Muhammad The Revelation of the Qua'ran fuels early Islamic growth Essay

Muhammad The Revelation of the Qua'ran fuels early Islamic growth - Essay Example s at that time, the manner in which Quran played a pivotal role in fuelled the growth of Islam and will also shed light on the life of Muhammad, who is the spiritual leader of more than 1.8 billion Muslims all over the world. Muhammad was born in 570 A.D in the city of Mecca, located in the Arabian Peninsula. He belonged to the respected clan of the Quraysh, who were not only well-to-do merchants but also the keepers of the Holy Ka’abah. The Ka’abah is the oldest known structure and attracted pilgrims from the entire Peninsula. (Haykal, 1994) Muhammad’s grandfather Abd al-Muttalib was the custodian and after his demise, the responsibility was passed on to his uncle Abu Talib. Muhammad was orphaned at a very young and was raised by his grandfather and then his uncle; hence Muhammad had a very honorable lineage and upbringing as he had been under the tutelage of some of the most respected members of the society. (Haykal, 1994) Despite the countless vices that pervaded the Arabian society at that, Muhammad earned the love and respect of the people for his honesty and truthfulness. He never indulged in corrupt activity and when he was 25 years old, he was hired a widowed businesswoman Khadija. Despite the fact that Muhammad was younger than Khadija and had an age difference of 11 years, they were bound by matrimony and together had a fairly happy marriage that lasted for a quarter of a century until the death of Khadija. Polygamy was rampant at that time, but throughout his marriage to Khadija, Muhammad never took up a new wife and remained devoted to her completely. Muhammad had always rejected the religion of Arabia at that that was largely based on paganism and idol worship. Muhammad felt that the idols were not responsible for giving life or creating this world, and was highly perturbed by the lawlessness that permeated every aspect of the society. In order to get away from these lecherous affairs of the society, he found solace in meditation and

Homo Erectus and the Colonization of Asia Essay

Homo Erectus and the Colonization of Asia - Essay Example These early hominids experienced the interpreted environmental changes. These changes, however, probably had little negative affect on this hominid. In fact, the adaptations that permitted Homo erectus to leave Africa were most likely well suited to the open woodland environments subsequently encountered. These adaptations include larger body size compared to earlier hominids, bipedality, linear body proportions, and a more sophisticated tool kit (Spencer, 1997). Specifically, bipedality would have permitted foraging in open environments (Rodman and McHenry, 1980), whereas large body size would have been useful for surviving interactions with large predators also found in these habitats (Walker, 1993). Others (Anton et al., 2002) have suggested that the maintenance of this large body size, as well as increased brain size, may have resulted from greater nutritional dependence on animal fat and protein. This may have necessitated the increase in tool sophistication for acquiring this additional component of the diet. Finally, the long, linear body proportions found in Homo erectus might have been an advantage for heat dissipation in tropical, open grasslands, like those found in Java during this time (Ruff, 1994). Anton et al. (2002) have proposed a model for the initial hominid dispersal from Africa. They suggest that ecological change provided an increase in niches within grassland and wooded grassland environments for terrestrial herbivores. Hominids of relatively larger brain and body size, in turn, took advantage of these animal resources and ultimately increased their own reproductive success (Leonard and Robertson, 1997; Anton et al., 2002). As foraging strategy and the ecosystem structure changed, the home range of these hominids increased leading to greater dispersal capability. Additionally, the dispersing herbivores not only provided a subsistence resource but may have also served as an impetus for hominid dispersal (Anton et al., 2002). It has been shown that the Middle Pleistocene faunas of Java are closely related to the faunas of India and Burma (de Vos, 1995). Thus, based on the model of Anton et al. (2002), it can be inferred that as these species migrated southward, they began to occupy the open grasslands, densely vegetated river valleys, and upland forests of Java during the Early to Middle Pleistocene. As the hominids followed the migrating herbivores, they too would have taken advantage of the resources afforded by the landscape at this time. The Sunda Shelf then became exposed approximately 800,000 years ago, grasslands expanded, and more species began to enter Java. This increased resource base may have lead to increased reproductive success of Homo erectus. 3 The Asian Homo erectus The relationship of Asian Homo erectus to Asian Homo sapiens has long been a source of discussion. In the simplest terms this problem takes the form of whether or not modern and recent Asian populations show morphological affinities to earlier populations attributed to Homo erectus. Again the currently unresolved question of the genetic

