Women and Gender in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women and Gender in Islam - Essay Example For this text analysis assessment, the purpose is to analyze and compare/contrast the issues pertaining to the Islamic culture and specifically the women of Islam. Women are viewed as subservient to their husbands, with very little choice but to remain as a secondary force to the dominant male race. To better understand the role of women in a culture such as this, as well as to assess how the cultural aspect plays into such a societal standing, the two pieces of work to look at are "Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate" by Leila Ahmed and "Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Quran by Asma Barlas. What was often common place for a woman in this culture would be to marry someone, but to marry a person that was chosen by her father. A marriage such as this would commonly be referred to as an "arranged marriage". As she begins her work, Ahmed brings up the first of many points regarding women and marriage. That is, "Neither the diversity of marriage practices in pre-Islamic Arabia nor the presence of matrilineal customs, including the association of children with the mother's tribe, necessarily connotes women's having greater power in society or greater access to economic resources," Adding that, "Nor to these practices correlate with an absence of misogyny; indeed, there is clear evidence to the contrary. The practice of infanticide, apparently to girls, suggests a belief that females were flawed, expendable," (Ahmed p.41). Ahmed begins her work with one of the central themes for study of women in Islamic cultures. While there was a vast cultural diversity throughout the region , in the end the women were seen as the weaker sex and as such could be done with as was decided by the male elders of the home. Ahmed emphasizes this by the choice of the word misogyny in her text. That is defined as, "hatred or strong prejudice towards women; an antonym of philogny," Elaborating further that, "Misogyny is considered by most feminist theories as an implicit motivation of political ideologies that justify and maintain the subordination of women to men," ("Misogyny" p.1.). Just as monarchs were throughout the ages, males in this culture tended to express more outward joy at the birth of a male offspring rather than a female birth. This can be explained by the understanding that males sought to continue on their blood lines, as well as having someone to train that would be able to take a place of leadership as they saw it. Ahmed does counter with the fact that variation did occur in regards to the roles with which women were able to play throughout the vast Islamic culture. She sets out to compare lives, as well as the marriages, which the Islamic leader Muhammad would have had with his wives Khadija and Aisha. Unlike some of the other women around her, Khadija was a woman of wealth who actually was an employer of Muhammad as it was his job to keep an eye on her interests. Unlike the cultural norm, Khadija herself proposed marriage to Muhammad. Ahmed writes that, "She proposed to and married him when she was forty and he twenty-five, and she remained his only wife until her death at

Japanese traditional game

Japanese traditional game Japanese traditional game Introduction Given the task to innovate a Japanese traditional game, we decided to use the Two Ten Jack and create our very own which is much simpler to be played. It uses part of the Uno cards and also a board with numbers to be placed with a bet. In order to continuously win the prizes, we construct the game to be in ways that a player must place a bet that is either same number, or same color that is the taken out from the deck of cards played with. The Two Ten Jack game is played without the dealer and with points deducted and added which in the end, the player with the highest points balance. The next page would be the manual to the game and after that would be the manual to the Two Ten Jack game. Furthermore, a comparison would be made to show the innovation of our game being born. The Game Manual for the Two Ten Jack Preliminaries The object of two-ten-jack is to get the most points by taking tricks containing positive point cards while avoiding tricks containing negative point cards. Two players receive six cards each from a standard 52-card deck ranking0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and the remaining undealt cards are placed between the players to form the stock. Non-dealer leads the firsttrick and winner of each trick leads to the next. Players replenish their hands between tricks by each drawing a card from the stock with the winner of the last trick drawing first. Play continues until all of the cards in the entire deck have been played. Points are then tallied before the deck is reshuffled and dealt anew. Following, Trumping, and Speculation In two-ten-jack a player may lead any card and the other player must play a card of the same suit if able, or otherwise must play atrump cardif able. If a player has neither cards in the lead suit or trump, then any other card may be played. The highest trump card, or the highest card of the lead suit if no trumps were played, takes the trick In two-ten-jack hearts are always thetrump suit and theace of spadesis a special trump card known asspeculationranking above all of the hearts. Rules for playing speculation are as follows: If a trump (heart) is lead, a player may follow with speculation and must play speculation if no other trumps are held in the hand. If a spade is lead, a player may follow with speculation and must likewise play speculation if no other spades are held in the hand. If a club or diamond is lead and the other player has neither of these, speculation may be played, and must be played if no other trumps are available. A player leading speculation must declare it as either a spade or trump. Scoring and winning Cards are worth the following point values: 2â™ ¥, 10â™ ¥and Jâ™ ¥are worth +5 each 2â™ £, 10â™ £ and Jâ™ £ are worth -5 each 2â™  , 10â™  , Jâ™   and Aâ™   are worth +1 each 6â™ ¦is worth +1 point Hence the total number of card points per deal is +5. Winner is the first player to reach 31 points. Game Manual The number of players required to play this game is one to two players and maximum five players each round Start by placing a single bet. Each bet is place on a number between zero to nine and four different colors Each time six cards would be pulled out from the deck The bet is counted with sweets. Each sweet cost RM1. Each player starts with a sweet The bet with the same color out of the 6 cards drawn will get his money The bet with the same number out of the 6 cards drawn will get win 5 sweet. The bet without same color or same number out of the 6 cards loses 1 sweet. The bet with the same color and same number walks away with Rm50 The bet with same color and same number and also another same number but different color in the six card drawn from the deck walks away with Rm100 Game Rules A player can only place one bet to a number and color per round. Not more than 1 player can bet at a same number and color in each round. A player has to verify his/her choice of bet before the opening of the six cards from the deck. Comparison The amount of cards used in Two Ten Jack is 52 while the game we have created uses 40. Also, the Two Ten Jack is played between players while the game we have created uses a dealer. Besides that, the Two Ten Jack is played with a system of addition and subtraction while we tried to make it compatible by placing bets instead of tricking the other players. Furthermore, the game we have created has been added with little elements of western card game like 21.

Gulliver’s Travels Essay -- Satire Satirical Essays

Gulliver’s Travels Gulliver’s Travels has set a standard for satirical writing for a long time, and Swift’s imaginative ability and talent can explain a lot of the text’s continued popularity. People can approach Gulliver’s Travels like a children’s book, and not search for deeper meaning. They read the story as a fantasy, and seek only to be entertained. Gulliver’s Travels is valuable and enjoyable for its plot and surface elements alone, but a deeper level of meaning and significance can be achieved if we take note of the satirical elements in the novel. Although to gain a full appreciation of the satire, the reader needs to be somewhat familiar with the events of Swift’s time. Taking the historical period in which Swift was writing into consideration, one of the major changes that was occurring was the shift to a more scientific, empirically-informed worldview (being advanced by the Royal Society of England and Francis Bacon). However, Swift and others were concerned that if this new scientific outlook could lead to disaster if it continued unchecked. Swift and other â€Å"nonconformists† argued that science without context could have widespread harmful consequences, and this position profoundly reveals itself in his satirical treatment of science and knowledge in Gulliver’s Travels. This paper will discuss Swift’s satirical treatment of these subjects in the novel. Several critics have pointed out that evidence exists that suggests that Swift was not uniformly opposed to all science (Phiddian 52). Therefore, it would seem unfair to read Swift’s satirical approach to science in Gulliver’s Travels as a full rejection of the science of his day-it would be overly simplistic and reductive. Swift was not an anti-Luddite. In fact, Swift was a proponent of science in some ways, but he reacted strongly against what he perceived as its abuse or exploitation. The satirical treatment of science in Gulliver’s Travels is more complex than an all-or-nothing rejection of the scientific mindset that was becoming increasingly popular in Swift’s time. Instead of objecting to the use of science in general, Swift seems to have had problems with a particular form of scientific research, and it is with this type of science/scientist that Swift is primarily concerned in Gulliver’s Travels. The type of science that Swift attacks is inapplicable science, or â€Å"pure... ...ss of the scientific worldview that was becoming more widespread during his lifetime. Swift himself was not opposed to all scientific endeavors, but Gulliver’s Travels provided a platform for him to explore the potential negative effects/affects of the â€Å"new science,† engaging in the exaggeration and absurdity that are essential to satire. Although Swift’s characterization of the Laputan scientists is distorted, it does successfully call into question the ultimate goal of science. Should scientific research be pursued because society has achieved the technology to perform them? My opinion is that Swift, through Gulliver’s Travels, argued that it should not automatically and necessarily be pursued. Works Cited Fitzgerald, Robert P. â€Å"Science and Politics in Swift’s Voyage to Laputa.† Journal of English and Germanic Philology 87: 213-29. Patey, Douglas Lane. â€Å"Swift’s Satire on ‘Science’ and the Structure of Gulliver’s Travels.† ELH 58.4: 809-39. Phiddian, Robert. â€Å"A Hopeless Project: Gulliver inside the Language of Science in Book III.† Eighteenth Century Life 22.1: 50-62. Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels. Ed. Greenberg, Robert A. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1970.

