Night World : Soulmate Chapter 12

was sixteen and her name was Ha-nahkt. She was a virgin priestess dedicated to the goddess Isis. She was wearing a fine linen shift that fell from her waist to her ankles. Above the waist, she wore nothing except a deep silver collar strung with beads of amethyst, carnelian, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. There were two silver bracelets on her upper arms and two on her wrists. Morning was her favorite time. This morning she carefully placed her offering in front of the statue of Isis. Lotus blossoms, small cakes, and beer. Then, facing south, she began the chant to wake the goddess up. â€Å"Awaken, Isis, Mother of the Stars, Great of Magic, Mistress of all the World, Sovereign of her father, Mightier than the gods, Lady of the Waters of Life, Powerful of Heart, Isis of the Ten Thousand Names †¦Ã¢â‚¬  A step sounded behind her and she broke off short, feeling startled and annoyed. â€Å"I'm sorry. Did I disturb you?† It was a woman, a beautiful woman with long black hair. â€Å"You're not allowed in here,† Ha-nahkt said sharply. â€Å"Only priests and priestesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off as she looked at the woman more closely. Maybe she is a priestess, she thought. There's something in her face†¦. â€Å"I just want to talk to you,† the woman said. Her voice was husky and persuasive, almost mesmerizing. â€Å"It's very important.† She smiled and Ha-nahkt felt hairs stir at the back of her neck. If she's a priestess, I bet she's a priestess of Set. Set was the most evil of all the gods-and one of the most powerful. Ha-nahkt could sense power in this woman, no question about that. But evil? She wasn't sure. â€Å"My name is Maya. And what I have to tell you may save your life.† Ha-nahkt stood still. Part of her wanted to run from Maya, to go and get her best friend Khet-hetep-â€Å"es. Or, better yet, one of the senior priestesses. But another part of her was curious. â€Å"I really shouldn't stop in the middle of the chant,† she began. â€Å"It's about the stranger.† Ha-nahkt lost her breath. There was a long moment of silence, and then she said, â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about.† She could hear the shake in her own voice. â€Å"Oh, yes, you do. The stranger. Tall, blond, handsome†¦ and with such sad dark eyes. The one you've been meeting on the sly.† Ha-nahkt could feel the shaking take over her whole body. She was a priestess, sworn to the goddess. If anyone found she'd been meeting a man. †¦ â€Å"Oh, don't worry, little one,† Maya said and laughed. â€Å"I'm not here to turn you in. Just the opposite, in fact. I want to help you.† â€Å"We haven't done anything,† Ha-nahkt faltered. â€Å"Just kissed. He says he doesn't want me to leave the temple. He isn't going to stay long. He says he saw me, and he just had to speak to me.† â€Å"And no wonder,† Maya said in a cooing tone. She touched Ha-nahkt's hair lightly and Ha-nahkt moved instinctively away. â€Å"You're such a pretty girl. Such unusual coloring for this part of the world. I suppose you think you love him.† â€Å"I do love him,† Ha-nahkt blurted before she could stop herself. Then she lowered her voice. â€Å"But I know my duty. He says that in the next world we'll be together.† She didn't want to tell the rest of it, the remarkable things she'd seen with the stranger, the way she'd recognized him. The way they were destined for each other. â€Å"And you believed him? Oh, my dear child. You're so innocent. I suppose that comes from living your life in a temple.† She gazed around thoughtfully, then looked back at Hannah. Her face became grave and regretful. â€Å"I hate to have to tell you this,† she said. â€Å"But the stranger does not love you. The truth is that he's a very evil man. The truth is that he's not a man at all. He's an Ur-Demon and he wants to steal your sa.† Oh, Isis, Ha-nahkt thought. Sa was the breath of life, the magical force that allowed you to live. She'd heard of demons who wanted to steal it. But she couldn't believe it of the stranger. He seemed so gentle, so kind†¦ â€Å"It's true,† Maya said positively. She glanced at Ha-nahkt sideways. â€Å"And you know it is, if you think about it. Why else would he want to taste your blood?† Ha-nahkt started and flushed. â€Å"How do you know-?† She stopped and bit her lip. â€Å"You've been meeting him at night by the lotus pool, when everyone else is asleep,† Maya said. â€Å"And I suppose you thought it wouldn't hurt to let him drink a little of your blood. Not much. Just a bit. It was exciting. But I'm telling you the truth, now-it will hurt you. He's a demon and he wants you dead.† The husky, mesmerizing voice went on and on. It was telling all about Ur-Demons who drank blood, and men and women who could change into animals, and a place called the World of the Night, where they all lived. Ha-nahkt's head began to spin. And her heart shattered. Literally. She could feel the jagged pieces of it every time she tried to breathe. A priestess didn't cry, but tears were forcing themselves out of her closed lids. Because she couldn't deny that the stranger did act a little like an Ur-Demon. Why else would he drink blood? And the things she'd seen with him, the feeling of destiny†¦ that must have all been magic. He had tricked her with spells. Maya seemed to have finished her story. â€Å"Do you think you can remember all that?† she asked. Ha-nahkt made a miserable gesture. What did it matter if she remembered it? She only wanted to be left alone. â€Å"Look at me!† Ha-nahkt glanced up, startled. It was a mistake. Maya's eyes were strange; they seemed to turn different colors from moment to moment, and once Ha-nahkt met them, she couldn't look away. She was caught in a spell, and she felt her will slipping. â€Å"Now,† Maya said, and her eyes were deep gold and ancient as a crocodile's. â€Å"Remember all that. And remember this. Remember†¦ how he kills you.† And then the strangest thing of all happened. It suddenly seemed to Ha-nahkt that she was two people. One of them was her ordinary self. And the other was a different self, a distant self, who seemed to be looking on from the future. At this moment, Ha-nahkt and the future self were seeing different things. Ha-nahkt saw that Maya was gone and the temple was empty. And then she saw that someone else was walking in. A tall figure, with light hair and dark fathomless eyes-the stranger. He smiled at her, walked toward her with his arms held out. He grasped her with hands that were as strong as a demon's. Then he showed his teeth. The future self saw something else. She saw that Maya never left the temple. She saw Maya's face and body ripple as if they were made of water-and then change. It was as if there were two images, one on top of the other. The outward image was of the stranger, but it was Maya underneath. That's it. That's how she did it. The voice came from outside Ha-nahkt, and she didn't understand it. She didn't have time to think about it, either, because the next instant she felt the tearing pain of teeth. Oh, Isis, Goddess of Life, guide me to the other world†¦. â€Å"That's how she did it,† Hannah breathed. She was sitting up on the couch. She knew who she was, and more, she knew who she'd been. It was another of those blinding flashes of illumination. She felt as if she were standing at the end of the corridor of time and looking back at a hundred different versions of herself. They each looked slightly different, and they wore different clothes, but they were all her. Her name had been Hanje, Anora, Xiana, Nan Haiane, Honni, Ian, Annette. She had been a warrior, a priestess, a princess, a slave. And right now she felt she had the strength of all her selves. At the far end of the corridor, back where it was misty and blurry and faintly tinted pink and blue, she seemed to see Hana smiling at her. And then Hana turned and walked away, her task accomplished. Hannah took a deep breath and let it out. â€Å"She did it with illusions,† she said, hardly aware that she was talking out loud. â€Å"Maya. And she's done it before, of course. Maybe every time. What do you do with somebody who keeps killing you over and over? Never letting you live to your seventeenth birthday? Trying to destroy you, not just your life, but your heart†¦ ?† She realized that Paul was staring at her. â€Å"You want me to answer that?† Hannah shook her head even as she went on talking. â€Å"Goddess-I mean, God-she must hate me. I still don't understand why. It must be because she wants Thierry herself-or maybe just because she wants him miserable. She wants him to know that I'm terrified of him, that I hate him. And she did it. She convinced me. She convinced my subconscious enough that I started warning myself against him.† â€Å"If any of this is true-which I'm not going to admit for a second, because they would definitely take my license away-then I can tell you one thing,† Paul said. â€Å"She sounds very, very dangerous.† â€Å"She is.† â€Å"Then why are you so happy?† he asked pathetically. Hannah glanced at him and laughed. She couldn't hope to explain it. But she was more than happy, she was exalted. She was buoyant, ecstatic, over the moon. Thierry wasn't evil. She had the confirmation of a hundred selves whispering it to her. Maya was the enemy, the snake in the garden. Thierry was exactly what he'd told her he was. Someone who had made a terrible mistake and had spent millennia paying for it-and searching for her. He is gentle and kind. He does love me. And we are destined for each other. I've got to find him. The last thought came as an additional bright revelation, but one that made her sit up and go still. She had no idea how. Where had he gone? Home. Where was home? She didn't know. It could be anywhere in the world. â€Å"Hannah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Wait,† Hannah whispered. â€Å"Look, Hannah, I think we should maybe do some work on this. Talk about it, examine your feelings †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No, hush!† Hannah waved a hand at him. â€Å"She gave me a clue! She didn't mean to, but she gave me a clue! She said he had connections with witches in Vegas.† â€Å"Oh, my God,† Paul muttered. Then he jumped up. â€Å"Hannah, where are you going?† â€Å"I'm sorry.† She darted back into the office, threw her arms around him, and gave him a kiss. Then, smiling into his startled face, she said, â€Å"Thank you. Thank you for helping. You'll never know how much you've done for me.† â€Å"I need money.† Chess blinked, but went on looking at her intently. â€Å"I know it isn't fair to ask you without explaining why. But I can't tell you. It would be dangerous for you. I just have to ask you to trust me.† Chess kept looking at her. The slanted green eyes searched Hannah's face. Then, without a word, she got up. Hannah sat on Chess's crisp white-on-white coverlet and waited. After a few minutes Chess came back into the room and settled her own petite self on the bed. â€Å"Here,† she said, and plunked down a credit card. â€Å"Mom said I could use it to get some things for graduation. I figure she'll understand-maybe.† Hannah threw her arms around her. â€Å"Thank you,† she whispered. â€Å"I'll pay it back as soon as I can.† Then she burst out, â€Å"How can you be so nice? I'd be yelling to know what was going on.† â€Å"I am going to yell,† Chess said, squeezing her back. â€Å"But more than that. I'm going with you.† Hannah drew back. How could she explain? She knew that by going to Las Vegas she would be putting her own life in danger. From Maya, certainly. From the Night World, probably. Even from the witches Thierry had connections with, possibly. And she couldn't drag Chess into that. â€Å"I've got something I want you to hang on to,† she said. She reached into her canvas bag and pulled out an envelope. â€Å"This is for you and for my mom- just in case. If you don't hear from me by my birthday, then I want you to open it.† â€Å"Didn't you hear me? I'm going with you. I don't know what's been going on with you, but I'm not going to let you run off on your own.† â€Å"And I can't take you.† She caught the glowing cat-eyes and held them. â€Å"Please understand, Chess. It's something I have to do alone. Besides, I need you here to cover for me, to tell my mom I'm at your house so she doesn't worry. Okay?† She reached out and gave Chess a tiny shake. â€Å"Okay?† Chess shut her eyes, then nodded. Then she sniffled, her chin trembling. Hannah hugged her again. â€Å"Thank you,† she whispered. â€Å"Let's be best friends forever.† Monday morning, instead of going to school, Hannah started for Billings airport. She was driving the Ford-her mom had fixed it over the weekend. Her mom thought she was spending the next couple of days with Chess to study for finals. It was frightening but exhilarating to fly on a plane by herself, going to a city she'd never been to before. All the time she was in the air, she was thinking, Closer, closer, closer-and looking at the black rose ring on her finger. She'd fished it out of her bedroom wastebasket. Now she turned her hand this way and that to see the black gems catch the light. Her chest tightened. What if I can't find him? she thought. The other fear she didn't want to admit, even to herself. What if she did find him, and he didn't want her anymore? After all, she'd only told him that she hated him a few dozen times and ordered him to stay away from her forever. I won't think about that. There's no point. First I have to track him down, and after that what happens, happens. The airport in Las Vegas was surprisingly small. There were slot machines all over. Hannah collected her one duffel bag at the luggage carousel and then walked outside. She stood in the warm desert air, trying to figure out what to do next. How do you find witches? She didn't know. She didn't think they were likely to be listed in the phone book. So she just trusted to luck and headed where everybody else was heading-the Strip. It was a mistake from the beginning, and that afternoon and night were among the worst times in. her life. It didn't start off so bad. The Strip was gaudy and glittery, especially as darkness fell. The hotels were so bizarre and so dazzling that it took Hannah's breath away. One of them, the Luxor, was shaped like a giant black pyramid with a Sphinx in front of it. Hannah stood and watched colored lasers dart from the Sphinx's eyes and laughed. What would Ha-nahkt have thought of that? But there was something almost sickening about all the lights and the hustling after a while. Something . . . unwholesome. The crowds were so thick, both inside the hotels and out on the street, that Hannah could hardly move. Everyone seemed to be in a rush-except the people nailed in front of slot machines. It feels†¦ greedy, Hannah decided finally, searching in her mind for the right word. All these people want to win free money. All these hotels want to take their money. And of course, the hotels are the winners in the end. They've built a sort of Venus' flytrap to lure people here. And some of these people don't look as if they can afford to lose. Her heart felt physically heavy and her lungs felt constricted. She wanted Montana and a horizon so far away that it pried your mind open. She wanted clean air. She wanted space. But even worse than the atmosphere of greed and commercialism was the fact that she wasn't finding any witches. She struck up conversations a few times with desk clerks and waitresses. But when she casually asked if there were any odd people in town who practiced witchcraft, they looked at her as if she were crazy. By nine o'clock that night she was dizzy, exhausted, and sick with defeat. I'm never going to find them. Which means I'm never going to find him. She collapsed on a bench outside the Stardust Hotel, wondering what to do next. Her legs hurt and her head was pounding. She didn't want to spend Chess's mom's money on a hotel-but she'd noticed police officers making people move on if they tried to sleep on the street. Why did I come here? I should have put an ad in the paper: â€Å"Desperately Seeking Thierry.† I should have known this wouldn't work. Even as she was thinking it, something about a boy in the crowd caught her eye. He wasn't Thierry. He wasn't anything like Thierry. Except for the way he moved. It was that same rippling grace she'd seen in both Thierry and Maya, an easy control of motion that reminded her of a jungle cat. And his face †¦ he was almost eerily good-looking in a ragamuffin way. When he glanced up toward the Stardust's tall neon sign, she thought she could see light reflect from his eyes. He's one of them. I know it. He's one of the Night People. Without stopping to think, she jumped up, slung her bag over her shoulder, and followed him. It wasn't easy. He walked fast and she had to keep dodging tourists. He was headed off the Strip, to one of the quiet dimly-lit streets that ran parallel to it. It was a whole different world here, just one block away from the glitter and bustle. The hotels were, small and in poor repair. The businesses seemed to be mostly pawnshops. Everything had a dingy depressed feeling. Hannah felt a prickling down her spine. She was now following the only figure on a deserted street. Any minute now, he'd realize she was tailing him-but what could she do? She didn't dare lose sight of him. The boy seemed to be leading her into worse and worse areas-sleazy was the word for them, Hannah thought. The streetlights were far apart here with areas of darkness in between. All at once he took a sharp left turn, seeming to disappear behind a building with a sign that read, Dan's Bail Bonds. Hannah jogged to catch up to him and found herself staring down a narrow alley. It was extremely dark. She hesitated a moment, then grimly took a few steps forward. On the third step, the boy appeared from behind a Dumpster. He was facing her, and once again Hannah caught the flash of eyeshine. She stood very still as he walked slowly toward her. â€Å"You following me or something?† he asked. He seemed amused. He had a sharp face with an almost pointed chin and dark hair that looked uncombed. He was no taller than Hannah, but his body seemed tough and wiry. It's the Artful Dodger, Hannah thought. As he reached her, he looked her up and down. His expression was a combination of lechery and hunger. Gooseflesh blossomed on Hannah's skin. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, trying to make her voice quiet and direct. â€Å"I was following you. I wanted to ask you something-I'm looking for someone.† â€Å"You found him, baby,† the boy said. He darted a quick glance around as if to make sure that there was nobody in the alley with them. And then, before Hannah could say another word, he knocked her into the wall and pinned her there.

