Turkey Religion Essays - Islam, Religion, Sharia, Islam In Turkey

Turkey Religion Religion Islam is a monotheistic religion practiced by Muslims. They believe that Allah gave revelations to the Prophet Muhammed through the Angel Gabriel around A.D. 600. Jesus Christ and the prophets of the New Testament are accepted as Islamic precepts. During their rule of the Ottoman Empire, Islamic laws dictated the way of life for the Turks. In 1924 with the new republic government, Islamic Law was abolished as a state religion. The government removed religion from public policy and restricted it exclusively to personal faith. This led to the abolishment of the religion's hierarchy and the closing and confiscation of the lodges, meeting places and monasteries as well as outlawing their rituals and meetings. The government restricted religious public attire for men and women as well as trying to substitute Turkish words for Arabic words of Islamic origin. This was a swift and harsh attempt at change. During the 1940's there was a relaxation of some political controls and by the 1950's people wanted to return to traditional religious practice. In fact starting in the 1950's religious education was made compulsory in secondary schools and in 1982 it was extended to primary schools as well. A lot of the controversy that followed was found in the universities. Female students committed to Islam began to cover their heads and necks with scarves and long overcoats. This lead to the regulations in 1987, forbid female students to cover their heads in class. Protests by other religious students and professors overturned the dress code in the 1990's. Today, a Turkish woman's dress has become the center of much debate. (Bollag,B., January 8, 1999). The Muslim religion accounts for 99% of the population in Turkey. Non-Muslim's religions include: Christians, Protestants and Jews. The members of these religions usually reside in a single area and are very small in number.

Liberilism vs Conservatism essays

Liberilism vs Conservatism essays When one thinks of liberals and conservatives it tends to be a comparison of entirely different views concerning every issue. Conservative thinking is regularly associated with the Republican Party while liberal thinking is regularly associated with the Democratic Party. Two such figures that come to mind whose views tend to put them on opposite sides of the political spectrum are presidents Herbert C. Hoover and Harry S. Truman. For example, Hoovers failure to intervene in the private sector of the economy during the infant stages of the Great Depression agrees with the conservative idea of a free market economy. In contrast, Truman continued Roosevelts liberally supported reform measures. One important factor that influences a political figures decision making is his/her morals and beliefs. Conservatives usually have great influence from traditional institutions such as church. As a child, Hoover was raised in a rural Quaker community with a strict belief in the church and the traditional family. This led to his conservative beliefs and actions. During his presidency, Hoover promised to uphold the prohibition amendment, since drinking was seen as an evil in the Quakers (Encarta). Furthermore, he promised to enforce national laws. This went about with the conservative that that authority is needed to make man resistant to evil. Hoover became a millionaire by the time he was forty with great effort. His conservatism and respect for authority earned him that position. On the other hand, liberalism preached that belief that man has a natural ability to reason out right and wrong. Truman did not introduce any major crime legislation, nor did he believe that muc h authority was needed for man to reason out right and wrong (Bernstein 93). Concerning the views on the nature of man, Truman and Hoover developed their views in their early years. Truman being a farmer at heart never let go the hardships o...

Research Proposal for Research Methods Unit in Masters

For Methods Unit in Masters - Research Proposal Example After all, music is a foundation subject and the arguments for its inclusion in the curriculum must surely have been won; it is no longer what was once described as an 'endangered subject'. However, is this really the case Individuals and professional bodies regularly issue earnest statements about the educational significance and value of music studies and express concerns over limited staffing and resources. While there appears to be a steady supply of secondary specialists, Music Education is understandably disappointed by the scant attention now being given to music in the education and training of secondary school teachers. It may seem to some observers as if musicians and music educationists constantly need to protect their subject against people who regarded arts as little more than dispensable extras or mere entertainments. Whether or not there are any educational policy-makers who would subscribe to such an extreme view is questionable, but music educationists often appear to be on the defensive. In addition, in an age of transparency and accountability many teachers report that they are often required to explain, to different audiences, why music is of value within the context of a general education. The study intends to draw insights among Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland about the decline of music education in their region. Furthermore it seeks to accomplish following specific goals: 1. To present the views of Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland about music education. 2. To describe how Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland have shown appreciation and preservation of music education. 3. To discover the impacts of music education to the curricular and socio-cultural dimensions in the Secondary Schools of Queensland. 4. To solicit plan of actions from Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland on how to effectively improve the quality of music education in Queensland Secondary schools. Statement of the Problem The study aims to document critically the current views among Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland on the decline of music education in their region. Furthermore it seeks to answer the following specific research questions: 1. What are the current views and insights of Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland 2. How do Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland describe music education in the schools today 3. Do Secondary School Administrators, Faculty Members and Selected Students in Queensland believe that, the music education in secondary schools has declined Do they have proof/s on their claims 4. In what specific ways appreciation and preservation of music education are demonstrated or concretized in secondary schools5. What is the impact of music education to the curricular and socio-cultural dimensions in Secondary Schools of Queensland