Ethical Theories Within the Film “Crimes and Misdemeanors” Essay

In the final scene of the movie Crimes and Misdemeanors, I believe the fictional philosopher Louse Levy’s message was very similar to philosophy Jean-Paul Sartre and his theory on existentialism. One of Sartre’s quotes, â€Å"Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself.† Levy is trying to convey that we are in control of our choices and we choose our own happiness. In the final scene of the film Levy states, â€Å"We’re all faced throughout our lives with making conscience moral decisions. Some are on a grander scale than others, but we define ourselves by the choices we have made. We are, in fact, the sum total of our choices.† So when Levy’s character states, â€Å"most human beings seem to have the ability to keep trying and find joy from simple things†, this is based on our choices. We decide to be happy or sad. Because we as human beings have the ability to think rationally or ill-rationally, our minds have the capacity to feel emotions, to dream up, or cognitively entertain, a mind-based reality of happiness. One of the survival tactics as human beings is our ability to strive for happiness; and once a level of happiness is achieved there is always a need for more; it is a never ending pursuit of happiness. Our happiness should also be achieved without pain. Ever though we strive for this happiness there is no methodical way to obtain happiness or does the sense of happiness always become achieved. I believe this viewpoint is heavily reflected throughout the movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors. I think all the characters in the movie are striving and hoping for happiness but I think the only character who truly achieves the ultimate happiness would be Rabbi Ben. The role of GOD in establishing ethical values and whether the world would be valueless if GOD didn’t exist is displayed throughout this movie. Rabbi Ben (Sam Waterston) leads a moral life throughout the film and he ends up blind, but he can dance with his daughter with a clear conscience. The irony about this character is he fails to see in the real world yet he has strong spiritual vision. His detachment from mundane concerns, and emphasize on what is real and meaningful – a life devoted to GOD. The ideas that only by blinding oneself to reality can one live a meaningful life devoted to GOD. The symbolism of blindness seems to have a connection to a blind universe indifferent to any sense of justice. In fact all of the religious characters in Crimes and Misdemeanors suffer from impaired vision and are portrayed wearing glasses. This may represent their inability to  see the true nature of reality and the understanding of true happiness. I feel all of the characters in this film reflect the viewpoint of hope and the desire to achieve happiness without pain; it is just the choices, consequences or motive of their actions that is misguided. We make consequentialist decisions regarding our actions to separate the morally right from wrong which leads us to our ultimate goal of happiness. But what determines if an action is moral right or wrong? Stuart Mill’ theory on, â€Å"The Principle of Utility†, views the consequences that arise from the action to determine the moral worth of an action; the best decisions result in good consequences for the largest number of people. He also believes that happiness equal pleasure; the actions are morally right to the extent that they produce lots of pleasure. Other theorists like Immanuel Kant, who takes a deontology approach on the intention or motive of the action. He believes that our actions are morally right only if we can apply them universally. I feel the character Lester (Alan Alda), displays the theories of Jean Paul Sartre and Friedrich Nietzsche. He’s a successful television producer with a pompous attitude. His character takes charge of his own destiny. He knows what he wants and goes after it. His Will to Power is great and sets no limitations on what he can achieve throughout this film. There are a few characters in Crimes and Misdemeanor who strive for the hope of happiness but fall short. The main character, Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau) this character is a successful ophthalmologist who achieves short-term happiness in a two year affair with a woman named Dolores (Anjelicia Huston). When Dolores threatens tell his wife of there affair his moral structure is threaten he feels as if his entire universe becomes meaningless. But, by the end of the film Judah make peace with himself and finds that he commits a crime and gets away with it. He is only implicated to his own moral consciousness. In reality, hope i s the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torments of man. FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, Human, All-too-Human The second character that falls short of achieving happiness would be Clifford Stern (Wood Allen); this character is a small-time film maker hired by his brother-in-law Lester to produce a documentary about his life and work. Clifford dislikes Lester as well as his marriage to Lester’s sister  Wendy (Joann Gleason). While filming this documentary Cliff falls in love with Lester’s associate producer, Halley Reed (Mia Farrow). However Cliff’s efforts to woo Halley fail and in the end Wendy chooses to be with Lester. This gives proof that good doesn’t always prosper over evil. The comment by Halley after learning about Levy’s death she says, â€Å"No matter how elaborate a philosophical system you work out, in the end it’s got to be incomplete.† I believe it is the selfish needs, constant change, as well as the desires of human beings that allow people to choose right from wrong and good from bad. It is all about wants over needs. I believe Halley didn’t initially want Lester it was his constant appeal to the things that she needed which gave her pleasure that won her over. Not the roses because she was allergic, but the caviar and his influence and power. I believe that the universe is in fact indifferent. However, if there is no GOD, there can be no objective standards of right and wrong. All we are confronted with is â€Å"the bare valueless fact of existence† (Jean-Paul Sartre). This is probably what Rabbi Ben meant during the film when he said, â€Å"Without the law, it’s all darkness, and, â€Å"You Judah see the world as harsh and empty of value and pitiless.† Rabbi Ben states, how he couldn’t not exist without moral structure-with real meaning-with forgiveness and some kind of higher power. Also during the climax of the film Judah concludes that â€Å"GOD is a luxury that he can’t afford† and arranges for Dolores-mistre ss (Angelica Houston) to be murdered. Afterwards, in a state of despair he visits his childhood home and recreates in his mind a Passover Seder from his youth. Judah’s atheist Aunt May (Anna Berger) and religious father Sol, is an exploration of the relationship between morality and GOD and the problem of morality in a godless universe. Aunt May takes the position of the atheist and moral relativist in the ensuring debate as she envisions a cruel and godless world with no objectives standards of good and evil and no moral purposes behind human reality. Aunt May believes individuals justify their actions as they wish: â€Å"For those who want morality there’s morality. Nothings handed down in stone.† Aunt May argues that in a world where everything is permissible, there is nothing to stop an individual from committing murder other than their own conscience. â€Å"And I say, if he can do it, and get away with it, and chooses not be bothered by the ethics, then he’s home free.† We live in a universe where our moral ethics between right and wrong are greatly  unbalanced. A world where the good suffer, the bad prosper and no greater power will ever rectify this which is a sad consequence. It is really hard to establish a basic moral or ethical system for human beings because we are so indiff erent of each other. We have for example the Bible or the Koran, but, like Aunt May state in the film, â€Å"For those who want morality there’s morality.† [Also in the final scene of the film Judah draws Cliff into a supposedly hypothetical discussion that draws upon his morals. Judah says that with time, any crisis will pass; but Cliff morosely claims instead that one is forever fated to bear ones burdens for â€Å"crimes and misdemeanors†] Wikipedia. We battle daily for justice. All we can do as human beings is to hope for happiness try to utilize our own moral ideas and meaningful values to again hopeful influence our lives and to reflect upon future generations. References â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors (Philosophical Films).† Crimes and Misdemeanors (Philosophical Films). N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Final Scene.† YouTube. YouTube, 04 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Existentialism Is a Humanism Quotes.† By Jean-Paul Sartre. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture.† The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. http://phil.uregina.ca/vancha/Litch-chp6.pdf

