Human beings Essay

As human beings, we sometimes wonder why some things are the way they are. These questions come as a result of us being curious about what is around us. Man has to be aware of himself and his immediate environment. Generally, one of the basic characteristic of human beings is self-awareness and self-discovery. Man finds himself doing some things and wonders why he is doing such things the way he/she is doing them. Thus, in order for man to function properly in his society, he must understand some things about himself in order to unlock the mystery behind his behavioral pattern. This becomes important because self-discovery is the only way to understand one’s place or position in the universe. Personally, I have sought to know how my life fits into my environment. For one, I believe that things don’t just happen and that man is not just created to fill an empty space. This has made me embark on a quest to understand what the world actually is and how I fit into this mysterious world. I am a proponent of the purposeful universe and I believe, as opposed to the idea of Charles Darwin, that the world is essentially created to fulfill a purpose and that it is part of a â€Å"master plan†. Therefore whatever happens in this life, as I believe, is to fulfill a purpose and come from intent. The question here is who is the purposed the world and who is the master planner? In her book titled, â€Å"The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos†, Brian Swimme maintained that the world is not a series of puzzle but an amazing mystery that shows the presence of God in each passing phase. This essentially deviates from the theory of evolution. For Brian, we as humans are at the center of the universe and our discovery of this fact will determine make us appreciate the world we live in the more. He believes that not only is the universe a work of the divine, it is also supported by the will of the divine. Therefore, we will be making a categorical mistake by conceiving that things or occurrences in the world are merely a product of chance. From my point of view, I think that Brian Swimme has a point. This is because some things can not be explained from the point of Darwinism. For instance, as a child, I have always wondered which came first between the chicken and the egg. If eggs hatches into chickens and chickens lay eggs, then which one will we say came first? Although science can be credited for a lot of things that they have sought real explanations to, there are some things that transcend scientific explanation. This is accounted for in the thought of Huston Smith. In his book titled â€Å"Why Religion Matters; The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief†, he claims that scientism has taken over all spheres of our lives and we will be committing a mistake if we believe that its explanations are the only valid explanations. I believe that the world is a masterpiece and it is sustained by the master planner – the silent onlooker who sees and sustains the universe with his power and in his might. Furthermore, I believe that since the world is created for a specific purpose, then man as an integral part of this universe is also created for a purpose, which is to be the representative of the divine here on earth. Consequently, this should make us pursue some values that will facilitate the purpose of the divine in this world. I believe that the divine has given man the power to make choices but that power should be tailored towards the achievement of the divine purpose. Liberty, as I believe, is not the right to do what we â€Å"want† but we are at liberty so that we can do what we â€Å"have to do†. As a result of these, I live with the consciousness of the fact that I have to fulfill my purpose. Personally, I believe that we as humans should value the equality of humanity and should treat each man as Immanuel Kant said; we should treat each man as an end in themselves and never as a means to an end. I believe that we should strive for whatever will be considered virtuous by the divine. As human beings, we must seek to value each other by being truthful and faithful to one another. This, for me, is the greatest form of respect that we can give one another. Reference: Huston Smith, â€Å"Why Religion Matters; The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief† Harper Collins 2001 ISBN 0-06-067102-5, 14. 95 Brain Swimme â€Å"The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos†, Orbis, 1996 (1999, ISBN 1570752818)

