Tuesday, March 10, 2020

osama bin laden essays

osama bin laden essays Problem : Should Osama Bin Laden be hunted down, because he is a threat to the U.S.? OSAMA BIN LADEN Osama bin Laden, a Saudi-born multimillionaire who runs terrorist training camps that focused on hate towards the United States of America, should be taken down at any cost if major terrorist attacks against the U.S. and other nations should be stopped. He runs his terrorist organization from a well-equipped headquarters outside Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Bin Laden is well known for his holy war against America and would attack Americans - military and civilian - all over the world. Bin Laden promoted a fatwa, a religious directive, ordering attacks on Americans. His hate for Americans rests on the fact that the U.S. Government, according to bin Laden, [...] has committed acts that are extremely unjust, hideous and criminal, through its support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. He adds [...] we believe the U.S. is directly responsible for those killed in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. His aggression towards the U.S. still continues, because U.S. troops are located in Arabia, the holiest place for the Muslims. By Islamic rule, it is not permissible for any non-Muslim to stay in Muslim territories. Therefore he has focused on striking at the U.S. soldiers inside Arabia, the country of the two holiest places, Mecca and Medina. Bin Laden recently convened a meeting of fundamentalist extremists and sponsors of terrorism. More than 150 clerics named themselves the International Islamic Front for the Jihad against Jews and Crusaders, and issued a variety of fatwas. This front is committed to expelling all Americans and Jews from Muslim Holy Lands, and to overthrowing the Saudi royal family along the way. It was the beginning of a coalition of Muslim radicals that has been around since the war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The U.S. State Department says that Bin Laden is one of the ...

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Social Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Change - Research Paper Example The system depends on satellites to provide precise location and time data to the specified users (Helms 20). GPS-consumer products that exist in cell phones and smart phones accompany the technology. It is through this technology that turn-by-turn directions of everything that the consumer is looking for is available to the car dashboards, smart phones and iPhones among others (Kaplan and Hegarty 13). Navigation for a long time has been considered a skill up to now. It required a lot of knowledge and effort to interpret the maps in the past. The end of the 19th century and the entry of the 20th century emerged with a new technology that bridged the distance between an ordinary person and a knowledgeable navigator. (Roy and Beringer 32) This technology refers to the global positioning system. The technology has made navigation simple because with a single click on the screen; every person can find the intended way via a complex system that consists of satellites. The system works through receivers that translate satellite data and give precise positions of the features in question (Sherman 45). The first people to come up with the idea of the GPS were the military personnel and proof that the system worked in 1991.The American forces found it difficult to navigate through the desert terrain due to the lack of landmarks, the introduction of the technology made it easy for the forces to navigate with ease through any terrain that they came across with a lot of ease. The exact accuracy of this technology in the navigation sector showed the power of the GPS technology (Sonokpon 32). The technology also has a lot of impact on the economy of the country. Many companies are turning the GPS technology for collection of accurate and useful relevant geographic information data to improve their market targets (Hannon 50). A good example is the airport sector where an airline is in a position to find out the shortest possible distance between two

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Uniforms at Schools as a Way to Minimize Violence Essay

Uniforms at Schools as a Way to Minimize Violence - Essay Example The essay "Uniforms at Schools as a Way to Minimize Violence" discusses the issue whether we should go for one uniform for the entire student population. Every society or group likewise has adopted some rules and regulations that classify and identify its members. It might be a certain haircut, or color of the hair, clothing or emblem- even a password that changes every week. The adoption of a common uniform for every child going to school not only helps identify and classify that child as a member of that particular school but also gives a sense of belonging and identity to the child that once in school, he or she must conform to their rules and regulations. Another very good purpose for a school uniform is that it makes all students easily identifiable and can help in increasing student safety while reducing cases of violence and quarrels in the school premises. Students are also members of the boy scouts or girl guides, which use a certain uniform and regalia that not only makes t hem look smart and elegant but identifies them as members of that particular fraternity. They are taught to be more confident and self-sufficient, get survival skills as well as the ability to help others in distress- especially in cases of emergency. They can likely help you survive in the desert and know first aid and related skills. No one grudges them or complains about their uniform- in fact, it is appreciated because it helps identify them as helping and caring members of humanity wherever they go.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Absalom Absalom and Love Essay Example for Free

