Maggie Obituary Essays (227 words) - Maggie Greene, Maggie

Maggie Obituary Margaret Johnson, only daughter of Mary Murphy: found dead in the East River at age 23 Margaret Johnson, also called Maggie, was a successful seamstress and the only daughter of Mary Murphy died on November 19 in the East River where she was spotted floating atop the freezing cold water. The cause of death seems to be suicide due to a longing case of depression but there are still tests being done on the body. Because of the poverty Maggie was born into she did not have the chance to learn how to swim which leads to the thought of her getting hypothermia once she either jumped or got pushed in the river. Maggie was said to be a very intelligent young lady who was always very popular around the men. She was also said to be very dependent and that was clearly seen when she ran away from home and went straight to a guy friend of hers whose name will not be released. As soon as they realized their differences she quickly ran back home to her mother who then rejected her, claiming that she was the "devil." Earlier in her short, prosperous life Maggie had to deal with the death of both her baby brother and her father, the one close family member that protected her in tough times that she often encountered. Margaret Johnson is survived by a brother Jimmie Johnson and her mother Mary Murphy.

Rock Provenance by Petrologic Methods

Rock Provenance by Petrologic Methods Sooner or later, almost every rock on Earth is broken down into sediment, and the sediment is then carried away somewhere else by gravity, water, wind or ice. We see this happening every day in the land around us, and the rock cycle labels that set of events and processes erosion. We should be able to look at a particular sediment and tell something about the rocks it came from. If you think of a rock as a document, sediment is that document shredded. Even if a document is shredded down to individual letters, for instance, we could study the letters and tell pretty easily what language it was written in. If there were some whole words preserved, we could make a good guess about the documents subject, its vocabulary, even its age. And if a sentence or two escaped shredding, we might even match it to the book or paper it came from. Provenance: Reasoning Upstream This kind of research on sediments is called provenance studies. In geology, provenance (rhymes with providence) means where the sediments came from and how they got where they are today. It means working backward, or upstream, from the grains of sediment we have (the shreds) to get an idea of the rock or rocks they used to be (the documents). Its a very geological way of thinking, and provenance studies have exploded in the last few decades. Provenance is a topic confined to sedimentary rocks: sandstone and conglomerate. There are ways of characterizing the protoliths of metamorphic rocks and the sources of igneous rocks like granite or basalt, but theyre vague in comparison. The first thing to know, as you reason your way upstream, is that transporting sediment changes it. The process of transport breaks rocks into ever smaller particles from boulder to clay size, by physical abrasion. And at the same time most of the minerals in the sediment are chemically changed, leaving just a few resistant ones. Also, long transport in streams can sort out the minerals in sediment by their density, so that light minerals like quartz and feldspar can move ahead of heavy ones like magnetite and zircon. Second, once sediment arrives at a resting place- a sedimentary basin- and turns into sedimentary rock again, new minerals may form in it by diagenetic processes. Doing provenance studies, then, requires you to ignore some things and visualize other things that used to be present. Its not straightforward, but were getting better with experience and new tools. This article focuses on petrological techniques, based on simple observations of minerals under the microscope. This is the kind of thing geology students learn in their first lab courses. The other main avenue of provenance studies uses chemical techniques, and many studies combine both. Conglomerate Clast Provenance The big stones (phenoclasts) in conglomerates are like fossils, but instead of being specimens of ancient living things they are specimens of ancient landscapes. Just as the boulders in a riverbed represent the hills upstream and uphill, conglomerate clasts generally testify about the nearby countryside, no more than a few tens of kilometers away. Its no surprise that river gravels contain bits of the hills around them. But it can be interesting to find out that the rocks in a conglomerate are the only things left from hills that vanished millions of years ago. And this kind of fact can be especially meaningful in places where the landscape has been rearranged by faulting. When two widely separated outcrops of conglomerate have the same mix of clasts, thats strong evidence that they once were very close together. Simple Petrographic Provenance A popular approach for analyzing well-preserved sandstones, pioneered around 1980, is to sort the different kinds of grains into three classes and plot them by their percentages on a triangular graph, a ternary diagram. One point of the triangle is for 100% quartz, the second is for 100% feldspar and the third is for 100% lithics: rock fragments that havent fully broken down into isolated minerals. (Anything that isnt one of these three, typically a small fraction, is ignored.) It turns out that rocks from certain tectonic settings make sediments- and sandstones- that plot in fairly consistent places on that QFL ternary diagram. For instance, rocks from the interior of continents are rich in quartz and have almost no lithics. Rocks from volcanic arcs have little quartz. And rocks derived from the recycled rocks of mountain ranges have little feldspar. When necessary, grains of quartz that are actually lithics- bits of quartzite or chert rather than bits of single quartz crystals- can be moved over to the lithics category. That classification uses a QmFLt diagram (monocrystalline quartz–feldspar–total lithics). These work pretty well in telling what kind of plate-tectonic country yielded the sand in a given sandstone. Heavy Mineral Provenance Besides their three main ingredients (quartz, feldspar, and lithics) sandstones have a few minor ingredients, or accessory minerals, derived from their source rocks. Except for the mica mineral muscovite, they are relatively dense, so theyre usually called heavy minerals. Their density makes them easy to separate from the rest of a sandstone. These can be informative. For instance, a large area of igneous rocks is apt to yield grains of hard primary minerals like augite, ilmenite or chromite. Metamorphic terranes add things like garnet, rutile and staurolite. Other heavy minerals like magnetite, titanite and tourmaline could come from either. Zircon is exceptional among the heavy minerals. It is so tough and inert that it can endure for billions of years, being recycled over and over like the coins in your pocket. The great persistence of these detrital zircons has led to a very active field of provenance research that starts with separating hundreds of microscopic zircon grains, then determining the age of each one using isotopic methods. The individual ages arent as important as the blend of ages. Every large body of rock has its own blend of zircon ages, and the blend can be recognized in the sediments that erode from it. Detrital-zircon provenance studies are powerful, and so popular nowadays that theyre often abbreviated as DZ. But they rely on expensive labs and equipment and preparation, so theyre mainly used for high-payoff research. The older ways of sifting, sorting and counting mineral grains are still useful.

