Dutch Revolt Essay - 1215 Words

1 Assignment 2 How significant was the Reformed faith for the success of the Dutch Revolt Essay plan My essay will begin with a chapter on when and why the revolt Started, and will then continue to explain and talk about the main participants in its continuance and then go on to talk about their individual beliefs and reasons for the revolts emergence and success. The Dutch revolt or the revolt of the Netherlands as it is also known as, started in 1566 and carried on until the early 17th century. The seventeen provinces of the Low Countries were acquired by the Hasburgs through marriage in 1477 but were still infested with independent lordships right up until the 17th century and were divided between German speaking†¦show more content†¦He called Martin Luther to appear before the assembly and to either renounce or reaffirm his views. 5 Luther Said â€Å"Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen. After the assembly Charles V made a decree (edict of worms) which stated â€Å" We forbid anyone from this time forward to dare, either by words or by deeds, to receive, defend, sustain, or favour the said Martin Luther. On the contrary we want him to be apprehended and punished as a notorious heretic, as he deserves, to be brought personally before us, or to be securely guarded until those who have captured him inform us, where upon we will order the appropriate manner of proceeding against the said Luther. Those who will help in his capture will be rewarded generously for 6 their good work†. It was the culmination of an ongoing struggle between Martin Luther and the Catholic Church. On his way back to Wittenburg after his meeting with Charles, William was picked up by soldiers of Frederick the Wise and escorted to Wartburg Castle for his own protection. Philip IIShow MoreRelatedHow significant was the Reformed faith to the success of the Dutch Revolt?1253 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dutch Revolt, In the sixteenth century, was a conflict between the Protestant Low Countries, and the Catholic Spanish Empire. This resulted in the division of the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, and eventually the formation of the Dutch Republic. The Dutch speaking north were tolerant to various religious affiliations, whereas, the French and Walloon South, remained loyal to Philip II, and were predominantly Catholic. In order to establish the significance of reformed faith in the successRead MoreHow Significant was the Reformed Faith to the Success of the Dutch Revolt?1327 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dutch Revolt of the sixteenth century, was a conflict between the Protestant Low countries, and the Catholic Spanish Empire. This resulted in the division of the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, and eventually the formation of the Dutch Republic. This struggle culminated into a Religious split. The Dutch speaking north were tolerant to various religious affiliations, whereas, the French and Walloon South, remained loyal to Philip II, and were predominantly Catholic. In order to determineRead MoreAfrikaners Establishment of Apartheid in 1948 Essay1123 Words   |  5 PagesAfrikaners Establishment of Apartheid in 1948 During the seventeenth century South Africa was colonized by English and Dutch, the decedents of the Dutch settlers became known as as Boers who were determined to live by their own rules and not to be controlled by anyone else, they wanted economical end geographical control, but most of all the wanted to be segregated from all non-whites, the wanted Apartheid: Afrikaans: apartness, a policy that governed relations betweenRead MoreMy Life And Life Of A Missionary1082 Words   |  5 PagesCalvinist family, so that I could have been raised according to God’s law. Throughout my life I have spread this religion to as many heretics as possible. Because of my devotion I began my preaching in Geneva, then I traveled to Kampan in the revolting Dutch provinces to spread God’s word there, and finally I have settled in New Amsterdam, and continue to preach this very day, 1632. This memoir will not specifically be about Calvinism since I have already written down my treatise in another text. It willRead MoreEssay The Art of the Dutch Republic2132 Words   |  9 PagesThe Art of the Dutch Republic Dutch art (is) not #8230;a literal record of social experience, but #8230;a document of beliefs. Do what extent to the following sources support this view with regard to the Dutch Republic in the seventeenth century? (750 words) Human expression provides a mechanism by which human behaviour can be studied by the historian, and in aesthetic expression such as art, the historian can study the beliefs which influence human behaviour. Within the alleged GoldenRead More Dutch Slave Trade Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pages Dutch Slave Trade nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;During the 17th and 18th centuries, mercantilism was the emerging economic policy through which the slave trade developed in Europe. In the Netherlands many historical events gave rise to a desire for domination of international trade. They were serious tradesman and were heavily involved in the profitable business of slavery. The Dutch, intelligent and self-ruling tradesmen took no time in displaying their dominance over rival countries, PortugalRead More The Dutch in Japan Essay2327 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"The Red Haired Barbarians:† The Dutch in Japan The success of Dutch merchants in Japan illustrates the uniqueness of the Dutch Republic amongst the 17th century European countries. Not only would the Dutch come to dominate trade in Asia, in Japan they would demonstrate a practicality that would enable them to be the singular Western force present in a country that would severely isolate itself from any foreign intrusion. The V.O.C. could indeed be a ruthless cartel in securing trade fromRead MoreThe English East India Company1785 Words   |  8 Pagesnot part of the administrative system of Goa, though by the 1620s the resident fear of the Dutch and English made them closer ties with the viceroyalty in the hope that it will be able to protect them. But the Estado da India watched helplessly when the Dutch started