Diet Pills and Women

How would you like to lose 10 pounds in one week? These words ring out through the media, newspapers, magazines, commercials, and many other advertisements that we are inundated in our society today. A model walks down the runway with her collar bones protruding, flat stomach, and protruding pelvic bones. When she weighs in, and is one pound over the expected weight, starves herself, or takes diet pills to shed the excess weight. The same pertains to young females. The desire to be thin at any cost causes physical, mental, and emotional problems. This is a lack of self-worth. It is easier to swallow a diet pill which involves no will power. Finding a diet that is right for them is not an option. They want a quick fix. Nutritionists and scientists have debated over these issues for years. Scientists have the belief that diet pills will take the weight off not acknowledging where the dangers lye. Whereas nutritionists believe that cutting out the â€Å"bad† carbohydrates and eating from the five food groups will help with healthy weight loss as opposed to taking diet pills. Eating â€Å"good† carbohydrates will make a difference in one’s weight loss. Many Doctors readily prescribe diet pills without caring about the dangerous effects they have for the person taking them. Women want to be thin, so the doctor helps them to achieve their goal. This is the mentality of many doctors; it is also for some women. Some diet pills whether prescribed or otherwise can have dangerous side effects. Most women who are desperate to lose weight do not care about the side effects, only about the weight loss. The danger of taking diet pills is that many cause emotional and physical dependence. Diet pills can also interfere with one’s metabolism. Diet pills suppress the appetite, which causes one to take in fewer calories. While taking in fewer calories, the metabolism also slows down and causes fat to store in the body. Diet pills are also associated with many health conditions such as: increased heart rate, high blood pressure, dizziness, possibility of seizures and or strokes. Even though, it is suggested to consult your doctor, many women do not care because they are desperate to lose the weight quickly. Becoming thin is the goal for the women who take the pills, they may not consult their doctor in fear that the doctor may not agree with their decision to take the diet pills. If prescribed diet pills are taken, it can help start a diet along with a healthy eating program, but too many women are not interested in doing this. They prefer to let the diet pill do the work and therefore starving themselves and their bodies. Some people do not have self- discipline to implement an eating program along with the diet pills. For example, Alli is an orilstat which when taken remains in the stomach. It does not affect the heart. When one eats any foods with fat, the Alli causes 25% of the fat to be eliminated from the body. Alli does not suppress one’s appetite. Some women want a â€Å"quick fix† when taking diet pills. However, with Alli the idea is to implement a healthy eating regiment when taking it with each meal. When Alli is taken on an empty stomach, does nothing. It must be taken with meals and is effective in helping with weight loss, as it reduces fat absorption in and requires a cut down on fat intake (around 15 grams). The only unpleasant side effects are oily discharge, loose stools and an immediate urge to have a bowel movement. This particular diet pill, Alli, is not an at risk diet pill like many of the others. It does not suppress the appetite, nor cause heart palpitations. It may take up to one year to lose the weight desired, where as taking another type of diet pill that appeases the appetite will cause a person to lose five to ten pounds in a week. However, it states that you must take a vitamin in the evening because minerals are depleted from the body. There are many people who have taken diet pills have died. There is a health risk with diet pills and should always be carefully assessed before taking them. If an individual chooses to take diet pills, doctors suggest following a healthy plan and exercising. In most cases, women, teens and young adults, do not want to take the time, but would rather pop a pill and lose weight quickly, and do not consider the ramifications in their haste. The way we look plays a big role in our lives. It determines the way that others see us and from that, it will determine how we feel about ourselves. The major issue here is our weight. We constantly see images of sexy women which remains in our minds that this is the way to look in order to be beautiful, and because of this, we subject ourselves to abusing our health and bodies just so we can look like the sexy women the media shows and we hear about constantly. Skinny is beautiful. Or at least this is what is on billboards, in magazines, and television, as most women idealize becoming thin. There are many ways to lose weight, but taking diet pills is less of an effort and more convenient a quick fix. This is what the media tells us, lose weight fast! No need to exercise. Many people think that diet pills are safe and effective, but the truth is they are not. In many cases people have died for the simple reason of wanting to lose weight fast because diet pills stimulate the nervous system, can be addictive, and can lead to abuse. The Food and Drug Administration issued a proposal that manufacturers of the diet pills include a warning to the customers about the dangers of their use. The doctor that prescribes diet pills for the safety of an individual, who is obese, also makes certain this person follows a program of exercise and healthy eating. Many doctors who dispense diet pills are careful. But, there are many who have diet clinics where all an individual needs to do is pay a fee and obtain their diet pills without a follow up. The women who are eager to lose weight quickly are in danger of hurting their bodies, especially the young females who do not research and do not care. They are only concerned with being thin and fast weight loss results. With the media screaming to the women, teens, and young adults that the only way to look beautiful is to be thin, will not hinder a woman to lose weight fast, look beautiful at any cost. The cost may result in death.