Psychological Measure Essay

Team B examines the aspects of psychological tests and measurements by focusing on the Beck Depression Inventory. Examining the two articles over the Beck Depression Inventory aids Team B in deciding services, servers, and backgrounds of the measure. The psychological testing that has developed and progressed and is used in a wide variety of settings by a wide variety of individuals is called the Beck Depression Inventory. Testing aids in serving professionals in figuring out sickness or deficiency and lending a hand in making one of a kind and individual treatment procedures. The Beck Depression Inventory is an individually administered test with 21 items, calculates personal experiences, and psychological symptoms linked with depression. Team B examined both of the articles concerning Beck Depression Inventory and was skilled in deciding the services, servers, and the background where the Beck Depression Inventory is relevant and how the psychological measure is helpful in psycholo gical regulations. Beck Depression Inventory Articles Beck Depression Inventory Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a set of 21 self-reported questions to measure the intensity, severity, and depth of depressive symptoms in patients aged 13-80 years old. A shorter BDI consists of seven questions for administration by primary care providers. The Beck Depression Inventory detects, assesses, and monitors changes in depressive symptoms among people in a mental health care environment. Aaron T. Beck, a pioneer in cognitive therapy, developed the first BDI in 1961, adapted in 1969, and copyrighted in 1979. In 1996, a second version of the BDI (BDI-II) was developed and published reflecting the revisions in the fourth edition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) (Fundukian & Wilson, 2008). The long version of the BDI consists of 21 questions or items with four possible responses. Each response contains a score from zero to three indicates the severity of the symptom the patient experienced in the previous two weeks. The version used by primary care providers (BDI-PC) consists of seven self-reported items. Fundukian and Wilson (2008) state, â€Å"Individual questions of the BDI assess mood, pessimism, sense of failure, self-dissatisfaction, guilt, punishment, self-dislike, self-accusation, suicidal ideas, crying, irritability, social withdrawal, body image, work difficulties, insomnia, fatigue, appetite, weight loss, body preoccupation, and loss of libido† (para. 6). BDI also detects depressive symptoms in a primary care setting. Completion of a BDI for a psychological or medical evaluation occurs between five to ten minutes (Fundukian & Wilson, 2008). According to Fundukian and Wilson (2008), BDI tests score differently for general population and clinically depressed individuals. The sum of BDI item scores determines the severity of depression. For the general population, a score of 21 or higher indicates depression. Clinically diagnosed individuals contain a variety of scores. Zero to nine scores indicate minimal depressive symptoms, 10 to 16 scores indicate mild depression, 17 to 29 scores indicate moderate depression, and 30 to 63 scores indicate severe depression. The BDI distinguishes between different subtypes of depressive disorder, such as major depression and dysthymia. The BDI contains content validity because of development from a consensus of clinicians about depressive symptoms in psychiatric patients. The BDI contains concurrent validity because at least 35 studies present concurrent validity between BDI and measures of depression, such as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-D. The BDI contains construct validity because it relates to medical symptoms, anxiety, stress, loneliness, sleep patterns, alcoholism, suicidal behaviors, and youth adjustment. The BDI contains factor analysis because the BDI interprets as one syndrome composed of three factors: negative self-attitudes, performance impairment, and bodily disturbance. The BDI test for reliability, following established standards for psychological  tests and contains internal consistency. The BDI is valid and reliable and higher scores relate to educational attainment (Fundukian & Wilson, 2008). Breast Cancer and Breast Disease In the Kuopio Breast Cancer Study, 115 women with breast cancer symptoms participated in an in-depth interview and completed standardized questionnaires. Study variables were retrieved before completing diagnostic procedures. BDI evaluated the depression of study participants. Eskelinen and Ollonen (2011) reported, â€Å"Clinical examinations and biopsies discovered breast cancer in 34 patients, 53 patients with benign breast disease, and 28 healthy individuals. Healthy women exhibited less sadness (BDI mean score, 0.27) than women with breast cancer (BDI mean score, 0.56) and women with benign breast disease (BDI mean score, 0.49). Healthy women were less pessimistic (BDI mean score, 0.15) than patients in the breast cancer group (BDI mean score, 0.44) and the benign breast disease (BD mean score, 0.42)† (para. 3). The group of healthy women contained less self-accusation than the breast cancer group and breast benign disease group. The group of healthy women reported less work inhibition and weight loss than the breast cancer group and breast benign disease group. The results of the study do not report a specific relation between BDI scores and breast cancer risk, but patients with breast cancer and breast benign disease have an increased risk for depressive symptoms (Eskelinen & Ollonen, 2011). Compare and Contrast Each articles contains specific information about Beck Depression Inventory. The first article focuses on the definition, purpose, precautions, description, and results of the BDI. The second article focuses on a case study relating BDI to women with breast cancer and breast cancer disease. The first article focuses on an overview of BDI, but also includes BDI contains content validity, concurrent validity, construct validity, factor analysis, and reliability. The second article focuses on a specific disease and case study connecting with BDI. Both articles relate because they include BDI scores and depressive bodily symptoms relating to BDI. Analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory Beck Depression Inventory (DBI) is a questionnaire that consists of â€Å"21 items, each describing a behavioral manifestation together with between four and six self – evaluative statements from which the respondent is ask to choose the one that is most applicable† (Colman, 2006, p. 84). The originally developed in 1961and revised in1993 the DBI-II was published in 1996. There are more DBI tests that are designed to measure other conditions such as suicide, anxiety and hopelessness (Colman, 2006, p, 84). This test can be self – administered or oral for people with learning disabilities. Anyone can be trained to administer and score this test however; according to (Beck, Steer, & Brown, 2012, para. 6) it can only be properly interpreted by a psychiatrist. This process begins when the patient first sees their primary care physician and complains of feeling sad, hopelessness, loss of sleep, problems with eating whether eating too little or over eating, or even ache s and pains. â€Å"In Beck’s view, the person who becomes depressed usually has a pattern of negative thoughts† (Robbins, 2003, p. 145, para 11). Some things that might be experienced by the patient are a belief of inadequacy, failure, and they are receiving unfair treatment by life. It is a common practice to have a brief questionnaire in the primary care physician office concerning the signs and symptoms of depression to help identify people with depression. Once the primary care has exhausted their scope of treatment, they will refer the patient to a psychiatrist or psychologist for further evaluation and treatment who will administer a more detailed version of the BDI, BDI-II or the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Settings that the DBI can be used in are a clinic, in or out patients setting, counselor office, cognitive therapist, or by a psychologist. The place would depend on the patient and his or her state of mind and physical condition at the time undergoing the necessary treatment for depression. For instance the person had tried to commit suicide and needed to remain hospitalized a social worker would interview them and refer him or her to a psychologist or psychiatrist for proper treatment. Valid or Invalid The Beck Depression Inventory â€Å"has been used for 35 years to identify and assess depressive symptoms, and has been reported to be highly reliable  regardless of the population. It has a high coefficient alpha, its construct validity has been established, and it is able to differentiate depressed from non-depressed patients† (Beck, Steer; Brown, 2006). â€Å"The BDI-II manual reports correlations with a variety of other tests, arguing for both convergent and discriminant validity. It attempts to show, in the case of discriminant validity, that the test is not primarily a measure of anxiety. A factor analysis suggests that the BDI-II items tap two dimensions, one labeled Somatic-Affective, the other labeled Cognitive† (Hogan, 2007, p. 501). â€Å"The manual presents reliability and validity data based on a sample of 500 outpatients clinically diagnosed according to DSM criteria at four sites, as well as on a sample of 120 students from one Canadian college. The BDI-II manual reports alpha coefficients of .92 for the outpatient sample and .93 for the college sample. Test-retest reliability of .93 is reported for a subsample of 26 cases from the outpatient group, with a retest interval of one week† (Hogan, 2007, p. 502). â€Å"The mean scores of the first and second total scores were comparable with a paired t (25) =1.08, which was not significant† (Beck, Steer; Brown, 2006). According to a research conducted â€Å"The widely used Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was initially standardized on a sample of Caucasian university students and its use with minorities has only recently been investigated† (Sashidharan, Pawlow; Pettibone, 2012, p. 203). The research called an examination of racial bias in the Beck Depression Inventory-II, intended to examine the possibilities of bias within ethics groups and in more specific the African American race. â€Å"A hierarchical multiple regression compared the scores of the BDI-II with a similar measure of depression that is standardized for use with African Americans† (Sashidharan, Pawlow; Pettibone, 2012, p. 203 ) â€Å"The studied was perform with â€Å"977 students (139 African American students [14.2%] and 838 Caucasian students [85.8%]) was recruited from a medium-sized, public, American midwestern university’s undergraduate psychology participant pool. Data were collected over the course of an academic year, with the goal of obtaining a minimum of 100 African American participants† (Sashidharan, Pawlow; Pettibone, 2012, p. 204). â€Å"There was no evidence of racial bias discovered in the BDI-II in this sample. Implications and future directions of research are discussed.† (Sashidharan, Pawlow; Pettibone, 2012, p. 203). Conclusion The Beck Depression Inventory is helpful in psychological measurements and regulations. Team B decided the services, servers, and backgrounds of the measure while explaining the definition and uses of Beck Depression Inventory. Beck Depression Inventory aids professionals in discovering sicknesses and deficiencies in patients and aids in providing unique, individual treatment procedures. In the conclusion of Team B’s research, the team discovered the Beck Depression Inventory is relevant, helpful, and a complex topic. References Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. (2012, September 11). BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY-SECOND EDITION (BDI-II); 1996. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs,gov/programs/opre/ehs/perf†¦/res_meas_phic.html Beck Depression Inventory. (2008). In L. J. Fundukian & J. Wilson (Eds.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 123-124). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2699900051&v=2.1&u=uphoenix&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w Colman, A. M. (2006). OXFORD DICTIONARY OF PSYCHOLOGY (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc. Eskelinen, M. & Ollonen, P. (2011). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in patients with breast disease and breast cancer: a prospective case-control study. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21282743 Hogan, T. P. (2007). Psychological testing: A practical introduction (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Robbins, P. R. (2003). understanding PSYCHOLOGY (3rd ed.). Portland, ME: Walch Publishing. Sashidharan, T., Pawlow, L. A., & Pettibone, J. C. (2012). An examination of racial bias in the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Cultural Diversity And Ethnic Minority Psychology, 18(2), 203-209. doi:10.1037/a0027689 T. Beck, R. A. Steer, & G. K. Brown (2006). RCMAR Measurement Tools Beck Depression Inventory – 2nd Edition (BDI-II). Retrieved from http://www.musc.edu/dfm/RCMAR/Beck.html

Antigone Has Adhd

Antigone Has Adhd Antigone Has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (AD/HD) After talking to Ismene and being informed that burying their brother, Polynices, is unlawful, Antigone acts like a brut, and still, arrogantly, buries him. What right does she have to make up her own rules and regulations, when she knows that what she is doing is unlawful by her state? I will explore the mind of a child that has AD/HD and will clearly show that Antigone is no exception to this psychological disorder, since she, herself, has these symptoms. I will also analyze if Antigone should be brought to death for her misloyalty to the king, Kreon. If Kreon had the right to kill her, and finally, if her psychological disorder makes her morally right, or wrong, and if she can tell the difference among them.First, doctors describe this disorder as one who does or may experience, or has a short attention span, impulsive behavior, and/or hyperactivity, (CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Diso rder).English: Muntham House School. The school is desig...

Jazz in the early 20th Century essays

Jazz in the early 20th Century essays Jazz is defined as a genre of popular music that official originated in New Orleans around 1900. Apparently, the word jazz originated in New Orleans jass, which was slang for sexual intercourse, but it gradually came to be applied to anything exciting. Other commentators have traced the use of the word in a musical context even further back, the first instance of writing dating to 1909. Jazz music is commonly characterized by intricate rhythms and syncopation, improvisation, call and response, and swing. First sweeping through the Western World in the 1920s and 30s, jazz has subsequently become entrenched as one of the characterizing movements in 20th Century culture. A revealing quote from Paul Whitman, the undisputed King of Jazz, shows the conditions in which jazz arrived in America: Jazz came to America 300 years ago in chains. That is, from West Africa via the black slaves who were imported to the states of Southern America to work for white masters in plantations. The slaves built up a rich hoard of work songs and ballads, lamenting their circumstances and conditions, and in time these developed into distinct genres, spawning the blues and ultimately jazz itself. However, it was never the sole property of the black community. Other influences including the minstrel shows put on by white performers as well as ragtime and Dixieland influenced the formation of jazz. Briefly, jazz emerged as a thriving form of popular music after it caught on among the musicians who were paid to entertain clients in the brothels of New Orleans at the turn of the century. Among the most important pioneers were cornet player Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton, who often claimed he had invented jazz. Subsequently the form developed under the influence of ragtime and the blued and a newfound home in Chicago. Jazz entered a golden age in the 1920s, when up-and-coming stars of ...