Absalom Absalom and Love Essay Many of the novels we have read this semester contain prevailing themes that provide insight into American society. One of these themes that we have closely examined throughout the semester is a person’s right to love. Love is undoubtedly a powerful force in one’s life. As we have seen through our readings, however, this force is often obstructed by the need to conform to social standards. Whether or not a couple is ALLOWED to be in love says a lot about what is socially acceptable for that particular area and time period. Although love is technically a right given to all, American Literature shows how it is often denied by social standards and therefore ceases to exist. William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom! tells Rosa Coldfield’s version of how Thomas Sutpen was the demise of her and her family. As the story progresses, it becomes known that Thomas’s son, Henry, kills Charles Bon to prevent him from marrying his sister, Judith. One would infer that Henry’s reason for his desperate need to prevent their marriage was because Charles was their half-brother, and therefore their marriage would be considered incest. We come to find out, however, that this is not exactly the case. In Chapter 8, in response to whether or not Judith will marry Bon she says â€Å"Yes. I have decided. Brother or not, I have decided. I will. I will (283). † As the chapter progresses, however, Quentin and Shreve accept that â€Å"it’s the miscegenation, not the incest, which (they) can’t bear (285). †In this case, two socially unaccepted taboos prevent Judith from pursuing her relationship with Bon. The fact that it is worse in the eyes of her family that Judith may be marrying a man with black blood than a man who is her relative, however, says a lot about how strong racial prejudices were in the south during the 1800s. Judith’s right to love Bon is forcefully obstructed by social norms, and is a perfect example of Southern culture during that time period. Another instance of love being obstructed by social standards is seen in F.  Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby, a resident of West Egg and a symbol of new wealth, falls in love with Daisy, a resident of East Egg and a symbol of established wealth. Daisy and her husband, Tom, are described to have lived in â€Å"†¦a rather distinguished secret society (17)† to which members of old money had often tried and failed to become a part of. Throughout the novel, it is clear that Daisy had married Tom for his â€Å"†¦person and his position (151)† rather than for love. Yet when Daisy finally accepts that she had never loved Tom and was currently in love with Gatsby, the class divides remain too prevalent for her to pursue a relationship with Gatsby. Tom quotes â€Å" Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white (130). † From this quote and the happenings throughout the novel, the force obstructing the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy is the social condemnation of new money marrying old money. The Great Gatsby shows how in our society, is often difficult for people of different economic backgrounds to pursue a relationship. T. S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is an examination of a typical man’s psychological struggle to express himself emotionally and conform to social standards. Throughout the poem, the narrator shows insecurity in almost everything he does, fearing that his moves will be frowned upon. He says â€Å"There will be time, there will be time to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet† and often asks â€Å"Do I dare?  Ã¢â‚¬  and thinks about what â€Å"they will say. † His insecurity prevails in an encounter with what seems to be a woman he loves. He seems afraid that the woman will deny him because of his balding hair and thin composure, and thinks about what he should say in order to impress the woman; â€Å"And how should I then presume? How should I begin? † In the end the narrator concludes that â€Å" It is impossible to say just what I mean,† and he drifts into a fairytale by the sea until â€Å"human voice wake us, and we drown. † Eliot’s poem is an example of a man’s love for a woman being obstructed by his own need to conform to what is socially acceptable of a man. He refuses to open up and share with the woman his feelings in fear that he will be mocked and denied. â€Å"The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock† shows the struggles of maintaining masculinity, and the fear a man has of loosing his composure. While the last stories had similar circumstances and outcomes, love doesn’t always have to be between a man and a woman, and social norms aren’t always successful at obstructing love’s powerful force. In Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, the love shared between Huck and Jim leads to a powerful revelation in Huck’s life and a groundbreaking relationship considering the South’s intrusive social standards. When Huck begins his journey with Jim, he is overcome by an instilled guilt for assisting in the runaway of Miss Watson’s slave. Huck says â€Å" It would get all around, Huck Finn helped a nigger get to his freedom; and if I was to ever see anybody from that town again, I’d be ready to get down and lick his boots for shame (226). †As their adventure progresses, however, Huck begins to realize how much he enjoys Jim’s company, slave or not; â€Å" But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, just the other kind (227). † Huck struggles internally with this realization, but cannot get over the feeling in his heart telling him to keep Jim around. Finally, Huck decides that he would not turn in Jim, and that he would go to Hell if that were what it meant. In this instance, Huck valiantly goes against what is socially acceptable, and the force of love prevails. Huck and Jim remain friends even though it is extremely frowned upon. Although love is a freedom, one can see how easily and often this freedom is taken away due to what is acceptable in the eyes of others. The circumstances involved in the obstruction of love shows a lot about the society in which these characters live, and the values held by the people who lived there.