The uss cole bombing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The uss cole bombing - Research Paper Example As such, this paper will analyze the reasons that brought about the occurrence of these attacks in addition to the outcome in terms of what happened to the bombers after the attack. This terrorism incident took place on October 12 2000, which was on a Thursday. The vessel that had been docked was being refueled at one of the ports in Aden in Yemen. This was a routine fuel stop for the vessel, which was under the command of the Commander Kork Lippold. The attack on Cole, which is a US Navy Destroyer, was accomplished by two suicide bombers. They are said to have been travelling in a tiny motorboat that had been filled with explosives. They are estimated to have been around 200-300 kg (Whitaker, 2003). The small boat that the two were travelling in was said to have approached the destroyer from its port side. Subsequent to this, the explosion was executed at 11: 18 in the morning Bahrain time. According to witness reports, the boat sidled towards the side of the port side. It came so close that it even made it possible for the sailors who were on board to exchange greetings with the two suicide bombers who were planning to execute the crime. This was just before the explosion when they stood at attention and detonated the explosives minutes later. At the moment of the explosion, the crew members had already started lining up to take their lunch in the gallery. As a result of the explosion, a hole that was 40 feet wide was blown into the ship on one of its sides. The members of crew fought as they were making attempts to get space within the engineering spaces. The CIA officials believe that this blast was caused by a sharp charge which refers to the explosives that are designed to fit into the hull of the boat. They managed to bring the damage under control after three days. After the inspection of the vessel following the attack, divers ascertained that the keel within t he hull had not experienced any

The Role of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations in the Research Paper - 1

The Role of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations in the Conservation of Fish Stocks - Research Paper Example Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Agreement came into effect on 4 August 1995 for the conservation and management of straddling fish stock, and highly migratory fish stocks. Part VII of the Agreement deals with living resources of the high seas through Article 116, Article 117, Article 118, Article 119 and Article 120. Before delving deep into the functions of the fisheries management organisations it is of great concern to know what the UNCLOS Articles state on the role of the regional fishery management organisations. Under Article117, the concerned state has a responsibility to follow with regard to its citizens assess for management of the marine resources of the high seas. Cooperation with other states in this regard is central to the conservation of marine resources on the high seas (UNCLOS). Under Article 118, the spirit of Article 117 is taken ahead through cooperation states shall take fresh steps and enter into accords with other states for commercially using the similar water resources or dissimilar water resources on the same region with the purpose of conserving the water resources. It is the responsibility of the states to set up regional or sub-regional fisheries organisations (UNCLOS). (a) found suitable as based on scientific knowledge on which the concerned states can depend upon for preserving the fish populations of cropped species at standards that ensure long-term production as based on suitable environmental and economic considerations, particularly of the developing countries, considering the fishing methods at all levels of fishing – regional, sub-regional and international; (b) States pay attention to the impact on the species related to or relying on harvested species with the aim of preserving fish populations of such related or relying on species beyond limits at which their populations could not be increased through breeding.

Analyze the Secondary Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyze the Secondary Research - Essay Example The report is going to analyze all these factors for each agency with respect to their employees who might be interested in enrolling for the course (Grigg & Zenzen, 2009). According to the secondary sources, it is apparent that water departments are committed to ensuring that they have a qualified work force. This is manifested in the manner by which they have committed to reimburse tuition fees to employees who opt to further studies. For example, the City of Carlsbad which has a total number of 65 of employees who are geared towards working in water related matters. The agency has committed to reimburse tuition fees up to a maximum of 60 employees. This is about 92.3% of employees who can ask for the tuition fee reimbursement in each respective year. Consequently, an employee in Carlsbad is eligible to be reimbursed the first $2,500 and 80% of any additional claim that might arise in a respective fiscal year (Grigg & Zenzen, 2009). Another conclusion I can make is that water departments which have less workforce have also decided to invest in education. For example, the City of Encinitas has 24 water employees. According to the policy of the agency, all the water employees are eligible to apply for tuition reimbursement. The qualification for this scheme includes one to be regular full-time employees who further their education during off-duty hours. Employees can apply for tuition reimbursement and related educational expenses up to a maximum of $1,200 per fiscal year. Submission of requests and approval takes place continuously based upon the availability of the funding (Grigg & Zenzen, 2009). Another observation I can make is that even agencies that huge workforce have also invested in financing the education of their employees. The City of Escondido has 726 water employees. In line with institutions policy, all the employees can apply for tuition reimbursement so long as they qualify. The City reimburses 100% of the total tuition fees and