capturing their own ships, which greatly affected their prosperity. Even before the final annexation of Portuguese overseas empire, the Dutch and the local regularly disturbed their settlement that compels many of settler’s lookoutsRead MoreThe Concert of Europe Essay1082 Words   |  5 Pageswillingness of all five Great Powers to show moderation in the pursuit of their individual interests. Without this, it would be impossible to reach a consensus on important issues. Although The Concert’s main aim was to maintain peace, revolts in different areas of Europe such as Spain, Portugal, Belgium and France, made its peace making facilities harder to obtain due to the delicate circumstances. The struggles between constitutionalists and absolutists in Spain duringRead MoreBetween 1600 and 1700 the American Colonies Were Shaken by a Series of Revolts That, It Had Been Contended, Were the Result of Tensions in Colonial Society. Examine the Protests That Took Place in Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York,...772 Words   |  4 Pagesinvolved the discontent that some groups underwent in the colonies. Some of the most notable rebellions include Bacons Rebellion, The Regulator Uprising, Leislors Rebellion, Culpeppers Rebellion, and the Paxton Boys Uprising. The Paxton Boy Revolt, which occurred in Pennsylvania, was a response to Pontiacs Rebellion, one of the greatest Indian Uprisings to ever happen. The Paxton Boys felt that the government of colonial Pennsylvania that was mainly controlled by peaceful Quakers, did not

Social Aspect Of An Adolescent - 1105 Words

The interviewee is a 55-year-old African-American woman. She is married, but she is separated from her husband. Currently, she lives with her daughter, who is a young adult. Also, she is a non-denominational Christian. Overall, she is well groomed and seems to take value in her appearance, and she seems happy. During most of the interview, she was very open and passionate about each of the questions. However, she was not as interested in other questions. To begin, we discussed her cognitive development, starting in adolescence. We talked about how and why she thought as an adolescent, and how her ways of thinking have changed. Next, we talked about how her physical capabilities and activities have changed over the years, and what lead her to these decisions. Third, we discussed her personality as a teenager and what led her to act the way she did. In addition, we talked about the experiences that led to some changes in her personality. Lastly, we talked about the social aspect of her life, and how this affected other areas of her life, such as, how having a child had an affect on her. To continue, when the interviewee started to drive, she would speed and drive recklessly. As a teenager, she believed she would not get injured, and did take into consideration the consequences of dangerous driving. Also, she sped in order to gain social acceptance. At this stage, adolescents are extremely concerned with social rejection, and their prefrontal cortex is still developing.Show MoreRelatedSocial Aspect Of An Adolescent1087 Words   |  5 PagesWe talked about how and why she thought as an adolescent, and how her ways of thinking have changed. Next, we talked about how her physical capabilities and activities have changed over the years, and what lead her to these decisions. Third we discussed her personality as a teenager and what led her to act the way she did. In addition we talked about the experiences that led her personality change significantly. Lastly, we talked about the social aspect of her life, and how this affected other areasRead MoreUnderstanding Human Beh avior Is Filled With Information Based On Social Development776 Words   |  4 PagesChapter Eight of our textbook, Understanding Human Behavior was filled with information based on â€Å"Social Development in Adolescence†. In this chapter I found it entirely fascinating, in addition to being full of multiple fragments of the social transformations and obstacles that an adolescent faces. Adolescences go through a lot of changes, not only physically, but also psychologically, and socially. These changes are never experienced the same from one person to another, but there can be commonRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Society1648 Words   |  7 Pagesback over the past few decades, social media has started to evolve more quickly while pulling in people from all different age groups. Even older adults are joining in on Facebook and Instagram to try and fit in with the new norm social media has created. In a world that is so fast paced, it is difficult to not be pulled i nto the newest trends, as they are advertised almost everywhere. There are even ways to find a romantic partner with apps and websites. The power social media has can be observed allRead MoreEssay about Cultural Influences on Identity Development1502 Words   |  7 Pagesare answering is, how does culture influence identity development? By the end of this paper you would be able to conclude that no matter what the surroundings of an individual is it will have some sort of an effect on either the physical or mental aspects of an individual. In order to answer this question we must understand how identity is developed, what culture consists of and concluding how culture influences identity development. First and Foremost in order to know what motivates identity developmentRead MoreAdolescence : Literature Review1463 Words   |  6 Pagesthey age. Adolescents are going through puberty, hormonal changes and experimenting with different social groups within their society. The culture and the social aspects of a society can shape an adolescent into an adult, whether it is to set the adolescent up to succeed or fail. Everyone has their own life path and changes can occur that affect the biological, cognitive, developmental and social aspects of a person. Keywords: adolescence, biological, cognitive, developmental, social aspects Read MoreAlcohol And Drug Addiction Among People Of Different Ages861 Words   |  4 Pagesregarding the main points, roots and underlying reasons of alcohol and drug addiction mostly in adolescents, and it also provides prevention, solutions, and recommendations to these issues in the society. Many different researches approve the