Causes And Consequences Of Bribery In International Business Essay

Causes And Consequences Of Bribery In International Business - Essay Example Earlier regulations against corruption focused on companies in China only. Foreign companies often had to pay for getting licenses, indulge in the black market, evade customs, pay for foreign trips of officials, payments of their kids’ foreign education, or form cartels to overcome the system. The loose implementation of FCPA made it easier for US companies to indulge in corruption practices.  The â€Å"Criminal Law of the PRC† covers acts of bribery of state officials and employees of state-owned enterprises. The â€Å"Law Against Unfair Competition of the PRC† stops companies from giving money or property to customers.  The presence of grey areas such as the issue of gifts below the monetary value of $600 makes it less effective. The laws are framed in such a way that any kinds of gifts to anybody can be interpreted by manipulation of the law.  To control corruption practices, the US Company while starting its business in China, should modify its policies and procedures to suit the culture of the country, along with continuous training and reminding of the rules.  The comments by the US Foreign Services Agent highlight the shortcomings in the existing law and the inclination of agents towards helping US companies in corruption matters to provide them a level playing ground field with other country's companies.  1. The different types of bribes, payments or favors are payments for licenses to import and export, payment for foreign trips of Chinese officials, payment for the foreign apartment, foreign education of kids, payments to sell or purchase goods, payments to state officials in return of some favors, payments to evade customs.  6. The comments by the former US Foreign Service Agent highlight the flaws in the legal system, and unethical behavior of the agents. It is unethical as well as illegal to assist business by providing them the best corruption practices.  

Classwork Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Classwork - Coursework Example In most cases, the security guards are the prime targets of murder since the killers would be bent on stealing from the premises manned by the guards. The degree of poverty is very high especially in urban areas comprising of people belonging to low income brackets. Many people in different parts of South Africa often find it difficult to make ends meet against pressing economic constraints and they often resort to violent crimes that often result in death of the victims. Such types of crimes can be attributed to the social strain theory that suggests that people commit crime after they fail to achieve certain goals due to economic constraints. In South Africa, many people live in poverty and they experience different types of hardships which lead them to commit different types of crime to earn a living. Murder is a punishable offence and it should never be condoned under any circumstance. Though death penalty is prohibited by the South African law, the culprit in this case should get a harsh sentence in order to deter the would-be offenders from committing the same crime in future. This will help eradicate violent crime in this country. In this case, the culprit deserves a long custodial sentence, even life imprisonment because he is a danger to the society. The murderer deserved to rot in prison since there is no person with a right to kill another person. This will also help people to value other individuals’ lives such that they will not be tempted to commit heinous crimes like murder. To a larger extent, it can be observed that mental health plays a part in criminal behavior. Geldard (1963) posits to the effect that people who have mental health problems are likely to commit violent crimes as a result of their mental instability. In some cases, these people are infuriated by small things and they can react violently which can lead to the

Quantitative research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Quantitative research - Essay Example s article of (2009), an Input-Output Analysis, addresses the input and output analysis for Romania, which is one of the significant sources of information that investigates the interrelations between the different existing industries. The input-output analysis is necessary as it is used in the determination of the importance of the different economic value added, incomes, and employment in relationship to the economy. Delener (2010) â€Å"current trends in the global tourism industry: Evidence from the United States† address the modern ways in the United States travel industry. The article discusses the matter of the US travel industry due to the increasing nature of the tourism industry. The major hypothesis in each of the articles makes sense based on the manner in which they articulate the points. Each of the articles addresses matters of concern in the Tourism world. Ye, Li & Wang (2014), main argument is based on the way in which price influence pre purchase perceptions and the post purchase satisfaction. The development of e-tourism makes many individuals opt for that although the influence of price on post purchase perceptions in the internet is not known. The research therefore strives to know the influence of price on pre purchase options in the internet. Surugiu (2009), the central argument is on the input and output analysis of the Hotels and the restaurants sector in the tourism industry. The hotels and the restaurants form a vital part of the tourism industry.Delener (2010), the main argument is based on the ever-expanding nature of the tourism industry. The article, therefore, looks at the current trends in the travel industry, which is one of the indus tries correlated with the tourism industry. The travel industry forms a great part of the tourism sector and without each complementing one another the chances of the tourism industry failing is high. The study or rather the research design in articles was different based on the manner in which the