The Role Of Systems And Simulation Research Paper

The Role Of Systems And Simulation - Research Paper Example The process management is recognized to be one of the most important tools for developing better operational management as well as a performance of a company.   In order to maintain the business process in a smooth manner, every company has developed its own process. Most of the companies have built their own process charts such as producing the widget, paying vendor administering payroll and much more. Contextually, it is evident that Wal-Mart has also played a vital role in preparing its own process management. The process name six sigma has been regarded as a more critical organizational process that includes a large number of operational activities of the organizations has been implemented within the operations of Wal-Mart (Grewal, 1-3).   It is notable that the concept of process management is recognized to be one of the most important concepts of managing the operations of the business in the most efficient manner. Through the implication of six sigma techniques of process management, the company has been able to reduce its additional cost within the business. It will be worth mentioning that the strategy of sig sigma is recognized to be more efficient in reducing extra cost of the company. In this regard, the company has decided to implement the six sigma process within the logistics department.   Apparently, it can be stated that Wal-Mart is recognized to be successful in establishing sustainable supply chain management with the help of a new concept name six sigma (Cengage Learning 1-2).  

Tone Analysis of Poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 23

Tone Analysis of Poems - Essay Example The two poems taken for discussion are Phillis Wheatley’s On Being Brought from Africa to America and William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper. The analysis of these two poems is done by identifying the tone of voice in each of the poems by concentrating on the specific words that the poet chooses to set the mood of the poem and to express his/her attitude regarding the subject. Phillis Wheatley’s On Being Brought from Africa to America addresses the society’s prejudices about perceiving the notion of race, religion, and identity. The poem is written in a satirical tone, expressing the poet’s mixed attitudes of gratefulness and resentment towards the society. Wheatley starts the poem with a grateful attitude from her personal experiences of Christian salvation and enlightenment of soul; nevertheless, she abruptly turns the poem’s tone into a satirical one, condemning the cultural norms of racism. The poem’s ironic tone can be seen in her personification of ‘mercy’ as a kind owner or Savior who had brought her from the Pagan land. The poet posits a plosive style in using the word ‘Pagan land’ to depict the land as a place of benighted souls. Similarly, she uses words like ‘benighted soul’, ‘sable race’, ‘scornful eye’, and ‘diabolic die’ to portray the society’s dark impression of black people and their land. The poet also expresses a sarcastic tone by comparing slavery and redemption as a grateful act of her oppressors. â€Å"Taught my benighted soul to understand That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.† The word choices like â€Å"Pagan†, â€Å"Saviour†, â€Å"Christians†, and â€Å"Cain† are allusions to biblical scriptures, providing theological implications to the subject matter of racism. The usage of biblical simile, â€Å"Black as Cain† depicts the association of sin with black color.  