fact that psychological, sociological, and biological factors are related to each other in many different ways. All these aspects are very sensitive to environmental and social factors; they also affect one another directly or indirectly. Perceptual concepts, thoughtRead MoreThe Impact of Social Media on Children Essay917 Words   |  4 PagesSocial media is quickly evolving in front of our eyes and it is almost impossible to reject and hide from this new form of media. Not only is it an important part of socialization within peer groups but now it is used to market and motivate people to become a part of a larger community. It is undeniably changing the way one communicates and how one finds and shares information. Most websites offer communication through the use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and many various blog formatsRead MoreSocial Development And Piaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1519 Words   |  7 Pagesintellectual, social and psychological changes occur. This essay will discuss about some transition on socio-cultural and cognitive aspects as well as two normative and a non-normative events occurring during this stage. Erikson’s theory of social development and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has been used in this essay to discuss the transitional aspects of the adolescence. This essay further discusses about self identity and self esteem and their impact and various aspects contributingRead MoreResilience1499 Words   |  6 PagesQuestion: Discuss the impact of chronic medical conditions on adolescents and identify ways of promoting resilience or positive development. Chronic medical conditions can have significant consequences in various aspects among adolescents. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), chronic conditions are diseases that progress over a slow period of time and remain for a long duration of an individual’s life. Adolescence, as defined by WHO, is the period of life from 10-19 years of age.Read MoreThe Effects Of Social Media On Society1359 Words   |  6 PagesIn a broad sense, Social media refers to elements such as websites, television, blogs, IM, and other applications that enable users to create and share various forms of content such as messages, pictures, and information, or to be able to participate in social networking. Social media depends on web-based applications, which allow a high level of virtual interaction on various levels such as social, professional, and educational levels. Social media has had various contributions to the development

Argument and Persuasion Free Essays

The controversy around homosexual marriage rages on in the United States and other nations, including everybody in the debate on the nature of marriage that threatens to redefine the concept of marriage as such. Argument and Persuasion Same-sex marriage was allowed nation-wide in Belgium (since 2003), Canada (since 2005), Netherlands (since 2001), and Spain (since 2005). In my opinion, homosexual persons should be given equal rights with heterosexuals in a democratic society that claims to uphold the moral value of every person irrespective of any issues pertaining to the person’s background such as race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. We will write a custom essay sample on Argument and Persuasion or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this debate, issue of core social value is what is really at stake, not just the social institutions like marriage or matters of children’s upbringing. The arguments against gay marriages are many, but most of them fail to offer solid reasons against this innovation. Permission to register same-sex marriages is consistent with the need recognized in all democratic societies to treat people as equals irrespective of qualities they cannot control, such as sexual orientation, origin, language, race and the like. Denying the right to marry to gays and lesbians, society perpetuates discrimination that does not allow minorities to have the rights enjoyed by ‘mainstream’ population. Most people would agree that homophobia is both harmful and humiliating for a community – it is a demonstration that the nation is not opposed to mediaeval witch hunts. Yet maintaining the ban on same-sex marriages to some degree justifies homophobia by showing that some human beings are still ‘more equal’ than others. Such a ban stresses the idea that homosexuals are not the same members of society as heterosexuals. Instead, they prove to be outcasts denied the basic human right to join their lives with their partner. The most frequent argument against same-sex marriage is that major religions including Christianity and Islam restrict the concept of marriage to the union between man and woman. On these grounds, believers campaign against same-sex marriages. However, one should note that in most modern nations religion is separate from the state, and thus the state does not have to embrace religious norms pertinent to any religion. Christian pastors can, for instance, persuade their parishes to have sexual lives that correspond to their beliefs, but they can hardly change the morals of the whole society. Thus, the fact that under a certain religion same-sex marriages are considered a sin cannot be a valid argument to institute this ban in a secular state that most often includes citizens belonging to different faiths. In a pluralistic society, believers of one faith have no right to impose their views on the rest of the nation, even if they outnumber other denominations. Besides, within a certain religion there may be differing views on the policies concerning same-sex marriages. Thus, within Christianity, there is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement named Creating Change that draws on Christian norms to justify same-sex marriages. Dr. Yvette Flunder who founded City of Refuge United Church of Christ in San Francisco sums up the position of the movement in the following words: â€Å"God is on our side, and God has been on the side of those who struggle for right and righteousness from the very beginning† (Sturrock, 2005). The movement strives to shake off the homophobia of the Christian rights and to redirect the discussion towards the core values of basic humanity. Another argument against gay