Informative Evaluation

During my research on a public speaker, I had come across this motivational and leadership speaker Steve Bedwell. On February 17, 2012, he gave a speech on how people tend to act towards different situations and other people. In an auditorium full of business and health care leaders he also jump starts them into effective action with what goes on in the world with people. Steve Bedwell does an excellent job on trying to get the audience’s attention with interesting stories that keep them focused on what he is trying to say. While presenting he tends to keep eye contact with the audience.He also does not use any notecards, which this indicates that he knows his topic enough and is able to talk smoothly through his presentation. Also, to keep the audience interested, he adds humor in his presentation to help explain his connections. Bedwell does such a great job with his speech, that I do not see where he needs any improvement. In this speech he teaches the audience that the thi ngs we miss, tends to cripple our thinking and where the things we make up fuels our toxic emotions. When the perspective on any situation is not producing the results that you want, you should ask what am I missing and what am I making up.But usually we do not look at these two concepts of a perspective; we tend to assume the worst of that situation. In this speech Bedwell had explained that he was on a plane and had greeted the guy sitting next to him and the guy replied back to Bedwell by lifting his newspaper between them. In this situation Bedwell had thought of the guy as a jerk and when the guy tapped on Bedwell’s shoulder, he had tried ignoring him back. Bedwell turned towards him and the guy handed him a note, which said â€Å"excuse me can you please call my wife and tell her I’m safely on the plane and on the way home. Bedwell assumed that the guy was a jerk, and did not think of what could have been the reason for why the guy did not speak to him, and the reason was that the guy was deaf. My personal experience would be when I was at work and this guy came in and I started taking his order and he was getting irritated with me, so he left out of the store irritated and mad. I assumed that the guy was ignorant to get frustrated the way he did. But in a way I should have looked at the situation in that the guy might have been having a bad day. Speeches usually are informative, or mainly have a great reason for being issued to the audience.Having an effective speech requires the speaker to have eye contact, uses appropriate hand gestures, a positive look on what they are explaining and mainly to present to audience in a way they will understand best. My scoring on this presentation by Steve Bedwell was mostly 4’s and 5’s because I did not see really anything wrong with his speech. Competency 1, on the topic I gave a 4 because, he had chosen a topic and only went over it a little bit. Competency 2, the thesis and specific pu rpose I gave a 5 because, he explains the purposes on each idea that was in the thesis.Competency 3, the introduction I gave a 5 because, he stated the purpose of his speech and a review on the information that referred to the introduction. Competency 4, I have a 4 because, in some parts he gives supporting information on what he was explaining, but some parts he did not cover what it referred to. Such as when he had the board and he was putting up fingers and the audience had to guess what number was on the board. Competency 5, I gave a 3 because, his information was in good contrasts to what he was talking about, but in some ways the information felt out of place.Competency 6, I gave a 3 because, his conclusion did not bring up anything new but could have went back and summarized more of his topic. Competency 7, I gave a 5 because, all the language that was used in the process of this speech was acceptable for the audience to comprehend and stay focused. Competency 8, I gave a 5 b ecause, Bedwell did show his tone in different varieties of pitch to emphasize important or interesting facts. Competency 9, I gave a 5 because, all of his grammar was fluent and acceptable by the audience in that they understood what he was saying.Competency 10, I also gave a 5 because, his hand gestures toward everything especially toward the exciting parts had shown the emotions he was trying to convey. In order to evaluate a presentation you have many specific parts that you have to look at. Such as, how the presentation is presented, does the information that is given refer back to the introduction and thesis? The communication skills that are required during a presentation should include eye contact, appropriate language, grammar and organizational pattern, to better connect with the audience and keep them interested in what you are presenting.In reviewing the speaker Steve Bedwell and his speech on motivational and leadership situations, I now think of looking at all the diff erent parts of a scenario instead of just one. By looking at many you have a better understanding of what is happening. There are many people out in the world today that do not think as critically as others do and this tends to be a problem towards others. Overall I think Steve Bedwell does a fantastic job of explaining what people tend to think and not think on certain situations. http://youtu. be/8tDwyIkxgjw