Islamic Finance Law Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Islamic Finance Law - Dissertation Example The paper would therefore be analysing the role of Islamic finance in the fast transforming environment of global economy with the view that it has brought in more radical but ethical paradigms within financial system of contemporary times. Historical background The Ottoman Empire in the pre WWI era has perhaps been the most prominent exponent of using tenets of Islamic finance in their trade and business transactions. The close trade relationship with their European counterparts, Islamic finance was closely aligned with that of European financial system. The system worked on the basis of sharing of profit and loss (Chachi, 2005). But post WWI and WWII brought into focus the divergent ideologies of two financial system into sharp focus. While the western economy and financial system was based on interest bearing instruments, Islamic finance was rigidly guided by the religious tenets of Islam which forbids transactions based on interests or gains made through unethical means (Ahmad, 1 972)). In the contemporary times, Islamic finance has seen unprecedented growth primarily because of its fundamental principles based on Shariah guidelines (Anwar, 2008; Sundararajan & Errico, 2002). Principles of Islamic law and financial transactions under it Islamic finance is based on Islamic law that conforms to the Shariah guidelines of ethical practices in personal and business arena. Thus, Shariah can broadly be referred as Islamic law that defines the duties of man and the way they should be carried out (Vogel & Hayes, 1998; Hasanuzzaman, 1997). Shariah is part of Quran, the religious scripture of Muslims and is written in Arabic language. The interpretation of Shariah scholars therefore, may differ but the fundamental principle of ethics remains same. But Hadith, qiyas, idjma and fatwas are also key sources which inspire the ethical and moral considerations within the business transactions in Islamic finance (El-Gamal, 2006; Shahrukh, 1997; Pryor, 1985). Shariah principles are based on equity and prohibit financial transactions and activities that incorporate gharar (uncertainty), maiser (gambling) and riba (interest income) (Thomas, 2005; Nienhaus, 1986; Hasanuzzaman, 1994). The shariah compliance is vital element of Islamic finance products. Interestingly in the current times of highly sensitive global market, Islamic finance offers huge incentives in terms of ethically delivered financial instruments in myriad areas of finance (Venardos, 2005; Cooper, 1997; Ariff, 1988). It has made forays into banking, market risks and credit, insurance, liquidity management etc. and is fast emerging as credible alternative investment forum. Main Sharia compliant transaction structure and how they are used in practice All Islamic financial institutions are distinct in their constitution of board that comprises of financial experts and shariah scholars who evaluate the validity of financial instruments as per shariah principles. It uses various financial structure s that conform to shariah but at the same time, adequately meet the needs of people in the contemporary times (Hasanuzzaman, 1971; Saeed, 1995). Some of those financial methodologies can be defined as under: Zakah: It is vital instrument that promotes social justice by ensuring that people who own more than nisab (basic need) must make donation of 2.5% of their yearly assets. The social funds are used to meet the needs of the poor. Murabaha:

The culture of Burberry in Brazil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The culture of Burberry in Brazil - Essay Example The company has established a brand vision by which all employees and managers are expected to adopt, which is to inspire, protect and explore in a creative and somewhat decentralised organisational model. Burberry follows the dimensions associated with transformational leadership, which involves building a shared vision, opening effective lines of communications between different power players and subordinates, and role modelling the most desired behaviours (Fairholm 2009). Burberry needs to stay focused and dedicated to its wealthy traditionalism in British fashion retail in order to build consistency in brand values, therefore executives, mid-level managers and lower-level service employees must work cooperatively to achieve mission and support a rich British brand. Britain is Burberry and the corporate culture must reflect these values to effectively service its target consumers that value this element of high fashion and national pride. Burberry has been able to support a consis tent brand by building systems and practices in human resources that provide employees with the set of cohesive business values necessary to achieve market share against competition. Burberry also attempts to make relationship connections with the digital generation which is evident in the presence of interactive electronic mirrors in the sales environment that illustrate a historical depiction of Burberry’s past as an iconic British brand. Internally, in order to effectively service the more modernised customer, the organisation must break down age-old autocratic leadership and engage more effectively with a generation of service workers that carry the same values of the... This paper dwell upon national and business culture in Brazil. The Brazilian culture is quite different from British culture which could cause problems with developing a cohesive internal culture that shares the same brand values of Burberry. In the United Kingdom, which is highly individualistic, it is commonplace for managers and executives to work cooperatively throughout the business model. In fact, in the individualist culture, it is an expectation, therefore the corporate culture at Burberry fits interpersonal needs of employees and managers. The Brazilian culture is very collectivist, which involves personal characteristics that favour group membership and building personal identity that comes from group opinion and values. Brazilian society is born into a social hierarchy that believes in the integrity of family members where loyalty to the familial group is demanded. Brazilian culture is also very tolerant of separation between authority figures in the organisation and lower -level employees. Known as power distance, this characteristic of the Brazilian culture tolerates and expects inequality between executives and service employees.