Battle Of Wounded Knee Essays - Midwestern United States

Battle of Wounded Knee annon On December 15, 1890 authorities feared that the Sioux's new Ghost Dance? religion might inspire an uprising. Sitting Bull permitted Grand River people to join the antiwhite Ghost Dance cult and was therefore arrested by troops. In the fracas that followed, he was shot twice in the head. Sitting Bull' followers were apprehended and brought to the U.S Army Camp at Wounded Knee Creek in southwestern South Dakota. Moving among the tipis, soldiers lifted women's dresses and touched their private parts, ripping from them essential cooking and sewing utensils. The men sitting in the council heard the angry shrieks of their wives, mothers, and daughters. Several Lakota, offended by the abusive actions of the cavalry, stubbornly waited to have their weapons taken from them. It was a show of honor in front of their elders, for few of them were old enough to have fought in the Indian Wars fifteen years before. That night, everyone was tired out by the hard trip. James Asay, a Pine Ridge trader and whiskey runner, brought a ten-gallon keg of whiskey to the Seventh Cavalry officers. Many of the Indian men were kept up all night by the drunken Cavalry where the soldiers kept asking them how old they were. The soldiers were hoping to discover which of the men had been at the Battle of Little Bighorn where Custer was killed. On the bitterly cold morning of December 29, 1890, Alice Ghost Horse, a thirteen- year old Lakota girl rode her horse through the U.S Army camp looking for her father, one of the Indian men who had been rounded up earlier that day. Less than fifty yards away she could see her father sitting on the ground with other disarmed men from Chief Big Foot's band, surrounded by more than 500 heavily armed soldiers of the Seventh Cavalry. She looked North up the hill where four guns on wheels were mounted. Troopers watched silently on each side of the Hotchkiss battery. To one side Alice noticed a familiar figure standing with hands raised above his head, his arms turned upward in prayer. It was the medicine man by the name of Yellow Bird. He stood facing the east, right by the fire pit which was now covered with dirt. He was praying and crying. He was saying to the spotted eagles that he wanted to die instead of his people. He must have sense that something was going to happen. He picked up some dirt from the fire place and threw it up in the air and said, This is the way I want to go, back to dust. Seventh Cavalry interpreter Phillip F. Wells, whose knowledge of the Lakota language was poor, later told military investigators that a man named Yellow Bird stood up at Wounded Knee and deliberately incited the Lakota to fight. Colonel Forsyth gave a bizarre order: each soldier was told to aim his unloaded gun at an Indians forehead and to pull the trigger. After Wells translated the demeaning order to the astonished Lakota, they could not comprehend this foolishness. Looking at each other, their faces grew wild with fear. Alice then saw two or three sergeants grab a deaf man named Black Coyote who had yet to be disarmed. His friends had been so busy talking that they had left him uniformed. The soldiers tore off his blanket, roughly twirling him around. He raised his rifle above his head to keep it away from them. In the midst of yelling, jerking, and twisting, the struggle ended unexpectedly when the rifle pointed toward the east end discharged in the crisp morning air. Lieutenant James Mann screamed, Fire! Fire on them! On command the troops opened fire in an explosive volley, enclosing both attackers and victims in a dark curtain of pungent smoke. That day over three hundred elderly men, women, and children, all disarmed were brutally murdered. After the genocidal procedure occurred, a blizzard hit, and it was on the forth day that search parties were sent out to bury the dead. A newspaper reporter accompanying the burial party described the first body they found as that of a male about twelve years old. The boy had been shot. He was wearing a ghost shirt embolized with an eagle, buffalo, and morning-star insignia. They believed that these symbols of powerful spirits would protect them from the soldier's bullets. Many of the wounded survivors later died or were secretly carried away in the night by Lakota from other bands. The dead were buried in hidden locations, and carefully concealed from federal officials who later underestimated the

Criticism on Their eyes were watching god essays

Criticism on Their eyes were watching god essays The image of pear tree, the road, and horizon all symbolize Janies individual quest for self identity. Janie tries to look for her identity in a society both as a woman and a black person but both are neither appreciated in the white male-dominated world. The narration which Janie uses makes her strong and serves as her power for attaining and protecting the basis of African-American culture. As a woman, Janie claims her self and asserts her will to live her own life. She makes her own voice and that means she attempts the possibilities of new Black voices and new stories that reflect new realities. Janies search for inner self may well be parallel to African-Americans search for their own culture by protecting their oral traditions. It is significant that there is a lack of generation between Janie and her grandmother. Janie is brought up by her grandmother, not by her mother. The gap between two generations is so strong. Her inner voice raises first as she replaces her search for identity by the pear tree image that signifies a happy and romantic marriage. Then, her search for self identity shapes in her mind through her romantic beliefs. As Nannys death freed Janie from her snare, so Jodys death frees her from the second entrapment that makes her deal with her quest. Therefore, she becomes an active figure in planning her own life. One of the critics Missy Dehn Kubitschek asserts detailing her quest for self-discovery and self-definition, it celebrates her as an artist who enriches Eatonville by communicating her understanding The novel depicts an individual seeking an authentic place in a community. This shows, the sense of belonging to a community provides the sense of cultural and self-identity. When Janie is back in Eatonville after Tea Cakes death, s ...

How the result in home football games reflect the final standing Statistics Project

How the result in home football games reflect the final standing. (Spanish La Liga) - Statistics Project Example Home advantage plays a imperative role for the team resulting in favorable results, and this advantage makes home teams to win several games as compared to the away teams especially when accounting for the diversity of teams (Zelterman, pp.124-189). Appropriate models such as the least square for individual teams are more accurate and precise. This method estimates the home ground advantages for every team together with its individual ratings. Home advantages for all teams in Spanish La Liga from 2002-2003 seasons to 2010-2011 seasons were recorded. The above dataset consist of 20,100 matches. The result indicates that the home ground advantage is not much predictable and varies from team to team across the year. For example, some teams had an adverse home advantage for some years while other performed well at home. However, the home advantage is estimated as 0.5 of the number of goals scored. The results indicated that there was no division effect. The outcomes of the underlying research also depicted that the advantage may work well on winning rather than on goal difference. The prevailing factors results in the generation of the home advantage theory have a tendency of determining the winning team over the winning margins. Clubs with special training facilities had a significant amount of home advantage, and the Madrid clubs had the home advantages. In home advantage, there exist a wide regional variation and amazingly, the research revealed that the crowd size had no direct impact on the magnitude of home advantage. The records for home advantages for top two divisions across Europe English, German, French and Italian leagues were all similar irrespective of the high attendance witnessed in division one games. Moreover, the home advantage is in the Spanish league was at 60.7% arrived at with attendance of 31009 on average. Conversely, the