Amtrak Train Derailment

Who are the stakeholders in this case? The stakeholders in this case are the passengers, crew and their families, aboard the Amtrak train that derailed. They are also the corporate investors who hold stock in Amtrak and all Amtrak employees who have invested their time in employment with the organization. They could easily lose their jobs if a major layoff occurred or the organization filed for bankruptcy due to the millions they would be required to pay in damages. Stakeholders are the members of the Mobile, Alabama community who either witnessed or heard about the disaster and who may have lost trust in this railway system. The crew and captain of the tug boat which ran its barges into the framework of the bridge are also stakeholders, along with the owners and investors of the transport company in which they were employed. The emergency workers, the agencies such as NTSB, the Alabama Emergency Response Network and the U. S. Coast Guard are stakeholders as well. What are the interests of the stakeholders? Investors in the transport company, CSX and Amtrak stand to lose money as such disasters can lead to public distrust and subsequent falling stock prices. They must answer to the public as to why emergency signals were not designed on the bridge. Families have lost loved ones as passengers or crew members that they cannot bring back. Crew members that lived must deal with feelings of guilt for not being able to do more and not being aware of exactly what had happened. They will also have to face many questions from agencies investigating the disaster and will face stressful situations, possibly for years to come. Their careers and way of earning a living may also be in jeopardy due to the effects of this disaster. Crew and families of the tug boat crews must face feelings of guilt and shame. What is this corporation's social corporate responsibility in this case for the four areas of corporate social responsibility? †¢Legal Social Responsibility With respect to the legal responsibility, both CSX who failed to provide a signal on the bridge and WGN, whose crew ran into and damaged the bridge, while displacing the track have a financial responsibility toward families whose loved ones made a living, whether crew or passengers. Amtrak also shares in this responsibility for not taking greater precautions, such as reduced speed, knowing that some bridges are not installed with emergency signals. There is also a financial burden to repair the damages to the bridge and CSX track by WGN, who initially caused the event that led to the derailment. According to Mallen Baker (2009), â€Å"CSR is about building relationships with customers, about attracting and retaining talented staff, about managing risk, and about assuring reputation. † In this instance, both CSX and WGN did a poor job of managing risk. WGN is responsible for not having staff with better training and navigation skills and CSX for ignoring recommendations to install emergency signals on the bridge. †¢Economic Social Responsibility CSX, Amtrak and NTSB have economic social responsibility in reducing the risk of injury or loss of life due to such incidents, which has a huge financial impact on the families of passengers and crew. WGN shares in this responsibility as well. Though CSX did not install emergency signals, the NTSB should provide greater oversight to ensure such precautions are taken. WGN should be aware of the problems that can occur when a large vessel runs into various structures and should help in repairing the emotional and financial lives of the victims of the accident. Both CSX/Amtrak and WGN have an economic responsibility to the shareholders of their respective corporations, to ensure that business processed provide the smoothest possible operations, for best possible returns on investments. When disasters such as this one occur, investors stand to lose substantial financial gains. †¢Ethical Social Responsibility All agencies and companies involved have an ethical responsibility to make sure that various forms of travel or transport they oversee or are involved in are as safe as possible for their crews and passengers. Ignoring recommendations such as CSX did, in not installing the emergency signal due to cost is an example of social irresponsibility (Eisenbeis, et al, nd). Amtrak could have better communications and emergency systems aboard the trains and passenger cars, to alert the entire crew of emergencies. Though this may not be an issue of irresponsibility, it has implications for future rail travel. WGN has an ethical responsibility to ensure that vessel crews are trained and updated on navigation techniques, so that injury to innocent bystanders does not occur. They also have an ethical responsibility to have proper navigation systems on board the vessels. †¢Philanthropic Social Responsibility Travel and transport organizations do not have a specific responsibility to become involved in philanthropic activities, though they should at least insure that the communities in which they travel through are not adversely affected either economically or environmentally, as a result of their travels. They could take measures to provide incentives for jobs and training for jobs of those in the communities in which they travel through, as taxpayers of those communities share the burden of building bridges and roads. Because the organizations also contribute to introducing carbon emissions into the environment, they should work with and offer some financial support to organizations that help monitor and provide solutions for carbon emissions. Conclusion and Recommendation I believe better communication by all parties involved would have reduced injuries. Amtrak should have had regulations in place for speed during weather conditions and safety devices for the rail in front of them could have avoided a lot of the accident. Having markers in place for emergency response units, would have allowed them to give a more specific place of the wreck. When people’s lives are at stake all ethical issues and laws should be put in full swing. Common sense would have prevented all of this. Large corporations such as Amtrak should have trained employees and safety standards in place.

White-Nosed Syndrome in Hibernating Bats. Chelsea Essay

White-Nosed Syndrome in Hibernating Bats. Chelsea - Essay Example This is shown by studies of bat species in Europe and America. None of these species is similar. The reasons for lack of the disease in Europe may be because the bats in Europe may be carriers or it may be due to their habitat characteristics where they roost in small clusters or alone. (Kocer, 2012). The confirmation test for White – Nose syndrome is done by taking samples of fungal lesions on the muzzles of bats. UV fluorescence is also used as a screening tool for the presence of the causative agent of WNS. On been undertaken through the process of UV fluorescence, the wings of infected bats fluorescence with a yellow speckling pattern on their wings. False positives are produced by the fluorescence of the muzzle area (Kocer, 2012). There is hope for treatment of WNS. Laboratory tests have shown the causative agent of WNS is susceptible to various axole antifundal drugs. The fungus is also temperature dependant that is the reason why it infects hibernating bats. Optimal functioning temperature for the fungus is 12.5 15.8 0C. Current research is ongoing to slow its progression over long distance by reducing human transmission. A national WNS plan has been set up to tackle the disease (Kocer,

Maritsa Plcs Using the Capital Asset Pricing Model Essay

Maritsa Plcs Using the Capital Asset Pricing Model - Essay Example Using the Capital Asset Pricing Model, the cost of capital is computed as: where: kc is the cost of capital; krf is the risk free rate; ß is the systematic risk of the common stock’s return relative to the market as a whole; and km-krf is the market risk premium, which is equal to the difference in the expected rate of return for the market as a whole2. In order to choose the most profitable investment to be pursued, the Net Present Value (NPV) technique will be used. This method of capital budgeting is widely used because of its recognition of the time value of money3. Thus, annual cash flows will be discounted order to arrive at their present values.Table 1 shows the computation of NPV for the first option which is to renew the rent contract and extend the facility for higher production. It should be noted that the values are expressed in unit  £. It can be seen that the rent payments are adjusted each year to take into account the annual 5% inflation. The NPV for Option 1 is computed as - £2,562,594. Table 2 shows the computation of NPV for the second option which is to purchase a larger facility to accommodate the increasing demand for the products. Like in the first option, all values are expressed in unit  £. Consistent with the case, this paper assumes that the company is able to secure financing through five-year debe nture with an 11.5% annual interest. It is also assumed that the company borrows the whole amount that it used to purchase the building which is equivalent to  £2,500,000. This paper also assumes that interest payments are taxable thus; it opts to deduct the tax shield from interest payments in the cash outflow. This paper also assumes that the building will be sold at  £5,000,000 after the ten-year period. The computed NPV for the ten-year period is - £1,674,701.

