Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Argument - Essay Example In rural school districts, however, 20 percent of students were considered obese. More alarmingly, researchers found that during the years of the survey, between 1999 and 2001, the number of obese students in rural school districts rose about 5 percent, more than twice the rate of their urban counterparts.† The research handled within this quote has been explained later within this paper. (Paxson, Christina) This paper thus helps to provide an insight into the rapidly growing rate of obesity that children suffer in schools and helps to provide solutions regarding how to counter this alarming issue. Most children all around the world spend their maximum time in school and therefore it is pertinent for the schools administration and authorities to understand the problem of obesity and address the issues as fast as possible in order to risk the complexity which comes along with obesity in old age. Around 9 million school children in the age group of above six years to fifteen years have been distinguished to be obese in USA as given in many statistical reports. Obesity among school children may be attributed to poor quality of life in school, as the children do not give enough attention to a healthy life. So what is causing such alarming rate of obesity among school students in USA? More and more children are now prone to obesity and the problem never ceases to go down with time, with parents getting tensed and worried for their children and looking for solution which could cater to the problem in the most effective and efficient manner. To highlight the solution to the problem, one of the main acts which needs to be initiated by schools is to foster an exercise module which shall incorporate physical fitness among the students of the school inside the school premises at regular intervals and throughout the week so that the students do not fall prone to ill health during their academic calendar. One of the

Judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Judaism - Essay Example This paper will examine Judaism and argue that it may be largely defined as a communal behaviour that is rooted in knowledge of the reality. To begin with, one should note that just like Islam Judaism also has a legal dimension to it. In other worlds, there is a legal system that is based on the sacred text of Judaism, namely Torah (Solomon 1996, 56). Indeed, this means that the latter should not be considered to be merely a spiritual text, but a set of rules and regulations that might be used to resolve different issues. What is more important is that the very name might be interpreted as teaching which implies the practical application of knowledge that is stored in it. That is why it is not surprising that the Jews also applied the text that contained the religious dogma to daily affairs. One should also note that this application is recognized on the state level. For example, according to the tradition of Judaism, on the seventh day of the week, which is Saturday, the Jews should not do any work, but only rest. While this might seem as a peculiar religious tradition; nevertheless, on every Saturday trains do not run in Israel, planes do not fly and the majority of the stores are closed. All this shows how religious principles are able to modify communal behaviour. Moreover, while some rules might have some theological support, they still impose severe restriction that other people, regardless of their involvement into the spiritual practice have to face. The next point that should be noted while considering the nature of Judaism and its communal dimension is the way the above mentioned sacred text is regarded. Thus, there is no doubt in the fact that Torah is the corner stone of this religious tradition (Harvey 2005, p. 74). However, it must be noted that Judaism recognizes two kinds of Torah – Written one and Oral one. As a result, what people tend to mostly

Applied Managerial Marketing- Phase 1 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applied Managerial Marketing- Phase 1 DB - Essay Example lly-relevant campaigns such as "Give Your Two Cents Worth" concept as part of its Childrens Safe Drinking Water campaign and the newly-introduced Pampers ® Tetanus Vaccination Campaign in cooperation with UNICEF. The press release talks about P&G to increase funding and scope for its Live, Learn and Thriveâ„ ¢ partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). When viewed from a larger perspective, the press release is one of the tools in P&G’s integrated marketing communications mix, under Public Relations. The communications strategy used in this case is ‘affective strategy’—mentioned by Pickton and Broderick as adopted from the creative strategies identified by Patti and Frazer, (2002, p. 424) that â€Å"invokes involvement and emotion†¦ [And] Not usually associated with ‘selling’ emphasis†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The press release entitled â€Å"New Water Purification Product from Reliance Products and Procter & Gamble now Available in Retail Stores† dated last February 14 is about a new product introduction by Reliance Products, L.P. and P&G--PUR Purifier of Water technology, a powdered water clarifier and disinfectant designed for outdoor recreation and emergency preparedness use. The press release serves to introduce the product to the public by educating the masses about its benefits—it provides clean drinking water at a very low cost per liter, and can be purchased in complete water treatment kits, or as additional replacement treatment packs. The press release has been used, in integration with the other marketing communications elements such as sales promotions. In contrast to the previous press release mentioned, this one uses an ‘informational strategy’ as identified by Pickton and Broderick (2002, p. 426), which primary aim is to educate and give details to convey pieces of information. While a press release is just one of the tools which aim is to work in harmony with the other elements of the integrated communications mix of a company, P&G has been