Biomedical Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biomedical Engineering - Essay Example Before the body part is replaced, compatibility of the biomaterial and the living tissue is of great consideration (Ratner 2004). Biocompatibility is the acceptance of the synthetic biomaterial by the immediate and surrounding tissues and by the body generally (Paul & Kelvin 2009). Appropriate host response is shown by lack of blood clotting, normal heating and resistance to bacterial colonization. It is essential therefore to study the biomaterial composition and also the way in which they react with the environment in which they are put which is the surrounding tissue (Pruitt 2011). Hence, biomaterial selection involves the logical sequence of analysis of the problem, consideration of the requirement and consideration of the biomaterial properties. Biomaterials that match the properties of the bone and teeth These biomaterials have their physical characteristics that are needed to match the properties of the teeth or bone being replaced with (Ratner 2004). The mechanical properties of these biomaterials involve tensile testing that provides data on the characterization of the biomaterial. ... Good heat conductors hence have high conductivity. Coefficient of thermal expansion or thermal expansion coefficient It is by definition the fractional increase in length of a body for each degree (in centigrade) rise in temperature. ?=?L/Lo oC-1 ?T Where ?L is the change in length Lo is the original length of the biomaterial ?T is the change in temperature The values of ? are very small like for amalgam biomaterial, the value of ?=0.0000025 oC-1P.P.M Table showing the thermal conductivity coefficient of different biomaterials in parts per million (P.P.M) The original length of the tooth and the length attained when there is temperature change are calculated in order to determine the length of the biomaterial to be used in teeth filling. Expensile structures ensure that the biomaterial conforms to the irregular bony defects (Paul & Kelvin 2009). This also helps prevent the undesired movement of the fibroblast into the graft site and these yields in optimizing the quality of the repla ced bones. Coefficient of thermal expansion is widely considered in filling materials such as for the teeth with cavities. The above table shows different thermal conductivity values of different conductors used as biomaterials. Thermal diffusivity (D) Thermal diffusivity is defined by the equation; D=K Cp? Where, K is the thermal conductivity Cp is the heat capacity ? is the density A low value of thermal diffusivity is preferred however there are occasions when the high diffusivity level are preferred to the low ones like if the base material to be used is denture. It is necessary since it retains a good response to both cold and hot stimuli in the mouth (Ratner 2004). Physical properties Physical structures and stability of the

Discuss the key guiding principles which should underpin a successful Essay

Discuss the key guiding principles which should underpin a successful Destination Management Strategy, using relevant examples - Essay Example The entrance of new competing destinations has heightened competition prompting the destination marketing organizations to change their business strategies. Since each country has unique goals and objectives for tourism, it is crucial that the marketing strategies match the gaols of the specific country. For any country to position its tourism marketing strategy, it is crucial to design a visionary plan, design strategies to promote the plan, source funds and support for the program and work out a correction plan to counter the challenges that are likely to arise during the strategy implementation process. The challenges arising in the tourism require a different approach of destination management to stimulate growth and ensure that all stakeholders in tourism benefit from the investment plans. The first step towards efficiency destination marketing is to build a vision and a plan that involves all the stakeholders in the industry (Shirazi & Som, 2011). The vision of the destination marketing should be to use an integrative approach that embraces changes, flexibility and one that is customer focussed. The customer should be the main focus of the organization, as they are the source of profit for the organization. On this note, the objective should be to understand the customer needs, and develop strategies to satisfy them. Additionally, the vision of the project should be to involve all the stakeholders of the tourism industry in the implementation process. England is an example of the countries that have focussed on the customer needs to stimulate a tourism growth of over 5% per year (Prideaux & Cooper, 2002). By satisfying the customers, the locals, the employees and the government, it is possible to overcome the challenges that affect the tourism market. Destination marketing seeks to satisfy all the stakeholders by actively involving them in the