Disability Assignment Essay Example for Free

Disability Assignment Essay Ageism has been addressed and there have been many solutions made to help stop it. The ADA was established to stop the discrimination of the disabled, which many elderly people are. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was established to protect workers 40 years of age or older from being fired because of their age and replaced with younger workers who presumably would receive lower salaries. None of these have been a miracle, but they have slowed down the discrimination of the elderly. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Meachan v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory stating that employers under ADEA had to prove that laying off older workers wasn’t based on age but â€Å"some reasonable factor† (Schaefer, 2012). Is the number of aging population expected to rise in numbers or decrease? The number of the aging population is expected to rise in numbers. According to  The Demographics Of Aging  (2009), today, one out of every 9 Americans is old—another former youth turns 50 every 8 seconds. Those age 65 and older now exceed 35 million, a number poised to explode. The upcoming aging population will be different from those of past decades. They will live longer, maintain better  health  and have more active life styles than previous generations. With the increase in the elderly population comes the need for more Social Security, disability and medical care. This could affect the economy in a negative way. †¢ What types of legislation may or may not be affected by the aging population? I think Bills will be affected by the aging population because they will need to be enforced more. There are many Bills and laws that have been passed for the equal rights and fair treatment of the elderly. There are many private and public bills that I am sure will be enforced more with the increase in the elderly population. With the rise of the elderly, there will be a rise in voting also. More elderly people vote during an election year than any other age group. These are the only two ways that I can think of that would be affected by the ageing population. How does poverty affect the ageing population? Many elderly people live right at the poverty level because of all the expenses they have. Prescriptions, doctor’s appointments, housing, etc. are all expenses that elderly people have to pay for every month. Most elderly people have insuran ce, such as Medicare, but this doesn’t always pay for all the medical expenses they incur. Poverty can affect the ageing population in negative ways. They can become stressed that they might not be able to pay all their bills, which can lead to health issues. If Social Security benefits did not exist, an estimated 44%  of the elderly would be poor today, assuming no changes in behavior (Cawthorne,  2008). There are many in the ageing population who are still working today because they don’t have the means to retire. With the downfall of the economy, many have to come out of retirement and become employed again because their government benefits aren’t enough. Part III †¢ How have people with disabilities been treated in the past? The disabled population has been treated very unfairly in the past. They are discriminated against and are shown prejudice because of their state. Many were denied employment because of their disabilities and public venues didn’t have the proper means to accommodate a disabled person. Some disabled individuals were treated like they had a disease. They were given dirty looks or were stared at like they were a zoo animal. The disabled were left in institutions or homes to live out the rest of their lives because no one wanted to â€Å"deal† with them. They weren’t given the same treatment as the non-disabled. There were also cases of parents of a disabled child being told they were better off â€Å"putting them out of their misery† because there weren’t very many resources available. All of this treatment led to the passing of laws and the creation of many organizations to help the disabled receive fair treatment. †¢ How has the attitude toward people with disabilities changed over time? The attitude toward and treatment of people with disabilities has changed drastically over time. Since the introduction of the ADA, which is the Americans with Disabilities Act, the disabled have been receiving equal rights and have been able to fight against discrimination. Almost every public venue has the means to accommodate the disabled, such as a wheelchair ramp or automatic opening doors. There are events now made specifically for the disabled so they can still be a part of their community, like the Special Olympics and charity events. My nephew has Down Syndrome and they have a special baseball league every summer that he participates in called the â€Å"Miracle League†. People are embraced more for their disabilities instead of being shunned. There is much more technology available in order to keep the disabled active and social. Also, with the passing of the ADA, there are more disabled individuals gaining employment. Granted, the jobs they acquire aren’t top level executives, but they do provide them with a sense of security and pride. †¢ What are some unique circumstances or issues encountered by people with disabilities? There are quite a few unique circumstances or issues that I can think of encountered by people with disabilities. If the disabled individual is in a wheelchair, they have many obstacles they have to overcome. They are the first to board an airplane since they take the longest to get on the plane. When they go through metal detectors, they have to be wanded afterwards because they go off every time. Disabled individuals with any kind of physical disability have a harder time moving around places and enjoying the same recreational activities as a person without a physical disability. Individuals who are blind have braile on signs and also can’t enjoy the same activities that the seeing population can. Disabilities to me are a unique circumstance in itself that other individuals have to be kind and respectful about. †¢ What is being done to address those issues? The ADA has been passed which prevents the discrimination of the disabled. They cannot be discriminated in the workforce, restaurants, transportation, etc. There have been many disabled individuals who have fought with the basis of the ADA behind them. There are resources that can be used by the disabled in order to make their lives easier, such as wheelchair ramps. These things make the lives of the disabled much easier. There is also Social Security Disability available for those who cannot work and need the income to live. †¢ What types of legislation have been introduced to address issues faced by people with disabilities? There are many types of legislation that have been introduced to help the disabled. The ADA, which I have already discussed in previous answers, protects the disabled from prejudice and discrimination. The Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) ensures that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families have access to community-based services and supports to promote opportunities for independence, productivity and inclusion. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act (Rehab Act) authorizes the formula grant programs of vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, independent living, and client assistance. It also authorizes a variety of training and service discretionary grants administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The Importance And Significance Of Self Awareness Social Work Essay