Impact of Obama on US Regulatory System

Impact of Obama on US Regulatory System Within the first few years when Obama was elected, there are certain things that he has done right, while there are things that he failed to reflect on the broader portion of society. Yet, one thing he is doing that almost no one noticed, even the liberals, is strengthening the countrys regulatory system. The U.S regulatory system has been heavily weakened by the previous Republican presidents, in order for businesses to soar without any interuptions. However, this seemed to be troubling as proven by the recession in 2008 where the global collapsed due to the inregulated big banks, such as, AIG, that were supposed to be overseen by regulators. The problem is that these regulators were paid by these banks, and one would imagine that these businesses were appointed specific regulators by the government, yet, it was not the case. Hence, these rating agencies and regulators were often understaffed or afraid of losing businesses that these banks had the chance to mess up badly. That is wh y Obama is looking to reform these regulatory agencies. The agencies created in the great reform periods (1901–1914, 1932–1938, and 1961–1972) were intended to regulate all the difficult aspects of the economy, i.e. corruption, polluted environment using their scientific knowledge. Because people in power believed back then that we could administrate our country using scientific methods, which would differentiate itself from prejudice and pressures from the lobbyists, the staffs of our regulatory came from social and natural science majors. The idea was heavily criticized as the staffs are often inadequate to response everchanging aspect of our economy. Many of our previous Presidents believed in this idea, it was not until 1980s when George W. Bush became the President, and the idea was ultimately challenged by the Republicans and his allies. All of the staffs were replaced with business executives, and lobbyists; which actually defeated the purpose of regulating based on scientific expertise. Most of the elected peo ple from the Republican Parties were often unfitted for their positions. One example is Edwin G. Foulke Jr, who was chosen to run the OSHA by Bush. It would have been perfectly fine, if it was not for the fact that Mr. Foulke was previously an enemy of the OSHA agency, and he had actively instructed companies on how to stop union organizations. Another fact is that these chosen candidates are often rendered useless to do their job. It is rather odd to see Jeffrey Holmstead appointed by Bush to run the Clean Air Act, even though he was a representative of the Chemical Manufacturers Association. One is then forced to question whether the purpose of appointing unfitted people for the jobs is to render the regulatory system useless. However, after Obama took the office, the candidates were more carefully selected and properly fitted for the job. For instance, Obama knew that state officials are often the ideal candidates to manage the regulatory system, because they know what the rules are and how they are enforced. That is why he chose several knowledgeable state environmental officials to be in charge of the EPA. Lisa Jackson was picked to run the agency, as she was a chemical engineer who also directed the New Jersy Department of Environmental Protection. Previous Republican Presidents didnt just weaken our regulatory system by choosing the wrong people, they also heavily reduced the agenciess financial plan. This ultimately forced the agencies to lay off employees, which then translates to poor inspections. The number of officers during George Bush time dropped thirty five percentages. What is the point of having regulatory rules if there are not enough inspectors to enforce the rules? Seemingly, that was ho w the Republicans wanted. With all of his efforts, Obama is undoing all the damages to our regulatory system, by having massive fundings to most of the regulatory agencies. In 2010, the EPA was funded with $10.5 billion dollars. Similarly, OSHAs budget increased by ten percentages in 2010, which permitted to employ another 130 inspectors. Remarkably, one important thing that Obama did was that he made it difficult for the Congress to obstruct these regulatory rules. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) was introduced 1981 under Reagans administration. It was created to oversee all the other agencys rules. It has the power to detain or put an end to a rule, if the costs exceed the benefits, which were subjective and elusive to measure. That is why the OIRA became an effective device for the Republicans to weaken the regulatory system. Currently, Obama appointed Cass Sunstein, a Harvard Law Professor to be in charge of the OIRA. Mr. Sunstein shifts the focus of OIRA from the costs-benefits pe rspective to taking care for our future generations. The regulating agencies are now once again functional.Mary Schapiro, appointed to run the SEC, made 1600 inspections on Wall Street money managers. Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, sued Intel from averting computers makers using non-Intel chips. Even though Clinton tried to bring back the regulatory agencies in 1993, but he was overwhelmed by the Republicans domination in the Congress. Things are fine at the moment, yet, history tends to repeat itself. The political power is divided between the executive, legislative and judicial branch. Within the executive branch, the President is the most powerful leader. The process of electing the President is difficult, as our Founding Fathers did not wish for the President to be elected directly from the people. The idea of electing the President from a popular vote seemed too democratic or in another words, chaotic, as it would create imbalances between different classes of society. That is why the Electoral College was created. The numbers of Electoral College in each state depend on the numbers of members of Congress that state has. For instance, California has 55 electoral votes, while Wyoming has only 3 electoral votes. Having the Electoral College was not only meant to restore balances, but also to distribute the candidatess deficient amount of time and money, i.e, the candidates would concentrate their political campaigns on battlegrounds states instead of swing states, as George Bush did in 2004, where he ignored California, as results showed he was hopelessly behind. However, as practical as the idea seems, there were certain circumstances where the candidate received Presidency without having the majority of popular vote, such as, in 2000, even though George Bush received 500,000 less votes than Al Gore, he still managed to become the President by having the majority in electoral votes. Seemingly, this means one person vote is not practically equal to another, which ultimately challenges our fundamental idea of democracy, where one person is politically equal to another. The President is paid in salary annually. However, the Presidents compensation is often smaller compared to other companiess CEO. This reflects on the basic idea of capitalism where the President of a public sector is compensated less than other private sectors. This allows private ownerships to thrive, and reduce the publics cynicism about possible corruption.The powers of the President listed in the Constitution are the power to veto legislation passed by the Congress, to perform as the commander in chief of the armed forces, execute the laws, pardon criminals, make treaties, call Congress into special session, appoint government officials, and recognize foreign governments. But, it is safe to say that the Presidents powers may vary greatly depending on the circumstances. To expand on this thought, the President does not have the power to declare war, the Congress does (as specified in the Constitutions). Yet as proven in the Iraq war in 2001, Bush deployed 200,000 American troops into the war without the permission of the Congress. Only after the troops have arrived, he asked for their permissions, which proved to be completely useless. Furthermore, Bush advanced by freezing assets of suspected criminals involving the 9/11 incidents, and arrested people based on suspictions without any evidences. This was not challenged by the Congress since the issue was sensitive, and no one wanted to be remembered by being on the opposing team. The Presidents public image is equally important. By regular appearances on TV, Bush managed to convince 7/10 Americans that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 attack without having any supported evidences. Presidents often have different styles that they wish to operate with. Seemingly, John F. Kennedy appeared to be overconfident, while Lyndon Johnson was completely opposite. Reagons office was always a mess as he didnt pay attention to details; yet, he was excellent at communicating his idea to the public to the point none exceeded him. On the contrary, Jimmy Carter paid extremely close attention to details, which was a training that he obtained as an engineer. Clinton allowed his team to exercise their creativity and freedom in performing tasks, while Bush enjoyed restrictions and obidience. The President is elected to be a leader. They are elected to inspire change, to reach for a greater good. Their powers are shared between the Congress and the Judicial System, where the checks and balances remind them where they need to be. Hence there were times when the Congress and the President were alligned in the same page (Vietnam War), yet, naturally, the system was designed so that the Congress will always challenge the Presidents actions, vice versa. With the U.S raising as a super power, so are the Presidents political resources. At the same time, he is always challenged by interest group, lobbyists pursuing their ways that are often difficult for the President to overcome their obstacles. The Presidents goals are then to remain initiative when it comes to the interests of capital at home, and preserve coroparates interests overseas.