The Mental Health Nurses Role Social Work Essay

The Mental Health Nurses Role Social Work Essay Care planning, provision and management are essential parts of the mental health nurses role. Ongoing interaction and assessment of clients needs creates a basis for providing and organising care that is inclusive, effective and adaptive through evaluation and review. The creation of a framework of care established on the premise of recovery, as it is viewed in mental health terms, can not only provide for a clients basic needs but can also allow them to continue to grow as an individual and lead a fulfilling life even in the presence of a mental health problem or illness (Hall, Wren Kirby, 2008). This case study will explain and discuss the nursing care of an individual that has a mental health problem. A plan of care will be outlined including the reasoning and evidence base that prompted such direction. Parahoo (2006) reminds us that all nursing practice should be based on sound principles and processes that stem from reliable sources. Firstly we will look at the specifics of the scenario and set up some working premises which will then allow us to further speculate on the development and implementation of a structured care plan. The case study is based around a 69 year old female named Simone. After recent lapses in memory, orientation and changes in mood were disclosed to her GP she was further assessed and consequently diagnosed with early onset dementia. Simone lives with her 40 year old daughter in a semi detached bungalow in a quiet suburban area. Simones daughter has paraplegia after an accident ten years ago. She is able to care for herself to a certain extent but does require occasional assistance from Simone. Simones daughter also recently experienced bouts of depression which lasted several months. Recently Simone had an incident when she became disorientated on a trip to the local shops and had to be escorted home by a neighbour. The role of the nurse in this case study is that of a community psychiatric nurse working with older adults. After meeting Simone and carrying out an initial assessment there are several pertinent pieces of information to continue with: Simone appears to be physically well and her home is clean and well equipped for both her and her daughter; She seems to understand where she is but at times can become flustered when unable to answer certain questions; Her daughter reports that, on a few recent occasions, Simone has burned food while cooking; She has no other family living locally and has lost touch with many of her friends since looking after her daughter; Simone states that she does not require any assistance at this time as she feels that she will be able to cope, however, she seems to be very anxious about her diagnosis and the consequences for her and her daughter and whether they will be able to continue managing to live at home. To be able to begin to make any kind of conjecture on what plans of care may be suitable for Simone we have to make several key assumptions about the skill of the nurse. For this we will use some of the attributes identified by Gerard Egan (2010) in his skilled helper model. Firstly we must assume that through accomplished communication skills and core empathic values a working therapeutic relationship is possible to establish. Also that the care plan proposals which are being put forward are ones that have been discussed and accepted by all involved parties as suitable to Simones preferences after reviewing alternatives. Finally, we must presume that through encouragement, motivation and reasoning, Simone will consent to nursing, psychiatric and other agency involvement. From the initial assessment it would seem that Simone has an apparent need for information pertaining to her condition as well as emotional support and counselling. She may require psychiatric input in terms of ongoing assessment, medication prescribing and monitoring. It also seems as though Simone may need some sort of support or assistance in certain daily activities, this could be direct support or the creation of systems and routines which enable her to perform tasks independently. A growing level of social isolation looks to be occurring and Simone may benefit by having assistance to address this. Simone may need access to support groups relating to her diagnosis of dementia, her role as a carer but also to her social and personal interest or activities. These could promote social inclusion as well as cognitive enhancement. Simone has also stated that she has concerns over the wellbeing of her daughter if she should be unable to perform the duties for her that she has up until this point. This may require a level of involvement within Simones care for her daughter, to learn about Simones condition and also to look at possible ways in which she can assist, perhaps by considering some form of support for herself or by means of being actively involved in the care plans. Therefore, with these needs in mind, we can begin to create an all encompassing, holistic care plan which is not purely based on the historical medical model that you are ill and we can cure you, or even the more modern social model that purports that you have needs and we can meet them but is instead more firmly based on the progressive view of recovery which states that you may have a problem but with help you can grow beyond it (Hall, Wren Kirby, 2008). This positivity in the face of such adversity may go against the grain of traditional treatment of dementia sufferers but the goal of restoring and maintaining mental health to its achievable optimum capacity, even when it may be in inexorable decline, should remain exactly the same as in all other areas of mental health treatment (Hughes, 2006). For care plans to be efficient they also have to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed (SMART), as this allows a flexibility to the planning process because effectivene ss can be evaluated and appropriate changes can be made as required (Brooker Waugh, 2007). So for this particular case study, the initial care plan would comprise of tasks for the nurse to complete, either as a direct care provider or as a care manager. These tasks would hopefully address the current needs of Simone over an interim period, whilst improving relations, knowledge, involvement and empowerment which could help to provide her with a greater amount of control over her current situation. The tasks will firstly be detailed in a basic format and then what each task entails will be comprehensively discussed thereafter. As care provider: Weekly home visits Liaise with psychiatrist, monthly psychiatric appointments Family work Risk assessment Creation of advanced statements As care manager: Link in with multidisciplinary team Signpost, assist to access support/interest groups Being able to have face to face communication with an individual on a regular basis is the cornerstone of effective nursing practice (Ewels Simnett, 2003). As Simone had stated that she did not feel that she required any external involvement at this time, even when we are working on the assumption that she will accept it, it would be important not to initially overwhelm her. She may be feeling very frightened and vulnerable. A study of older independent living people in 1998 identified dementia as a primary fear, rating higher than cancer (Mackinlay, 2006). General awareness of dementia issues is relatively low even though it is a common enough condition to affect more than 1 in 100 people aged over 65 (Alzheimers Scotland, 2010). A bombardment of too much input or information may cause her to be defensive and withdraw her engagement with CPN services. Starting off with a planned weekly visit of around one hour in length which follows up on the preliminary visit and assessment would perhaps not seem overly intrusive. During this time the nurse can provide much needed emotional support and counselling, building up a more robust working relationship. Information about Simones diagnosis, such as how her dementia developed to this point, how it may progress in the future, what to expect, how to prepare, what options are available and any other pertinent questions can be answered as and when Simone feels ready to discuss such things. Overtime Simone can start to identify weaknesses to focus on and strengths which can be utilised and begin to compile her own plans and goals which she can work on in a more independent fashion. These can be more specific goals such as taking up a new hobby or interest or could even be to plan how to visit the local shops and return home safely or cook a meal without the worry of burning it. These goals can then be broken down into achievable tasks for Simone which she can carry out with minimal support. Increased independence can ofte n involve an element of therapeutic risk and it is important not to confuse care with control (Watkins, 2009). Weekly visits give the opportunity to provide tangible support and to continually assess the progress of Simones dementia, mental health, general health, the continuing suitability and condition of her residence, activity levels, relationships and inclusiveness in the wider community. Informal and also formal rating scales, such as the MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination), MADRS (Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale) as well as clinical observations can be regularly recorded to monitor any developments, patterns or trends. Frequent visits allow more effective methods of communication techniques to be developed which suit Simones personality and current capabilities. Care becomes not only person centred but also relationship centred and this bond can foster trust and relieve anxiety, stress and agitation (Innes, 2009) The community psychiatric nurse would work in tandem with a designated psychiatrist, reporting to them weekly. The psychiatrist that originally assessed Simone and made the diagnosis of dementia would be most preferable to aid continuity of care. For this commencement period of Simones involvement with psychiatric services