Financial Markets and Institutions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Markets and Institutions - Assignment Example The basic foundation of a central bank serving as a lender of last resort is that in an economy, panics can occur which leads to bank runs. In such a situation, those maintaining deposits in commercial banks withdraw their funds from the bank as a result of economic speculation or fear over negative economic consequences. During a bank run, commercial banks can become insolvent, requiring the assistance of an institution (the central bank) to ensure that banks maintain liquidity is such a phenomenon occurs. Being the lender of last resort has become controversial, especially considering events during the recent global economic recession where many central banks injected capital into banks that were facing insolvency. Over-reliance on the central bank impacts other sectors in an economy. This essay explores the role of the central bank, emphasising why being a lender of last resort maintains many controversial implications from multiple perspectives. Evidence is that the controversy hails from irresponsible banking management and from poor fiscal policy developments concocted by the central bank itself. Central banks supply liquidity insurance to the commercial banking system which consequently endows liquidity insurance to other aspects of an economy, including corporations. Funds available for this action in a central bank encompasses notes held by public investors and reserves (deposits) sustained by a nation’s banks. These funds are manifested by the central bank as a result of autonomous will assuring that its value is comparable to products and services value in the economy. It is through these activities that an economy achieves macroeconomic stability. Concurrently, the central bank mandates the reserves that must be held by banks to insulate them from potential bank runs. Therefore, the central bank guarantees that commercial banks meet stringent standards of ensuring solvency. However, in 2007, many commercial

Mgt f2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mgt f2 - Essay Example One can manage a diverse staff in the company by inculcating into the culture of the organization the concept of managing diversity. When creating individual work groups and teams in the organization, diversity of the workforce should be encouraged. Training the staff on the benefits of diversity would be of paramount importance in the company. Bringing different personalities and abilities together is an important thing. However, diversity can pose serious threats if not adequately managed. It is particularly necessary that a company acquires a diverse workforce. The diversity of the workforce if properly maintained and positively utilized has the potential to improve tremendously productivity and performance through combined abilities and personalities. For diversity management and training to bear fruits in a company, the manager must find proper means to integrate the training into the daily tasks. Giving a mere lecture on diversity to the employees may not help in its implementation (Mor-Barak 73). Diversity training and management in an organization should start by ensuring the availability of active personnel policies that promote equality. A company-wide diversity training seminar should be conducted to review the unacceptable and acceptable behavior. The importance of diversity training should be well known to both the management and the employees. A complaint resolution with standard procedures for the employees should be established. There are myriad benefits that accrue from a diverse and inclusive workforce. People with different backgrounds and lifestyles challenge each other to produce more. Diversity helps create dissent. A diverse workforce helps the company reach its heterogeneous customer base more efficiently. An inclusive workforce better understands the needs of their employees, which make them feel better, appreciated and respected. The

The Influence of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the Economic Essay

The Influence of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the Economic Growth of the Host Economies - Essay Example ects of FDI on economic growth in host countries greatly depend upon the local conditions and contexts of doing business there: for example, human capital enhances the positive effects of FDI on host economies, while the existing technology gaps make it possible to implement even the simplest foreign direct investment reforms (Wang, Gu, Tse & Yim, 2012). Added to this is the role which market size plays in attracting FDI to host countries, whereas technology-absorptive abilities predetermine host returns from FDI (Li & Liu 2005; Blalock & Gertner 2008). These results have far-reaching implications for policy development and implementation, although all risks and factors changing the nature of FDI inflows to host countries need to be thoroughly considered. Even more interesting are the results of another study conducted in the three major countries-recipients of FDI. These include Malaysia, Chile, and Thailand (Chowdury & Mavrotas 2007). Again, the researchers confirm that the effects of FDI on economic growth are very heterogeneous and primarily depend upon the level of GDP in host countries (Chowdury & Mavrotas 2007). At least in Thailand and Malaysia, the relationship between GDP and FDI is very explicit (Chowdury & Mavrotas 2007). Again, these findings have far-reaching implications for policymaking, since understanding causality between FDI and economic growth is crucial for the creation of policies that encourage the inflow of investments from abroad in the developing world. Both studies confirm the importance of the FDI-economic growth causality but also imply that the nature of this causality and its direction should be placed under professional scrutiny. As long as the effects of FDI on economic growth in host countries are characterized by considerable...This essay outlines the difficulties in establishing the functional relationships of FDI influence on economic growth in host countries. One of the greatest problems in this respect is the lack of suff icient empirical data. Another difficulty is the lack of organization and poor systematization of the existing knowledge. Theoretically, FDI promotes economic growth through an increase in investment volumes, leading to increased efficiency of all economic and financial operations. Another theory suggests that economic growth is a direct result of the technological diffusions caused by FDI. Objectively, there is no single explanation to the effects of FDI on economic growth: numerous variables moderate the relationship between FDI and economic growth in host countries, and the current knowledge of financial markets and macro/microeconomics does not allow producing a comprehensive theory of FDI and its impacts on host countries’ economies. In order to understand how and why FDI impacts host countries’ economic growth, the meaning of both terms needs to be clarified. For the goal of this paper, foreign direct investment is defined as â€Å"the process whereby residents of one country (the source country) acquire ownership of assets for the purpose of controlling the production, distribution, and other activities of a firm in another country. FDI impacts economic growth through structural effects, skill and technology, and size effects. TNC play a huge role in the transfer of capitals and skills from one country to another.

Answering 6 questions based on the book All the Shah's Men Essay

Answering 6 questions based on the book All the Shah's Men - Essay Example Mohammed, the prophet of Islam preached his ideas on one and only God, the almighty. Ali Khomeini, an Iranian political leader, had immense influence on religion and Islamic Republic of Iran. He acted the role of a link between politics and religion in Iran. Hussein Khomeini, grandson of the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini, played a neutral role between religion and politics in Iran. Religious thought and nationalism can be seen as the common factor which binds these individuals together. The teachings of Zoroaster guided Iran to religious tolerance and integration. But the teachings of Mohammed eventually directed Iran to militant nationalism. The influence of Ali Khomeini insisted the government to stick on to the rules set by the religious leaders in Iran. The religious and political ideology put forth by Hussein Khomeini was against the militant nationalism of the religious leaders and it supported the sense of nationhood among Iranians. Stephen Ki nzer points out that: â€Å"Before great powers take far-reaching decisions that can reshape the world, their leaders normally consider the lessons of history.† (Kinzer xii) the great powers possess the duty to take proper decisions on international affairs. But the overall influence of religion, especially Islam insists Iran to be an Islamic Republic. 2. Stephen Kinzer points out that the role of the Britain in Iran is that of colonial exploitation. They were not in favor of nationalization of oil assets controlled by the British companies. Kinzer points out that: â€Å"The wealth that flowed from beneath Iran’s soil played a decisive role in maintaining Britain† (Kinzer 2) the wealth looted from the oil trade helped the British government to monopoly in oil trade but the exploitation badly affected the people of Iran. The exploitation by Britain made Iran

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Art - Essay Example In this definition, art was now seen as a means of livelihood but still possesses skill which is in line with the 12th century definition. There was a change in attitude during the age of enlightenment in the 18th century, and art was defined as â€Å"a pursuit or occupation in which skill is directed toward the ratification of taste or production of what is beautiful†. This means that the artist should aim to produce his or her piece into something that is beautiful. In this century we can now hear that art is now associated with beauty, taste and elegance. In the 18th century, artists such as Fragonard, Gainsborough, Tiepolo and writers elevated their social status in the community because of the development of these new standards. Matthew Arnold a British poet stated in the 19th century that â€Å"we mean by art not merely an aim to please, but also pure and faultless workmanship†. What Arnold means by this is that artists should exhibit skill in their work of art wh ich he referred to as â€Å"pure and faultless workmanship† as stated above, but will also aim to create something that is of aesthetic beauty. Arnold was being defensive on this well established idea that artist should exhibit skill because he reaffirms the idea of the Avante Grade that the artist should be the center of what art is. In this century artists were viewed as prophets of the new cultural ideas which are taking more extensive liberties to the idea of technique, subject matter and interpretation. Avant Garde is a group of people who are active in invention and applying new techniques in a given field such as arts. The Avant Garde artists that is possessing creative talents are separated from the ordinary mortals and were viewed as a special and sublime class of people. Due to Avant Garde’s role in art, artist introduced a myth that before great artists gets fully appreciated they have to die. This is because these artists are so great that their

Computer Ethics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Computer Ethics - Case Study Example On the other hand, if a computer professional or a group of professionals ask for ransom in exchange of not holding a computer as a hostage, they are indulging in criminal behavior. Ransom in previous years used to be gained by kidnapping an individual and this activity was recognized as a criminal conduct. Similarly, holding a computer hostage and acquiring ransom is even recognized as criminal behavior. One way through which computer users can protect their computers from being attacked by ransomware is by protecting their computers with security software. This security software has the ability to detect and stop malicious attacks launched on a particular computer. The user needs to ensure that the security software is kept up-to-date. It is essential for the security software to remain up-to-date because new forms and software of ransomware are being launched every day and in order to tackle updated viruses, a computer needs updated security software. Another way of preventing becoming a hostage to ransomware is having a backup of the information and data that is stored on a particular computer (Deccan Herald, 2012). In cases a computer becomes a hostage, the most probable threat that a user faces is the loss of important data. If this data is stored in a backup storage device such as a USB or an external hard drive, the user will not have to give in to the demand of ransom. Government can use both deterrent as well as preventive modes of legislation to counter the issue of ransomware. The government should pass a legislation requiring all organizations and computer users to protect their computers with security systems and having backup of the data. The government can levy hefty fines for not complying with legislation. This will encourage computer users as well as organizations to protect their system in order to avoid hefty sanctions. Government can deter computer hackers who use