Social and Cultural Changes after the First and Second World Wars Essay

Social and Cultural Changes after the First and Second World Wars - Essay Example The political situation was polarized with Soviet Union focusing on national security and the US spreading the democracy that led to repartition of Europe (McCauley, 2008). With one form of totalitarianism defeated, with the ashes of Nazism literally scattered among the living and dead of that conflict, the tensions between East and West renewed themselves. In some respects, the Cold War was inevitable: the incompatibility between communism and capitalism, the differing opinions about the rights of man, cultural and ideological disagreements about the most profound issues including religion, personal identity, freedom of assembly, democracy -- all of these differences would (and did) come to the fore between the United States, Western Europe and the Soviet Union. And all of these differences were party the outcome of the WWI and WWII. The brutal reality of the wars contributed to the development of medical thought. A lot of soldiers were wounded and injured; their treatment became the upfront priority for the countries involved in the conflict as they have already lost a lot of men. The field of plastic surgery was rapidly developing as many men needed immediate treatment. (Hunt, 2009). Psychological damages that soldiers received also needed assistance. The work of psychologists cannot be underestimated (Merriman, 2010). All these demands forced the medical field to evolve and develop at an unprecedented speed. The field of vaccination industry was developing and was as effective as never before. Vaccine innovations were able to tackle such diseases as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia that took millions of lives in the past. The work of doctors and scientists contributed to the mass production and usage of penicillin and developed vaccines that were able to prevent various diseases across the world (Hoyt, 2006).

Religious Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religious Education - Essay Example In religious education, there are many aspects wherein the use of technology plays a very important role, maybe not the primary role but one that would further improve religious edification a long way. Just as ordinary internet surfing could seem so pointless; it can actually be utilized to serve as an avenue to propagate God's words. There are already some websites that enable Bible verse searching where in you can actually read the Bible in different versions and multilingual translations. One of these websites is the American Bible Society. In one of their homepage ads it says, 2"Bible poverty is as widespread as physical poverty". Imagine what difference it would make in society if the greater part of the youth is searching the internet for Bible verses instead of watching pornography online. Millions of websites are hosted over the World Wide Web for different operations; mostly for business and personal use some are even scams. It's amazing how we can take advantage of this tec hnology to counter many malicious undertakings by making Christian doctrines available and easy to access. If the word of God is made more visible, noticeable, and most of all, accessible, it would not merely be a book hidden in shelves inside people's houses, and surely more people would pay attention to them at the least. Another impressive Another impressive technology that is being used in religious education is the PC Bible. It is a program that can be installed in your personal computer wherein you can type either keywords or passages and it will come up with related Bible verses in selected versions. I personally use the digital King James Version in my computer and I find it really useful. This is an effective instructional material for religious studies, since running the application is fast and the screen can be displayed using an LCD or LED projector. Instead of the conventional overhead projector wherein you have to use acetate slides, the LCD (Liquid Crystal Design) projector is multimedia and can project slides in full colors and even videos. LED (Light-emitting Diode) projectors, on the other hand are more sophisticated and versatile. 3Sony has developed the world's smallest LED projector. Measuring just 410cc it is equivalent to that of two business cards and shorter than a standard ball pen. The state-of -the-art technology in these types of projectors also improves the quality of instructional media that we use for religious education. Although it is good habit to bring the actual bible, it would be practical to have a PC Bible installed in the office or school computers. It does not even have to cost, all you need is an internet connection and it can be downloaded in multiple sites. There are some materials and software that can be bought, like the 4Bible Dictionary and PC Study Bible from biblesoft.com, but a lot of sites are giving the PC Bible for free, like 5wareseeker.com or 6cnet. For advanced religious studies, the use of carbon dating is another state-of-the-art innovation. This is an amazing breakthrough which is being used mostly by Bible scholars to accurately date back some recovered artifacts, scriptures as well as objects and even places. Catherine Brahic expresses her amazement in an article upon the discovery of Solomon's mines which were confirmed