marriage is that it undermines the value of marriage as such. In debates on the bill closely defining the meaning of marriage, Canadian Senator Marisa Ferretti Barth described marriage as â€Å"the public joining together of a man and a woman who want to found a family, to have children and so ensure that the family will continue into future generations† (Hays 2002). The proponents of the amendment to the US Constitution that will officially restrict marriage only to heterosexual couples similarly underscore that marriage is only meaningful when it is meant to unite a man and a woman, in line with traditions that are millennia old. Tradition is fine, but time arrives when society has to redefine some or all of its core institutions, perhaps those that had carried it through to this day. Now it may be the time to reshape our common concept of marriage in the same way as people whose generations of ancestors lived under monarchy opted for democracy. In earlier centuries the idea that virtually the entire Europe will be governed by democratically elected leaders seemed absurd, and people could not imagine how they will live without a king. Yet now most of us are pleased that we do not have to reckon with weak-minded hereditary rulers. In the same way society must come to see marriage not simply as a way to stimulate procreation in its members, but as a vehicle for expressing love and care. Many people are willing to allow homosexual marriages but insist that allowing gays and lesbians to bring up kids is a bad idea. The most important reason is that children raised in such families are at greater risk of becoming homosexuals themselves later on. The validity of this concern depends on the agreement as to the reasons for the choice of sexual orientation by a certain person. If one believes that the choice of sexual orientation is conditioned largely by upbringing and external influences, then the above claim has value. However, many researchers suppose that orientation is determined by inborn factors. If this is true, it does not matter whether the child will be exposed to displays of homosexual partnership. Growing up in a same-sex family, the child is likely to develop some positive features instead. Here belongs the trend â€Å"to discriminate less on matters of race, gender or sexual orientation† (Robinson 2004). They are also more prone to experiment in sexual life before marriage. As to the proportion of gays or lesbians among adults with this kind of background, it tends to be much the same as in the rest of the population. Actually, the very idea that becoming a homosexual is a tragic development hinges on the perception of homosexuals as inferior beings. Once again, many people stand opposed to gay marriage since it does not promote procreation. Marriage, in their perception, should be about procreation, and since same-sex couples cannot perform this function, they have no right to marry. There is one problem with this argument – the fact that many people in ‘normal’ marriages cannot procreate either. In some couples, the partners are past child-bearing age. In others, husband and wife cannot conceive because of biological problems. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that â€Å"the number of infertile married couples of childbearing age in the U.S. was 2.1 million†, and many of those can only have children even through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination (Robinson 2004). If this argument were true, society should have introduced a rule to perform medical analysis of every wedding couple to see if they are capable of reproduction and deny this right to those that prove incapable. Clearly, this suggestion is inhumane, but no more humane is the suggestion to deny the right to marry to homosexuals on the grounds of their infertility. This infertility is not absolute either. Lesbians can bear children through artificial insemination, and gay men can have them with the help of surrogate motherhood. Thus, the main objections against same-sex marriages fail to reach their point. They offer pretexts against legalisation of such marriages rather than valid arguments. Speaking of kids, they can be happy in same-sex environments no less than in regular opposite-sex families. Childhood happiness is really about being loved and does not depend so much on the gender composition of the environment. The same is true for adults, since most of us need love more than anything else in the world, whatever other important things may be our priorities. Giving homosexuals a way to legitimize their relationships, to secure their future in case of divorce or death of one of the partners means giving them equality with other members of society. The fact that they were often denied this opportunity in the past does not bind the future. If we as a society learn to make more democratic choices, this will improve social experience for all us, not just homosexual couples, because we will increase the value of the individual. References Hays, Dan. 2002. Debates of the Senate (Hansard). 1st Session, 37th Parliament, 139 (124), June 13. http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-e/124db_2002-06-13-E.htm?Language=EParl=37Ses=1#73 (accessed November 16, 2005). Robinson, B.A. 2004. Is Same-Sex Marriage (SSM) A Bad Idea? Seven Reasons Why They Are Undesirable (With Rebuttals). Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 10 April. http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_marint2.htm (accessed November 16, 2005). Sturrock, Carrie. 2005. Meeting for gays focuses on God: It’s time to reclaim moral values debate, speakers tell crowd. San Francisco Chronicle, November 14. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/14/BAGFCFNKJE1.DTLhw=gaysn=001sc=1000 (accessed November 16, 2005).    How to cite Argument and Persuasion, Essays