to have a monthly appointment with a psychiatrist would be both realistic and achievable. This would be an opportunity to receive further support and review ongoing mental health and mental state assessments such as the MMSE or the more comprehensive ACE-R (Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination Revised). A psychiatrist would be able to provide any ongoing prescription support if required or provide access to relevant psychosocial therapies. The NICE-SCIE Guidelines for Dementia Care (2006) states that this would depend on the results of cognitive tests and perceived cognitive functioning. Using the MMSE as an example, it is recommended that only people with a score b etween 10-20, denoting moderate Alzheimers type dementia should begin courses of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine. The effectiveness of these drugs for individuals scoring lower than 10 points drops dramatically. For people with mild to moderate Alzheimers type dementia, scores over 20, should be given the opportunity to participate in structured group cognitive stimulation programmes and alternative therapies. In the journal article, Dementia: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Management, Salama (2008) recognises the effectiveness of these programmes and therapies for the management of cognitive symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, depression and aggression. It would seem from the needs outlined from the scenario this type of intervention would be beneficial to Simone. It is always important to remember that often people with dementia do not exist solely in isolation and inevitably family members and friends will become involved in their journey. Innes (2009) talks about the importance of a partnership between the nurse and individual diagnosed with dementia and states that these partnerships can extend to close family members or carers creating a triad of care. With Simones consent, sessions could include her daughter, helping to educate and inform her therefore better preparing her to cope with the possible demands of continued cohabitation with her mother. The NICE- SCIE Guidelines for Dementia Care (2006) state that people living in the community diagnosed with dementia should be supported to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible rather than being uprooted to an unfamiliar environment. Also if Simones dementia is seen to have a possible genetic link her daughter should be briefed on the risk of developing the condition hersel f. Simones daughter may be able to inform of ways in which she may be able to assist, however, the information provided in the case study suggests that due to Simones daughters disability her ability to support her mother in some aspects of care may be limited. Studies have consistently shown that stressors faced by family members of people with dementia are amongst the most difficult to cope with of all chronic illnesses and this can lead to an increased risk of depression, loneliness and self injury (Keady cited in Norman and Ryrie, 2009). As Simones daughter is already prone to depression a recommendation of how to assist her mother could be to receive more direct support herself subsequently alleviating some of the caring duties for Simone. The importance of relationships and friendships should not be underestimated. The emotional support from an extended social network can be invaluable and Simone should be encouraged to renew links with family and friends to strengthen existin g relations and reduce isolation. Leff and Warner (2006) identify social inclusion as one of the key factors to maximising mental health in dementia. One of the most important duties of the community mental health nurse is to ensure the health and wellbeing of the client, their family and wider community. In order to do this they have to assess the risks involved within the situation. For Simone, her recent dementia symptoms pose new risks, to herself and others, which consequently have to be identified and managed. The most appropriate way to assess risk is in conjunction with the individual you are working with, even though their view of the risks involved may vary from yours. This collaboration means that any decisions feel agreed rather than imposed and are therefore more likely to be conformed to whilst also enhancing the therapeutic relationship between the individual and nurse (Ramsay et al, 2001). From the case study we can see that there are possibilities for Simone to inadvertently bring harm to either herself, her daughter, her neighbours or even the wider community through a number of negative eventualities such as wan dering, causing fire hazards or lapses while driving if she does indeed drive. However, although assessing risk can highlight the dangers a situation or condition can cause it can also help to recognise positive skills and strengths which may be utilised. As part of a recovery focused care plan therapeutic risk must be considered and encouraged in order for Simone to maintain the sense that she is still author to her own story. Barker (2009) promotes the idea that personal growth and development through new or continued experiences does not stop with a diagnosis of mental illness or dementia but should be encouraged to continue unabated. Another consideration which could be brought to Simones attention is advanced statements. These are personal statements of preference in terms of the types of treatments a person with a mental illness may or may not wish to have in the future in the event of a decline in their mental health. These wishes and preference must then be upheld under Part 18 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Simone may not feel ready to start compiling these statements straight away but if she is aware of them, over time, her preferences can be documented. Under Part 17 Chapter 2 of the same mental health act Simone also has the right to independent advocacy which she may wish to utilise to create any advance statements or to reinforce them if required. If Simones dementia does decline to the stage where she is no longer deemed to have adequate capacity for appropriate decision making she would come under the legal realm of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. In tim es of better mental health Simone may wish to select a named person to act on her behalf should this be required in the future. All decisions made on Simones behalf must be to her benefit and be the least restrictive option. With these factors in mind, part of the community psychiatric nurses role would be to promote the use of advance statements in order that Simone may continue to be cared for in a manner of her choosing, even after the possible loss of capacity, thus maintaining a sense of self and control over her own treatment. Both of these elements are identified by Pilgrim (2009) as being key points in aiding recovery in mental health treatment. Multidisciplinary team and multiagency working is an essential part of modern health care provision (Brooker and Waugh, 2007). Community nurses can appear to be working autonomously but are often supported by and linked in with a number of other health professionals and social care workers such as physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, social workers, general practitioners, psychiatrists and care assistants to name but a few. Norman and Ryrie (2009) claim that the effectiveness of this way of working lies in the diversity of skills and experience which is able to be drawn upon to facilitate more effective care for specialist needs or requirements. In the case of Simone any identified needs that would be unable to be met by the community nurse or that would be more effectively met by other workers could be referred on. In this way Simones care becomes collaborative, with her at the centre and people with the specific knowledge and skills being utilised around her. As well as engagement with health and social care professionals there are numerous charities, agencies, groups and organisations that offer external support. For Simone this could be in the form of local support groups for issues that affect her, such as dementia, stress or being a carer, or could perhaps be more focused on activities that suit her general interests. The community psychiatric nurse could possibly assist Simone to source, access or even in the short term, attend these kinds of pursuits. Interacting with others in groups or focusing on enjoyable tasks has the therapeutic benefit of enhancing both social and cognitive proficiency for a person diagnosed with dementia (Gilhooly et al 2003). Leff and Warner (2006) also stress the importance of social inclusion by naming it amongst their four key areas for improved quality of life alongside independence, health and choice. So in summary, we have outlined the case study scenario of Simone, identified her needs and created a plan that is intended to meet these needs. In addition to meeting the identified needs, a deeper analysis of the plan depicts how it will benefit Simone in a more holistic sense. By keeping the notion of recovery firmly in mind, the overall aim is to build up Simone, the person, as a whole and not purely to assist with the symptoms of dementia. For Simone to recover she must be supported to live a full life in the existence if her dementia, be able to remain independent for as long as possible, be included in the community, plan for the future and enjoy a quality of life that she finds gratifying. As this care plan created for Simone progresses, being updated and augmented as required, it should mean that her dementia should become to be viewed as illness which is being managed and not as a defining characteristic of her personality. Paraphrasing from a letter written to the notable neurologist Oliver Sacks: A person does not consist of memory alone. They have feeling, will, sensibilities and moral being, matters of which neurology cannot speak. It is here, beyond the realm of an impersonal psychology, that you may find ways to touch them, and to change them (Luria cited in Sacks 1985).