Organizational Structure Essay Example for Free

Organizational Structure Essay In this paper, I will analyze the elements of a job analysis and discuss its significance to the hiring and employee development aspects of human resource management. I will describe the importance of a PAQ, proposing two ways the results can be used to redesign a customer service job for efficiency. I will develop two strategies that HR professionals can in the selection for a customer service position using a Fleishman Job Analysis System. I will examine the challenges for designing this job for efficiency and suggest two ways to redesign it. Finally, I will propose three ways a HR manager can use the information from a job analysis to measure the performance of customer service representatives. One of the most important aspects of human resources is recruiting. In order to recruit the best applicants, job recruiters have to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the position. The best source of information about a position comes from a job analysis. A job analysis is the process of getting detailed information about jobs. A job analysis helps recruiters to match job requirements with the best applicants. It is also essential in employee development, performance appraisals and compensation. A job analysis includes many steps but only three elements. Those elements are the sources of job information, the job specification and the job description. The first element of the job analysis is the source of information used. In doing the analysis, human resource professionals gather information about jobs through interviewing employees, observing performance of certain tasks, asking employees to fill out questionnaires and worksheets, and collecting information about a job from secondary sources. Other sources within the company include existing job descriptions and supervisors. Some of those  secondary sources include existing job analysis information from a competitor and O*NET. Next, the job specification includes the tasks that make up the job, the conditions under which the job is performed and what the job requires in terms of aptitude, knowledge, skills and abilities (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014). This will provide a lot of data. It measures the amount of time the employee spends on major duties. It provides a description of the major duties in order of importance. It determines whether any licensures, certificates or security clearances are needed to perform the job, as well as the physical, environmental and mental demands of a position. This information is essential in creating a job description. The last element is the job description. â€Å"A job description is a list the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† A well-written job description can sell jobs to perspective employees and develop training programs as a job position evolves. Sometimes the needs of business changes and therefore some duties may change within a position. â€Å"For the employer, the job description is often used as a recruiting tool and by supervisors to outline position expectations. The job description may be used to indicate salary or reporting structure and as a reference during performance evaluations (Richards, 2014).† Once all the information has been assembled for a job analysis, it can be further analyzed by using a position analysis questionnaire (PAQ). â€Å"A PAQ is a standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194 questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† The purpose of the questionnaire is to measure the job characteristics and its relation to the human characteristics. The PAQ can be used for a few different things. Common uses include developing a compensation model, selection criteria for a specific job and to study the nature of work (PAQ.com, 2014). A PAQ can be used to redesign a customer service job to be more efficient and improve quality. â€Å"Using the PAQ provides an organization with information that helps in comparing jobs, even when they are dissimilar (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† In making those comparisons, analyzers might find ways to be more efficient. The collected data from this approach helps in developing or revising a job description. In the customer service business the needs of each customer can vary. Therefore, responsibilities of a customer service representative can vary to meet those needs. Those things might not be listed in the job description but will need to be added in order to keep the job description updated. Furthermore, information learned from the PAQ helps in evaluating the position for appropriate classification. A good source to use for worker requirements is the Fleishman Job Analysis system. The Fleishman Job Analysis system (F-JAS) is a job analysis technique that asks subject-matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† Because the results of a F-JAS, provides a picture of the ability requirements of a job, than recruiters know what abilities to scan for when reviewing resumes. Typing skills might be a skill that is important in a customer service position. The F-JAS can give us an idea of just how important typing is to a job so that we would be able to make reasonable accommodations for an applicant with disabilities. Human resource professionals can also use F-JAS to update job descriptions. As processes change the need for some abilities change as things may become automated, therefore job responsibilities change. â€Å"Kannisto adds, â€Å"With the compliance environment and legal implicati ons, the stakes are a lot higher for job descriptions to be crystal clear with essential responsibilities. If you have a measure of performance that doesn’t appear on the job description and you have a case brought against you, depending on the agency [involved], there could be punishment,† he explains (Tyler, 2013).† When considering the job of a customer service representative (CSR) who handles consumer inquiries for a company that sells items online and by catalog, a few challenges of designing this job for efficiency, come to  mind. The first challenge that comes to mind is monotony. Over time, employees will be bored of doing the same job over and over. Even more so if the job is divided into departments, such as sales, returns and customer service, employees will lose interest. A suggestion for redesigning the customer service representative position is job enlargement. Employees might find the job more engaging if all the calls came through on department. We could cross-train employees to be able to handle all the calls that come through the queue. Another suggestion is job rotation. Maybe every week, we could rotate the tasks. We could also make some customer services responses automated for customers. So if a customer wanted to check status on an order, we could generate a system automa ted response so that those calls don’t come into the call center. Another challenge for designing a customer service representative job is defining authority. Sometimes, customer service requires problem solving and quick decisions. Waiting to speak to a manager can be frustrating for the customer and it makes the employee look incompetent, because it increases hold time. The employee probably feels impotent having to get permission to make a decision, especially when they know what to do. A suggestion for redesigning the CSR’s position is job enrichment. CSR’s need a certain amount of authority when it comes to resolving customer service issues. This is a way to raise productivity levels and employee satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in taking ownership of problems and meeting the challenge of increased responsibility. A human resource manager (HRM) can use the information obtained from job analysis to measure the performance of a customer service representative. Job analysis is a set of procedures or methods for determining what workers actually do on the job and for describing which aspects of worker knowledge, skill, ability, and other characteristics are needed for job performance. This process defines a productive employee and gives human resource managers a place to start for measuring performance. One way HRM can use this information is in making personnel decisions. This tool can help determine whether an employee should receive a promotion, transfer, pay increase or be fired. It can also be used for employee development. A performance  appraisal will determine the strengths and weaknesses of employees. This is key to helping our CSR’s grow, because we can create training programs to increase their skills levels. Taking the time to strengthen their weaknesses will make them perform better, which is great for the company. Finally, the performance appraisal can be used as documentation to protect a company from lawsuits, because it is used as the basis for personnel decisions. In conclusion, the job analysis is the foundation of most human resource functions. With its use, job descriptions are created and updated which standardizes recruiting. It is a perfect outline for measuring performance of new and existing employees. Job analysis provides training and employee growth opportunities. Personnel decisions are also validated by job analysis, because it creates a system of checks and balances for hiring, performance appraisals, promotion and demotion and/or firing. Works Cited Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 103). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 107). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 108). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. PAQ.com. (2014). The paq program. Retrieved from http://www.paq.com/?FuseAction=Main.PAQProgram Richards, F. (2014). Key parts to job descriptions. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/key-parts-job-descriptions-12366.html Tyler, K. (2013, Jan. 01). Job worth doing: Update descriptions. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/2013/0113/pages/0113-job-descriptions.aspx

Constructivist and Liberalist Argument on State Shared Value

Constructivist and Liberalist Argument on State Shared Value According to realism, relations between states in the anarchical world is doomed to the state of constant conflict in which states can only count on themselves. Whatever cooperation exists in the world they prescribe it to the hegemonic order. This means that hegemon, creates institutions which facilitate cooperation but that these institutions are carriers of hegemonic interests and their existence is related to the existence of a hegemon. Representatives of liberal school deny the abovementioned argument and point at contemporary networks of cooperation in many fields which they see as a positive current in the world politic. Realists and liberals agree that the status of international system is anarchy and sovereign states make up the international order. As Alexander Wendt stated in 1992 in his article[1]: neorealists and neoliberals share generally similar assumptions about agents: states are the dominant actors in the system and they define security in self-interested terms[2]. As for the Liberals, they underline the importance of international institutions and cooperation between states thus placing a principle of the shared values in the center of state-behavior. Constructivist Argument According to Alexander Wendt, concept of power politics is socially constructed: If self-help is not a constitutive feature of anarchy, it must emerge casually from processes in which anarchy plays only a permissive role. This reflects a second principle of constructivism: that the meanings in terms of which action is organized arise out of interaction[3] Wendt views self-help as something not given by nature but instead, socially constructed. Having in mind the fact that power politics is socially constructed means that it can be transformed by human practice. Furthermore, constructivists look at international arena as a constructed structure which is built by socio-cultural practices, ideas, domestic and international interactions. According to Wendt, the basic tenets of constructivism are the structures of human association that are determined primarily by shared ideas rather than material forces, and that the identities and interests of purposive actors are constructed by these s hared ideas rather than given by nature[4]. According to the theory of constructivism the effect of anarchy on the state is proportionate to the states perception of anarchy, identity and interest. If in the state of Anarchy state A perceives the rise of power of state B as threat to its security, then a security dilemma is created and states apply to the self-help principle. But, if state A and state B view their security in the form of cooperation and collaboration, then a security dilemma is not formed, thus not establishing logical grounds for self-help principle to develop. Alexander Wendt in his article anarchy is what state make of it: The social construction of power politics states that: the nature of international anarchy appears to be conflictual if states show a conflictual behaviour towards each other, and cooperative if they behave cooperatively towards one another. Therefore, it is states themselves that determine anarchys nature.[5] Liberal argument Representatives of liberal theory agree with realists on a notion that international system is anarchical. But unlike realist, liberalism mitigates the risks coming from the nature of anarchy with cooperation and collaboration between states.[6]. While liberalism agrees on an anarchical condition of international politics, it provides three main mechanisms that can explain a state behavior in order to avoid the risks coming from the anarchy: consolidation of democracy, economic interdependence, and transtational institutions.[7] In order to mitigate the threats and risks coming from the anarchy representatives of the liberal theory believe that states should become more interdependent with each other. Shared democratic values and economical interdependence significantly reduces the risk of military confrontation between states. Free trade relations between states, which result in a close economic ties between its citizens, excludes the chance of military confrontation with each other. According to Michael W. Doyle: Wars occur outside the liberal zone because conflicts of interest are deeper there.[8] Liberalism also allows a probability of the world peace despite the anarchical feature of international politics. If the state behavior is prone to establishment of international organizations and institutions then this behavior may lead to the long term cooperation between the member nations which share the same values. According to the liberalism military conflicts are not inevitable but can be prevented through collaboration. The development of an international organization such as United of Nation, NATO and European Union are the examples of cooperation between states that could promote stability. A central claim of this theory is that once created, institutions tend to persist, because it is cheaper to maintain institutions than to create new ones. Therefore, when confronted with new sets of problems, states seek to modify an already existing institution to meet new challenges. Thus, institutional liberal theories have easier time explaining why NATO persisted after the end of the Cold War even when the enemy that it was supposed to counter disappeared. Liberalism underlines the significace of the shared values between states. The principle of shared values can explain state behavior as they create alliances and develop joint capabilities, rather than focusing only on the development of their own.