Social Marketing in Organisational Development †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Social Marketing in Organisational Development. Answer: Introduction: Branding of a particular product and service is an essential factor which increases the sustainability of an organisation. Branding helps in enhancing the growth of the business through customer acquisition. The promotion of a particular product or service is the pragmatic approach to draw the attention of the customers, and build brand awareness among the target audience. The traditional advertisement process through television, radio or in other digital media sites is losing ground among customers as it neither promotes reliability nor trust factor among them. The broader details related to the products and the reviews are not shared in such advertisement process. This form of advertisement is expensive as it not only involves celebrities for capturing customers attention but also enforces an organisation to invest a lump sum capital. On the other hand, the branding process of word of mouth promotion or through social sites has become popular as it creates reliability. Aim and Objectives The primary purpose of this particular research work is to establish an in-depth understanding of the impact of branding on social media sites or through word of mouth and how it creates trust among the customers. The core objectives of this research work are as follows: To understand the impact of branding on customers in the recent era To examine the current trends of advertisement To understand the impact of social marketing in creating brand awareness among customers Methodology The methodology section would involve the study of previous research work done in the relevant area and the necessary information through both the primary and secondary data collection processes for the progression of the entire research work. It has been found that the television advertisement and the radio advertisement had been the principal source of brand promotion and in the creation of brand awareness. This has been the successful, efficient and the traditional method of branding (Hollebeek, Glynn Brodie, 2014). But, over time, the thought process and the selection of a particular product has become complexed as different people possess different perspectives and show a particular mind set. Merely grabbing the attention is not enough to sell a product. The price, features, proper information delivery, pros and cons of a product and services, brand reputation, reviews of other customers have become essential in the recent trend of marketing, where social marketing has occupied a leading position (McCarthy et al., 2014). Due to a tight schedule in the fast-paced life, the new generation is not able to spend much time in watching television (Siamagka et al., 2015). To them, social media sites, websites, or application based sites serve as the sources to connect to the world. They get to know about the latest information about the upgraded, and branded products and services via promotion in social media. The reviews of other customers and the feature of chatting directly with other users lend a helping hand in building faith or confidence in a product and service (Parveen et al., 2015). Data collection and analysis Data collection approach: The researcher would follow both the primary data collection and secondary data collection method. The primary data collection would be done through a face to face interview process from a target market to understand the customers preference on reliable branding process. The secondary data collection method would involve the study of previous research work in the similar field. Quantitative data analysis: A proper graphical and chart representation of the final result would be prepared to analyse the percentage of different branding processes and the impact of social marketing among customers. A comparative result would be discussed. Qualitative data analysis: A set of the questionnaire would be provided to the customers to understand their preferences for branding method and why they like the social marketing in comparison to the other traditional methods. References Hollebeek, L. D., Glynn, M. S., Brodie, R. J. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social media: Conceptualization, scale development and validation.Journal of interactive marketing,28(2), 149-165. McCarthy, J., Rowley, J., Jane Ashworth, C., Pioch, E. (2014). Managing brand presence through social media: the case of UK football clubs.Internet Research,24(2), 181-204. Parveen, F., Jaafar, N. I., Ainin, S. (2015). Social media usage and organizational performance: Reflections of Malaysian social media managers.Telematics and Informatics,32(1), 67-78. Siamagka, N. T., Christodoulides, G., Michaelidou, N., Valvi, A. (2015). Determinants of social media adoption by B2B organizations.Industrial Marketing Management,51, 89-99.

Gays In The Miitary Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Homosexuals In The Miitary Essay, Research Paper Homosexuals in the Military The topic of Gays in the armed forces has been debated over many times by many people. When covering with whether or non homosexuals should be allowed in the military the simple inquiry of, Do they desire to be in the armed forces? , must be answered. After this inquiry is answered you can get down analysing the job. The reply to the inquiry, Do homosexuals desire to be in the armed forces? , is an undisputed yes. Gays would be proud and determined to protect this beautiful state in which we live. I personally am confused as to why there is even a inquiry of whether or non homosexuals should be allowed to protect and decease for a state they love. I do understand nevertheless the inquiry of where should they populate, both in the field and at their place base. We will write a custom essay sample on Gays In The Miitary Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is difficult for a adult male or adult females to acquire undressed in forepart of person of the same sex, that may be looking at them with different eyes. When I say different eyes I mean a adult male looking at a adult male and believing belly laugh he? s cute, or a adult females looking at a adult females and believing the same thing. It would be really awkward for non-gay soldiers to cover with this job. Any political issue trades with people, and the homosexuals in the military contention is no different. Joe Steffan was kicked out of Annapolis one hebdomad before graduation after uncovering he was homosexual. Alan Schindler was a cheery adult male in the Navy. He was viciously murdered when some of his shipmates found out he was cheery. Events like these can merely be avoided by instruction and communicating of what