Modern Christianity :: essays papers

Modern Christianity Now a day too many people are loosing their focus in life. We have heard that people are committing suicide everyday around in our community. In many of these occasions, religion has played a big role in saving many of these victims from the overwhelming pressures of our society. Religion has acted as a shelter that provides a peaceful environment and hope for guidance for these lost victims. Among that, becoming a Christian is what many have sought for. Two years ago, an eighteen years old high school friend of mine who is a typical American teenager lived in a perfect family of four had tried to commit suicide. It was astonishing when I found that he almost killed himself after he broke up with his girlfriend of six years. He simply thought that it was the end of the world when this had happened to him. He thought that his life would be no longer important and meaningful to this world. Luckily, at the very last moment of killing himself, his friend saved him. It happens that his friend knocked on the door of the bathroom at the right moment while he was trying to cut through his own wrist. After talking with this friend, who happened to be a Christian, he told him that there was a lot more in life that he should hold on to. He was then convinced that he could find what he had lost and would be able to realize how valuable a life is by becoming part of the big family, Christian, that is. He then became a born-again Christian ! in the following weekend. My friend although knew absolutely nothing about Christianity and he had never even read Bible, finally joined the big family. Another friend of mine who happened to be a really mature guy, living in his early 30^s had realized that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was being told that he would not live longer than 2 years. Before he got this disease, he used to be really energetic and hopeful for everything that he did. After realizing how much time he could have left in life, his personality made a huge swift to the opposite. He began to have no hopes in his life because he thought that he could die in any seconds. At that point of his life, he had totally lost his focus of himself and what is about to happen later on in his life. One day at the hospital, during a schedule psychological therapy those cancer patients were urged to take.