Comparative Study Of The Electoral Systems Politics Essay

Comparative Study Of The Electoral Systems Politics Essay A democracy cannot exist without elections which represent the will of the people, and elections cannot function without an electoral system that sets fair and transparent rules that govern the structures of elections. The study of electoral systems is a field of research that aims at analyzing the different electoral systems used in the world and how they put democracy into practice by making the different voters of the country represented in the parliament. A voting system can simply be defined as the procedures by which we cast votes and elect our public officials,  [1]  or that part of the electoral law and regulations which determine how parties and candidates are elected to a body as representative.  [2]  However, the importance of the electoral system lies in its consequences on the political scene of the country especially when choosing one type of electoral system over another, because electoral systems are, according to Sartori, the most speci ¬Ã‚ c manipulative instrument of politics.  [3]   In general there are twelve electoral systems that fall under three categories: majority, proportional representation and mixed systems. First, the voting systems that fall under the majority system are: first past the post, block vote, party block vote, alternative vote, and the two round systems. Second, under the proportional representation lie two systems: list proportional representation (List PR) and single transferable vote (STV). Third, the mixed system includes two systems: mixed member proportional and parallel systems. Finally, three other voting systems cannot be classified into one of the three systems mentioned above, there are: single non-transferable vote (SNTV), limited vote and borda count.  [4]  The main concern [of electoral systems] is [the] balance between decisiveness of government and representation of various minority views.  [5]  And sometimes, if not always, governments have to choose either one of these because of the difficulty of encompassing bot h those strong government and full representation in one type of electoral system. Regarding my thesis the two electoral systems that are important for my study are: list PR which is used in both Morocco and Algeria and SNTV which is used in Jordan. According to Samuel Huntington, the world has experienced three waves of democracy, the first one on the eve of the twentieth century until 1926; the second one emerged with the end of World War II until 1962 and the third one started in 1974.  [6]  The region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) seems to be one of the few areas of the world where democratic waves did not arrive, or to be more accurate did not flourish, as there are few countries who are ranked by the Democracy Index of the Economist as either hybrid systems and many as authoritarian regimes. In the MENA region, few countries hold free and fair elections, among them are Morocco where proportional representation is used to elect the members of the parliament, Jordan, where the Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) system is used and Algeria where proportional representation is used in parliamentary elections. However, in all these three countries the elections were characterized by low turnouts, invalid votes and boycott in addition to producing fragmented governments. The choice of those three MENA countries has to do with their similarities in terms of geography, culture, religion, language and their relative free and fair elections, according to international observers. On top of that, Having two kingdoms and one republic makes my comparison more interesting with Morocco at the focal point sharing similarity with Jordan in terms of the regime type and with Algeria in terms of the voting system. The objective of my thesis is to test two hypotheses: a) electoral systems in the MENA region are manipulated to produce fragmented governments and b) the geographical concentration of the vote for pro-regime parties in rural areas in contrast to the opposition base in urban areas. My thesis will compare the components of the electoral systems of the three countries and come up with patterns regarding the political party structure, the electoral reforms requested by the political parties and the elections results. Literature Review According to Andreas Schedler in his article The Nested Game of Democratization by Elections, electoral law can be used to prevent an eventual loss of votes from translating into a loss of power.  [7]  The major aim of the manipulation of the electoral system is the containment of its uncertain outcomes, therefore fair and free elections are allowed as long as the results can be predicted or controlled. In his book Rethinking Arab democratization: Elections without Democracy, Larbi Sadiki invented the terms electoral fetishism  [8]  and routinization  [9]  to describe the elections in the Middle East because their outcomes do not translate into major changes in society. However, even the manipulation of the voting system is not enough to guarantee an unsurprising outcome from the ballots as exemplified by the elections of 1991 in Algeria and 1989 in Jordan. The two cases of Algeria and Jordan show the autonomy of institutions exemplified by the electoral system that produ ces results that can either empower or weaken the candidates. So if the election results cannot be controlled they can at least be maneuvered to prevent a landslide victory of the opposition. Refraining from cancelling the result of elections is explained by the need of the regimes to obtain foreign aid and avoid international criticism. According to the author electoralism, being the creation of regimes, has become another state resource that the ruling elites use for legitimation purposes within and without.  [10]  The term electoralism refers here only to one of the three requirement of democracy; therefore having election is not enough for democracy to emerge. Therefore, the election`s main goal is to legitimate the regime and provide a way for the opposition to participate in the political life of the country but of course after guaranteeing its fragmentation. Moreover, According to Lise storm, a democracy is based on three core elements: holding free and fair elections, re specting civil liberties and strengthening the power of the elected government to govern. The aim of my study deals with the first core of the democratic principles, the free and fair elections which are instituted by the electoral law. Lise Storm stated that a country that provides for one of the three principles can still be deemed to be a democratic country, however if none of the principles is available then the country is authoritarian. Concerning the literature on the comparison of electoral systems in MENA, Ellen Lust-Okar and Amaney Ahmad Jamal analyzed the electoral systems in MENA, in their article Rulers and Rules: Reassessing the Influence of Regime Type on Electoral Law Formation. by differentiating between monarchies that prefer PR system in order to balance the strength of parties and republics that opted for plurality system in order to prevent the opposition from being elected. I will add the regime typology and election mode to make a pattern on the MENA that monarchies prefer proportional system while republics passed laws to enable the pro-regime parties to win a landslide victory. The article`s findings do not explain the use of PR in Morocco with more laws being passed to raise the threshold that will hinder small parties or the Jordanian change from a proportional system of plurality (bloc vote) to SNTV, which means one man one vote, which is supposed to reduce gerrymandering but did not. Many authors used the new institutionalism framework to analyze electoral systems. The theory is advanced by J. G. March and J. P. Olsen in their article The New Institutionalism: Organized Factors in Political Life. The theory is used in the field social science such as sociology and political science to account for the crucial rules of institutions in influencing the behavior of individuals based on norms, prohibitions or simply because an alternative does not exist. The basic aim of the theory is to prove that the organization of political life makes a difference,  [11]  which entails that those institutions are endogenous entities that benefit from an autonomy to exert its influence on individuals either by empowering them or confining their power. The institutions can be reinforced by third parties to exert actions that protect their interest without being in power. Andreas Shedler applied the theory of new institutionalism on the authoritarian regimes so that instead of ruling with coercive and undemocratic means; authoritarian rulers can use institutions to survive. The new institutionalism can be observed in four major ways: imperatives, landscape, containment, ambivalence. Regarding my study I will focus on the containment area regarding the electoral system and political parties. According to Shedler the electoral system can be manipulated by disempowerment or excluding sensitive areas from the hands of the elected officials; supply restriction which limits the choice available to the voter by banning, subverting or fragmenting certain parties; demand restriction by restricting the opposition access to the media; suffrage restriction by controlling the voting age ; preference distortion through the use of both violence such as intimidation and money such as vote buying; and vote distortion and rigging under the supervision of biased institu tions.  [12]  Regarding the legislative the manipulation includes disempowerment, agent control by directly appointing members of legislature and fragmentation.  [13]   My study will include the categorization made by the author and apply them to the three countries. The theory of new institutionalism will be useful to analyzing the electoral system in all the three countries and how the system influences the behavior of both the voters and candidates. The electoral system and constitution are institutions that have an immense influence on individuals. Who decides the winner from the loser in elections is not the regime nor the elections but rather the electoral system which has autonomy but it still can be manipulated. In the case of Morocco, George Joffe, in his article Moroccos Reform Process: Wider Implications, argued that the aims of the political reforms introduced by the regime were not due to external pressure or the triumph of the opposition to insert them, but rather to ensure the survival of the dynastic rule of the ruling family. As a result, the multiparty political system was adopted since the first constitution of 1962 to induce the political fragmentation in the country culminating in the hegemony of the palace over the political process of the country. Another interesting view of the Moroccan electoral system is by Andrew Barwig who argued, in his article How Electoral Rules Matter: Voter Turnout in Moroccos 2007 Parliamentary Elections, that the lower voter turnout in the election of 2007 was not only due to sociological factors but also to the electoral system as it produced an artificial and highly fragmented political landscape regardless of who wins the largest share of the na tional vote.  [14]  He pointed also to the aim of a multiparty system for the regime to divide and rule by preventing the emergence of a strong opposition, in addition to the role of the Ministry of Interior in controlling the electoral process since 1958 instead of assigning it to an independent commission. Third, John Grumm, the author of the article Theories of Electoral Systems, stated that the electoral system used in Morocco prevents a landslide victory of any party. The author indentified that the combination of largest remainder formula and gerrymandering induced a fragmented government and a situation whereby parties ended up with fewer seats compared to their amassed votes especially the major parties, In the case of Jordan, Glenn E. Robinson stated, in his article Can Islamists Be Democrats? The Case of Jordan, that the fear of the opposition, mainly the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, had motivated the king to have an electoral system that favors tribal affiliation rather than partisan one. Moreover, the same scholar in another article Defensive Democratization in Jordan, affirmed that the new electoral system adopted in 1993 benefited the tribal areas, mainly Eastern and Southern Jordan at the expense of urban areas, mainly the region of Amman-Zarqa which is Palestinian-dominanted. The authors conclusion is that electoral systems can be managed and controlled to prevent undesirable outcomes. In the case of Algeria, Ayln Guney and Aslihan Celenk, in their article The European Unions Democracy Promotion Policies in Algeria: Success or Failure?, stated that the Algerian regime passed a new electoral system before the election of 1991 by increasing the number of seats and districts in rural areas. The basic aim of the changes was to allow the pro-regime party, FLN, to win the elections but ironically the electoral system benefited the Islamist party of FIS instead. Mohand Salah Tahi, in his article Algerias legislative and local elections: Democracy denied (1997), indentified the Algerian military as the institution in control of the political life exemplified by the creation of parties such as RND and introducing changes to the constitution and electoral system that would not challenge its authority. For instance, to pass an amendment to the constitution the opposition needs the vote of three quarters of the upper house, in which one third directly appointed by the preside nt. These laws exemplify the fear of the regime from creating the same outcome of 1991, therefore passing some amendments both to the electoral system and the constitution allowed the regime to be in a position to control and manage the outcomes of elections without the need to annul them. What emerges from the literature review concerns the criteria that