effect globally is still felt. Key roles include

Friday, November 1, 2019

Flayton Electronics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Flayton Electronics - Case Study Example While some hackers will do it for fun and for exploration, others are malicious people who will defraud companies of substantial amounts of money. This paper examines crucial steps that a Flatyton Electronics Company can take after their data is stolen, how it can communicate with its customers, and ways to curb this in future. Flayton has an obligation to protect its customer’s private data. For the last 25 years, Flayton has build a big business from trust customers has on the company. Regular customers pay their bills using credit cards, master cards and other bankcards. According to federal trade commission website (FTC) it is impossible to be in business and not hold personal identifying information. Such information includes credit card numbers, names and addresses, business partners, and other account numbers (â€Å"FTC,† N.d). There is an implied obligation of confidentiality to the stores and their staff. It is the duty of the management of a store to make sure that customer’s information does not leak to fraudulent third parties. Therefore, Flayton Electronics’ management had an obligation to make sure that it employs credible employees who will keep customers information confidential. Additionally, it is an obligation of Flayton to make sure that its firewall remains working throughout to avoid hacking incidences. For this particular incidence, Flayton firewall remained down for sometime, which may have contributed to illegal access of customers personal data. All companies dealing with telephone card payments need to comply with all Payment card Industry (PCI) standards. PCI Security Council is not responsible for enforcing compliance but it is upon the company to comply (â€Å"PCI Security Standards† 2011). Customers dealing with Flayton Electronics assume that this company is compliant with PCI standards and thus their personal data is secure. Unfortunately, Flayton Company was only 75% PCI compliant. The communication strategy adopted by the CEO of Flatyton Electronics to inform their customers of the potential security breach will determine its business in the next few years. Brett Flayton needs to be timely in informing the public. Although the compan y has little knowledge of what transpired with the customers credit cards, it is wise to be the first to inform the public. Timely communication will make the company win the public’s trust. The longer Brett stays without informing the customers, the higher the risks of disclosure from another party where he will need to explain reasons for breaching its customers trust. Brett needs to explain to the security agents the reason for going public. He has the right to refuse to remain silent to enhance chances of catching the thieves as the law enforcing officers’ advice. However, the mode of communication adopted should be confidential to give a chance to the authorities to enforce laws on the victims. Brett can hold a meeting with the major customers, explain the latest discovery it has made on the security of cards, and detail any information in their hands now. Any defrauded customers will protect themselves from further frauds as a result. Consequently, it will have t o keep the customers informed on its latest discoveries. Additionally, Brett will have to convince the customers that the current measures the company has adopted will see to it that such an occurrence will not recur in future. Information on when it is safe to start using the cards again will be necessary. Flayton Electronics’ brand was damaged by the security breach. The major core value of this company is to win the trust of customers through effective products and efficient services. Brett, the CEO