Research, identify and discuss the 4 basic functions of management Essay

Research, identify and discuss the 4 basic functions of management. .Week TWO - Essay Example Having done a SWOT analysis, it can then proceed to making a more detailed strategic plan. An example of the planning stage is when a marketing manager designs a marketing plan in launching a new product. Wijesinghe enumerates various positive characteristics of planning such as being â€Å"goal-oriented, primacy, pervasive, flexible, continuous, involves choice, futuristic and involves mental exercise† (Wijesinghe, 2010, par 5). The second function of management is organizing. Organizing involves gathering all the resources of the company including the physical, human and financial resources. The tasks or activities that are needed to be done should be classified and assigned to the particular departments and individuals. Responsibilities are created and authorities delegated (Norman, n.d.). The organizing function of management is important because it encourages specialization, describes the work that must be done and by whom and it categorizes authority and command (Wijesinghe, 2010). Leading is the third management function. Under this function, the manager motivates and positively influences the employees so that they will be able to perform their tasks well. Managers should learn to communicate effectively with the employees to ensure that the company’s goals are achieved. Providing for monetary as well as non-monetary incentives may be necessary to influence and motivate the employees. Managers must be able to teach and assist the employees especially when they are faced with difficulties in performing their duties. The last function of management is controlling. Controlling involves â€Å"measuring achievement against established objectives and goals† (Norman, n.d., par 5). If there is any deviation from the achievement of the goals, the manager must identify the reason for the deviation and think of a way to correct it (Norman, n.d.). Monitoring and evaluating employee performance is a part