Essay --

Edith Corales Med 2049 Acute Renal Failure; PTX Tomie Nishime 11/11/2013 The human anatomy works is amazing in many ways and for the most part it all works together to keep a person alive. Every part of the body is essential, but the most important parts are the vital organs; hence the word â€Å"vital†. In most cases the organs start working when the baby is just in the womb but as person hits a certain milestone the body starts to have complications. Even a healthy person can start to have problems because it is inevitable to avoid harmful toxic that could have a negative effect on the body. In reference to toxic, the organ that eliminates toxics out of the body is the kidney. As stated by the National Kidney Foundation â€Å"Most people know that a major function of the kidneys is to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body. These waste products and excess fluid are removed through the urine. The production of urine involves highly complex steps of excretion and re-absorption. This process is necessary to maintain a stable balance o f body chemicals† (2013). Therefore the kidneys need to be well cared for because any damage to it can cause a malfunction; for instance, acute renal failure (ARF) reduces or completely stops the kidney’s function to filter our waste from the blood and excreting it in a form of urine. There are three different cause of acute renal failure prerenal, intrarenal and post renal. Pre-renal is a case when there is a loss of fluid in the body; for example, hypovolemic shock due to internal bleeding can cause a prerenal ARF. Pre-renal happens outside of the body because of the depletion of vascular fluid. As noted by Needham in his article â€Å"Management of Acute Renal Failure†, â€Å"Pre-renal azot... ...ve a symptom of anorexia, nausea, vomiting and pruritus. The amount of urine being excreted out of the body can be measured and in a person has a urine output of 400ml within one day then it is considered oliguria. A even serious urination complication is anuria which is the complete suppression of urine in the kidney, so no urine is being made. Reference The National Kidney Foundation (2013). Acute Renal Failure. Retrieved from http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozTopic_KidneyDisease.cfm Needham, E M.D. (2005). Management of Acute Renal Failure. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/1101/p1739.html WebMD (2013). Topic overview: Acute Renal Failure. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/uremic-syndrome Livestrong (2013). Acute & Chronic Renal Disease. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/212266-acute-chronic-renal-disease/