A study of islamic and hindu belief about life after death Essay

The concept of life after death can be traced back to prehistoric periods. Man has always believed there is something beyond death and in our modern scientific world there is no exception. My aim is to explore the concept of life after death in two of the biggest world spread religions today. I will be exploring Islam and Hinduism, two religions with very different concepts on the theory of life after death, but one thing in conman, the soul. Both religions have a common belief in the soul and my investigation will be strongly focusing on this along with the to the representation of the heaven and hell in each religion, including it postive and negative points. I also want to explore the concept of the soul within different sects such as Sunnis and shiahs in Islam and Saivism,Vaishnavism ,Shaktismin in Hinduism. Islam is a religion with more than 1,400 million believers. It is dominant in East- and north africa, middle eastCentral Asia and in Indonesia. Islam is divided into many sects but the two main sects are sunnis which are the majority of muslims today and shiahs. This religion is based upon the holy quran, and the examples of conduct from the messenger Muhammad’s(pbuh) life, the Sunna, or hadà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½th. According to Islam, the religion is dated back to Adam, the first man created. Ibrahim (pbuh)(also known in Judaism and Christianity as Abraham) has a central place in the history of Islam, and is the founder and builder of the Ka’ba in Mecca, which is by Islam defined as the centre of the world.. Western scientists and many Muslims, too, have a different point of view, and consider Islam as historically beginning with the first revelations to Muhammad in 610 in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). This After Life is called the Real and the True Life accourding to islam. The Quran explicitly refers to the After Life as the True Life while the life in this world is a superficial one. â€Å"What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the Home of the Hereafter – that is Life indeed, if they but knew.†(29:64) In islam, one of the most major beliefs is that we live on this earth as part of a test . a test which will determine wiether we will enter heaven or hell after our deaths. Death is inevitable. It is the one thing that we can be certain about in life. It is the islamic notion that we are born to die. Every soul shall have a taste of death no matter who they are. This is something which is confirmed many times in the holy Quran: â€Å"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense.† (Quran 3:185)In Islam man cannot feel sure that he or she will enter Paradise, unless he or she lives as a Muslim. Islam has a Day of Judgement, This day will be the day when all souls are reawakened to be judged. They will either be condemned to hell or let into Paradise The concept of the soul in islam is that it has three stages of physical development , dust or clay, embryo and birth. There are also three stages of spiritual development, Death,the Grave and Resurrection, all indicated in the holy Quran. The journey of the soul begins in our mother’s wombs. Forty days after conception the soul is blown into the fetus. The next part of the souls journey begins after we are born. This is the life of this world, in which we now reside and are familiar with. Here we grow up and acquire the means to happiness or misery. We are given the ability to make choices after the age of puberty and we will later be punished or rewarded based upon them. In this life, the soul and the body are together except during sleep when the soul may leave the body and come back in the morning or Allah may take the soul at that time. (can insert quote from quran here) The next stage for the soul is when it body begins to die. Acourding to islamic belief the Angel of Death or Izraeel is said to come to take the soul out of the body and put it in a place called the Barzakh. For those who led a life of evil, the removal of the soul is tough and difficult. Sometimes, more than one angel has to work together to beat the face and back of the deceased. But for those who lived a good life, the soul yearns to meet its Lord and leaves the body with ease. After the soul is taken, if it is a pure soul and has relatives in the Next World who are people of the Garden, they come to meet the soul with great joy. The angels then take the soul from one heaven to the next(acourding to islam there are 7 levels of heaven) until it comes into the presence of Allah. Then the angels bring the soul back to see washing of the body, its shrouding, and the funeral procession. The soul stays floating above the body and when the corpse is placed in the grave, the soul inserts itself between the body and the shroud so that the questioning can take place. This life in the grave or barzack is the next part of the souls journey. this interspace separates two things: heaven and earth and this world and the Next World or the period between death and resurrection. The bliss or punishment of the Interpsace is not the same as what is follow, but rather something that happens between the two worlds. In death, the body remains in the ground while the soul is in the Barzakh between the two worlds. However, the two are still connected and so the bliss or punishment happens to both of them. During this life in the grave the souls are divided into two groups: one group is punished and the other group is in bliss. As various hadiths narrate, if the soul was a believing one, the soul is shown it’s place in the Fire(hell) had they disobeyed god. Then they are shown the Garden(heaven) and their place there. The soul will be shown this untill the Day of Rising. Some of the sweetness and fragrance of the Garden reaches them and the grave is said to be made spacious. The believer sleeps in peace just as if they were in one of the meadows of the Garden. Their narrow grave expands and stretches for the soul as far as the eye can see. If however the soul was a disbelieving one, the Garden is opened for the unbeliever and they are told to look at what their place would have been in the Garden had they obeyed Allah. Then it they are told to look at heir place in the fire. It stays open and the blast of hot air from it continues to reach them until the Day of Rising. It is said that the earth presses in on them and they are crushed to the point that their ribs split apart. This part of the souls journey in the graves is still mostly unknown territory. Outwardly the grave is stillness and quiet while inwardly it contains secrets and terrors which an ordinary person cannot percieve. The next part of the souls journey is the resurection. Acording to islamic belief, Allah will instruct the Angel Israfeel to blow the horn twice. The souls will come back from the barzakh to group on the mountain of arfat Judgement Day will be the souls next stop. This is the day when Allah personally will judge everyone directly . Each person will then receive a book that contains each and everything they have done from the time of birth till death. This book includes activites, appearance and intention. This is where the journey for the souls will near its end near the end. The soul will enter an everlasting life, which will either be spent in heaven or hell. The concept of hell in islam is one which is extreamly horrific,terrifying and graphic in comparison to hell of other world religions – The prophet (saw) said: â€Å"The mildest punishment to be inflicted upon a person in Hell is that he will be made to wear a pair of sandals made of fire which will be so hot that they will make his brain boil like things boil on a stove. He will imagine that no one is undergoing a punishment more severe although his punishment, in reality, will be the mildest in Hell.† [Bukhari, Muslim]. The belief about hell is that every individual will pass over Hellfire, some will remain there while others continue on. Every persons Hell will take its shape according to his evil deeds ensuing from atheistic belief or polytheism, hypocrisy, base passion and evil practices, oppression of the innocent, sensuality and iniquity or vicious activities. The islamic concept of heaven is on the opposite spectrum of hell, it is described as something incomprehendable to the human mind. It is the last destination and hope of every muslim to arrive there. Paradise is said to have all the beauties of life to enjoy without ever being tired. It is a life of excitement, peace and happiness. The prophet (saw) said: â€Å"Allah, the Almighty, says, ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard and no heart has ever conceieved.'† [Bukhari, Muslim] The concepts and ideals of hinduism in comparison to islam are very different. There is however one coman denomenator, which is the soul. Although the theoryies surounding the soul in each religion are very, there is a general belief in It. The origins of Hinduism can be traced to the Indus Valley civilization sometime between 4000 and 2500 BCE. Though believed by many to be a polytheistic religion, the basis of Hinduism is the belief in the unity of everything. This totality is called Brahman. The purpose of life is to realize that the soul (or atman) is part of God and by doing so it can leave this plane of existance and rejoin with him. This enlightenment can only be achieved by going through cycles of birth, life and death known as samsara. One’s progress towards enlightenment is measured by his karma. This is the accumulation of all one’s good and bad deeds and this determines the person’s next reincarnation. Selfless acts and thoughts as well as devotion to God help one to be reborn at a higher level. Bad acts and thoughts will cause one to be born at a lower level, as a person or even an animal. Hindus follow a strict caste system which determines the standing of each person. The caste one is born into is the result of the karma from their previous life. Only members of the highest caste, the Brahmins, may perform the Hindu religious rituals and hold positions of authority within the temples. According to Hinduism a soul reincarnates again and again on earth till it becomes perfect and reunites with it Source. During this process the soul enters into many bodies, assumes many forms and passes through many births and deaths. This concept is summarily described in the following verse of the Bhagavad gita(the holy scriptures for followers of hinduism): â€Å"Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones.† (2.22) According to Hinduism a being has to live many lives and under go many experiences before it attains perfection and becomes one with the Divine. The Hindu theory of creation suggests that creation begins when the individual souls becomes separated from the undifferentiated One. the individual soul hides behind the false personality called jiva (Every being with Atman (a soul) is known as a Jiva,) The body and outer personality or the ego. The jiva is made up of the subtle body, the subtle mind and a little bit of discretionary intelligence called buddhi. The ego is made up of the gross physical body, the surface consciousness consisting of innumerable desires and impulses. Since the Jiva and the ego have no idea of Truth or reality, they suffers from ignorance and illusion. They succumbs to illusion and suffer from the delusion of the outer mind. They behave selfishly as if they are different from the rest of creation and end up with suffering, indulging in acts of self perpetuation. At the end of each life, the physical body and the gross mind return to the elements of the earth. But the Jiva and the soul survive death. Depending upon the nature of their past deeds and number of bodies it has passed on to, the Jiva either ascends to the heaven or descends into the hell. The Jiva stays in these worlds till it exhausts the fruits of its good or bad actions. Having learned some new lessons, it then returns to the earth again to take another birth. Thus the Jiva undergoes innumerable births and deaths.. Hinduism does speak of the existence of heavens above and hells below. The concept of heaven that it is sun filled and inhabited by gods and innumerable divine souls. The latter are dark worlds (asurya lokas) and populated by all the dark and demonic forces. The individual souls go into these worlds according to their deeds. But they do not stay there permanently till the end of destruction. They go there basically as a consequence of their actions, either to enjoy or to suffer. In either case they learn the lesson and come back to earth to start a new earthly life all over again. according to Hinduism, life in heaven may be longer, but still it is a mortal life only. There, a Jiva may enjoy extreme pleasures, but it would not last for ever. Once its karma is exhausted, the Jiva is thrown back from the heights of heavenly glory into the turmoil of unstable earthly life . Hinduism does not accept that under normal circumstances an individual soul can free itself completely from the entanglement with Samsara and unite with its Creator in just one life time. The Jiva has to progressively evolve through the cycle of innumerable births and deaths before the soul can liberate itself. Freedom from the process of samsara can only come once a person realises they are actualydivine and belong to god. And this can take hundred of years to achieve. Overall when looking at these two relgions view on the soul it is important to look at the differnts sect belief in the soul. in islam , the two major sects are sunis and shiah and these two sects seperated at back at the time of the prophets mohammed(pbuh) death. Though these two sect have many beliefs and practices which are are very different from one another, the actual belief in the soul and the concepts of barahkz ,ressurection,judgement,heaven and hell are in fact very simlar. There are not many differences. In hinduism however, there are four main sects Shaivism,Vaishnavism ,Shaktismin and smarta/liberal hinduism which I have just discussed. All these sect have a belief that the human soul is imortal and passes from body to body untill they can reunite with god. The difference in each sect is that are each represented by a different god who they hope to become one with. Smarta hinduism which I have discused believe that they are all apart of the one god known as brahmin. in Shaivism, these followers bielieve it is the god known as shiva who is one god they hope to reunite with. In Vaishnavism it’s the god Vishnu, and in Shaktism it is the god Shakti. These are the major differences between the sects, the ideals and concepts of hinduism such as karma, reincartion, the soul, heaven are the same.