The History of Efforts Towards Islam Ecumenism Essay Example for Free

The History of Efforts Towards Islam Ecumenism Essay The discord between the Shia and Sunni has a long and bloody history. The split between these sects was a product of a political conflict which was exaggerated, if not baseless. It allowed the proliferation of wrongful assumptions which have been exploited and taken out of context. For example, the Shiites believe that Sunnis are enemies of the Ahl-e Bayt,the family of the prophet (Mazhari). On the other hand, the Sunnis believe that the Shiites regard the present day Quran has been tampered with (Mazhari) and that they abuse the companions of the prophet. While is true that there are Shiites who openly abuse the companions of the prophets, there number is relatively small. Also, Sunni scholars quote arguments from a long forgotten Shia groups which were known to uphold un-Islamic views (Mazhari). The issues could’ve been easily resolved through a dialog between the leaders of these two sects and yet, over the centuries, no serious efforts were made to address these differences. The situation has worsened and the conflict between Shia-Sunni extremist forces has become so severe that many ordinary Muslims have expressed anger and consternation against suicide bombers and terrorist acts. In a paper (Rahim) written after the November 18, 2005 bombing of mosques in Eastern Iraq, an imam was quoted speaking these words: I have said this before and I say it again, the imam said, his voice trembling with anger. The suicide bombers and their planners are murderers, not martyrs. They are the real enemies of Islam. We must confront and defeat them, wherever they may lurk. The quarrel between Sunnism and Shiism is more than just a debate on what is â€Å"true Islam†. In several countries such as Iran and Iraq, it has become a jihad, a holy war destroying the lives and futures of the very population they are part of. At present, there is now a resounding call for intrafaith harmony – a dialogue between the Shiites and Sunnis so as to allow better understanding between these two sects and ensure respect and peaceful coexistence. The beginning of efforts to resolve Sunni-Shia antagonism While the idea of Islam ecumenism is a new one, there were already efforts to resolve the Sunni-Shiite conflict in the past, though these were not widespread. A highlight in Islamic history is the victory of the Shah Ismail in Tabriz in 1501. With the ascension of the Safavids to power, Shiism became the official sect in a largely Sunni country. For Iran, this was the first time that Shiite leaders could organize without repression from their Sunni counterparts. Because of this move, Shiite leaders developed into an educated class and have accepted the â€Å"use of reason in the process of evaluating the traditions and in jurisprudence† (R. Brunner 28). The Shiite clergy began to consider their political interests when confronting with representatives of both Shiism and Sunnism. The first attempt at formal dialogue between Sunni and Shiite leaders happened in fourth and fifth decades in the 18th century, following the defeat of the Safavids to Afghan invaders (R. Brunner 28). In the meeting convened by Nadir Shah and culminated on December 1743 (R. Brunner 31), it was reported that a considerable number of scholars from both sects were present. Some of the topics discussed involved the legitimacy of the rule of the first caliphs, and the issues surrounding the prophet’s companions and temporary marriage. The meeting produced a written accord which obliged the Shiite scholars from performing activities which the Sunnis may find offensive. Unfortunately, scholars from both sects were not yet mentally ready to maintain peace and the accord failed to fulfill its function after Nadir Shah’s death in 1747. Repeated clashes and outbreaks of violence between the Sunnis and Shiites soon commenced. While the first official agreement for Islam ecumenism was a failure, this was not an indication that there is no hope for peace between the warring sects. The re-emergence of pan-Islamic tendencies happened in the later part of the 19th century, after the spreading European colonialism (R. Brunner 34). During this time, activists of Islamic descent called on the Muslim community to unite and forge against a common enemy. In order to overcome the dominance of European culture and assert the uniqueness of the Islamic world, activists such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh called on â€Å"Muslims†¦to reflect on the virtues of unity and cooperation†¦the most powerful pillars of Muhammadan denomination† (R. Brunner 35). Unfortunately at this time, ecumenical dialogue was still non-existent, and there was no mention of rapprochement between the Sunnis and Shiites. As a matter of fact, there was no mention â€Å"of the two denominations by name [since activists preferred to] stress their common opposition to British politics† (R. Brunner 35). One scholar who is notable for making leading the first efforts towards dialogue and Islam ecumenism is the Sunni Muhammad Rashid Rida (R. Brunner 40). He called for the revival of â€Å"true Islam† through the adaptation of Islamic law to modern needs and its reinterpretation for Islamic jurisprudence. Unlike al-Afghani and Abduh, Rida recognized that the mutual aversion and distance between the two sects were a mistake. He called for a unified language and the creation of an Islamic society in Mecca which consisted of both Shiites and Sunnis. The recognition of the Azhar University as highest Islamic institution in Egypt also helped spread the move towards Islam ecumenism. It served both a a Sunni and Shiite authority in Egypt when it created the Council Supreme ulama which was â€Å"commissioned by law to oversee the religious standards of all other Egyptian ulama and [use] disciplinary means to enforce their decisions† (R. Brunner 48). With the success of the Azhar in Egypt came the call for the revision of the educational system in