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

The movie response that will be covered in this essay will be on the film â€Å"Wall Street Money Never Sleeps †. It was directed by Oliver Stone, released during 2010 and is the sequel to the 1987 film â€Å"Wall Street†. The film starts with the release from jail of Michael Douglas' Gordon Gekko before cutting to a rather elaborate plot involving Shia LaBeouf as the young trader with (some) scruples, who's rising in a world that just happens to be collapsing at the same time, as investment banks run by the likes of Frank Langella and Josh Brolin teeter under the weight of the 2008 financial crisis. The story then carefully weaves in more and more to Gekko (who, conveniently, also happens to be LaBeouf's future father-in-law, a dad to LaBeouf's on-screen fiancee, Carey Mulligan) (Zeitchik, 2010). Greed seems to be Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps theme, reckless and over the top risky behaviour has lead to the bubble in the housing prices to burst due to the actions of Wall Street firms. Shia Labouf played by Jake Moore works for the Lehman Brothers-esque Keller Zabel and is mentored by managing director Lewis Zabel. He receives a bonus of $1,450,000, before a late-night treasury meeting, which reveals that Keller Zabel is on the verge of collapse. This brings up an important ethical issue on how much bankers and traders receive in bonuses, irrelevant of the financial climate. After the collapse of several large banks during the financial crises of 2008, many are still paying their employees substantial bonuses. Many argue that the UK government have pumped billions of pounds into the banking sector, and has bailed out both Royal Bank of Scotland and Loyds Banking Group. As a result they should have greater say in how much the banks pay out in bonuses, however the banks argue that they cannot dramatically reduce bonuses without the risk of losing top staff to banks based overseas, which are under less pressure to cut payments. Even if bonuses are cut, salaries have risen significantly to compensate, by up to 40% in some cases. This is one of the many flaws, which has been allowed to occur within the banking industry, to the point where it has become the norm (Peston, 2011). One of the most prominent ethical issues presented in this movie is the idea of insider trading, which is the trading of stock with hidden information that the general publics is not informed about. It began with rumours being spread on â€Å"Zabel† by Bretton James who runs the rival bank Churchill Schwartz, which caused the rumours to become true, and Keller Zabel to be on the verge of collapse. Bretton James then insults Lewis Zabel by offering him $3/share when the firm was trading the previous week at $75/share. Zabel claims that this was revenge for letting Jame’s company go under eight years ago. These series of events causes Zabel to commit suicide by throwing himself under a subway. To avenge his mentor Shia Labouf releases rumours on Churchil Shwartz, which caused their shares to drop down 8% in pre market trading costing them $120million. Insider trading can be a very powerful tool within the financial sector; it can be used to make large profits as well as destroying others. As illustrated in the movie, Lewis Zabel took his life due to the results of Insider trading. It’s a criminal offence in most countries, however as Shia Labouf said it’s â€Å"hard to prove†, this is due to the difficulty of trying to prove what a person has heard via word of mouth. Because Insider trading is illegal, insiders who wish to exploit price sensitive information collaborate with other traders to make it harder to trace the trades back to the person who is known to have access to the information. This is called an Insider Ring. The term â€Å"moral hazard† is mentioned several times throughout Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. It’s first mentioned during the treasury meeting, when they are deciding whether to bail out Keller Zabel, if they bail them out what’s to say it wont occur again. Moral hazard is the idea that an individual can alter their behaviour if they know they are insured against some of the outcomes, for example if a car is not insured you would take more care than if it was. The reason moral hazard comes up several times throughout the movie is because it’s often used within the context of banks and sub prime mortgages. This is due to the fact that before the 2008 financial crises sub prime mortgage lenders were making reckless lending decisions, they lent many mortgages to people who were unlikely to be able to pay them back. This led to large-scale mortgage defaulting, which caused many banks to go under and cause the economy to suffer. However many banks were bailed out by governments in order to reduce the economy suffering further, which is effectively rewarding them for bad economic decisions (What is Moral Hazard, 2007). The issue of lack of corporate governance is apparent in the movie, its connected to the reasons why Keller Zabel and the other banks began to fail. A definition of Corporate Governance is a â€Å"set of relationships between a company’s directors, its shareholders and other stakeholders. It also provides a structure through which the objectives of a company are set, and the means of achieving those objectives and monitoring performance, are determined† (OECD). Events such as soaring pay packages for top bank executives which are often driven by extraordinary risk taking rather than real sustainable profits, weaknesses in risk management, board oversight, understatement of bad loans can all be linked to poor corporate governance (Corporate Governance failure to blame for banking crises, 2009). Money laundering is another un-ethical issue, which Wall Street brings about. Gordon Gekko reveals to Shia LaBeouf that he has $100million in a Swiss account under his daughter’s name, which she will be entitled to when she turns 25. Gordon suggests that him and his daughter travel to Switzerland sign the account over to LaBeouf’s name and he in return gives Gordon the money so that he brings it to the States in order to avoid the RAS getting involved, which is Money Laundering. To conclude there are many ethical layers within Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, such as unjustified salaries, poor corporate governance, insider trading, moral hazard and money laundering. These issues are very real, and still go on in our daily lives. We continue to inflate these â€Å"bubbles† until eventually they will burst, and repeat the process. Albert Einstein said, â€Å"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results†. This seems to be very true of the banking industry and the lack of thought of the consequences to their actions. Gordon Gekko presented us with a question, â€Å"Is Greed Good? † I believe Greed can never be good.Bibliography †¢ Corporate Governance failure to blame for banking crises. (2009, 02 24). Retrieved 05 2011 from Professional Pensions: http://www.professionalpensions.com/professional-pensions/news/1441283/corporate-governance-failure-blame-banking-crisis †¢ DREA. (2010, 10 30). Movie Review of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Retrieved 05 2011 from Businesspundit: http://www.businesspundit.com/movie-review-of-wall-street-money-never-sleeps/ †¢ Insider Trading. (n.d.). Retrieved 05 2011 from Moneyterms: http://moneyterms.co.uk/insider-trading/ †¢ Kenny, J. (2009, 02 25). Corporate governance failure driving banking crises. Retrieved 05 2011 from FTadviser: http://www.ftadviser.com/InvestmentAdviser/Investments/AssetClass/Equities/News/article/20090225/2d2a7d74-034c-11de-a6db-00144f2af8e8/Corporate-governance-failure-driving-banking-crisis.jsp †¢ Peston, R. (2011, 01 07). Bank bonuses ‘to run to billions in 2011†². Retrieved 05 2011 from BBC NEWS: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12131092 †¢ What is Moral Hazard. (2007, 12 11). Retrieved 05 2011 from Economicshelp: http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/economics/what-is-moral-hazard/ †¢ Zeitchik, S. (2010, 05 14). Cannes 2010: â€Å"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps' issues its wake-up call. Retrieved 05 2011 from Los Angelese Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/05/wall-street-money-never-sleeps-cannes-oliver-stone.html