The Importance And Significance Of Self Awareness Social Work Essay Self awareness, according to Wong (2003), means recognition of our personality, strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes. As a social worker, self awareness is an essential element to prepare oneself to encounter the clients personal matter, their attitudes, thoughts, etc. The essay is going to discuss the importance and significance of self awareness. Then talk about what I have learnt about myself, in terms of my personalities, attitudes, strengths, limitations and how my past experiences affect me. Finally correlate how self awareness can help my professional development as a social worker. According to Rothman (1999), everyone has its own attitudes or viewpoints towards something. Our thoughts and values are shaped during the time of infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. These thinking may be based on our own experiences, education received or society influences. It is clear that our past experiences, social norms, values from the others, characteristics, prejudices or stereotypes shape Knowing how my past experiences influence my own values helps me to be more aware of my own self. Having an uncle who committed suicide that made my family, especially my grandmother, sad and miserable, I personally hate people who have the intention to end up their lives. However, this hatred may make me unable to make the most appropriate decision when a client who has the will to commit suicide seeks help from me. Moreover, as suggested by Biestek (1961), the relationship between the social worker and the client has been called the soul of casework. It may be hard for me to develop appropriate relationship with the client. It is possible that I will have uncontrolled emotional involvement and judgmental attitudes towards the client. Without self awareness and knowing what experiences shape my thoughts, I will experience difficulty in providing sensitive and skillful services to the clients. I may also unknowingly reject the client and avoid talking too much about death unconscious ly. However, by knowing what experiences are affecting my values and thoughts, Rothman (1999) suggested that it assists the worker to work with clients, and to control and minimize the influences of personal attitudes and beliefs that may be harmful and prejudicial toward clients. Prejudices, biases and stereotypes may be great barriers on my professional development. It is common that when come to minorities such as prostitutes, homosexuals or the street sleepers, people may regard their behaviors as unethical. It may due to their personal values, cultural, religious and other beliefs which people take for granted to adopt when facing these issues. I also have prejudices and stereotypes on them and they may be expressed in conversations, acts or behaviours since they are hidden in the subconscious as suggested by Rothman (1999). I may unknowingly have words that harm them and make them defensive or not trust in me. Thus making it hard to develop good relationship with the client and hard to have intervention processes. For example, I have been exposed to a strong heterosexual bias and may incorporate some homophobic reactions such as discomfort or hatred of homosexual people. Without self-awareness and knowledge, I may not be able to provide skillful services to gay or lesbian clients. If a worker has religious belief, he or she may even have a strong belief that homosexuality is a sin. According to Sheafor and Morales (2007), one of the competences required for social work practice is the capacity to engage in ethnic-, gender- and age-sensitive practice. In order to achieve this, it is essential for a worker to find ways and methods to separate their personal belief system from their professional values, ethics and roles. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses also helps me with my professional development. I am glad and patient to listen to others. At the same time, I am also empathetic to others experiences and difficulties. It makes the clients feel being respected and thus it is easier to develop a proper client-worker relationship. It is of utmost importance that the client trust you Reflecting on our own experiences and developmental stages helps when working with clients. For example, I was shy and not willing to express my care towards others in my childhood. And I would have no opportunity to show my love to my grandmother who died years ago. The losses in my life make me re-think the way I used to be and strive for a change, that is, be more outgoing and caring to others. I can thus draw on my personal experience when working with young people and guide them in the changing process. However, it also makes me consider my limitations, that is, when working with elderly clients. I can relate my experience that is similar to a teenagers, however, it is impossible for me to have certain difficulties faced by elderly clients such as the aging process. As suggested by Berman-Rossi(2001), a social worker thus must develop aging relevant knowledge, self awareness, sensitivity and skill. Knowledge about aging demographics, age-related changes and developmental tasks i s essential. Although there are limitations to my service provided, there are ways to minimize the inadequacy. Increased openness to other ways of thinking My family is a blissful one, sometimes having some conflicts but still harmonious on the whole. I once thought that it is normal to have the kind of family like mine, and at least most of the families are alike. However, it is wrong as there are diversities in family structure. Some families are single-parented, while some may have huge communication problems among family members or having family members that are drug addicts that greatly affects the family. Sharing own feelings and thoughts among a group of peers helps to make up ones own viewpoint towards the population. By listening and sharing, one can know more about the peers attitudes on the issue, to examine their own attitudes and to exchange opinions in an overview. One can also have a broader view on an issue and Social workers must confront their own prejudices and stereotypes about minorities. Making myself known about losses in my own life helps me to understand what past experiences or feelings are affecting my own values and thoughts today.