Iran. Alim Asad Allah Mamaqani and Muhsin Shahara believed that by adapting the reforms made by Azhar in training young theologians Najaf can also â€Å"master the prevailing chaos† (R. Brunner 49) in the country. If there was one scholar who created the greatest impact to Islam ecumenism, then it would be Muhammad Rashid Rida. From his philosophy came a need for greater understanding of Islam and a move towards modernization. As a matter of fact, a secret society headed by Mirza Mohammad Baqer Bawanati was setup to promote â€Å"rapprochement among Islam, Christianity and Judaism† (R. Brunner 38). As early as 1986, leaders of different religions in the world were already meeting with the Pope John Paul II, with the Catholic pope being the spokesman and central figure in these gatherings (Veith). These meetings hosted by the Pope showed the world that peace among religions is not impossible, and that peace between the Shia and Sunni sects of Islam is still within reach. Main Institutions and Personalities and their Contribution to Islamic Ecumenism It was in the Safavid Empire when openings for dialogue took place. It was when Ismail Safavi made a religious edict to make Shiism as official state religion amidst a dominantly Sunni population. By force and violence, Sunnis were compelled to convert until the Sunnis turned from majority to minority by the end of the 18th century. Although there was an element of repression involved, the discourse on Sunni and Shiite theology was pursued with the intention of converting Sunnis by giving little concessions here and there (Brunner, 2004). A major contributor to Islamic unity in history is Sharaf al-din. He is a Shiite whose correspondence with Shaykh Salim al-Bishri, who is the chief of al-Azhar Mosque which was eventually published in a book Murajaat provided the foundations of Muslim Unity. Sharaf al-din also published works for uniting the Ummah where he tackled the various issues that prevent Shi’is and Sunnis from uniting. Perhaps one of his major moves in the direction of unity is on coordinating the 12th of Rabi al-Awal to commemorate Muhammad’s birthday rather than the 17th so that it can be celebrated together with Sunni Muslims (Brunner, 2004). The Taqrib Movement from 1947 to 1960 which literally means â€Å"to bring together† is also instrumental in paving the way towards the institutionalization of the ecumenical dialogue. This coincided with the effort from different countries to form an International Muslim Brotherhood. Eventually pan Islamic associations and other scholars joined the effort culminating into the Muslim World Congress in 1949 (Brunner, 2004). A pivotal moment in Islamic solidarity happened during the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. For one, he was able to neutralize the historical enmity between the Sunnis and Shi’ites by focusing on a single enemy which was the United States. Khomeini also bridged the division between Shiites and Sunnis by permitting Twelvers to pray behind Sunni imams while at the same time forbidding the criticism against the Caliphs who ruled before ‘Ali (Khan). There are other prominent figures in the ecumenical movement such as Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya who advocated for Arab and Muslim unity and supported the Islamic revolution. Together with Khomeini, they were able to merge religious and political emancipation in a single movement (Mallat, 2003). Notable also is the contribution of Shaykh Ma? mud Shaltut (1893-1963) in the history and contribution of Al-Azhar. He can be credited as a major influence to Al-Azhar’s openness, liberalism and ecumenical spirit. He is one of the first to teach Shi’a teaching in a Sunni institution teaching the Twelver of Shia Islam alongside four Sunni madhhabs (traditions of jurisprudence) (Brunner, 2004). Perhaps one the most influential institution that is paving the way for greater ecumenical dialogue and Islamic unity is Cairo’s Al-Azhar University. Considered as the most credible center of Sunni Scholarship, it is now propagating a reconciliatory stance that is aimed at mutual respect and understanding. The Al-Azhar Verdict (fatwa) on the Shia is considered to be a landmark position. To wit: 1) Islam does not require a Muslim to follow a particular Madh’hab (school of thought). Rather, we say: every Muslim has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in its books. And, everyone who is following such Madhahib [schools of thought] can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so. 2) The Ja’fari school of thought, which is also known as â€Å"al-Shia al- Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah† (i. e. , The Twelver Imami Shi’ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought. (Al-Azhar) This position that recognizes the validity of Shia doctrine is a radical position that can really ease the historical tensions between the two denominations. The International Islamic Conference in Ammam (Landau) also issued the same position convening 200 Islamic scholars who all unanimously voted to recognize all 8 schools of Islam as having their own validity. Moreover they prohibited all Muslims from different denominations to call each other heretics or apostates while exposing what they see as ignorant edicts issues falsely in the name of Islam. On December 2005, the Amman Conference Statement was adopted by the Organization of Islamic Conference Summit in Mecca providing a clear legitimacy and thrust towards Muslim Solidarity. Eventually six other international Islamic scholarly assemblies adopted this position making a clear and distinct position for Muslim pluralism (Statement of the International Islamic Conference in Amman). Abdul Malik Mujahid is a modern day figure in Islamic ecumenism who is calling on all the Muslim world to unite and giving concrete and workable steps towards unity. He argues the principle of â€Å"no compulsion in matters of faith† (Quran 2:256) as well as he gives persuasive points in history as well as in actual practice (Mujahid).