5 Interesting Facts About Slavery in the Americas

5 Interesting Facts About Slavery in the Americas Slavery is a topic that never leaves the public consciousness; films, books, art, and theater have all been created about the institution. Yet, many Americans still know far too little about the transatlantic slave trade. They cant say when it began or ended or how many Africans were kidnapped and enslaved against their will. Its difficult to discuss current issues related to slavery, such as reparations, without first understanding how the slave trade left its imprint on Africa, the Americas, and the world. Millions Shipped to the Americas While it’s common knowledge that six million Jews died during the Holocaust, the number of West Africans shipped to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade from 1525 to 1866 remains a mystery to much of the public. According to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, 12.5 million Africans were loaded up like human cargo and forever separated from their homes and families. Of those Africans, 10.7 million managed to live through the horrific journey known as the Middle Passage. Brazil: Slaverys Epicenter Slave traders shipped Africans all over the Americas, but far more of the enslaved population ended up in South America than any other region. Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, ​estimates that a single South American country- Brazil- received 4.86 million, or about half of all slaves who survived the trip to the New World. The United States, on the other hand, received 450,000 Africans. According to a 2016 U.S. Census Bureau report, roughly 45 million blacks live in the United States, and most of them are descendants of the Africans forced into the country during the slave trade. Slavery in the North Initially, slavery wasn’t just practiced in the Southern states of the United States, but in the North as well. Vermont stands out as the first state to abolish slavery, a move it made in 1777 after the U.S. liberated itself from Britain. Twenty-seven years later, all of the Northern states vowed to outlaw slavery, but it continued to be practiced in the North for years. That’s because the Northern states implemented legislation that made slavery’s abolition gradual rather than immediate. PBS points out that Pennsylvania passed its Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery in 1780, but gradual turned out to be an understatement. In 1850, hundreds of Pennsylvania blacks continued to live in bondage. Just more than a decade before the Civil War kicked off in 1861, slavery continued to be practiced in the North. Banning the Slave Trade The U.S. Congress passed a law in 1807 to ban the importation of enslaved Africans, and similar legislation took effect in Great Britain the same year. (The U.S. law went into effect on Jan. 1, 1808.) Given that South Carolina was the only state at this time that hadn’t outlawed the importation of slaves, Congress’ move wasn’t exactly groundbreaking. What’s more, by the time Congress decided to ban the importation of slaves, more than four million enslaved blacks already lived in the United States, according to the book Generations of Captivity: A History of African American Slaves. Since the children of those enslaved people would be born into slavery, and it wasn’t illegal for American slaveholders to trade those individuals domestically, the congressional act did not have a marked impact on slavery in the U.S. Elsewhere, Africans were still being shipped to Latin America and South America as late as the 1860s. Africans in the U.S. Today During the slave trade, about 30,000 enslaved Africans entered the U.S. yearly. Fast forward to 2005, and 50,000 Africans annually were entering the U.S. on their own volition. It marked a historic shift. â€Å"For the first time, more blacks are coming to the United States from Africa than during the slave trade,† The New York Times reported. The Times estimated that more than 600,000 Africans lived in the U.S. in 2005, about 1.7 percent of the African-American population. The actual number of Africans living in the United States might be even higher if the number of undocumented African immigrants was tallied.