One Last Dance Movie Summary

Many people consider dance as a hobby but to others it takes place a big role in their lives. The movie â€Å"One Last Dance† demonstrates how passionate a group of people are about dancing and how it affects their lives. This group is part of a New York dancing company that does performances and is run by their artistic director and owner of the studio â€Å"Alex McGrath†. The company was about to have the big performance of their lives, until tragedy strucks. On an evening of rehearsal, the dancers realize that their artistic director Alex has passed away.Due to the tragedy, the performance gets canceled. After 6 years, no dance performances took place after Alex’s death. The dance studio was getting ready to shut down until three former stars were brought back to help save the studio by resurrecting the dance performance that was unable to be performed. The three former stars are â€Å"Travis MacPhearson,† â€Å"Chrissa Lindh,† and â€Å"Max Del ano. † As they try to get back into shape and mark their routine, they seem to struggle.They begin to go through different emotions and get flashbacks on how tough Alex was them during practices. Alex was a very serious strict man that pushed his dancers till he thought they had enough. The dance performance became a dream to them, so when that very dance got canceled it was heartbreaking. Later, Chrissa introduces â€Å"Bree,† her daughter, to the cast. Max and Travis were unaware of Chrissa having a daughter till she decided to mention it. Travis was surprised about it because before everything happened Chrissa and Travis were in intimate relationship.Before the big day, Chrissa and Travis weren’t communicating so well because of the lacking performance of their dance piece. Chrissa then left their rehearsal session after dancing another piece that brought back some sparks between them. Travis stayed behind and continued to dance when all of sudden he injures h is knee. It’s the day of the performance and Travis hasn’t shown up. Max gets a hold of him and informs everyone that he was getting out of the hospital and is leaving the town that night.Chrissa decides to call Travis after hearing the news and admits to him that Bree is his daughter. The absence of Travis caused Max and Chrissa to step down and let the understudy go on stage instead. After having a successful performance, Travis shows up to the studio. He was glad for the success of the performance but he still felt like preforming their last dance together even with his knee injury. Although they was no audience, Max and Chrissa agreed to preform it. As hey began to dance, people that were still around heard the music and came back to watch them. Finally, after six years they performed their dance piece and couldn’t be any happier. Their dream eventually came true. This movie has such a good ending and a good meaning to it. When you are passionate about somet hing never let anything stop you from doing it. Dance can be a big impact to anyone who is passionate about it. This movie is a good example of how dance affects people’s lives and that we shouldn’t give up on our dreams.