The Ludlow Amendment and American Isolationism

The Ludlow Amendment and American Isolationism Once upon a time, Congress nearly gave away its right to debate and declare war. It never actually happened, but it came close in the days of American isolationism something called the Ludlow Amendment. Shunning the World Stage With the exception of a brief flirtation with empire in 1898, the United States attempted to avoid involvement in foreign affairs (European, at least; the U.S. never had many problems shouldering into Latin American affairs), but close ties to Great Britain and Germanys use of submarine warfare dragged it into World War I in 1917. Having lost 116,000 soldiers killed and another 204,000 wounded in just over a year of the war, Americans were not eager to get involved in another European conflict. The country adopted its isolationist stance. Insistent Isolationism Americans adhered to isolationism throughout the 1920s and 1930s, regardless of events in Europe and Japan. From the rise of Fascism with Mussolini in Italy to the perfection of Fascism with Hitler in Germany and the hijacking of the civil government by militarists in Japan, Americans tended their own issues. Republican presidents in the 1920s, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover, also gave scant attention to foreign affairs. When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, Hoovers Secretary of State Henry Stimson merely gave Japan a diplomatic slap on the wrist. The crisis of the Great Depression swept Republicans from office in 1932, and new President Franklin D. Roosevelt was an internationalist, not an isolationist. FDRs New Attitude Roosevelt firmly believed that the United States should respond to events in Europe. When Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, he encouraged American oil companies to enact a moral embargo and stop selling oil to Italys armies. The oil companies refused. FDR, however, won out when it came to the Ludlow Amendment. Peak of Isolationism Representative Louis Ludlow (D-Indiana) introduced his amendment several times to the House of Representatives beginning in 1935. His 1938 introduction was the one most likely to pass. By 1938, Hitlers reinvigorated German army had retaken the Rhineland, was practicing blitzkrieg on behalf of Fascists in the Spanish Civil War and was preparing to annex Austria. In the East, Japan had started a full-out war with China. In the United States, Americans were scared history was about to repeat. Ludlows Amendment (a proposed amendment to the Constitution) read: Except in the event of an invasion of the United States or its Territorial possessions and attack upon its citizens residing therein, the authority of Congress to declare war shall not become effective until confirmed by a majority of all votes cast thereon in a Nation-wide referendum. Congress, when it deems a national crisis to exist, may by concurrent resolution refer the question of war or peace to the citizens of the States, the question to be voted on being, Shall the United States declare war on _________? Congress may otherwise by law provide for the enforcement of this section. Twenty years earlier, even entertaining this resolution would have been laughable. In 1938, though, the House not only entertained it but voted on it. It failed, 209-188. FDRs Pressure FDR hated the resolution, saying it would unduly limit the powers of the presidency. He wrote to Speaker of the House William Brockman Bankhead that: I must frankly state that I consider that the proposed amendment would be impracticable in its application and incompatible with our representative form of government. Our Government is conducted by the people through representatives of their own choosing, FDR continued. It was with singular unanimity that the founders of the Republic agreed upon such free and representative form of government as the only practical means of government by the people. Such an amendment to the Constitution as that proposed would cripple any President in his conduct of our foreign relations, and it would encourage other nations to believe that they could violate American rights with impunity. I fully realize that the sponsors of this proposal sincerely believe that it would be helpful in keeping the United States out of war. I am convinced it would have the opposite effect, the president concluded. Incredible (Near) Precedent Today the House vote that killed the Ludlow Amendment doesnt look all that close. And, had it passed the House, its unlikely the Senate would have passed it on to the public for approval. Nevertheless, its amazing that such a proposal got so much traction in the House. Incredible as it may seem, the House of Representatives (that house of Congress most answerable to the public) was so scared of its role in U.S. foreign policy that it seriously considered giving up one of its bedrock Constitutional duties; the declaration of war. Sources Ludlow Amendment, full text. Accessed September 19, 2013.Peace And War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941. (U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, 1943; repr. U.S. Department of State, 1983.) Accessed September 19, 2013.

America Online and Time Warner Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

America Online and Time Warner - Case Study Example Since then, this merger has been regarded as one of the biggest corporate mismanagement examples in the realm of managing telecommunication network and media companies. The case study unveils a number of issues that are big threats to the telecom sector and media companies globally. In 2010, media analyst Tim Arango of the New York Times attempted to throw some light on the merger between AOL and Time Warner that took place a decade ago from then. In analyzing the reason behind the merger, Arango remarks that at the wake of the 21st century, experts in telecomm and media industries were expected Internet was going to become the main medium of content delivery and entertainment all over the world, replacing and/or amalgamating the various traditional media and content delivery systems of that time. However, this was the main issue with the decision makers at both AOL and Time Warner. AOL’s business outreach and technological equipment and expertise were not as robust as to handle the huge industrial momentum of Time Warner. Probably, AOL managers were thinking well ahead of their time. A scrutiny of scientific literature suggests that Internet technologies were not as advanced at that time as to facilitate all the services needed for international distrib ution of various types of contents. Even in the middle of the first decade of the new millennium, scientists were striving to establish a sufficiently powerful architecture for the purpose of â€Å"pervasive content delivery† (Su and Chi, 82). Clearly, Internet technologies had limited strength during the merger between AOL and Time Warner. The case study thus helps us to understand that we need a really powerful and futuristic computing system to ensure Internet based content delivery of all kinds of information ranging from news to cinemas, weather forecasting to cartoons, and so on. As shown by the case study discussed, technological barriers remain a prominent issue

Geologic Hazard Risk Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Geologic Hazard Risk - Research Paper Example The most notable area that is likely to suffer from landslide is on the east side of the slough along lake Washington, Boulevard. Most Geological Investigations to date have focused almost extensively on this area (Elliot et al., 53). Different investigations and aerial photographs document extensive pavement damage in these areas; these evidences can only suggest that Washington is likely to suffer Landslides in the future. Aerial Photographs from 1936 to 2004 indicates significant dredging along the lake Washington shoreline and within the Mercer Slough channel proving the possibility of landslides in the future. The past evidences of landslides in Sherwood Boulevard also provide concrete evidence of potential landslides in the future. For instance, in January 2009, Washington state residents discovered a landslide completely blocking South West Sherwood Boulevard in Washington Park. This landslide was approximately forty cubic yards in length and approximately two feet deep. Actually, the landslide not only covered Sherwood road completely, but also blocked normal rain drainage in the area. Besides landslide, other types of geological hazards that can affect Washington are earthquakes (Lynn, 201). Recently, a small earthquake was reported in Southwest Washington in Wednesday. Though there were not immediate reports of injuries and damages, this earthquake proved that if no action is taken soon, then Southwest Washington might suffer another earthquake in future. According to a geological investigation initiated by the Washington State Department of Transport, there are several potential causes of landslides and earthquakes in Washington (Washington Department of Transportation news release and news report, 133). Different areas such as mercer flow have been subjected to intensive studies and various potential factors for earthquake occurrence have been identified. This investigation found out that the major

Health Beliefs of Haitians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Beliefs of Haitians - Essay Example Always when a Haitian becomes ill, the first line of care is home herbal remedies. These are often utilized for the prevention and treatment of cold, fever, and stomach aches. Traditional treatments are passed on from generation to generation. It is difficult for them to accept Western approaches such as vaccination and cancer screening as they feel the treatment may make them ill and they have no prevention against it. Haitians believe that pain affects the whole body system and because of that they are frequently not able to tell you where the pain comes from. They also may come to the physicians office and be very vague about what is wrong with them because they see everything as the same (Salisbury.edu), either natural or supernatural. All deformities are considered brought on by an evil spirit. Haitians who have a chronic illness are cared for by family and friends, they seldom go to a nursing home. If they get to return home they will pay the spirits back by having a Thanksgiving ritual. Haitians also believe that a wheelchair means they are very sick and they will misunderstand if it is offered. Haitians do not talk about organ donation, nor do they believe in organ transplant. Pre-natal care is not an illness so there are most likely no prenatal care visits and it may be very difficult. Practitioners Most of the lower class in Haiti believes in Voodoo and that comprises about 85% of the population. They do practice Christian beliefs at the same time. There, according to the Haitians is not only a visible world but a spiritual world. The spirits of the deceased make up both good and bad spirits. Usually when there is an illness the Haitian goes to see the Hougan who is able to be a conduit to the Loas and provide a cure. If the patient has visited the Hougan several times and is not better, they may be referred on to the physician (Miller, 2000). If a patient is in the hospital here in the United States, they may want to go back to Haiti to see a Hougan, especially is they are not getting better. Physicians within the community of practitioners to treat Haitians must do what they can to understand the cultural significance of many of these beliefs in order to get screening and preventive care done. Chronicity and Psychiatry The role of the supernatural is very much a part of Haitian society. They feel that chronic illness as well as psychiatric illness is caused by the supernatural. Depression, psychosis, inability to perform activities of daily living and academic underachievement may often be seen as a curse or a spell placed on them. They often feel that this happens because they did not work hard enough of did not do something they should have done (Astrid & Shiela, 2002) and didn't. They may feel they were lazy or that someone had a grudge and put a spell on them through an evil spirit. Patients who are chronically ill are usually cared for at home by family and friends: nursing homes are almost never used. It should be remembered also that offering a Haitian a wheelchair is the same as telling they are very ill and may not get better (Salisbury.edu) In actuality, the Haitians deal with many chronic illnesses due

Comparative LawHistory the medieval english coroner system Essay

Comparative LawHistory the medieval english coroner system - Essay Example The other purpose this move served was that it worked as a solution to the problem of the Sheriffs' control on the peasants, and this made it look like a reform-oriented action. The sheriff was the officer designated by the King to oversee law and order in every county. In his being the legal authority of a county, the office of the sheriff allowed him all the scope to manipulate law for his own benefit. The notoriety of the sheriffs for extortion and misappropriation of funds at the King's expense, as well as the scope of the abuse of power which their office permitted, is what Hubert was aware of, and that is what prompted him to set up a network of law officers that were under the supervision of neither the sheriff, nor the Justices of the Peace. Thus came to being the office of the coroner. The Article 20 of the "Articles of Eyre", from the Eyre of September held in the County of Kent in 1194, is the decree that formally established the Coroners. The article stated that: "In ever y county of the King's realm shall be elected three knights and one clerk, to keep the pleas of the Crown" To each county, thus, were assigned three coroners and a clerk who carried the "Coroner's Rolls", although the clerk's office too was later to be replaced by another, a fourth coroner. The coroner's duties were not with a reward in terms of money: they were never paid for their services to the crown, and it was an offence for them to receive any rewards by virtue of their office. To keep them from indulging in embezzlement, to prevent which was why their office came to being, Walter decree that their appointment was dependent on a certain property level, and a least of an income twenty pounds a year. The Medieval Coroner: Duties The coroner's main duties were twin-pronged; he was the tax-collector as well as the person who would keep a criminal record of territories that came under the jurisdiction of the Royal Courts of Law. The general Eyre was the body that would go around the kingdom, primarily taking stock of the misbehaviours of the subjects. The subjects were required to keep a track of all the incidents that have occurred in this account and relate them with complete honesty to the coroner. The coroner would note these down, and hand them over to the General Eyre; the Justices in the Eyre would hand out fines and punishments. The coroner takes on the role of a tax-collector because the large fines, the amercements, were viewed more as a kind of tax than as a way of punishment by the people. As has previously been mentioned, this was also the primary manner in which large revenues were being collected for the Royal Treasury. The ability to extract these sums was largely dependent on the details provi ded by the coroner. This ensured his presence in all kinds of events where fines, sureties and taxes could be levied, and property and goods be forfeited. This role of the coroner has taken a backseat and his second main duty that of investigating unnatural and suspicious deaths makes the coroner's identity today; sudden deaths, accidental deaths, natural deaths, suicides, murder and manslaughter, all these came under the coroner's duties. Medieval England also saw the coroner in charge of associated crimes