Compare Contrast Religion Essays - Prophets Of Islam, Messianism

Compare Contrast Religion Essays - Prophets Of Islam, Messianism Compare Contrast Religion ************************************************************************** ***** Joe Stas [emailprotected] This was an A essay! ************************************************************************** ***** Compare and Contrast essay: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism Introduction of Religions Christianity most widely distributed of the world religions, having substantial representation in all the populated continents of the globe. Its total membership may exceed 1.7 billion people. Islam, a major world religion, founded in Arabia and based on the teachings of Muhammad, who is called the Prophet. One who practices Islam is a Muslim. Muslims follow the Koran, the written revelation brought by Muhammad. The Muslim world population is estimated at more than 1 billion. Islam is the quickest growing religion. Judaism is one of the world's oldest religious traditions. Pre-modern Judaism constituted (and traditional Judaism today constitutes) an integrated cultural system of Jewish law, custom, and practice encompassing the totality of individual and communal existence. It is a system of sanctification in which all is to be subsumed under God's rule. Judaism originated in the Middle East, but Jewish communities have existed at one time or another in almost all parts of the world, a result of both voluntary migrations and forced exile or expulsions. Origin The central element of Christianity is the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish rabbi, attracted a following of people who believed him to be a new prophet. Their recollections of Jesus' words and deeds recall his days on earth and the miracle of his resurrection from the dead on the first Easter. These Jewish Christians began the first churches, in Jerusalem. Much like Christianity Islam was based on the prophesies and teaching of person or prophet, Muhammad. In Mohammed's time (570?-632), the Arabian Peninsula was inhabited by nomadic Bedouins and city-dwelling Arabs. Muhammad began his ministry at the age of 40, when, he claimed, the archangel Gabriel appeared to him in a vision. At first Muhammad confided his visions only to his family and close friends. After four years he began to preach openly in his native city of Mecca. Ridiculed by the Meccans, he went to Medina in 622. At his death in 632, Muhammad was the leader of an Arab state growing rapidly in power. The third duty of a Muslim is to pay zakat. This tax was originally levied by Muhammad ,and later by Muslim states, on the wealthy members of the community, primarily to help the poor. The fourth duty is the fast of the month of Ramadan. During the fasting month, one must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset. The fifth duty is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Every adult Muslim who is physically and economically able to do so must make this pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime. Unlike the other two major religions Judaism evolved form the Israelites who didn't deny the existence of other gods for other nations, though they only worshipped one deity. Its deity was Yahweh, the god of the patriarchs, who was worshipped in a sacrificial cult centered in Jerusalem and later at sanctuaries in the north, where a rival Jewish kingdom was formed. Prophets who warned against the people's reliance on these temple cults saw themselves vindicated when both the northern and southern kingdoms were destroyed by foreign conquerors. The exile of the Judeans to Babylonia in 586 BC was a major turning point in Israelite religion. The prior history of Israel now was reinterpreted in light of the events of 586, laying the foundation for the traditional biblical Pentateuch, prophetic canon, and historical books. A truly monotheistic religion, called Judaism, developed from these events. In 539 BC the Jews were permitted to return to Israel. Doctrines and Practices In Christian teaching, Jesus is the supreme preacher and exemplar of the moral life, but for most Christians that does not fully justify significance of his life and work. Christians teach that God is almighty in dominion over all that is in heaven and on earth, righteous judgment over good and evil. Baptism is the means of initiation into Christianity. Another fundamental component of the Christian faith and practice is its community. The community of faith in the church is the primary setting for Christian worship, although Christians of all traditions have placed a strong emphasis on private devotion and individual prayer. Unlike Christianity Islam has two fundamental sources of doctrine and practice, which are the Koran and the Sunna. Muslims regard the Koran as the speech of God to Muhammad and they believe that God himself is the author. The Sunna is known through Hadith, the body of traditions based on the words and actions of the Prophet. Unlike the Koran, Hadith is not considered infallible. The Islamic culture also believes that there are fundamental things for all Muslims to do so they go to heaven. According