define the fairness and freedom of election, having international observers and abiding by the electoral law make is it apparent that the elections are transparent but what if the issues that undermine the fairness of the elections relate to the electoral system itself. The literature reviewed above shows that Jordan and Algeria introduced two electoral systems in the early 1990s believing that they would be suitable for making the pro- regime party the obvious winner in the case of Algeria and tribal candidates in the case of Jordan. However, the outcome of the elections persuaded the two countries to adopt different electoral system: PR in Algeria and SNTV in Jordan. Regarding the case of Morocco the shift from Plurality into PR in 1997 did not produce surprising results therefore the electoral system was kept. So the question here is why did three countries diverge in terms of the electoral system used, especially regarding Jordan and Morocco? There is huge body of literature written about electoral systems arguing about the list PR as the most propositional system in terms of allowing smaller parties to be represented in the parliament, the high turnout due to the absence of the wasted vote phenomena in contrast to the plurality system, more representation for women and a higher proportionality between seats and votes. However, from the elections results in both Morocco and Algeria the PR did not produce the same results expected of the system exemplified by the low turnout, high invalid votes, a high threshold that prevents small parties from gaining seats in the parliament while the negative outcome of PR which is a fragmented government seems to be present in both cases. In the case of Jordan, the resentment of the SNTV system pushed many parties to ask for a reform debate with Islamic Front Action (IFA), an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, asking for PR system and other parties asking for a mixed system. My thesis will analyse the abnormalities of the three systems that generated much discussion about the ineffectiveness of the voting system and the need to reform it. According to Andrew Reynolds , Ben Reilly and Andrew Ellis, the electoral system is the easiest political institution to be manipulated and the choice of the electoral system determines the winners. However, the usual distinction between Plurality and Proportional systems as the former encourages two party systems while the other induces multi-parties is not always accurate as many examples contradict these findings such as Spain, Namibia, South Africa and India.  [15]  This has to do with many variables besides the electoral system used such as the socio-political context of the country. Therefore, The electoral system cannot be seen in isolation of other political institutions such as the constitution, the political parties among other socio political variables, thus a PR system can have two different outcomes in two countries .The case of the three countries of Algeria, Morocco and Jordan have quasi-similar political context so the outcome of particular voting system will have the same effect based on the elections results in 2003 and 2007. Theoretical Framework According to   Gallagher and Mitchell: Government is representative government, in which the people do not govern themselves directly but rather delegate the task of political decision-making to a smaller set of public officials. In democratic societies these representatives are elected.  [16]  In order to understand how governments are elected, we need to understand the system that allows them to be elected which is the voting system: The set of procedures that determine how people are elected to office. These procedures include how the ballot is structured, how people cast their votes, how those votes are counted, and how the winners are decided.  [17]  The electoral system does not only determine how people are elected to the office but also serves as a link between the voter`s preferences and the policies of the government; at least, theoretically speaking, the majority of the voters will have their opinion respected in terms of the parties and candidate they elected.  [18]   Based on these two quotations, the electoral systems are accurate examples to assess democracy, because electoral systems can tell more about the country. Reynolds, Reilly and Ellis divided the different aspects represented by electoral systems into four categories: geographic representation, which means that the different regions of the country are represented in the parliament; ideological representation, which implies that all the different political doctrines are represented in the parliament and at least the minor, ones, can compete in the elections; party-political situation which denotes that power is not in the hand of one party while excluding other parties from participating in the elections;  [19]  and descriptive representation, which entails that its different ethnic, linguistic, religious and gender components are represented; or, as Reynolds, Reilly and Ellis put it, serves as the mirror of the nation.  [20]  My thesis will include those four categories to anal yze electoral systems of the three countries based on the parliamentary elections held after 2000. On top of that, I will also use the theory of new institutionalism with the framework of Andreas Schedler which will be useful in identifying the reasons behind choosing a particular type of electoral system and targeting the areas that were manipulated. Aims of the Study My aim is to explain that it is possible to have free and fair elections but that does not mean that the country is democratic as the elections are based on the choice of the electoral system that produces fragmented government through the use of such policies as rising the threshold, gerrymandering and requiring difficult measures to pass an amendment to the electoral law. My thesis will analyze the electoral systems in MENA region by identifying three case studies: Morocco, Jordan and Algeria. My aim is to study the development of electoral systems in those three countries; the reason behind choosing those three countries has to do with their similarities. All of those countries are newly-formed democracies that gained their independence or emerged as a state in the second half of the twentieth century: Jordan in 1946, Morocco in 1956 and Algeria in 1962. All those three countries share geographic, linguistics and religious similarities. According to the findings of Freedom Houses Freedom in the World 2009 Survey, the only free country in the MENA is Israel, while only 6 countries are qualified as partly free: Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon and Yemen and the rest of the MENA is classified as not free. Another index that ranks countries in terms of their democracy is the Economist Index of Democracy which ranked Jordan, Morocco and Algeria a s authoritarian regimes. Based on these indexes, I chose two monarchies: Morocco and Jordan and adding one republic: Algeria. On top of that, while Morocco and Jordan share the same political regime, Morocco and Jordan share the same voting system. I want to prove that the lack of democracy in MENA is not due to cultural, religious or colonial history but rather to the manipulation of the electoral system to prevent a certain group from gaining majority, this manipulation is driven by the fear from the rise of the opposition such as the leftist and Islamist parties. My hypothesis is that the lack of democracy is not only due to the falsification of the election results but also by the manipulation of electoral systems. Therefore, even if the elections are organized in a free and fair environment with the presence of international observers, the electoral system used will prevent a group from attaining a majority. This hypothesis will back up my second hypothesis regarding the concentration of the pro-regime parties-vote in rural areas. The second aim of my thesis is to find the rationale behind the selection of a particular election mode by those three countries and the reasons behind its change, in addition to analyzing the di fferent amendments passed to the electoral system and reforms that are pressed for? Finally, my thesis will compare between the three countries to find if there are similarities in terms laws that fragment or exclude the opposition, the geographical concentration of the vote, the election results in terms of winners and losers, the turnout, the categorization of parties. The electoral system used in both Morocco and Algeria is PR (Proportional representation) while the SNTV is used in Jordan. The chart below identifies the different components of the electoral system of each country: Morocco Jordan Algeria Electoral System Plurality PR in 1997 Block Vote inherited from Britain SNTV in 1993 by a royal decree Absolute Majority Run-off in 1999 PR in 1997 Threshold 2% in 2002 6% in 2007 N/A 7% in 1997 5% in 2007 Quotas 10% women: 30 seats 6 seats for women, 9 for Christians, and 3 for the Circassian and Chechen minorities. Turnout (Latest Legislative Election) 2007 election 37% 2007 election 54% -80% in rural areas and 28% in some constituencies in the capital 2007 election 35% Invalid vote and blank vote 2007 election 19% 2007 election 15% Parliamentary System Bicameral: -The Chamber of Counselors: 270 seats. -The Chamber of Representatives: 325 seats. Bicameral: -The Assembly of Senators: 55 seats -The Chamber of Deputies: 80 seats Bicameral: -The Council of the nation: 144 members, 96 members elected by communal councils and 48 members appointed by the president. -The National Peoples Assembly: 380 seats. Political System Monarchy Monarchy Republic System of Counting the Votes Largest Remainder N/A Hare Formula Electoral Districts 2007: 95 2007: 45 districts -3 closed tribal electoral districts. 2010: 45 districts divided into 108 sub-districts 1997: 56 electoral districts : 48 and 8 for the Algerian Diaspora District magnitude Between 1 and 5 1 Ballot structure Nominal/categorical Nominal/categorical Reforms of the electoral law -2009: law number 9: from 110 to 120 Addition of sub-districts Constitution -1962 -1970 -1972 -1980: article 21, 43 and 95 -1992: increasing the seats of the parliament from 306 to 333 -1996: bicameral systems, 162 seats for the upper house indirectly elected, 81 by chambers of commerce and 27 by trade unions The 325 for the lower house directly elected. -1952 -1963: single party system -1976: socialism -1986: free market reforms -1989: multi party system -1996: banning parties formed under religious, regional or linguistic crtieria -12 November 2008: article 74 amendment and giving more rights to women Political parties categorization -Pro-palace: RNI, MP and UC -Conservative: PI -Leftist: USFP and PPS -Islamist: PJD -right: -Leftist: JCP -Islamist: IAF and MCP Pro-regime: FLN and NRD -Right: FNA -Leftist: PT and FFS -Islamist: MSP and MRI Voting Day Friday Tuesday Thursday Voting list closed N/A Closed Electoral reform asked for -Rising the threshold -changing the highest remainder formula -two systems: plurality in rural areas and PR in urban areas -PR -Mixed system: 2 votes one for the district and one for the bloc Number of independents -2002 -2007 -2003 -2007 -2010 -2002 -2010 Women representation in the lower house -34/10.5% (2007) -13/ 10.8% (2010) -30/ 7.7% (2007) By-elections The DesignMethods and Procedures   -Analyze the recent legislative election results of Morocco, Jordan and Algeria in 2002 and 2007. -Identify electoral systems as the independent variable while the outcomes are the dependent variables in addition to using correlation analysis to see if there is a relationship between those two variables. This will be helpful in testing the theory that PR systems produce fragmented governments and plurality systems produce strong governments. -Since my data is mostly qualitative, I will use nominal level of measurement. -do a simulation of the three recent elections using different electoral systems -count the wasted vote Hypotheses Voting systems are manipulated to produce fragmented government Votes supporting pro-regime parties are geographically concentrated in rural areas in contrast to the opposition which is based in urban areas Research Questions What are the differences and similarities between the electoral systems of Morocco, Jordan and Algeria? How representative are electoral systems in MENA? Is there a relationship between government type and electoral system? Is there a relationship between the electoral system and the turnout? Is there a relationship between the electoral system and the number of parties? Can we make some conclusions based on the case studies and apply them to all Arab countries? What is the electoral system that best suits the region of MENA? How is the dilemma of Strong and Well-represented government dealt with? Why is the lower turnout and invalid vote prominent in urban areas in contrast with rural areas? Partition of Thesis My thesis will be divided into five chapters; the first one will be about an introduction about the electoral systems and their importance in sustaining democracy. The second chapter will be devoted to the electoral systems in Morocco and the analysis of its recent legislative election in 2007. The third chapter will include the analysis of Jordans electoral system and its recent legislative election in 2007 and 2010. The fourth chapter is devoted to the electoral system in Algeria and its recent 2007 legislative election. The fifth chapter will serve to connect the three case studies by comparing their similarities and differences and making some concluding statements on the relationship between the type of electoral system, government type and democracy. Data Collection Primary Data Sources: The constitution, electoral law and the amendments passed in the three countries. The Moroccan and Algerian 2007 legislative election results and the Jordanian 2007 and 2010 legislative election results Geographical maps of the elections results Secondary Data Sources Interviews with some political parties in Morocco -analysis of interviews conducted with politi