UnSpun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UnSpun - Essay Example Some consider it as a city with all the various societies ranging from business to private users. It makes users feel close to each other while in reality they are distance apart and this distance causes disorientation and confusion for users. The Great Crow Fallacy discusses on how the thoughts of a person and his or her unprofessional observations were highly manipulated into becoming facts which had been researched. According to this chapter, saying about something does not make it to be so one does not have to believe in everything they hear. This chapter also states that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and so one should ask about the origin of the claim. A person should also ask questions whenever possible on any evidence. The chapter emphasizes on believing on data more than anything else. The first presidential debate 2012 in USA between Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama can be used to bring about the great crow fallacy. In the debate, Mitt Romney is seen to be correcting misleading statements uttered by Obama about Romney’s plan for health care and entitlement reform. The people of the United States voted for Obama from his sayings that he was out for change. The people therefore believed in him as a pro human rights activist who will stand up and bring every injustice to justice and transparency. However, these expectations were barely met after 100 days upon his election as he is on record in terms of the US encounter to the terrorism polices to have been reviewed by the Amnesty International report. This brings about the great crow fallacy as Obamas words prior to the election does not hold on through out. Here Romney is seen to accuse Joe Biden of making misleading statements on the consulate attack in Libya. This brings about the concept of the great crow fallacy as saying about the misleading statements does not make it be true as this may have been mare

Saturn Titan Mission Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Saturn Titan Mission Questions - Essay Example He was the one who discovered the rings around Saturn as well as Titan in 1655; the largest moon of Saturn. He also invented the pendulum clock. He died in 1695 on 8th July. Jean Dominique Cassini was born in 1625, on June 8th. He has numerous discoveries related to Saturn attached to his name. He discovered four of the Saturn’s moons, Iapetus in1671, Rhea in 1972, Tethys and Dione in 1684. He also discovered that the rings of Saturn have separation by a gap in two parts in 1675, it is in his honor named Cassini Division, and he presumed that the Saturn’s rings composition was of the small particles myriads, which was correct. The atmospheric entry probe which was part of Cassini–Huygens  mission carried to Titan; Saturn’s moon was called the Huygens probe. It separated itself from the spacecraft on 25th December 2004 (Scott Allen Striepe, pg12) and landed on Titan’s surface on 14th January 2005. The landing of this Huygens probe was designed for both water and land since it wasn’t concrete which kind of surface it might be; it turned out to be solid, icy. It sent several images that helped understanding of Titans atmosphere throughout its descent. The atmosphere of Titan is twice in its thickness compared to that of Earth, the surface pressure there is approximately 1.45 times that of the earth. This makes it hard for image capturing in visible spectrum of light by the astronomical instruments. Titan is second largest moon in Solar system with diameter of 5,150  km, with the only one having dense, surface pressure being 1.5 atm and cold atmosphere, primary composites being nitrogen and little methane. Being dense, its atmosphere usually has convective clouds that are bright white, making the surface observation difficult. It is also the only moon that has large liquid bodies, in form of lakes of methane. Composition: Saturn’s rings have sheet like distribution of the icy

UnSpun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UnSpun - Essay Example Some consider it as a city with all the various societies ranging from business to private users. It makes users feel close to each other while in reality they are distance apart and this distance causes disorientation and confusion for users. The Great Crow Fallacy discusses on how the thoughts of a person and his or her unprofessional observations were highly manipulated into becoming facts which had been researched. According to this chapter, saying about something does not make it to be so one does not have to believe in everything they hear. This chapter also states that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and so one should ask about the origin of the claim. A person should also ask questions whenever possible on any evidence. The chapter emphasizes on believing on data more than anything else. The first presidential debate 2012 in USA between Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama can be used to bring about the great crow fallacy. In the debate, Mitt Romney is seen to be correcting misleading statements uttered by Obama about Romney’s plan for health care and entitlement reform. The people of the United States voted for Obama from his sayings that he was out for change. The people therefore believed in him as a pro human rights activist who will stand up and bring every injustice to justice and transparency. However, these expectations were barely met after 100 days upon his election as he is on record in terms of the US encounter to the terrorism polices to have been reviewed by the Amnesty International report. This brings about the great crow fallacy as Obamas words prior to the election does not hold on through out. Here Romney is seen to accuse Joe Biden of making misleading statements on the consulate attack in Libya. This brings about the concept of the great crow fallacy as saying about the misleading statements does not make it be true as this may have been mare

Should the Government Intervent Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Should the Government Intervent Tax - Essay Example Hence the government, in my view, should intervene through tax rates to keep the economy and society controlled. Government intervention through tax rates is of paramount importance when negative externalities are to be dealt with. The market consists of two types of goods, public and private. Private goods are associated to the concept of excludability, referring to the exclusion of people from the benefits of a product or service that do not pay for it. On the other hand, public good is non-excludable and benefits the entire population regardless of their non-payment. Free-riding issue arises in this situation leading to chaos and dissatisfaction toward those counterparts of the society who are not contributing enough to the society compared to the benefits they are receiving (for instance healthcare and security/defense facilities for tax-evaders or undocumented immigrants in some cases). Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) has contributed to the knowledge by revealing that undocumented immigrants can be a major source of tax earnings if they are permitted legally to work in th e US and would end up increasing the tax contribution by about $2 billion per year (ITEP, 2015). Government must intervene by changing tax rates to control consumer demands. By increasing tax rates, the government may reduce the disposable income and hence reduce the consumer demand. Similarly, if it wants to increase consumer demand, generally or specifically for certain goods and services, subsidies can be provided and/or tax on that particular product/service can be reduced. Hence, tax rates on specific products, services or industries as well as taxes on individuals and specific population groups can both help governments to keep harmony in the economy. The government calls funds from the local economy by taxing general public and businesses. These funds are then