Flood and Flash Flood Causes

Flood and Flash Flood Causes Floods and flash floods happen whenever water overflows onto normally dry land. But while the outcome is the same, and the weather events that cause them (slow-moving low-pressure systems, hurricanes, and monsoons) may be the same, all floods are not created equal. The main differences between floods and flash floods are the time it takes their flood conditions to develop, how long they last, and how wide sweeping their impact. Floods: Slow-Rising, but Long-Lasting Like the Great Flood that came after heavy rain poured down on the earth and Noahs ark for forty days and forty nights, the worlds flood events are often longer duration flooding. And as Noahs flood continued for one-hundred and fifty days, likewise todays flood events begin and end gradually and are considered long-term events that typically last days or weeks. Besides impacting transportation, floods often bring health hazards, like mold, and disease brought on by standing water. When weather conditions lead waters to rapidly rise, flash flooding occurs. Flash Floods Develop Within Minutes to Hours As the name suggests, flash floods are rapid flooding events. How rapid? According to the NOAA National Weather Service, flash flood situations develop within six hours (or less)Â  of the start of the causative event. While the majority of flash floods are triggered by heavy rain falling within a short amount of time (like during intense thunderstorms), non-rain-related events can also trigger them such as: A levee or dam failure,Sudden snowmelt or thawing of glaciers, orA sudden release of water by a debris flow or ice jam. Because of their sudden onset, flash floods tend to be thought of as more dangerous than regular floods. Adding to this flash floods are also associated with raging torrents of fast-moving water against which there is little protection (even from a vehicle) from being swept away. Flash flood waters often subside as swiftly as they swell. Once the torrential downpours end, flash flood conditions do too. Another difference between flooding and flash flooding is where each commonly occurs. Flooding can involve widespread flooding of waterways or the accumulation of rainwater on saturated ground and roadways. In contrast, flash flooding more often involves localized flooding of small rivers, streams, creeks, and storm sewers. Is It Possible to Be Under a Flood Alert and a Flash Flood Alert? It may seem redundant to have both an active flood watch or warning and a flash flood watch or warning too, but if this happens you should take both seriously. It means that your area is at risk for both gradual and immediate flooding. An example weather situation where this could happen is if your area had seen prolonged rainfall in days prior and then had a hurricane approach. Your flood risk would be elevated from the longer duration flooding, but also from the heavy tropical moisture associated with the hurricane.

Business in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business in India - Essay Example In case of the urban areas, traffic congestion is common especially during peak hours (Gesteland & Gesteland, 2010, p. 23). Therefore, an American businessman should have enough endurance when dealing with Indian employees’ lack of punctuality, late deliveries, and issues regarding missed deadlines (pp. 24 – 25). Basically, becoming impatient with their lack of punctuality can only trigger misunderstanding between the business owner and the Indian counterpart. With regards to religion, an American businessman should know that on top of Hinduism, there are some Indians who are Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs (Fox, 2008, pp. 293 – 294). Since Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, an American businessman should avoid offering pork meat when going out for a lunch meeting with an Indian Muslim. The business behavior of Indians vary depending on their age, educational attainment, type of industry they belong to, knowledge about the business practices in the West, and specific region where they came from (Gesteland & Gesteland, 2010, p. 16). To avoid conflict with Indian employees, an American businessman should know that all Indians are different from one another depending on their cultural background. Therefore, the inability of an American businessman to modify his behavior and business approach when dealing with a potential business partner will lead to poor business operations respectively (Fox, 2008, p.

Operations & Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Operations & Supply Chain Management - Essay Example equent governmental funds and approaches that were taken to effect this, the course in question has been beneficial and instrumental in helping to analyze the way in which a resource dependent economy can utilize the resources that it has, and is able to generate a substantial level of funding from, as a means of developing and diversifying other economic resources that can help the economy in the long run. With regards to the manner through which what has been learned within this course can benefit individuals, and indeed the entire society of the United Arab Emirates, in the future, it must be understood that the progress that has been affected, although impressive, should not be viewed as a victory entirely. The underlying reason for this can be traced back to Chapter 2; Strategy and Sustainability. Within this particular chapter, the class was engaged with the understanding that the United Arab Emirates face a situation in which continued action to leverage further economic development, further specialties, further education, the development of further infrastructure, and a litany of other aspects was a dependent reality of whether or not the nation’s economy would be able to continue its impressive growth rate into the immediate and long-term future (Khalid 3). Another understanding that can clearly be denoted is with respect to the fact that a large level of dependence and continues to exist within the economy of the United Arab Emirates with regards to profitability derived from the sale of natural resources. Ultimately, due to the fact that these resources are non-sustainable, the economy is faced with a situation in which the rapid level of growth that it has experienced over the past several decades is not guaranteed into the indefinite future. Eventually, the resources of natural gas and/or oil will be exhausted. Alternatively, changes in technology could create a situation in which the United Arab Emirates has remaining resources of natural gas