The Ongoing Crisis in Sudan Essay -- Foreign Policy

While the international community views the human rights abuse in Sudan a tragedy, instability in Sudan and South Sudan pose great risk to the U.S. national security and foreign relations and interests. For two decades, Sudan has been actively in a civil war for land, natural resources, and independence. This has caused civil unrest amongst its people mainly because of forced displacement and insufficient humanitarian assistance. Many human atrocities have been committed and reports estimate that over two million people have died because of war, famine, and disease. According to Eurasia Review (2012) â€Å"After decades of civil war, North and South Sudan signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005. The CPA set standards for sharing oil revenue (50:50 split) and a timetable toward a referendum on the South’s independence.† On July 7, 2011, Sudan split into separate countries, Sudan and South Sudan, after declaring its independence from Khartoum. Historica lly, the relationship between the U.S. and Sudan has been coarse both economically and politically. The Embassy continues to evaluate its posture in Sudan regularly, particularly in the wake of the January 1, 2008, killings of a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee and his Sudanese driver in Khartoum.† Also, according to the Sudan Tribune â€Å"Sudan has been on the US economic sanctions list for more than a decade over allegations of supporting terrorism as well as human right abuses.† Currently, U.S. strategic priorities in Sudan include three main principles. First, a definitive end to conflict, gross human rights abuses, and justice for the genocide in Darfur. Second, the implementation of the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that... ...line.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812904577291172056 640582.html Bureau of African Affairs (2012, January 10). Background Note: Sudan. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5424.htm Eurasia Review (2012, March 20). Sudan And South Sudan Energy Profile: Oil Production Stuck In Talks – Analysis. Eurasia Review News & Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.eurasiareview.com/20032012-sudan-and-south-sudan-energy-profile-oil-production-stuck-in-talks-analysis/ Herbst, M. (2008, March 14). Oil for China, Guns for Darfur. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/gb20080314 _430126.htm No economic prosperity in Sudan without political settlement, says opposition figure . (2012, March 18). Sudan Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.sudantribune.com/No-economic-prosperity-in-Sudan,41956 The Ongoing Crisis in Sudan Essay -- Foreign Policy While the international community views the human rights abuse in Sudan a tragedy, instability in Sudan and South Sudan pose great risk to the U.S. national security and foreign relations and interests. For two decades, Sudan has been actively in a civil war for land, natural resources, and independence. This has caused civil unrest amongst its people mainly because of forced displacement and insufficient humanitarian assistance. Many human atrocities have been committed and reports estimate that over two million people have died because of war, famine, and disease. According to Eurasia Review (2012) â€Å"After decades of civil war, North and South Sudan signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005. The CPA set standards for sharing oil revenue (50:50 split) and a timetable toward a referendum on the South’s independence.† On July 7, 2011, Sudan split into separate countries, Sudan and South Sudan, after declaring its independence from Khartoum. Historica lly, the relationship between the U.S. and Sudan has been coarse both economically and politically. The Embassy continues to evaluate its posture in Sudan regularly, particularly in the wake of the January 1, 2008, killings of a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee and his Sudanese driver in Khartoum.† Also, according to the Sudan Tribune â€Å"Sudan has been on the US economic sanctions list for more than a decade over allegations of supporting terrorism as well as human right abuses.† Currently, U.S. strategic priorities in Sudan include three main principles. First, a definitive end to conflict, gross human rights abuses, and justice for the genocide in Darfur. Second, the implementation of the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that... ...line.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812904577291172056 640582.html Bureau of African Affairs (2012, January 10). Background Note: Sudan. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5424.htm Eurasia Review (2012, March 20). Sudan And South Sudan Energy Profile: Oil Production Stuck In Talks – Analysis. Eurasia Review News & Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.eurasiareview.com/20032012-sudan-and-south-sudan-energy-profile-oil-production-stuck-in-talks-analysis/ Herbst, M. (2008, March 14). Oil for China, Guns for Darfur. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/gb20080314 _430126.htm No economic prosperity in Sudan without political settlement, says opposition figure . (2012, March 18). Sudan Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.sudantribune.com/No-economic-prosperity-in-Sudan,41956

Peace in Islam :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frederick Denny, the keynote speaker of the night spoke on Islam and its moral responsibility and how Muslims need to educate. He was a very intelligent man and great speaker, but he was too philosophical for the students in the audience. I was one of those misfortunate souls who could not understand where he was going. He hit on many key points that connected the current problems of Islam and ideas of liberation theology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He stressed that Islam is and always will be a monotheistic, ethical religion. I agree with this statement and with the education of the youth and the world, others will see that Islam is not evil or that much different from Christianity in faith. In his randomness he also hit on the ideas of sin. In Islam Ma’arvt and Mounkar are the Islamic terms for what Christians call sinless and sinful acts or the expectable and not expectable behaviors. From these aspects of faith one can seek justice and morality through God, the one who wills and acts justly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spiritual morality and justice are filtered from God and should not be questioned. We should take what he gives us and use it responsibly. Doing what is right and just in the eyes of the lord will draw one closer to the almighty. Closeness to the Creator is the ultimate of all Muslims and with understanding and education all will see that this is the goal of all the Abraham faiths. All 3 believe that happiness comes from love for him. He asks only that we should â€Å"spend of our substances out of love for him alone.† Meaning moral duty enacted out of duty for him, â€Å"for god’s sake first.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doing all things through the lord first and then showing and educating the people, the world and Muslims alike in the ways of the lord can reach peace in Denny’s opinion. There are struggles with-in Islam itself with the more radical liberation theology. They take their faith to the extreme and segregate their own. Find peace from with-in, find peace amongst your brothers, and then find peace amongst your neighbors in order to accomplish Takwa (avoidance of unethical). There will be a great deal of suffering. Denny does not Denny does not deny that. He says along with many Muslims that suffering with the principle of faith. Arming oneself with the glory of God will maintain your spirits and ultimately lead you to peace.