Effects of an oil price shock on importing and exporting countries

Effects of an oil price shock on importing and exporting countries From the middle of twentieth century, due to exceptional importance of the crude oil in the supply of the worlds energy demands, it has become one of the major indicators of economic activities of the world. Even after the appearance of alternate forms of energy like solar power, water and wind, the importance of crude oil as the main source of energy still cannot be denied. This sharp increase in the world oil prices and the volatile exchange rates are generally regarded as the factors of discouraging economic growth. Particularly, the very recent highs, recorded in the world oil market bring apprehension about possible slump in the economic growth in both developed and developing countries. A large number of researchers proposed that exchange rate volatility and oil price fluctuations have considerable consequences on real economic activities. The impact of oil price fluctuation is expected to be different between in oil exporting and in oil importing countries. An oil price increase should be considered as bad news for oil importing countries and good news for oil exporting countries, while the reverse should be expected when the oil price decreases. Through demand and supply transmission mechanism, oil prices impacts the real economic activity. The supply side effects are associated with the fact that crude oil is a basic input to production, and an increase in oil price leads to a rise in production costs ultimately that result in firms lower output. Oil prices changes also entail demand-side effects on investment and consumption. Consumption is also affected indirectly through its positive relation with disposable income. Moreover, oil prices have an adverse impact on investment by increasing firms costs. On the other hand it is generally recognized that the depreciation of exchange rate would reduce imports and expand exports, while the appreciation of exchange rate would encourage imports and discourage exports. Especially a depreciation of the exchange rate leads to income transfer to exporting countries from importing countries through a shift in the terms of trade. Since 2003, oil prices increased continuously, even touched the peak of $137 per barrel in July 2008, but after that a declining trend was observed. After 1970s, many negative oil shocks hit the world economies. The first one was during 1973-74 caused by OPEC oil prohibition, and secondly in 1978-79 when the OPEC put restraints on its oil production. This rising trend in oil prices continued until mid 1980s, subsequently, Iraq-Iran war in early 1980s further shoot up the prices. However in 1986, when Saudi Arabia increased its crude oil production, oil price tend to decreased. In 1990s, Iraq-Kuwait war was a major factor of oil price increase but it was ended in a year because of Asian financial crisis. In 1999-2000 the OPEC again narrow its production leading to another price shock. The latest and last oil price shock was started in the year 2003 which continued till July 2008. In other words, oil prices have always remained quite volatile. According to report of IEA (2004) , these price shocks have raised serious concerns among the policy makers all over the world. The adverse economic impact of higher oil prices on oil-importing developing countries is generally considered as more worse than for the developed countries because of their more reliance on imported oil and are more energy-intensive. Malik. A (2007) also mentioned in her research that, the recent surge in the oil prices especially after 2000 has worried many economists about its possible adverse impacts. This increasing trend in the oil prices has hurt many of the economies worldwide including that of Pakistan, in terms of creating inflationary pressures, increasing budget deficit and balance of payment problems. According to ADB (2005) report, supply, demand, and speculative factors, and their interrelationships, all leads towards the steady rise in oil prices. From the last many years, all over the world, the demand for oil grew due to economic strength and growth in the US, as well as strong economic performance in developing Asian countries specially China and India. From 1990s to 2003 global demand for oil grew at the rate of 1.3 % whereas for the People Republic of China and India the combined rates is at 7 % and accounted for almost 40 percent of the demand growth. There are various empirical literatures, investigating the relationship between oil price variations and economic growth. The existence of a negative relationship between macro-economic activities and oil prices has become widely accepted especially after Hamiltons 1983 work. He pointed out that increase in oil prices, reduced US output growth from 1948 to 1980. Hamiltons findings have been confirmed and extended by many authors and researcher. Hooker (1996) confirmed and extended Hamiltons work for the period 1948 to 1972 and demonstrated that the oil price level and its changes do reflect the influence on GDP growth. This is shown in the third and fourth quarters after the shock that rise of 10% in oil prices lead to a GDP growth decrease of approximately 0.6 %. Accordingly, Lee et al. (1995) Mork (1989), and Hamilton (1996) presented the non-linear transformations of oil prices to re-establish the negative association between oil prices increases and economic decline, as well as t hese researchers also analyzed Granger causality between both variables. The result of Granger causality test proved that oil prices Granger cause U.S. economy before 1973 but no longer Granger cause was found from 1973 to 1994. Recently, Hamilton (2003) and Jimenez and Rodrà ­guez (2004) also confirms the non-linear relationship between the economic growth of U.S. economy and increases of oil prices The quantitative exercise conducted by the IEA in alliance with the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and development) department of Economics and with the assistance of IMF Research department in 2004, indicated that a continued $10 per barrel increase in oil price would result in the decrease of about 0.4 % OECD as a whole, in the first and second years of higher prices. Inflation would increase by half a percentage and unemployment would also increase in this case. The OECD imported the oil at a cost of over $260 billion in 2003 which is 20% more than its 2001 oil need. European countries, which are highly dependent on oil imports, would suffer most in the short term, their GDP dropping by 0.5% and inflation rising by 0.5% in 2004. The U.S would suffer the least, with GDP falling by 0.3%, because its indigenous production meets a bigger share of its oil needs. Japans GDP would fall 0.4%, This analysis assumes constant exchange rates and economic growth for the US econom y. The present paper is the extension of the existing empirical literature in two directions. First, we have not focused on the oil importing US economy only , rather we analyzed the effects of an oil price shock in two different type of countries which include five oil exporting countries i.e. Saudi Arabia, Norway, Venezuela, Kuwait , Nigeria and five oil importing country i.e. Pakistan, India , China, Japan , Germany. Secondly, we will not only demonstrate the relationship between oil prices and real economic growth but we will also analyze the role of the real exchange rate for real economic growth. Oil Importing Countries China Chinas real GDP has increased continuously at surprising rate of 10% per year in recent years. Simultaneously with strong economic growth, its demand for energy is also surging rapidly. The figure 1 clearly shows about the oil consumption and production behavior of the country which tends the country to import from different countries. China produces 3798 thousand barrels per day and consumes 8200 thousand barrels per day of oil in 2009. This means that China has to import roughly 4402 thousand barrels per day to meet its consumption needs per day. In the year 2007, China was declared as the worlds third largest net importer of oil behind the U.S and Japan. In July 2005, the reform of the exchange rate system was introduced by the central bank of China. After the reforms, the exchange rate of yuan was set according to a basket of other currencies. At the end of 2007, the yuan was appreciated by 7.5% approx. against the dollar, in consequence of these reforms. India According to the Oil Gas Journal (OGJ), India had second-largest amount of proven oil reserves i.e. 5.6 billion barrels in the Asia-Pacific region after China as of January 2009. With the high rates of economic growth and over 15 % of the worlds population, India has become one of the important consumer of energy resources. In 2006, India was the sixth largest oil consumption country of the world. The global financial and credit crises have slowed Indias significant economic growth particularly in its manufacturing sector. Due to this crunch, the GDP growth rates have turn down from 9.3 percent in 2007 to 5.3 % in the last quarter of 2008. Despite of this slow economic growth, Indias energy demand continues to rise. India is developing into an open-market economy now but traces of its past autarkic policies remain. The accelerated country growth was averaged at 7% since 1997 and the main factor behind this was economic liberalization, including reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s. An industrial slowdown early in 2008, followed by the global financial crisis, led annual GDP growth to slow to 6.5% in 2009, still the second highest growth in the world among major economies. The government abandoned its deficit target and allowed the deficit to reach 6.8% of GDP in FY10. Nevertheless, as shares of GDP, both government spending and taxation are among the lowest in the world. From the figure 2 it can easily be observed that the production of crude oil is not upto that level to meet consumer demand which tends the country to import from outsiders. From 1996 onward India is producing oil approximately with the same trend but consumption is increasing day by day. India produced 680.4 thousand bbl/d of total oil in 2009, of which approximately 650 thousand bbl/d was crude oil, with the rest of production resulting from other liquids and refinery gain. India has over 3,600 operating oil wells, according to OGJ. Although oil producti on in India has slightly trended upwards in recent years, it has failed to keep pace with demand and is expected by the EIA to decline slightly in 2009. Indias oil consumption has continued to be robust in recent years. In 2007, India consumed approximately 2.8 million bbl/d, making it the fifth largest consumer of oil in the world. In 2006, India was the seventh largest net importer of oil in the world. The EIA expects India to become the fourth largest net importer of oil in the world by 2025, behind the United States, China, and Japan. On the other hand the Govt of India control its exchange rate and after 2002 reforms , it tends to decrease and Indian currency tends to appreciate. Japan In the years following World War II, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan develop a technologically advanced economy. Today, measured on a purchasing power parity basis, Japan is the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China; measured by official exchange rates, however, Japan is the second largest economy in the world behind the US. Japan has virtually no domestic oil or natural gas reserves and is the second-largest net importer of crude oil and largest net importer of liquefied natural gas in the world. Including nuclear power, Japan is still only 16 percent energy self-sufficient. Japan remains one of the major exporters of energy-sector capital equipment and Japanese companies provide engineering, construction, and project management services for energy projects around the world. Japan has a strong energy research and development program that is supp orted by the government. Oil is the most consumed energy resource in Japan, although its share of total energy consumption has declined by about 30 percent since the 1970s. The figure 3 clearly shows about the oil consumption and production behavior of the country which tends the country to depends heavily on imports from different countries. Japan Oil production is very low and in 2009 it produces only 5.3 thousand barrels per day which is very low as compare to its consumption demand i.e. 4362.9 thousands barrel per day in 2009. This means that Japan has to import roughly 4357.02 thousand barrels per day to meet its consumption needs per day. Due to its gap between domestic consumption and production, Japan remains the second-largest net importer of oil after the United States. After 1970s Japan shows the declining trend in its exchange rate with dollar which means that dollar depreciate against Japanese yen. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely becaus e of the after effects of inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. In October 2007 Japans longest post-war period of economic expansion ended after 69 months and Japan entered into recession in 2008, with 2009 marking a return to near 0% interest rates. Germany The German economy the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europes largest is a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment and benefits from a highly skilled labor force. GDP grew just over 1% in 2008 and contracted roughly 5% in 2009. Germany crept out of recession in the second and third quarters of 2009, thanks largely to rebounding manufacturing orders and exports primarily outside the Euro Zone and relatively steady consumer demand. The German economy probably will recover to about 1.5% growth for the year 2010. Because of Germanys monetary dilemma, and because the German government as well as the nations bankers and industrialists have recognized German limitations and vulnerabilities, the exchange rate of the country remain very stable from the last many years against dollar. However, If we see the Figure 4, we can easily judge the oil consumption and production behavior of the German economy. In the year 2009 the total oil production was 30.8 thousand barrels per day while the consumption was 2,437 Thousand barrel per day. This means that roughly country had to imported 2406.2 thousand barrel per day of oil from other nations. As with the passage of time it reduces its consumption of oil due to environmental reforms but to fill the gap of Oil production and consumption, country have to rely heavily on oil imports. Pakistan Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment. Between 2001-07, however, poverty levels decreased by 10%, as Islamabad steadily raised development spending. Between 2004-07, GDP growth in the 5-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors despite severe electricity shortfalls but growth slowed in 2008-09 and unemployment rose. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, jumping from 7.7% in 2007 to 20.3% in 2008, and 14.2% in 2009. In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated since 2007 as a result of political and economic instability. The government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008 in response to a balance of payments crisis, but during 2009 its current account strengthened and foreign exchange reserves stabilized largely because of lower oil prices and record remittances from workers abroad. Figure 5 of oil consumption and production shows that Pakistan is not reach in oil production however, the ratio is quite good than other advanced economies. The consumption of oil in the year 2009 was 373 thousand barrel per day which was less as compare to 2008 i.e.396 thousand barrels per day. Oil Exporting Countries Kuwait Kuwait is one of the worlds top exporters of oil, with about 2.4 million barrels per day exported in 2008. Kuwaits economy is heavily dependent on oil export revenues which account for roughly 90 percent of total export earnings. Kuwait channels around 10 percent of its oil revenues into the Future Generations Fund for the day when oil income runs out. The Kuwaiti constitution forbids foreign ownership of Kuwaits mineral resources. The Kuwaiti Parliament passed the Foreign Direct Investment Act in 2001, aimed at promoting foreign investment in Kuwaits oil and gas sectors, which facilitated some development in those sectors. Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels about 9% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 95% of government income. Kuwaiti officials have committed to increasing oil production to 4 million barrels per day by 2020. Kuwait survived the economic crisis on the strength of budget surpluses generated by high oil prices, posting its tenth consecutive budget surplus in 2008, before slipping into deficit territory in 2009. Foreign exchange rates of Kuwaiti dinar are quite stable if compared with dollar. Figure 6 above shows the production and consumption capacity of the co untry which clearly depicts the exporting behavior of the country. In the year 2009 the total oil production was 2350 thousand barrels per day where as consumption was only 320 thousand barrels per day which allow the country to export the oil to other nations and increase their income level. From the figure the it can also seen the how Iraq- Kuwait war in 1992 impact the Kuwaiti oil market and its production. Venezuela Venezuela is one of the worlds largest exporters of crude oil and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. In 2008, the country was the eighth-largest net oil exporter in the world. The oil sector is of central importance to the Venezuelan economy. Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earnings, about 50% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 but economic output since then has recovered strongly. President Hugo CHAVEZ in 2008-09 continued efforts to increase the governments control of the economy by nationalizing firms in the agribusiness, banking, tourism, oil, cement, and steel sectors. In 2007, he nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and electricity sectors. In January, 2010, CHAVEZ announced a dual exchange rate system for the fixed rate boliva r. The system offers a 2.6 bolivar per dollar rate for imports of essentials, including food, medicine, and industrial machinery, and a 4.3 bolivar per dollar rate for imports of other products, including cars and telephones. The nation is also the fifth largest member of the OPEC, in terms of production. As a result of its bountiful natural resources, Venezuelas economy has been one of the most thriving economies in South America. According to Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ), Venezuela had 99.4 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in 2010, the largest amount in South America. Figure 7 shows that Venezuelas production of crude oil has fallen, while domestic consumption has risen, causing a decline in net oil exports. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islams two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 20% of the worlds proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 80% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors, while Riyadh is struggling to reduce unemployment among its own nationals. Five years of high oil prices during 2004-08 gave the Kingdom ample financial reserves to manage the impact of the global financial crisis, but tight international credit, falling oil prices, and the global economic slowdown reduced Saudi economic growth in 2009, prompting the postponement of some economic development projects. Saudi Arabia is t he worlds largest producer and exporter of total petroleum liquids, and the worlds second largest crude oil producer behind Russia. Saudi Arabias economy remains heavily dependent on oil and petroleum-related industries, including petrochemicals and petroleum refining. Oil export revenues have accounted for around 90 percent of total Saudi export earnings and state revenues and above 40 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP). Figure 8 shows the Suaid Oil production and consumption behavior. It is the largest consumer of petroleum in the Middle East, particularly in the area of transportation fuels. Domestic consumption growth has been spurred by the economic boom due to historically high oil prices and large fuel subsidies. In 2006, Saudi Arabia was the 15th largest consumer of total primary energy, of which 60 percent was petroleum-based. The remainder was made up of natural gas, the growth of which has been limited by supply constraints. The graph also depicts the sa me behavior of consumption and production Saudi Currency is one of the stable currencies as compared to dollar from the last decade. Norway Norway is the worlds third-largest gas exporter, its position as an oil exporter has slipped to seventh-largest as production has begun to decline. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves almost all state revenue from the petroleum sector in a sovereign wealth fund. After lackluster growth of less than 1.5% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 2.5-6.2% in 2004-07, partly due to higher oil prices. Growth fell to 2.1% in 2008, and the economy contracted by 1% in 2009 as a result of the slowing world economy and the drop in oil prices. According to the Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ), Norway had 6.7 billion barrels of proven oil reserves as of January 1, 2009, the largest oil reserves in Western Europe. Norway produced about 2067 thousand barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2009 and consumed about 220.2 thousand barrel per day (Figure 9).From 2004 onward the trend shows that Oil production is declining day by day but the good sign is that consumption trend is not showing many fluctuations however, there is hope that new developments in the Barents Sea and increasing the production of existing fields will offset some of the recent declines. In 2008, Norway was the sixth-largest net oil exporter in the world, exporting about 2.25 million bbl/d. According to EIA, Norway exported an estimated 2.25 million bbl/d of crude oil and petroleum products in 2008, down from 2.34 million bbl/d in 2007. According to Statistics Norway, the amount of crude oil alone exported in 2008 was 1.83 million bbl/d. The largest single recipient of Norwegia n oil was the United Kingdom, which imported 35 percent of Norways total oil exports. Norway currency was also depreciated in 2007-08 but again appreciated in 2009 as compared to dollar. Nigeria British influence and control over what would become Nigeria and Africas most populous country grew through the 19th century. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, has undertaken several reforms over the past decade. Nigerias former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 80% of budgetary revenues. Based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices, GDP rose strongly in 2007-09. The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on the oil sector which, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), accounts for over 95 percent of export earnings and about 65 percent of government revenues. Figure 10 show s the oil production and consumption of the country. The graph shows the decreasing trend in the production si de, hence less oil will be available to export. In 2009, total oil production in Nigeria was slightly over 2.2 million bbl/d, making it the largest oil producer in Africa. Crude oil production averaged 1.8 million bbl/d for the year. According to the Oil and Gas Journal, Nigeria had an estimated 37.2 billion barrels of proven oil reserves as of January 2010.Since December 2005, Nigeria has experienced increased pipeline vandalism, kidnappings and militant takeovers of oil facilities in the Niger Delta. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is the main group attacking oil infrastructure for political objectives, claiming to seek a redistribution of oil wealth and greater local control of the sector. Additionally, kidnappings of oil workers for ransom are common. Security concerns have led some oil services firms to pull out of the country and oil worker s unions to threaten strikes over security issues. The instability in the Niger Delta has caused significant amounts of shut-in production and several companies to declare force majeure on oil shipments. Nigeria is an important oil supplier to the United States. Close to 40 percent of the countrys oil production is exported to the United States. Currency of Nigeria is also not as much stable and was highly depreciated in 2009 against dollar. Despite the general recognition that oil price and real exchange rate plays an important role in economic growth, a comparative analysis on the impact of oil prices and exchange rate on oil export country and oil import country is still few. In this paper we firstly take the natural log to eradicate the problem of after that we have checked the descriptive statistics of the data. After descriptive analysis we then employed ADF test to check the stationarity of data. After checking stationarity of data we employed AIC test and then Co-integration. Granger Casualty test was employed at the end to investigate whether the oil price and real exchange rate Granger cause to the economic growth in all of our oil importing and exporting countries. Moreover, the vector autoregressive (VAR) modeling with co-integration techniques is applied to examine how real GDP in all our sample countries are affected by changes in international oil prices and the real exchange rate of these countries in the long-run. Finally, a vector error correction model (VECM) will be employed to analyze the short-run dynamics of these variables.