Compare and contrast two articles with opposite viewpoints (opposing Essay

Compare and contrast two articles with opposite viewpoints (opposing articles) - Essay Example The authors claim that research shows that the difference in the cognitive abilities of girls and boys are trivial; thus, there is no gain in opting for single-sex classrooms in public schools. Aside from the high cost of setting up these classrooms, it also goes against the federal law which requires that schools should make available their resources to both sexes. The authors conclude their article by stating that single-sex classrooms do not make any sense. On the other hand, Reed’s essay, â€Å"Girls and Boys Thrive in Separate Classrooms† take the opposite side by arguing that â€Å"single-sex education is a valid and compelling option† (Reed 542). The article mentions that the learning styles of girls and boys differs; therefore, there is a need to promote single-sex classrooms. Moreover, the author mentions that students who graduate from single-sex classrooms perform better and are more prepared for college than those who attend coed schools (Reed 542). R eed cites several statistics and researches to justify her argument that single-sex classroom is the route that the nation must take if it wants to remain competitive (543). These two articles will be compared and contrasted to determine which one is a more persuasive and effective discussion on the issue of single-sex classrooms. ... In the fourth paragraph Reed cites a study of secondary schools and colleges which showed that single-sex schools for females provide better educational opportunities and occupational achievements (Reed 542). On the other hand, Barnett’s and Rivers’ style is less direct. They do not present their position in the first part of the essay; rather, they mention about a school’s superintendent plan to create two single-sex public schools. Unlike Reed, the readers are not made aware of their stand until the middle part of the essay. The style of Barnett and Rivers is to show examples of single-sex classrooms and how it affects the performance of the students. The mention of statistics is not predominant in the article unlike that of Reed’s. Barnett and Rivers’ article lacks the support of statistical data. They mention that the theory that there are major gender differences in the processing of information between boys and girls have been debunked but the y fail to present evidence of such, unlike Reed who supports her theories by citing statistics. The use of statistics makes Reed’s article more convincing and believable. A notable style of Barnett and Rivers is shown in paragraph 8. Contrary to Reed’s style, they include a statement in their article that single-sex classrooms are good provided the resources are there (Barnett and Rivers 540). They agreed to the opposing position but immediately contradict it by saying that there is a catch to it. Reed on the other hand, never mentions that coed classrooms are good. Instead, she strengthens her position by presenting the drawbacks of her argument but refutes it by discussing the results or a research made among more than 450 schools (Reed 542). Both

International Legal Aspects of Iraq's Sustainable Development Dissertation

International Legal Aspects of Iraq's Sustainable Development - Dissertation Example On another note, decades of stagnation and sanctions in the Saddam regime meant that further oil and gas exploration was not possible. In addition to Iraq’s proven reserves of oil and gas, it is expected that another 45 billion to 100 billion barrels of crude oil remain unexplored1. On another note, it is ironic that for the fiscal years 2009 and 2010, Iraq’s central government had to face a fiscal deficit even though there are vast oil and gas reserves in the country’s territory. The lack of effective frameworks to explore and exploit the oil and gas resources has led the Iraqi nation to a miserable state such that the Iraqi’s long term sustainable development is highly impaired. This chapter will look into various forms of international petroleum agreements to observe how they have been implemented throughout the world and in Iraq’s case. Given the fact that Iraq changed regimes, the international petroleum agreements binding it internationally al so changed. ... chapter will also look into how political factors, both external an internal, tend to affect petroleum agreements, especially, in the context of the friction between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal Iraqi government. This chapter will then explore the environmental clauses of Iraqi petroleum agreements and ascertain its bearing on community development and economic development targets. Lastly, the chapter will look into the various legal challenges that sustainable development of oil and gas resources face in Iraq at the present. Evolution of International Petroleum Agreements International petroleum agreements (IPA) have evolved over time as the relationship between suppliers and producers has transformed through its highs and lows. In the modern day, IPAs are well established tools of business and a narrow range of IPAs tends to provide for most business arrangements between petroleum producers and suppliers. The various legal arrangements utilised under internatio nal law and IPA to benefit the petroleum producer and supplier are being discussed in order to evaluate what kinds of legal arrangements are more sustainable than others. This will further be applied in Iraq’s case to decipher how Saddam era petroleum agreements tend to differ from modern oil and gas contracts, especially with reference to sustainability and sustainable development for the people of Iraq. Concession Agreements Since most nation states tend to assume control of any mineral resources discovered in their territory, it is a direct consequence that they tend to represent any such interests under international law. The discovery of oil over the globe in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century saw a number of nation states trying to conjure legal arrangements to