A Political Economic Social Technology Analysis Of Malaysia Tourism Essay

A Political Economic Social Technology Analysis Of Malaysia Tourism Essay 0.0 Introduction Nowadays international business is a vital aim for every firm despite small firm or large firm and they are moving toward to international business for the sake of foreseeable future of their business. Besides, international business is known to be business dealings crossing national borders at any stage of the transaction which included trading such as import and export activities that carry out by the small and large firm from domestic to international market across the world (King, 2008; Aneff, 2010). Moreover, at present, international business can be acknowledged as global business whereby the firms have to adapt their businesses to the outside world in different markets that the firms seek and approach to and deal with many different cultures that concern in every country (Nakate, 2010; King, 2008). With the changing liberalization strategy in the whole world, a lot of firms are gaining benefits from international trade and investments. On top of that, an agreement of GATT (Gen eral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) was introduced to get control over the rate charges of the tariff and trade barriers (Geneva, 1986). In contrast, after the formation of GATT, in year 1995 followed by the formation of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Besides, there are 2 important forces that drive a business to international business which are the technological development and the disappearance of a substantial part of the communist world (Lausanne, n.d.). Shangri-la Asia Limited is a company with the principle activity of investment holding which focusing on the business and operation of hotels as one with associated real estate properties with providing hotel management or related services (Bloomberg, 2009; Shangri-La Asia Limited, 2009). The company mainly focuses in operating hotels and leasing spaces for commercial and residential. Shangri-la was incorporated in Bermuda and its main headquarters is located in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. Furthermore, Shangri-la Asia Limited was founded in year 1971 and until now, Shangri-la has been in operating in the industry for 39 years and operates its hotels in the company of Shangri-La, Rasa, Trader, Summer Palace, and Shang Palace. Moreover, the group managed 65 hotels at the end of 2009 with 47 hotels invested as the equity which managed by its subsidiaries. Besides, as of year 2009, Shangri-La hotel employs approximately 260,000 employees in the Asia countries (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, 2 010). 1.0 Macro Environment 1.1 Political Environment In China, the government attaches great importance to the tertiary industry in their country and there was positive government policies advance tourism in order to build tertiary industry to be one of their pillar industries (Lew, Yu, Ap, Zhang, 2003). Besides, the hotel and tourism industry in China had rapidity raise after the entry of World Trade Organization (WTO) to the domestic market in China. As according to the announcement from China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), with the entry of WTO in China, it brings the foreign international hotel industry to invest and set up hotel in China and the government of China approved the application of setting up wholly foreign-owned travel agencies in China thus, demand for hotel industry boosted up (Xinhua, 2004). Moreover, base on the Chinese governments policy of long term goal, the inbound tourist arrivals to China will achieve 210 million by the year of 2020 in which this would benefit the hotel and tourism industry in China to gain more profit on the tourist visit. For instance, base on the information published by the Shanghai Tourism Commission (STC) in China, the entry of foreign travel companies would help to stimulate and rise of the business of the local tourism industry in the case of SARS that happened seriously in China in 2003 (China Daily, 2004). On the other hand, the political issue would be on political tension between Taiwan and Mainland China and these threats would be considered as the unforeseen event that the hotel developer and investor will take into account (Guo, et.al., 2004). 1.2 Economical Environment In 1992, China expanded its economic reform along with the open door policy, consequently bring benefits to the business activities and international tourist arrivals to China continued to increase and thus hotel investment is stimulated. In contrary, China government also ensured that overseas hotel do not dominate the market in which the action taken is to prevent the rise of competitiveness between local companies and foreign companies in the benefit of their professionalism, experience and resource advantages. Thus, to avoid economic leakage, Chinese government had implemented the policy of encouraging Chinese Hotels to establish in the country itself and also in foreign countries for Chinese to use with the association between Chinese Airlines and Hotels industry in order to retain the money from outflow to other countries (Zhang, Pine and Lam, 2005). Moreover, Chinas sound economic growth stimulates the Hotel and tourism industry. As mentioned above about the openness to outsid e world had helped economy grow rapidly. The GDP of China in 2009 was RMB 33, 535.3 billion where RMB 14, 291.8 billion contributed by the tertiary industries with the growth rate of 8.9 compares with the previous year (Chinability, 2009). An impressive economy growth will generate enhancement in infrastructure for hotel development, however, the sustainability of the economic boom are concern in the problem of bad-loan that commonly faced by state-owned banks. To overcome this problem, government needs to counter a soft landing for the rapid growing economy otherwise an unexpected of potential economic slowdown would occur and certainly bring some negative effects to the hotel industries in the country (Yu and Gu, 2005). 1.3 Social Environment Social environment concern is an important issue for the business developer and investor in China as Chinese used to practice the relationship and network of Guan Xi in their daily life which including during the business dealing process. In fact, Guan xi can be an influential practice compare with the Western-based business practice which westerners or foreign investors are not eligible to gain interest on this practice as such practice would be commonly focus on the motive of profit. Thus, foreign companies need to corporate with the local Chinese companies as partner in order to enjoy the privilege with the support of Chinese partner to avoid some existing and future legal control and international trade rules. For instance, the foreign owner of the properties must depend on the local labor and partner in turn to get the reliable power supply and water supply (Zhang, Pine and Lam, 2005). On the other hand, hotel industries benefit from holiday and vacation when residents take holi days and this would lead to higher demand on the tourism and hotel industry in which the people shifting their lifestyle and get off from work with take effect on the domestic consumption. For example, in China, the government had intentionally increased the public holidays where made 3 weeks long holiday per year such as each during the Spring Festival, May Day Festival and the National Day holiday (Lew, Yu, Ap and Zhang, 2003). 1.4 Technology Environmental Generally, a good quality service to customer is the most important factor that makes the hotel to be more outstanding than others and to get more attraction from customer therefore this would influence the guests to make decision on the selection of which hotel is the most worthy and preferable to consume with the most satisfaction among those entire hotels that available in the area. Besides, with the acknowledgement of gaining better profit margins and financial returns, the hotel industries in China emphasis on the implementation of IT facilities in order to improve with efficiency daily operation and meanwhile to obtain benefits such as operational cost reduction and enhancement of service quality deliver to customer (Law, Giri and Michigan, 2005). In fact, in Hong Kong, China, the use of IT to conduct daily operation is generally practicing by the hotel industries in country since year 1997 (Law and Au, 1998). Besides, in China, the adoption of Computer Reservation System (CRS) and hotel Property Management System (PMS) which utilize by hotel that ranked 3 stars and above was introduced to bring the companies into the market and to improve the interconnectivity by promoting about destination, information about their company and additionally assist on the efficiency and accuracy of internal information transmission and effectiveness of management. Meanwhile, the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) within the hotel industries in China which focused on the front office functions such as reception, reservation, catering, marketing, customer relationship management and others had brought benefit to the operation of the industry (Ma, Buhalis and Song, 2003). 2.0 The International Consideration 2.1 Operation Shangri-La Hotel and Resort operated almost in all over the place in the world where headquarter is in Hong Kong. Shangri-La Hotel and Resort is a well known brand which the brand name is so recognizable and respected by the people around the world. Besides, the groups main activities are emphasis on the ownership, operation and management of the hotels. At present, the group holds and operates 68 hotels under the trademark of Shangri-La, Trader brands, Rasa, Summer Palace, and Shang Palace in different countries with a room inventory of over 30, 000 in which operation carry out among Asia in current year which included of China, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Republic of Maldives, Philippines and Myanmar. Furthermore, the company had expanded their company to Middle East countries such as Sultanate of Oman and United Arab Emirates; Europe country in France; North America country in Canada; Oceana countries in Austria and Fuji Island. In addition, in year ended 2009 the company had equity interests in 49 operating hotels containing 24,432 of guest rooms (Golden Circle, 2010) Moreover, the company will develop and build up 29 more hotels in various countries in which project development of 1 hotel in Paris in 2010, 11 hotels will be establish in China, India, Singapore, Macau, Qatar, Austria in 2011, 9 hotels in China, India, Mongolia, United Kingdom, Turkey and Canada in 2012 and nevertheless 7 hotels in China and Russia in 2013 and 1 hotel in Philippine in 2014 (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, 2010) 2.2 The PEST in Malaysia 2.2.1 Social and Culture Environmental Commonly, Malaysia is known as an Islamic country therefore certainly Malaysia is involving in the Halal food industry and Malaysia is the major exporter of halal product to Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) countries such as AEAN and Middle Eastern markets in 2008. Malaysia has made an integrated long term plan to develop the halal industry which including the goods and services related sectors namely, meat and meat-based product, processed food, cosmetic and personal care products and pharmaceutical products (Sadek, 2010). Thus, the halal certification would be the main requirement for the tertiary industries in Malaysia that needed conforming to it especially on the food and beverage which play an important role in overall satisfaction level such as halal dining is a necessity for Muslims. In fact, according to Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the statistic shows that out of 991 hotels in Malaysia, there are only 10.19% of the hotels which amount to 101 h otels that certified with Halal logo (Zailani, Fernando and Mohamed, 2010). Besides, to set up businesses in Malaysia require some general needs of its local market segment included religious and cultural practices such as to being halal conscious through implementation of crescent rating which this system is require under the traditional Muslim rules to the examine the halal friendliness of facilities and services in hotel industries in Muslim country (Fazal, 2009) For instance, Awana Spa Island Resort in Langkawi crescent rated at category 5 which indicate that the hotel accommodate some specific Muslim needs and Shangri-Las Rasa Sayang Resort Spa in Penang rated at category 3 (Crescent Rating, 2010). Moreover, regarding the culture in Malaysia, the main facilities of prayer room or Surau is important for Muslims as they required praying 5 times daily due to the ease of travel from current location to mosque. Besides, the culture in the aspect of employee working hour, there are slightly different if compare with oversea working time as for Muslims every Friday afternoon is the weekly prayer time thus Muslim employee need to leave their work place at this time (Usama, 2007). Moreover, festival holiday is a main issue that need to concern in Malaysia as Malaysia has much festival to celebrate such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year and others therefore public holiday would interrupt the operation performance of the company where by employee off from work on the particular day. (Zailani, Omoar and Kopong, 2010) 2.2.2 Political and Legal Environment in Malaysia According to the A.M. Best country risk report, Malaysia has a moderate level of political risk which categorized as CRT-3 which indicate that Malaysia is a developing country that having a developing legal environment, legal system and business environment (A.M. Best, 2010). Generally, political risk comprises the stability of the government and society in a country and here the political environment would be first concentrate on the change of government and key leader in Malaysia. Up to date in 2010 political position in Malaysia involves two separate downside risks which happened 2 years back in 2008; the political power was changed due to the general election and the result was the National Front which had ruled Malaysia for 52 years had lose control and defeated by opposition (Marshall, 2009; Stamer, 2010). Then again, according to the executive summary by Political Economic Risk Consultancy, the political issue that foreign investors concern is about the hesitation on how good the opposition parties perform after they gained the political authority as a Malaysia government in handling some problem such as poor policies and others. Additionally, as a result of some political accusation, the case of Anwar on sodomy gave a flashpoint on the political stability condition. Due to the changes in the government authority, the political stability in Malaysia is affected much over these years and would bring further damage to investment in the country if the trend maintains (Marshall, 2009; Political Economic Risk Consultancy, 2010). 2.3 Internationalization Method The internationalization process is a very important process for a company that plan to expand their business outside their domestic base market by adopting several internationalization methods. In Shangri-La, the internationalization method that the group adopting is more on equity based method on foreign direct investment. The Group is using its equity assets in the expansion of their company throughout the world and for another purpose of project development in new countries. Moreover, investment into a company is the competitive advantage of this company. Additionally, the Group is adopting 2 main internalization methods on its subsidiaries which through merger, acquisition and alliances. According to the financial report of Shangri-La in Malaysia, the subsidiaries are consolidated by using the purchase method of accounting in which the Group has the ability to exercise the power in the subsidiaries in order to manage the financial and operating policies of an entity as to attain benefits from their daily activities (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, 2010). Alternatively, some subsidiaries are consolidating by adopting merger method for example, UBN holding Sdn Bhd which happened on 1st of January 2006. As for the associate methodology, the Group has major influence but not control over the financial and operating policies. The hotel properties located in Malaysia at 31 December 2009 included Rasa Sayang Resort Spa, Traders Hotel, Golden Sands Resort, Palm Beach Resort in Penang, Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur and Rasa Ria Resort in Sabah. (Shangri-La Malaysia, 2008) 2.4 Problem and Solution The problem that the company confronts would be on the aspect of the culture differences between the origin country and the other country for example Malaysia. Cultural differences of international hotel groups would influence the operation of the company and also the efficiency of their human resource in the company. Besides, condition of cultural differences dilemma would also harm the company from gaining better return in either investment nor operating profit which due to the competition among the hotel industries in the specific country. Thus, to overcome these cultural dilemmas, some solution on these problems needed to be implementing in order to resolve the problem to prevent any operation failure. The solution proposed would be through adoption of cross cultural strategies. According to Master and Prideaux, culture can be distinguished into 2 views that represent an ideological perspective including beliefs, norm, value and customs. Next, would represent the material element which including of the dining etiquette, where to buy and where to travel. (Prideaux, Moscardo and Laws, 2006) As mentioned above, the main cultural problems that face in Malaysia is about the Halal certification and also the employee culture problem. Therefore, from the cross cultural management approaches, it must emphasis on the staff inspiration and motivation method and improvement on product and service quality in order to satisfy customers demands. Firstly, company should implement the strategy of cross cultural empathy through training and education that enables the staffs in the group from origin country to let them to be more considerate to accept other people cultures in Malaysia as well as the staffs in the company itself. This would help to solve any conflict rises conc erning to the culture misunderstanding among three major races employees of Malaysian and between the headquarter staffs rather than behave stubbornly on their own local culture perspective. Besides, in order to solve the cultural diversity problem in the case of halal certification, the company needs to employ the strategy of cross cultural through special design and marketing of hotel products and services. There are a lot of customers come from different religions and backgrounds, thus customers have different needs on the services and products. By using this strategy, the company is able to improve the degree of customers satisfaction whereby the products and services is specially designed for the purpose of tailor-made to adapt to different need of the customers. For instance, Muslims in Malaysia require some halal facilities and also on the foodstuff, as a result the hotel must pay close attention on serving the proper food at the table and also the facilities of prayer room in their hotel to allow Muslim to conduct prayer during the time that they are in the hotel area. 3.0 The Growth of Business Shangri-la has a well operational performance which its operations contribute the main source of revenue and operating profit for the Group. Besides, the concentration of the growth in the luxury hotel market in Asia would particularly focus on China. Thus, the group is continued to plan out the strategies of setting up new hotel across the world. According to the financial report in 2009, a total of 7 hotels opened for business during the year and 4 hotel being subsidiaries of the group. During these years, Shangri la is adopting the market development strategies which the group is targeting new markets or new areas in different countries. For example, in 2011, the group will conduct foreign direct investment of 29 hotels in other countries such Qatar, Austria and others. Besides, the implementation of product development strategy in the group develops their services and quality to gain higher level satisfaction from customers through training of employees to deliver better services to customer. For instance, the networking of the Shangri-la throughout the international subsidiaries had improved through communication and result in the integration with its international counterparts by applying uniform standards for inbound and outbound logistics and this give rise to higher level of efficiency in the operation, sales and marketing. Consequently, Shangri-La had gained positive reviews and reputation from regulatory bodies and this benefit the company to connect into all revenue-generating marketing channels (Shangri-La Asia Limited, 2009; Chitika 2009). As for the future direction of growth, according to Ansoffs Product-Market Matrix, the product development strategy should highlight in the company. The reason is that it is important to have possession of distinctive advantage over its competitor by reason of keen competition existed among the local and other international hotel industries in the market. Besides, hotel industry is leisure and tourism destination places, customers are the main earnings sources from the hotel operations, it seem to be not enough to have similar existing facilities promoted in the hotel to attract customers. Thus, an innovation technique is required to improve the product and services in the hotel in order to maintain an advantage over competitors meanwhile to attract more customers. By examining through proactive development strategy to develop the product base on the anticipation of the evolution of customers needs; or through the adaption of reactive development strategy whereby the product is devel op in order to deal with the customer needs. Besides, as a result of adapting product development matrix, the company is able to develop and launch new product or services where the products or services are presently not being offered by any other competitors however it able to keep the existing market and nevertheless attract more new customers. For instance, product development strategy including offering high-level service to the customers through providing some specialty facilities such as promotion on the discount offer to their customer base on an alliance with the air companies and provide free shuttle for the customer to take them from airport to the hotel. Thus, Shangri-La hotel must provide services that other competitors do not offer and the most importantly, making the customer feel at home and even better than that. 4.0 New Venture The new venture of Shangri-la hotel would using the foreign direct investment method which the company will expand and build up hotel under equity base method in the chosen country, Kingdom of Heaven, Bhutan. While Shangri-La investing in Bhutan, the group will suggested to conduct joint venture with the local partner such as the tourism agencies to increase the inflow of the tourist to the hotel and other share value-added joint venture, for instance, merge with the local hotel industry where the hotel contribute the same function and this will reduce the competition among the similar industry and nevertheless increase economies of scale. As Shangri-La is moving into the new market and segment, it is necessary to understand what strength determines the profit of their industry. Thus, Porters Five Forces analysis would be taken to identify all the threat in hotel industries in Bhutan. Firstly, the threat of supplier power in the market will take into concern. The supplier power in ho tel industry would be the availability of skill of the employees that provide services to customers due to tertiary industry is totally focused in services. Thus, Shangri-La need to provide a high level of training program to ensure the employees are able to carry out best service to their customers. This is because employees can influence the profitability and the attractiveness of the hotel itself. Besides, supplier power can be the organization that control and provide the food and beverage to the hotel industry in the country. In this case, there are plenty of suppliers in Bhutan which mainly working on supplying of the food for local distribution whereby they import all the food stuff items, such as the company of Dollay Food Product, Sharyang Enterprise, Sonam Choki Enterprise and many others suppliers (Cheaponsale, 2010). So supplier power force is considered weak to the company. Secondly, would be the buyer power. This force reflects the strength of bargaining power from the customers which concerning the level of quality served and price rate of the hotel. Commonly, from the behavior of the customers, customers seek for best quality with lesser price of hotel, solution for this problem would be the hotel management should make some adjustment to its strategies in order to meet the demand of the customers to avoid switching among the hotels in the market, if the switching problem happen then the buyer power is high which will bring disadvantage to the company. Thirdly, competitive rivalry is also a serious force that the company has to concern on it. This force would focus on the number of the competitors in the same industry in Bhutan. In Bhutan, there are hotels that available in the specific geographic areas. For instance, According to The Hotel Association of Bhutan (HAB), Bhutan is divided in 20 administrative districts and there are 121 hotels in the country and exactly with 34 hotels with 3 stars and above are available in the certain districts in Bumthang, Trongsa, Punakha, Thimphu, Wangdue Phodrang and Paro; the rest are ranked as 2 stars and below (Tourism Council of Bhutan, 2010; Cabinet Secretariat, 2010). Thus, competitive rivalry in hotel industry is quite high due to the number of competitors offering in the market and the company should adapt specific strategy to overcome the problem such as create differentiation on the product and services in order to differentiate themselves from the competitors. Due to the problem faced by the competitive rivalry, the threat of substitution which examine on the similar product and services is high in the hotel industry because there are a 121 hotels accessible in the Bhutan and enable the customers to have alternative choices on what hotel that they prefer to select. Thus, better marketing strategy is needed for the company to deal with the substitution problem such as changes in technology and services in the hotel could bring some advantage like good reputation for the hotel to compete with its rivals. Lastly, threat of new entry is high in the hotel industry in Bhutan as Hotel Association of Bhutan (HAB) reported that there 46 new hotels will open up in the country. However, the Bhutan government had approved 100 percent of foreign direct investment to build 5-star hotels and 70percent of foreign direct investment for 4-stars hotels in Bhutan in early 2010 (Dawa, 2010; Dahal, 2009). In this case, Shangri-La has the total advantage of investing and setting up hotel in Bhutan as Shangri-La is ranked as 5-star hotel. Besides, the structural expansion of the hotel in Bhutan would be difficult because most hotels was in debt due to the financial institution had stopped giving loan for hotel construction. This is because of governments policy on the existing hotels that they are required to upgrade their hotels within 2 years time in order to provide better service to customers with the help of government by providing incentives of tax breaks for up to 10 years to make the upgrading pos sible (Cabinet Secretariat, 2010; Dawa, 2010). Hence, with good reputation and its 5-Stars ranked hotel, Shangri-La has gained the advantage to compete with the hotels in Bhutan. Thus, Shangri-La needs to come out with some new plan to sustain its market position. 5.0 Conclusion In summary, various analyses needed to be considered and examined in the progress of business expansion to the international market. Going international not only mean to explore the new market abroad but it also enable the company to have better understanding on the expansion strategies that needed to adopt in turn to deal with the dilemma that occurred in the international market. Besides, international business can promote faster growth in the country economy due to the entry of foreign direct investment in the country which stimulate the domestic competition in the market and in effect would encourage improvement in the service and product of the company, besides it would help the employment rate of the country as well. Moreover, in order to go for international business, the particular companies need to ensure that the correct strategies are adopted. With the assist of PEST in the expansion of macro environment in a market, the company, and here would be Shangri-La can easily gai n the information of the specific market and taking the next step to invest into the market. Besides, by examining the international consideration, it gives clearer picture on what the company doing in the existing market and how the company give solution against the problem that they faced and yet understand how they enter an international market such as foreign direct investment which adopted by Shangri-La hotel into various countries. Other than that, by using the Ansoffs product-market matrix, it enables the company to make good use of the strategies in order to have a better strategic planning in the expansion of the businesses such as to study on the direction of growth of Shangri-La Company. Lastly, with the analysis of Porters Five Forces, it helps the company to understand the strength and the threat of the market when the foreign company planning to invest into the country. By having all these strategies, the company can have the advantage to globalize and to compete again st the competitors that existed in the market in order to offer better products and services nevertheless gain more profit and attract more customers. In conclusion, all these strategies would benefit and success the companies in doing international business.