Child Abuse and Neglect :: Violence Against Children

Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children. There can be no single factor identified as the cause of child abuse. However it appears to be influenced by the parents' histories, psychological resources, and economic status. Parenting is not instinctive, it must be learned. While this is often done through experience, education courses for individuals prior to their becoming parents, and close evaluation of questionable homes could enhance parents' knowledge and the childrens' well being. A high percentage of abusive parents have histories of physical and emotional abuse inflicted upon them during their childhood. Thus, they were deprived of parents who taught them how to be good parents. Child abuse scenarios that seem tragic to others are ordinary to parents from abusive backgrounds, and often overlooked. The absence of good parents is detrimental to a child's learning how to fulfill parental roles. The children from abusive households think that an abusive environment is normal, correct, and acceptable. They grow up believing that and emulate that lifestyle. Sometimes abuse does not stem from a lack of knowledge, but rather from a psychological disorder. Many abusive parents have some type of emotional or mental disorder. An dictatorial personality is a common characteristic of abusive parents. Drug and alcohol abuse is also another common trait among abusive parents. Neurosis, mental deficiency, and/or emotional immaturity can also contribute to abuse. Surprisingly, mothers make up the larger percentage of child abusers, about 48 percent, while fathers only represent around 39 percent of cases. The rest of the cases come from friends or other family members. Most abusers range from 20 to 40 years of age, but parents between 16 and 20 years old inflict the majority of fatalities. There are four factors that can be used to identify child abusers. They are Rigidity, problems with self-image, lack of social skills, and lack of self-control. Economic status also plays a role in contributing to child abuse. According to a report put out by Child Protective Services all of the families in their system are considered financially unstable, and less than half hold jobs. There is still no excuse for child abuse , regardless of a person’s history or current condition in life, nothing makes abusing a child right. Child abuse is a cycle and once it has begun it is extremely hard to break.