The Power of Secrets in The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Power of Secrets in The Scarlet Letter Deception is defined by Webster's Dictionary as the art of misrepresentation. Throughout the history of mankind, the use of deception to promote oneself to a higher level, or to hide one's past, has been a common occurrence. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne , Chillingworth and Dimmesdale both use deception to hide secrets from each other, and from the rest of the town. Hester Prynne is the only one who knows the secrets that Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are hiding from the townsfolk. Hester has to control her desire to tell the truth and practices the art of deception to hide these secrets. When she will not reveal the father of Pearl, Reverend Dimmesdale says, "She will not speak." It is ironic that the person who committed the sin with Hester is the one who announces publicly that she will not reveal the name of the other sinner. Later, Chilling worth wants to know who it is and he says, "Thou wilt not reveal his name?" Hester refuses and continues to hold her silence. Then Chillingworth, still trying to find out the name of her lover, comments, ". . . but Hester, the man lives who has wronged us both! Who is he?" When he says this, he is hinting that he is going to do something to Dimmesdale. This is why Hester makes Chillingworth promise not to kill her lover if he finds out his identity. Chillingworth deserves to know who slept with his wife, although Hester should not have had to tell him. I think that Dimmesdale should have admitted that he was Pearl's father. Today, if a priest admitted such a crime, he would probably be sent to jail. However, in the novel, had Dimmesdale confessed, the townsfolk would have liked him even more. Hester also has to live with, and conceal, the secret that the scholar, Chilling worth, is her husband. When he comes to visit her in jail he says, "Thou hast kept the secret of thy paramour. Keep, likewise, mine! There are none in this land that know me. Breathe not, to any soul, that thou didst ever call me husband.