Is Government Dominated By Business :: essays research papers fc

Is Government Dominated by Business   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Special interest groups have dominated government since the advent of America's political system. Special interest groups or lobbies are collections of individuals who join together to pursue common interests and to influence the decisions on public policies. Many people view special interest groups as an integral part of the political process, legitimized by the first amendment of the Constitution. In that way, special interest groups are good. The point that disgusts many people is that more often then not money overpowers the right decision; that is why Big Business is a problem. The richer the companies and organizations, the better chance they have to persuade the government officials.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States alone there are thousands of special interest groups working for their own cause. Some of the causes they are working for are: business, banking, labor, environment, women, seniors, the economy, and farming just to name a few. Some groups or businesses which partake in lobbying are: N.O.W., Green Peace, AFL-CIO, Teamsters, Sierra Club, N.R.A., Tobacco industry and the ACLU. These groups often work at the national, state, and local levels attempting to influence government policy. Many groups have permanent offices in Washington DC. The primary goals of these groups are the passing, blocking, or amending legislation to achieve a favorable ruling for their own benefit. In Washington the groups primary targets are the House and Senate sub-committees which are the key places where legislation is considered. The groups often speak in front of Committee hearings to put their views on the record.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most well known special interest group is the National Rifle Association. This group has done tireless work in Washington trying to stop Gun Control bills from passing in Congress. The worst blow that happened to the NRA was the passing of the Brady Bill and the Assault Rifle Ban. The NRA believes this is an infringement on the constitutional rights of all Americans. Recently after a huge lobby in Washington, the NRA forced the Senate to have another vote on the Assault Rifle ban. The way the NRA forces the senate is as followed: the NRA gets together with some senators that they know want to repeal the ban. The NRA gives money to the senators for their campaigns, etc. The senators then persuade other senators and the NRA has them on their side as well. When the NRA captures enough senators, it forces Congress to bring it to the floor and debate about the issue. In this case, the NRA failed. However, the NRA will continue to support the senators that are a help to the cause and