homosexualism is and how to cover with people who are homosexual. The segregation of homosexuals and tribades in the armed forces should be limited to populating quarters and that should be the extent of it. The followers is the 1993 National Board Policy on tribades and homosexuals in the armed forces ; 1993 National Board Policy LESBIANS AND GAYS IN THE MILITARY 2/93 WHEREAS, President Clinton has taken the first stairss toward stoping favoritism against tribades and cheery work forces in the armed forces ; and WHEREAS, the response to this modest enterprise has included a vitriolic, mean-spirited vilification run designed to further the feeling that tribades and homosexual work forces are undeserving of basic human rights and simple self-respect ; and WHEREAS, this black assault is straight linked to the go oning subjugation of adult females, members of racial and cultural minorities, and others viewed as being outside of the mainstream ; and WHEREAS, the actions of the disposal and Congress on this issue will supply a clear indicant of the deepness of their committedness to cardinal justness. Therefore, the National Organization for Women demands that President Clinton and Congress support an univocal prohibition on favoritism against tribades and cheery work forces in the military and that they reject such contemptuous options as segregated units and restricted responsibilities. Nothing less than full equality is acceptable. I do non believe that what this policy demands can be achieved because of natural human inclinations. I believe that segregating homosexuals from consecutive people is every bit cardinal as segregating work forces and adult females. If the homosexual and consecutive people? s life quarters are integrated so what about work forces and adult females? s life quarters, are they to be integrated excessively? I don? t see any statements about that, it seems that the separation of adult male and adult females has become such an built-in portion of our society that we have come to take as a norm. The sexual civilization of the U.S. today is highly terbulent for human gender and this is proven by the adversities that homosexuals and tribades go through on a twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours footing. On one manus you have the ? In group? which is non-gay people, and on the other manus we have the? Out group? which is the homosexual and sapphic community. This is a authoritative illustration of how a bias is used to maintain the out group down and out. This is because any civilization that tries to place and prosecute something every bit concealed as a secret homosexual individuality can merely make so by making a clime of fright and lip service. It must promote baseless accusals and it must subject below the belt accused people to brutal and destructive questions. In the instance of homosexuals, this must be done whether or non the suspected parties recognize themselves as homosexual or sapphic prior to the questions. Military illustrations of these questions sometimes sound like brainwashing. There are presently homosexuals in the armed forces. A prohibition can non maintain homosexuals out. There are merely as many homosexuals in the military as there are in civilian life. Patroling the armed forces to extinguish homosexualism does non eliminate homophiles but it does make a clime of anxiousness that causes a sexually toxic state of affairs for everyone, heterosexuals every bit good as homosexuals, because heterosexuals can be mislabeled as homosexual in our current military. Heterosexuals are besides able to maintain homosexuals down because of this anxiousness. The present position of our authorities on homosexuals in the armed forces is a policy foremost brought up by the Clinton disposal, and that is a policy of? Don? T ask, Don? T Tell? , intending that a individuals sexual orientation will stay secret. As we all know a individual? s sexual orientation can merely be kept secret for a certain sum of clip before it is revealed. The policy, which has been in consequence for some clip now, has been the authoritiess manner of covering with the job of homosexuals in the military. . The new prohibition said you could be gay in the military, every bit long as you neer allow it be known. Well, under the old one a soldier could ever be cheery every bit long as it was neer known. And under both prohibitions, you could be asked but need non state. And under both prohibitions, if you did state that you were homosexuals it would be evidences for discharge. So the homosexuals had thought they would win this conflict, but when the fume had cleared, the armed forces had clearly won. And this new prohibition, the new # 8216 ; Don # 8217 ; t inquire, wear # 8217 ; t state # 8217 ; prohibition, ended all the disturbance, all the promotion. All this policy has done has made homosexual people step back into their cupboards. The talk shows stopped speaking about homosexual rights. The newspapers stopped transporting front page narratives. The forces that had whipped it into a front page issue had lost steam There have been many other proposals but none have been as successful as the? Don? T ask, wear? t Tell? policy. I believe that this is a good policy for the clip being, but in the long tally this policy will non make. A new policy must be made, but before a new policy can be incorporated into the system the positions of the general populace must alteration and people must accept the fact that some people are different. Both George W. Bush and John McCain are stating they support the current # 8220 ; wear # 8217 ; t inquire, wear # 8217 ; t state # 8221 ; policy that lets homophiles serve in the military every bit long as they don # 8217 ; t unwrap their sexual orientation. This goes to demo that the issue of homosexuals in the armed forces has non yet been resolved and may non be for some clip now. Carney, Ralph M. , Herek, Gregory M. , Jobe, Jared B. Out In Force Sexual Orientation and the Military. Chicago: Uracil of Chicago P. 1996. Shawver, Lois. And The Flag Was Still There: Straight Peoples, Gay people and gender in the U.S. Military. New York: Haworth Pub. 1998. Scott Sandra, Wilbur. Stanley Carson. lGays and Lesbians in the Military, Issues Concerns, and Contrasts. New York: Aldine De Gruyter Pub. 1999.