Monday, January 20, 2020

The Relationship Between Fashion and Lifestyle Essay -- Sociology, Dre

The relationship Between Fashion and Lifestyle To begin with, I shall look at what fashion is; it is a currently popular style or practice involving clothing, footwear or accessories. It mostly refers to the current trends in looks and dressing style of a person (Cumming 234). In most cases, fashion is confusedly related to costumes; when a person talks of fashion they are seen to mean fashion in terms of textile. Fashion is seen to originate from the Western world and it is copied by other places. In this paper, we shall look at how fashion affects lifestyles and the group of people who are affected most. The paper further investigates how media is used to transmit fashion from one region to the other. Although it has been seen to affect people’s lives many people have different perspectives on fashion and dressing. From a historic point of view, Western travelers had remarked on the slow pace of lifestyle and fashion change in Turkey and Persia. On the other hand, many people were of the opinion that the western culture is getting out of hand in terms of dressing fashion (Cumming 234). In most cases, change of fashion and dressing style took place hand in hand with economic and social changes. In the developing world, changes in fashion began with the coming of the whites in Middle East. Changes began in the 11th century when the Turks came to central Asia and Far East. In Europe, continuous change in clothing fashion is believed to have started in middle 14th century. It started by a sudden introduction of shortening and tightening of male garments, it further brought the introduction of trousers and leggings that were worn by men (Cumming 235). After the advent of change in men fashion, it was followed by changes in female c... ...e day according to the trends that are being observed. Recently, it has been observed that smart casuals are worn on Fridays. As a result, business companies are allowing their workers to dress-down so that they can blend with their customers from other industries. As social trends are changing, the mode of dressing is continually changing. People are taking up the walking lifestyle hence they consider putting on suits cumbersome. In addition, there is an increasing demand for clothing fashions that are compatible with all the activities of the day. In conclusion, fashion will speak out a person’s social signal, people dress on designs that blend with their social class. Just as population, social activities and fashion are changing with time. Fashion has made clothing to be convinient, everything needs to be done with the least effort and spend the least time.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Aloha Case Essay

1. What should be Aloha’s competitive strategy? Low cost? It is difficult for Aloha to compete with the industry giants like Nestle, P&G and Phillips Morris on low cost. The reason is simple – volume. These industry giants have much higher volume than Aloha and enjoy a tremendous advantage in economies of scale. It is probably suicidal for Aloha to try to adopt a low cost strategy. It will probably be crushed like an ant, unless the giants play â€Å"oligopolists† and charge high prices to maximize profits. Differentiation; i.e., selling gourmet coffee a la. Starbuck? It is probably easier for Aloha to position itself as a gourmet coffee maker, catering to the yuppie type and charging a premium price for a coffee experience different from that offered by â€Å"regular† brands. Differentiation seems to be the choice strategy for small companies in that its success does not rely on size or volume; anyone with little resources but a great idea can be the David that slays the industry Goliaths. Examples abound: Ben & Jerry in ice cream and Paul Newman in spaghetti source. In fact, while the case tells us little in this regard, I suspect that Aloha has been able to survive in this competitive industry for all these years and seems to be thriving entirely because it started out occupying a special market niche and positioning its coffee as a gourmet brand. 2. How should the roasting plants, and marketing and purchasing departments be evaluated? Roasting Plants Given the differentiation strategy, the roasting plants should be treated as a profit center, as it is already now. That is because the differentiation strategy can be successfully implemented only if the quality of the coffee lives up to its image as a gourmet brand, and evaluating plant managers on profit, rather on cost alone, motivates the managers to constantly improve the quality of the coffee and maintain it at high levels. In contrast with plant managers evaluated on cost alone, plant managers evaluated on profit are penalized if they sacrifice quality on the altar of cost minimization; when quality declines, so will revenue and profit. On the other hand, if Aloha pursues a low cost strategy, then the plant managers should be evaluated on cost control alone. For a firm adopting a low cost strategy, volume is the king in order to achieve economies of scale and the customers targeted are less conscious of the quality of the coffee brands they drink. Thus, keeping cost down would be the primary objective for the plant managers. Marketing Department Since Aloha positions itself as a gourmet coffee maker, the objective for the marketing department is to keep both the price and gross margins high. Volume would not be very important as the firm knows that it only appeals to a limited group of coffee connoisseurs. Thus, the marketing department should be treated as a revenue center and annual evaluation of its performance should be based on a comparison of actual prices with target prices. Alternatively, marketing could be treated as a â€Å"pseudo† profit center with its â€Å"profit† defined as sales minus standard cost of coffee sold. If a low cost strategy is pursued, then the marketing department should be treated as a revenue center as well. But the focus now is on volume, or more precisely, volume growth. Thus, the marketing manager and his lieutenants should be constantly reminded of the importance of sales growth over time and be rewarded for good sales growth. Purchasing Department The purchasing department currently purchases coffee on both the spot and forwards markets. The policy is to make purchase commitments (forward contracts) based on maximum potential plant requirements and sell the rest on the spot market. That sounds like speculation. One may argue Aloha should meet its need for coffee beans only on the spot market and refrain from the speculation business, which is distracting attention from is main business – grinding and selling gourmet coffee. A counter argument is that good coffee traders probably can spot market trends others cannot and are able to reduce the cost of coffee beans by purchasing forward contracts. I question that argument because it is doubtful that any market participants can â€Å"beat the market† and consistently purchase coffee beans on the forwards market at a lower cost than on the spot market. One drawback of the policy of buying forward contracts is it allows the purchasing department to transfer the most costly coffee beans to the plants and make the plants shoulder losses from their trading mistakes. Buying on the spot markets means that the purchased amount is equal to the need of the plants for coffee beans, and thus the purchasing department would not be able to burden the plants with high-cost beans and keep low-cost beans for themselves to boost trading profit. If the purchasing department is forbidden to play the forwards market, performance evaluation for the department is easy. It would be treated as a cost center, and the cost it incurs for coffee bean purchases will be compared with market price averages in the periods that the purchases take place.