The Last Yankee Summary :: essays research papers

The Last Yankee by Arthur Miller is about a woman named Patricia Hamilton who is about to be released from a mental institution. The story takes place around the 1960 the New England Area. The play contains four characters. Their names were Leroy Hamilton, Patricia Hamilton, Leroy Frick, and Karen Frick. Leroy Hamilton was a relative of Alexander Hamilton. Frick and Hamilton’s wives knew each other as they were friends in the institute. Frick is a rich, young business man. He works with oil companies and other things as well. Hamilton, was a member of an elite family and he was a carpenter. Hamilton described himself as a Yankee as did his wife. The behavior of a Yankee according to his wife was they could be abused and taxed as much as they want, they still would not do anything about it but complain and get even sadder. In the first act, Hamilton and Frick got into a heated discussion. Earlier they talked about how their wives got into the institute in the first place. Karen Frick, got into the hospital because she had a nervous breakdown in which she would alienate the outer world from herself. She locked herself at home and would not go out. Before, that occurred she was a real estate agent. Patricia was a home make and became a depressive. Patricia had been in the institute two times already in the fifteen years of her falling out. This was her third time and she was improving. Hamilton, got mad when Frick talked about labor as if it was a bad thing. Hamilton said nothing was wrong about being a carpenter and nobody was proud to be in labor it was just something people talked as if they were so low in the dirt. In the second act Karen and Patricia talk about their lives. Karen often trailed off into her own thing, while Patricia tried to talk about herself. Patricia talked on how she grew up in Sweden and how her family was full of beautiful people. Her brothers had died by committing suicide. Her mother’s beauty was everlasting until she died at 81 years old. Also, she talked about how she stopped taking her medication and then was gradually getting better. She had been off drugs for 21 days. So now she could be able to do much more. All that she wanted was to make her husband happy and how the church she like d and the preacher who would talk to her.

A Dream – creative writing

One by one we stepped of the bus after a comfortable nap on the red beds situated at the end of the bus. I was last to get off, I had a feeling of perpetual tiredness in my legs, I felt shaky and nervous. At first I couldn't think about what I was going to do on the pitch, all I thought about was after the match. As we walked down the tunnel, I saw framed pictures of legends such as Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Eric Cantona. The sense of ‘I could be one of them' filled my empty head full of impossible thoughts. The tunnel was painted red and white, our home colours, the colours of victory. It was very long; all you could see in the darkness was the grass at the end of the tunnel like little green spikes they stuck out of the ground with light catching glimpse of their strong straight body. The smell of the hazy grass from down the tunnel went up my nose and soon reached my brain to intensify my nerves even more. It was quite a walk down to the home changing rooms. On the way I was greeted by many enthusiastic fans but instead of helping me, this made me even shakier and plunge further into my lethargy. I couldn't understand this as I had just had a two-hour nap. I silently entered the freezing cold changing rooms, which were supposedly painted white to give each player a calm feeling, checked my watch and looked around. I felt numb, the feeling of expectation had got to me, the blood in my body began to freeze and I couldn't hear anything. After a few moments the gaffer put his arms around me and I came out of my mood. All the players were lively, each one getting changed, concentrating on their own thoughts and weird pre-match rituals and superstitions. All focused on the one thing that really mattered; winning. When everyone was ready, the gaffer started talking. He said that we be should our best and all other things a managers says to make their players comfortable. To be honest with you I wasn't listening somehow the things he said just went into one ear and out of the other like an elephant talking to a cat. All I listened to was the roars and scream of the passionate fans waiting who started on their usual tones. I think the gaffer new I wasn't concentrating. He suddenly walked towards me and patted me on the back with his warm, big-palmed hands. As he did this I felt a big burden on my back. I felt as If I was carrying a big box full of millions of hopes and desires. As we walked out of the changing rooms we were joined by the away team, who all looked irregular. I was the captain for today so I was at the front of the team. The captain for the away team looked serious; he was tall with broad shoulders, had scruffy black hair, had a cold white face like a newly chilled corpse and stank of rubber. Funny I heard he had two left feet. Now adrenaline had kicked in and excitement had begun. We started slowly walking out to the stadium and soon we got faster and faster until we were jogging. The crowd was ecstatic. The stadium was jam-packed and all I could see was a sea of flashing bulbs from the photographers. The crowd started chanting my name and soon a feeling of nausea from the grass hit me hard. I walked slowly to the centre circle, with the ball at my feet. I looked at the other team, they all looked serious and some looked at me with spite. All of their players were bigger than us; almost Herculean in stature, most of them had short black hair and muscled legs like an army of action-man dolls. I took my feet off the ball and put my worn out boots into the soft, sturdy green grass. Everyone was in their positions and the whistle was blown, we were off†¦ The whistle went and it was half time, we were 2-0 down and everybody was disappointed. In the changing rooms, it was very quiet. Not really because of anyone but because of our performance, we were being stuffed. No-one was talking. The gaffer didn't lay into us. He didn't have to. We all knew we were playing rubbish. It was now going to be like a cat and mouse chase. The expression on each players face said it all really. I was just thinking of what I was going to do. Could I pull it off? Could I do the unimaginary? Could I†¦.. I couldn't understand why we were playing so badly but I had an epiphany, it must be because of their lazy useless captain not giving enough support†¦. me! I was going to pull it off I told myself. I was going to do the unimaginary. I was going to†¦ I gave a huge shout of encouragement to all the players like a commander rallying his weary troops. I slowly turned my head to face the other team. They all looked happy, as if this was a stroll in the park, as if they thought it was all wrapped up, as if they thought they had me all worked out, but had they? The whistle blew once more and we were off†¦ It was the 80th minute and we scored. It was better late than never. The ball rattled the net, and bounced on the floor a few times like a bouncy ball waiting to be caught. The crowd went mad. The player, who scored, picked up the ball after a little melee with the goalie who tried to stop him. He jogged back to the centre circle with the ball, with one hand in the air, appreciating the support the fans were giving him. The whistle was blown once more and we were off again†¦ The final whistle went it was 2-2. We scored in the last dying seconds of the match. All content with ourselves we trudged off to the gaffer and sat down on the pitch. I still couldn't get my head around the smell of the grass, warm and comforting like high summers. The gaffer sent all the coaches to massage the life back to our limbs. I could see that even the fans were tired, hoarse and emotional from their unswerving enthusiasm, as most of their voices had now gone from all the shouting, but I guessed it had helped as we were still in this match. Now the tables had turned, as I looked at the other team, they were all tired and didn't have a grin on their face any more. The whistle was blown louder than before this time and again we kicked-off†¦ Extra-time ended and scores were still 2-2 and everyone looked dead beat. We kept looking at the referee as we just wanted this to end. We were under pressure and running scared. Many times I thought it might be over but I still kept my head held high as I thought I had done a pretty good job, being the captain of a previously sinking ship, though with my skill, we had avoided the metaphorical iceberg. As we were walking back to the referee, the players had their heads down, as if they were out of this. I guess this was mostly because of what was to follow, penalties! The gaffer had a little notebook and pencil in his hand as he was going round asking each player if they wanted to take a penalty, it reminded me of what had happened last time I was here. Most of them just stood still and were too shocked and scared to say anything. Although he never came around to me, I was on the list. I guess I had to take one, or be blamed if we lost. They missed one and scored the rest, we had scored all our penalties up to now. Their fans had now got restless and started booing their own team; it showed how fickle 56,000 fans can be in times of need. Their manager looked disappointed, for all the training they had put in, wasn't going to help. One more player was left to take a penalty†¦ me, if it went in, we won, and if it didn't then more penalties would follow. I slowly started making my way to the ball. Half way, I stalled, I stood still but it seemed time had stood still. This time there was no-one near to put their arms around me to help me to come out of this mood again. My whole body froze and cold chills were sent to my brain. I looked forward and all I could see was the goalie looking nervous, billboards gaudily advertising a shirt brand and the thousands of faceless fans. Fans were screaming and shouting my name, I felt proud to be leading my team. My boots were frozen into the soft ground. No blood was felt at my toes and my knees were giving way as if my fit and tones body had been replaced by an arthritic and wizened shell. I couldn't stand any longer. There was no life left in my body. I was nervous; I was scared as I was remembering the last penalty shoot-outs. I had walked steadily to the ball and had concentrated on where I was going to kick it. The goalkeeper had gone the right way and my shot was stopped to the delight of the away supporters. They had won the cup. This was the same match, the same cup, the same away team, but would it be the same outcome. I returned to the present. My stomach was still frozen searching for any water left in my parched body, any lifeline left to give, any blood left to melt. My neck wouldn't twitch and my Adams apple felt frozen, I couldn't speak as my mouth was so dry that I felt my lips were being savaged off. My head was stiff; my face was pure cold white and my brain full of ghastly thoughts (I still couldn't get over what had happened the last time I was here). The fans started making their voices heard even more by intensifying the stadium with their passion, something not many people can give, something only a true fan possesses. Nerve receptors in my body didn't know which way to flow and no warm blood could be felt anywhere around my body except my ears. Even they wouldn't twitch, only the sound of screaming entered my ears, the sound I had heard many times throughout my lifetime. As a child I was abused by my violent father, who beat me every time I lost a match. That's why football is my life. It has always meant everything! I would scream in my bedroom but my mother was too scared to do anything about it, she too couldn't stand in my father's way. It took me until I was sixteen to stand up to him and kick him out of the house. I was bullied in school for not having a father, for not having many friends, for not having any football talent. I used to be called ‘footballer wannabe'; this infuriated me so much that all I concentrated on throughout my school years was football. And now what can those measly kids say to me, captain of a famous team, playing in a cup-final. Again my mind returned to the present. My body still stalled me, I didn't know what to do, either to let my knees give way, or stand there waiting for a lifeline to be found from the empty abyss†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Suddenly I heard the gaffer shout ‘come on ma lad, you can do it'. I woke of this terrible moment and blood started to flow again around my body. I coolly walked up to the ball, stepped back a few paces and ran as fast as I could towards the ball, hit it as hard as possible and stare. The ball rotated in mid-air and travelled towards the goal†¦..