Reporting Practices & Ethics Essay

Financial management can be defined as both an art and a science of organizing the financial resources of an organization in such a way as to achieve maximum output from the finances that are available to the organization. (Brigham & Ehrhardt, 2004). Financial management is one of the key aspects that each organization including healthcare facilities need to put more emphasis on to increase efficiency. The four elements of financial management There are four fundamental elements that guide the art of financial management (Baker & Powell, 2005) these include: i) Financial accounting and reporting This element of financial management enables both the financial managers and the general managers to be able to undertake the legal reporting responsibilities by providing the information and data that can be scrutinized. ii) Financial Analysis It is an indicator of the performance of an institution or a company. It can be used to expose potential shortcomings or any weaknesses which the management should put more focus on to be able to meet both short and long term goals of the institution. iii) Financial planning & Budgeting The first two elements of financial management i. e. financial accounting and reporting and financial reporting, lead to the third element which is financial planning and budgeting. The financial plans and budgets are prepared from the first two tools and will help to guide the company or institution in both the short run and the long run (Brigham & Ehrhardt, 2004). This is an important financial tool that can help to identify any shortfalls or deficits in the internal funds in an institution and thus point to the need for external funding such as debt or equity financing. iv) Financial Activities These are the activities which a company can explore to be able to make up for any deficit in the internal budget. These sources of financing could include: retained earnings, contributions from donors and governments, equity and debt financing and leases or concessions. Generally acceptable accounting Principles There are several principles that can be considered as acceptable in financial management and these include: i) Consistency-this means that across all time periods, all information that is gathered and presented should be the same. It holds that a company/institution cannot for example change the way in which they do their inventory without a valid reason for the change being included in the financial statements. ii) Relevance-this stands for the appropriateness of the information that is contained in the financial statements presented. These statements should be able to help one to predict the future financial state of the company or institution. Reliability-an independent party should be able to verify the information that is presented in the financial statements. The institution must be sure that an independent auditor would come up with the same findings if they were to carry out the same analysis (Brigham & Ehrhardt, 2004). This is a great way for the company or institution to prove that it is transparent and can be trusted. iv) Comparability- this means an institution’s financial statements can relate with similar businesses within the same industry. This enables investors to note the differences within an industry to compare the performance of a company in relation to others in the industry. These generally acceptable principles ensure that all the companies are on the same level playing grounds. General Financial Ethical Standards The ethical standards that should be closely observed in financial management include: i) Conflict of Interest It occurs as a result of a clash of the private interests of an individual with the interests of the company. As a result of these actions one is unable to effectively carry out the duties due to him/her in the organization. This can also be as a result of an individual or a member of his/her family receiving personal benefits in an improper way due to the position they hold in the organization (De Boers etal, 2007). Another case that can bring about a conflict of interest is when one at the time of working for a company has associations with a competitor. Thus all staff of a company should report to the executive officers any transaction that is likely to bring about any conflict of interest. ii) Corporate opportunities This deals with the fact that one should always help the company to advance its interests first wherever possible and there should be no use of corporate property or information for improper personal gain. Employees are also prohibited from competing with the company or organization either directly or indirectly. This ensures that the institution always gets top priority from its employees and at such improves business practices. iii) Compliance and Reporting All the employees of financial institutions should make it top priority to identify any potential problematic issues. They should also seek for help whenever they have doubts about the codes of conduct in the financial institution (De Boers etal, 2007). Any violation of this should lead to subsequent disciplinary action. This standard is important as it helps the institution to identify any potential problem way before they occur if all the employees observe this standard keenly. iv) Public Disclosure The information in the public domains should not only be fair and accurate, but also timely and understandable and should include the interest of all the key stakeholders in the institution. Information should not be knowingly misinterpreted or omitted or be presented in such a way as to cause others to do the same. This standard helps the institution to win the confidence of the public and more so the shareholders as it displays that their operations are transparent. v) Fair Dealing Each employee in the institution should strive to be fair in their dealings with all the involved parties and especially the clients, suppliers and service providers as well as employees and competitors alike. This helps the institution to gain goodwill of all the people the deal with and it helps to build the reputation of the institution (Baker & Powell, 2005). Reporting Illegal and Unethical Behavior It is the duty of all employees to report any one that is deemed to be going against these ethical standards. This reporting can either be internal or external and it should be treated with utmost confidentiality. References Brigham, E. & Ehrhardt, C. (2004). Financial Management: Theory and Practice. Boston Massachusetts: South Western College Publishing. De Boers, P. , Ruud, B. , & Wim, K. (2007). The Basics of Financial Management: An introductory course in finance, management accounting and financial accounting. New York : Routledge Publishers. Baker, K . ,& Powell ,G. (2005). Understanding Financial Management: A Practical Guide. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Medical Ethics in Islam

Medical Ethics in Islam In our lives, we often face difficult decisions, some relating to life and death, medical ethics. Should I donate a kidney so that another may live? Should I turn off life support for my brain-dead child? Should I mercifully end the suffering of my terminally ill, elderly mother? If I am pregnant with quintuplets, should I abort one or more so that the others have a better chance of surviving? If I face infertility, how far should I go in treatment so that I might, Allah-willing, have a child? As medical treatment continues to expand and advance, more ethical questions come up. For guidance on such matters, Muslims turn first to the Quran. Allah gives us general guidelines to follow, that are constant and timeless. The Saving of Life ...We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.... (Quran 5:32) Life and Death are in Allahs Hands Blessed be He in whose hands is the Dominion, and he has Power over all things. He who created death and life that He may test which of you are best in deed, and He is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving. (Quran 67: 1-2) No soul can die except by Allahs permission. (Quran 3:185) Human Beings Should Not Play God Does not man see that it is We who created him from sperm. Yet behold! He stands as an open adversary! And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own creation. He says who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones? Say, He will give them life who created them for the first time, for He is versed in every kind of creation. (Quran 36: 77-79) Abortion Kill not your children on a plea of want. We will provide sustenance for you and for them. Come not near shameful deeds whether open or secret. Take not life which God has made sacred except by way of justice and law. Thus He commands you that you may learn wisdom. (6:151) Kill not your children for fear of want. We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin. (17:31) Other Sources of Islamic Law In modern times, as medical treatments advance further, we come across new situations which are not described in detail in the Quran. Oftentimes these fall into a gray area, and it is not as simple to decide what is right or wrong. We then turn to the interpretation of Islamic scholars, who are well-versed in the Quran and Sunnah. If scholars come to a consensus on an issue, it is a strong indication that it is a correct position. Some examples of scholarly fatwas on the subject of medical ethics include: Organ donation is permissible as long as no financial incentive is given, and no permanent harm comes to the donor.Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are prohibited.Mechanical life support should be continued until brain-death or imminent death has been confirmed by a physician or team of physicians, in which case it can be withdrawn.   Assisted reproduction is allowed as long as it is done with sperm and egg between husband and wife.Late-stage abortion is condemned unless necessary to save the mothers life. For specific and unique situations, a patient is advised to speak to an Islamic scholar for guidance.