Free Essays on Zora Neal Hurstons “ Sweat “

Zora Hurston was born on January7, 1891, in Eatonville Florida, the first black town ship to be in corperated in the united states. Her mother died when she was thirteen years old. Zora graduated from Morgan Academy high school in 1918. She also attended Howard university between 1918 and 1924, but she graduated from Bernard college in 1928. Her first novel was Jonahs Gourd Vine written in 1934 One of her popular literacy was Sweat ; a short story about two disturbed black couples living in the south. Delia and Sykes Jones fought constantly about everything. Sykes hated the fact his wife washed clothing for the white folks. He believed it was a disgrace to the black race to stoop that low. Delia on the other hand despised her husbands selfish aggressive behaviors. She is a hard working and most of her living and goes towards including their house. To make things worst Sykes was seeing another women, which hurt Delia a lot, but strengthened her in reminding who owns everything. I believe her husband sees it too, or he would have left her for the other woman. The only time I see a pinch of happiness shared between those two, is when Sykes scares Delia with a rope which looks like a snake. She gets angry but they both laugh about for a short while, then they go back hating each other. Maybe it’s there on way of expressing love to one another. But sometimes your own jokes can turn around and bite you in the butt. That is exactly what happened to Sykes when the snake escaped from the box and killed him. I was sad the way he died, but it is his stubbornness which caused it. This story reminds me of my aunt and uncle, except I don’t think he cheats on her. But they verbally fight a lot and joke about it after or just the opposite way around which is quite funny, which brings me back to the book sweat. Although this short story serious in way on the other it was considerable funny.... Free Essays on Zora Neal Hurstons' â€Å" Sweat â€Å" Free Essays on Zora Neal Hurstons' â€Å" Sweat â€Å" Zora Hurston was born on January7, 1891, in Eatonville Florida, the first black town ship to be in corperated in the united states. Her mother died when she was thirteen years old. Zora graduated from Morgan Academy high school in 1918. She also attended Howard university between 1918 and 1924, but she graduated from Bernard college in 1928. Her first novel was Jonahs Gourd Vine written in 1934 One of her popular literacy was Sweat ; a short story about two disturbed black couples living in the south. Delia and Sykes Jones fought constantly about everything. Sykes hated the fact his wife washed clothing for the white folks. He believed it was a disgrace to the black race to stoop that low. Delia on the other hand despised her husbands selfish aggressive behaviors. She is a hard working and most of her living and goes towards including their house. To make things worst Sykes was seeing another women, which hurt Delia a lot, but strengthened her in reminding who owns everything. I believe her husband sees it too, or he would have left her for the other woman. The only time I see a pinch of happiness shared between those two, is when Sykes scares Delia with a rope which looks like a snake. She gets angry but they both laugh about for a short while, then they go back hating each other. Maybe it’s there on way of expressing love to one another. But sometimes your own jokes can turn around and bite you in the butt. That is exactly what happened to Sykes when the snake escaped from the box and killed him. I was sad the way he died, but it is his stubbornness which caused it. This story reminds me of my aunt and uncle, except I don’t think he cheats on her. But they verbally fight a lot and joke about it after or just the opposite way around which is quite funny, which brings me back to the book sweat. Although this short story serious in way on the other it was considerable funny....

The Effective Manager Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Effective Manager - Assignment Example The Effective Manager At the same time, seventy five percent (up from 50 percent the previous year) reported downtime due to security breaches. (McClure, 2003) Of those with written policies, most of them failed to adequately address security issues. When asked why they do not have policies, many answered that they do not like writing them or that they do not want to commit in writing to upholding and enforcing them. Security management is not only technology specific but for to do three things for a company: It is known that accounting, as the word implies, is a reckoning of the financial outcomes of an entity between those who control the employment of capital or assets and those who provide the capital or assets so the understanding of accounting helps managers maintaining effective security management. Accounting reacts to the needs of business and follows developments in commercial activity. One main purpose of accounting is to fairly represent the financial results of an operation to the shareholders, who are the individual owners of a business entity. In simpler words, financial profit or loss is the revenue less the cost of goods sold less the fixed or overhead costs, less interest, taxes, and an allowance for depreciation on fixed assets. Depreciation is keyed to a phase of time that sufficiently reflects the useful life of the asset while it is under the stewardship, or control, of management. If an asset under the control of management is expected to have a useful life of twelv e years, then it is usually written off, or depreciated, at 15 percent per year. Effective management is judged on its presentation to generate a profit on an asset under their control for ten years before it has to be replaced by charging management 15 percent of its value per year. Because the computation of taxes follows the same general format as reporting profits, some feel that pretax profit indicated in a financial report should be the same as the profits reported to the tax authority. In a few countries, such as Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland, this conclusion is correct. In most others, it is not. One reason for this is that the allowance for depreciation for reporting financial results may not be the same as the allowance for depreciation for filing a tax return. Whereas the purpose of financial reporting is to fairly represent the financial results of management's stewardship of the shareholders' assets, the purpose of filing a tax form is to calculate a liability. The depreciation plan selected for calculating taxes to be paid to a tax authority is the applicable schedule of depreciation decided on by the tax authority. (Kathryn, 1998) The resulting profit is severely for the computation of taxes, not to judge the performance of eff ective management to generate a pro