Computer-Based Training :: Technology Essays

Computer-Based Training What is CBT? CBT or Computer Based Training is a difficult term to adequately define because it encompasses various modes of instruction and has evolved from the simplest definition, "The use of computers and multimedia technology for training"(http://www.unn.ac.uk/~buu504/comp_bt.htm). The best definition for CBT is from a 1995 text called Making CBT Happen by Gloria Gery. An interactive learning experience between the learner and computer in which the computer provides the majority of the stimulus, the learner must respond, and the computer analyzes the response and provides feedback to the learner (1995). Although this definition is quite dated, and CBT has evolved considerably since 1995, it adequately describes the key roles the computer and the learner have in the process. CBT (Computer Based Training) can encompass any type of training that involves a learner interacting with a computer. This means that Web Based Training, Interactive Distance Learning, and Intranet can also fall under the CBT definition. For brevity of this paper, we will only look at the CBT modules used on CD-ROM and LAN (Local Area Network). To expound on this definition, one must accurately define Interactive Learning Experience as it relates to training. There are many forms of interactive learning experiences in training. These would include: Interactive practice exercises to incorporate a skill Interactive case studies simulating situations in which the learner applies previously acquired knowledge Interactive role plays in which people can practice new behaviors, approaches, techniques Interactive drills in which learners can prove mastery levels and move along the learning continuum from familiarization to automatic operation and fluency Interactive tests in which the learner can interactively assess their own progress to demonstrate competence or achieve confidence in their own knowledge and skill (Gery, 1995). I would also add that along with the interactive learning experience CBT modules also have administrative qualities. Most CBT programs can register learners based on their status through particular career learning paths, as well as, store the learner's progress of the modules within a database. "There is a record keeping feature that can save time, maintain accurate training records, and diagnose training deficiencies" (Congram, 1995). CBT Advantages and Disadvantages Computer-Based Training modules have many advantages. First, there is the cost issue. For companies who have facilities on a national or even international scale, CBT is the most cost- effective way to train.

Is Samsung Both Low Cost and Differentiated If Yes, How Does It Do Both?

Samsung is low cost and differentiated. According to exhibit 7a-7i, it can be seen that Samsung has a lower operating cost of $8. 50 as compared to industry average of $11. 03 as well as higher profit margin 6. 6 times that of its competitors. This reflects Samsung ability to deliver desired value to customers using lean and effective design and production. Samsung is able to maintain the low cost largely because of lower labor, R&D and raw material cost. Samsung has a relatively lower labor cost for each production unit because its meritocratic hiring and evaluation system, reward policies, employees’ welfare and benefits to employees’ family allow employees to focus on innovation and productivity. Hardworking employees are always ready to work overtime, thereby eliminating wastage of resources needed to source for additional help or last minute hire. Also, its strategic location in Korea translates into some savings in labor cost compared to companies that operate in Japan and US. Samsung’s collocation of its main R&D facility and fab lines is estimated to have saved an average of 12% on fab construction costs. Living together at the Samsung’s primary campus, R&D and production engineers solve design and production engineering problems together and, indirectly encouraged good rapport. This may explain the lower R&D cost that Samsung incurs. Samsung’s innovative technology contributed to lower raw material costs and higher yield rate. Samsung currently uses the smallest process technology of 0. 11Â µm which enables them to have a higher net dice per wafer compared to their peers who uses 0. 13Â µm. Samsung needs less materials than others to produce the same product, reducing overall production cost. Its innovation not only reduced cost, but also formed its differentiated core competency. Noticeably, its innovation has reduced defects in its product also help to lower wastage and hence lower cost of production. Samsung is also innovative in customizing to their customers needs by designing different offer for each segment. The strategic fit of the different activities formed Samsung’s differentiated core competency that is definitely valuable, rare, costly to imitate and nonsubstitutable. The activities include the presence of a productive and innovative human resource, strategic location, social complexity, good leadership and trusted band name. With these synergistic factors, Samsung is both low cost and differentiated.