How to Write a Devotional The Ultimate Guide

How to Write a Devotional The Ultimate Guide How to Write a Devotional: The Definitive Guide Do you enjoy writing? Are you passionate about helping others grow in their spiritual lives? If you answered yes and yes, then you’ll enjoy learning the art of writing thought-provoking devotionals. There are many, many ways to write a devotional. But the principles that tie them together? Mostly the same. And in this guide, I’ll lay out some of the most popular and effective methods- as well as show you some strategies for coming up with great devotional ideas. Ready? Let’s start with the basics: Need help fine-tuning your devotional?Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. Devotional books are released thematically for: Teens Men Women Grandparents College students Veterans Teachers Athletes And just about any other people group you can think of Devotionals are used by a wide variety of media, including large-circulation daily devotional guides, such as The Quiet Hour, The Upper Room, The Secret Place, The Word in Season, Devozine,Pathways to God, and Wesleyan Church(These links will take youto their submission guidelines.) More than 25 devotional quarterlies each publish 365 new entries each year. Naturally, these need fresh material annually. Publishers of vacation Bible school and Sunday school materials often include devotionals for teachers and students. Many independent and denominational magazines (such as The War Cry and The Baptist Bulletin) run devotionals in each of their issues. Some publishing houses produce not only devotional books, but also devotional desk calendars and greeting cards. Again, this market must be replenished annually. Publications can’t just recycle devotionals they ran the previous year. They depend on freelance writers to provide hundreds upon hundreds of fresh, insightful new ones. What You Should Bring to the Table Writers of devotionals should have a pure heart (James 3:8-11). With humility, graciousness, and spiritual sensitivity, you can create somethingthat can alter a reader’s thinking and behavior. You also need a focused mind (Ps. 1:1-3; 73:28). A succinct and powerful message must be distilled to 150-175 words. This demands clarity. And you must have a burning desire (Jeremiah 20:9). Ask for God’s guidance to say the right words to someone who may be reading a devotional published a year after you write it. God is the Alpha, but He is also the Omega. He knows what hurts and needs people will have in the future, and He can use you to prepare materials today to help people during hard times tomorrow. You won’t get rich writing devotionals. In fact, you may have to write a half dozen to see more than $100. That’s why it’s important to write them in batches to make it worth your while- not that you’re doing it solely for the money. You can revise and resell your print devotionals as radio devotionals for about the same rate of pay. And you can collect your devotionals and publish them as a book, receiving an advance and royalties. But beyond payment, you may also enjoy the deep gratification of readers telling you your words changed a mind about an abortion, a suicide, or a divorce. Meeting Readers Where They Are People turn to devotionals to meet deep needs. Some have lost friendships, been divorced, suffered from criticism, betrayal, or the death of a loved one. They need the balm of God’s comfort. Others seek intimacy with God. Their prayer lives are lax, their testimonies weak, and their church attendance sporadic. They need to find their way back to Jesus. Some just want to grow spiritually or to discover a better way to share their faith. Your devotional may be their only connection to the Bible all day. A harried mom may read one just before bed. A busy teacher may read one during lunch. An executive may read oneduring breakfast. The Writing Method When you settle on a passage of Scripture as your anchor text, read it in different translations. Pray and meditate over it until you’re certain you thoroughly understand the verse in context. Stay current by offering an illustration today’s reader can relate to. Link modern challenges and questions to longstanding solutions from God’s Word- and make the connections obvious and logical. Need help fine-tuning your devotional?Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. The Makings of a Good Devotional Your reader is giving you a few minutes, and in exchange you must provide an engaging piece of writing that offers new insights. Be genuine and honest, not grandiose or admonishing. Good devotional writing says, â€Å"Walk with me a few minutes. Examine something with me.† Keep your style appropriate to your audience. Writing devotionals for teens is not the same as writing for seniors. Although your anecdotes and illustrations should be drawn from your life, the lesson should always be drawn from Scripture. Present God’s wisdom in a package your reader can relate to. Stick with tangible images, things readers can see, touch, smell, hear, and taste. Be specific, yet precise. Make each word count. Use visual nouns, punchy verbs, short sentences, and the active voice. Five Basic Patterns Learn these and you can begin using them immediately: 1. The Self-examination Draw on personal experiences and use anecdotes to teach valuable lessons. Often such devotionals begin with: â€Å"When I was in high school †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"When I was fishing alone one morning †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"During my first year at camp †¦ .† The recollection always has a moral or application that ties in with the selected Scripture. 2. An Outside Observer Reports Here you’re telling what happened to someone else. Real names may be used with permission, or changed, as long as the story is true. Often these devotionals begin with a phrase such as: â€Å"When my great-grandmother first came to America †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"My best friend had just gotten his driver’s license †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Most people are unaware that George Washington †¦ .† 3. You Interact with Other People Report on something you learned from a friend, coworker, or family member. Begin with a phrase such as: â€Å"My son taught me a lesson one day when I was walking him to school †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"My friend could always make me laugh †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"One day my college history professor was explaining †¦ .† 4. The Object Lesson Use a tangible object to parallel an event or circumstance. Jesus often used this format, employing such things as a mustard seed, a Roman coin, a lamp and a bushel, or a tower as metaphors. Object lesson devotionals quickly make readers see the parallel between the object and the lesson. â€Å"Trees killed by saltwater brought in by a tsunami will still stand upright and take up space, but they will bear no fruit. People who come to church each Sunday and occupy a pew but do nothing all week to share their faith are like these trees.† 5. The Double Meaning Phrase Take a well-known line from advertising, history, a song, or a poem and convert it to a Christian message, as in â€Å"A day without Sonshine is a gloomy day.† One devotional writer compared the rigid discipline of being a United States Marine to the discipline Christians should adhere to, calling the devotional, â€Å"Corps Values vs. Core Values.† Developing a Devotional Journal Because much of what we observe and say has potential to become material for a devotional, keep a journal for ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Begin today by answering: Did God use a specific verse of Scripture to change your life? Hows did it affect your outlook? Has God brought a person into your life to alter your direction? Like Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch, how did someone suddenly enter your life as a teacher, friend, mentor, or accountability partner? When did God make Himself known to you in a dramatic way? Did you receive an answer to prayer regarding a health issue, financial need, or spiritual awakening that proved He was working in your life? Record the details. Had God ever reprimanded and brought you back in line when you were spiritually wayward? Explain how you felt God’s chastening and corrective hand. Did God use a deep hurt in your life to make you sensitive to others or to show you new ways to be effective to those you serve? In answering these questions, you’ll discover your life is a source of great lessons you can pass along. Brainstorming More Devotional Topics As you make entries in your devotional journal each day, try to recall: A sad or funny experience you’ve had in the past year Things you’ve learned while traveling Challenging relationships with people at work, home, or school Something you are an expert on An item in a newspaper or magazine that fascinated you An editorial or column you strongly disagreed with An unusual experience or new challenge you’ve recently faced An opinion based on years of experience Something startling or insightful you recently learned from TV or a book A new perspective you gained from a sermon Societal trends that concern you An event that restored your faith in mankind Something related to science, nature, weather, or time that stunned you A trip to a museum that awakened a new appreciation for nature A new job assignment that has stretched you A family picnic or class reunion that gave you a special perspective Letters or diaries you recently discovered A poem or song that keeps coming to mind Volunteer work that helped you see the suffering of others A friend’s sickness or accident that alarmed you Avoiding Blind Spots Although certain publications use devotionals targeted to teens, working women, or seniors, most devotionals you will write will be read by a broad spectrum. So keep in mind: People live in many different financial and social conditions. The distinctive beliefs of many denominations and theological traditions are precious to people and must be respected. Some readers have limited education. So keep things simple but not condescending. People in other countries may not understand your slang and pop culture references. It is usually better not to write devotionals that stir controversy. So avoid topics such as infant baptism, female ordination, or speaking in tongues. The Basic Format Before submitting a devotional, obtain a publication’s writers guidelines and copies of the publication itself. Follow the guidelines exactly. Your name, address, and phone number should appear on each page. But some publications also ask for your email address. The basic format calls for a suggested passage of Scripture (usually 5 to 12 verses), a title, one printed-out specific verse from the suggested reading, and an anecdote or story that shows how that biblical lesson applies today. The writer’s byline usually appears at the end. Some publications ask that you begin or end with a prayer or thought for the day. Length varies, from as short as 75 words to as long as 225. The guidelines will state the preferred method of submission. Some editors like printouts mailed to the publication’s office. Some like email submissions. Some accept either. Most publications buy first rights, important because you can then re-use your devotionals in books. Summary Writing devotionals is a good way to enter nonfiction writing, earn money, and make a positive impact on thousands of readers. Your experiences and those of others are rich sources for ideas. How to Get Started 1) List 20 emotional hurts people are dealing with (loneliness, depression, guilt, shame, abandonment, grief, prejudice, etc.). Then list what aspects of spiritual growth could come out of each such experience (learning to pray more effectively, learning to bring the Good News to others, cultivating humility, etc.). 2) Start a devotional journal. 3) Try writing a one-page devotional and submit it to one of the devotional markets listed in The Christian Writer’s Market Guide. You’re on your way! In the comments section, answer this: What will your next devotional be about? Need help fine-tuning your devotional?Click here to download my free self-editing checklist.

Advertising effects in social network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Advertising effects in social network - Essay Example Cloud Computing revolutionizes the usage of computer systems and digital infrastructure. Cloud Computing has evolved to include many industries and types of businesses within its peripheries of operation and implementation. Out of the multiple Cloud Computing Applications of few of the most popular and widely preferred are: In the earlier days of internet and web applications an organization dependent on an application would have to worry about the individual software, the hardware to install them in, the platform on which they would run the infrastructure and lastly the resources. Having so many areas to look into meant a significant investment and a recurring maintenance charge. The innovation and experimentation with the web environment lead to the birth of Cloud Computing a technology based on virtualization, hybridization, and platform/ technology independence. Cloud computing has the power to take care of all the drawbacks of traditional online applications and web based tools and technologies. Sanmina a California based Electronics Manufacturing Company was one of the first to used cloud computing based Google applications in their day to day client service delivery. Test driving the cloud computing benefits at work a handful employees started using cloud based Google applications for emails, document creation, appointment scheduling. Within a span of six months almost 1,000 employees started using the applications on the cloud framework. (King 2008) It was one of the first live evidences of the tremendous potential and processing abilities of the cloud computing technology. It was one of the first success stories of applying cloud computing environment successfully at work with clear cut evidences of computing power and financial and infrastructural flexibility that cloud computing had to offer. Cloud computing radically transforms the

Reflection paper for a dance class (2 pages) about a movie dance take Essay

Reflection paper for a dance class (2 pages) about a movie dance take the land - Essay Example The story is all about believing, about deciding to make a difference, and about creating a sense of creativeness. It is about struggling against indifferences and giving rise to recognition of innate talents and capabilities. Pierre confronted the criticisms of the school director, the students, and their parents, but he had decided to make a difference, which he did. The story teaches us the importance of determination, commitment and perseverance. We come to know that we can achieve anything in life if we have strong will power and confidence to bring a change. Pierre speaks of his determination in this dialogue with Rock- the boy who vandalized his school director’s car: Another precious lesson I have learned from the movie is that students tend to develop a feeling of trust with teachers when the latter provide them with a healthy atmosphere. Pierre faced sheer conflict with his students initially, like when he said, â€Å"What if I said these dances would make you look cool?† To this Rock said, â€Å"Id say youre full of shit.† But finally, the same students got to love him. A trust worthy relationship between the teacher and his students leads to better performance outcomes. The teacher-student relationship is as important as the relationship between the parents and their kids. Teachers are spiritual parents, and it is their obligation to provide the students with all the trust they need to grow up into happy and healthy citizens. This trusting relationship helps the students to cross the barrier and be friends with their teachers. For example: This dialogue shows how Pierre tried to bring out self-confidence in his students through interacting with them one-on-one. This is how the movie cultivates new insights to the profession of teaching- that is, interacting with the students one-on-one to bring out the