Human Cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Cloning - Essay Example In other words cloning is a field characterized by diverse implications and uncertain results. Although proponents of cloning have praised it for the ability to repairs the nervous system, cloning has been found to causes irreparable nervous injuries the moment it back fires meaning that, it may complicate the burden of disease it purports to resolve. As much as there are advantages of taking care of the nervous system injuries, due to the production of the same types of cells with no change in genome, incase of future attacks of pathogens on the cells the cells may not survive as is intended. Consequently this is not yet fully researched and using human beings as objects of laboratory tests is ethically wrong and against the code of scientific studies (Gurdon, & Colman, 61). Also cloning has been found to increase the risk of somatic cells mutations, which may even trigger the growth of malignant cells making the situation even worse. This may be caused by the side effects of medications used in and after the process of cloning. The process of cloning as it pertains to this issue has not yet been authenticated. In addition, the new homogenous cells have been found to be easily affected by diverse climatic changes and have less resistance to pathogens (Gurdon, & Colman, 103). New cells that are similar may not be able to fight pathological attacks in case of diverse environmental changes (Gurdon, & Colman, 42). Scientists on the hand are not sure of the implications of this kind of treatment on patients. Medication used during invalid and convalescing stages may cause cells mutations (Rifkin, 90). As much as cloning may be the only option to saving the life of a patient, the implications are worse because of implications. With cloning to repair nervous system injuries even the scientists can not predict for how long the cells will keep working. The viability of the process has enough flaws and needs to be investigated more and more and verified. If a conclusion is made that cloning will reverse the aging process and hence reduce the burden of disease, this will just be a speculation. The human cells are unique in there own way and cloning of somatic cells to reverse old age process and diseases may have adverse negative implications that may trigger some mutations. With the reversing of the aging process, there may

Outlining Policy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Outlining Policy - Research Paper Example It is therefore imperative that every educational institution establishes labor policies that would avoid discrimination in processes such as hiring, instruction, dismissal, and tenure thereby helping the institution to avoid discriminatory lawsuits. To establish all-round policies that allow the management and administration to address stakeholder needs and ensure that favoritism and unfairness do not reign in a public school, there are certain guidelines that should be observed (Ewing et al., 2005). This paper explores the labor policy guidelines that should define an organization’s hiring, dismissal, tenure, and instructional policies. Hiring Policy Labor laws require that the hiring policies in a public school should not make a job seeker hold the opinion that he/she is being treated unfavorable compared to the others. There are several reasons for which job seekers may feel they are getting unfair or unfavorable treatment. These reasons include age, religion, gender, disa bility, race, skin color, and nationality. It is therefore imperative upon every public school to ensure that such favoritism do not occur in their hiring practices, policies, and procedures (Befort & Budd, 2009). Just like any kind of discrimination is not required in any facet of employment, so it applies to hiring processes. In fact, once discrimination is allowed to permeate the hiring stage, chances are high it would be widespread in the later processes such as dismissal, transfer, and promotion. Discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, and mental or physical disability should thus be eliminated in public schools to avoid lawsuits. The reason being, failure to establish and implement these nondiscriminatory hiring practices would contravene certain labor regulations and laws that provide for fairness and nondiscrimination in hiring processes. For instance, there are laws that forbid age discrimination in offering employment except in certain special case s (Keshawn & Arn, 2005). It is therefore important that public school administrators get conversant with the laws governing the process of hiring in the relevant areas or job description. It is also illegal in many countries to discriminate based on one’s religion while hiring workers unless radicalism and excessive negative attitudes and consequences are apparent. Nonetheless, it is necessary that the concerned institutions follow the due process and the law when hiring, one’s religion and other social alienation notwithstanding. When hiring and considering peoples’ skills, positions to be filled, the responsibilities to be given, and the qualifications required for a job, it is also discriminatory to eliminate job seekers on the basis of their gender. Otherwise, lawsuits and compensations are likely to follow. Once an individual has been hired, the tenure of office, the terms, and conditions of their service are the other tricky aspects of employment that orga nizations must handle fairly and without favor. Tenure Policy There is a unanimous call in the education labor movement for the overhaul of the contemporary concept of tenure in many sectors of the economy. In fact, some stakeholders

Cultural Features of Poland

Cultural Features of Poland To begin with, Poland has a lot of different interesting facts like physical features, agriculture, and culture features. Poland is one of the ninth largest countries in Europe by the land area. The Polish American relations were officially established in 1919. Since 1989, Polish and American relations have been strong and Poland is one of the most stable European allies of the United States being part of both NATO   and the European Union. Poland is famous for being the home of the scientists. Poland has many interesting facts about its   physical features. The official name is Polands Rzeczpospolita Polska or as in America it is called Poland. This country is located on the continent of Europe and is surrounded by Germany on the west. The Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, while Lithuania and the Russian province of Kaliningrad Oblast to the northeast of Poland. Poland is about 120,726 square miles in size, that is about 3 times smaller than the United States. Poland has many agricultural techniques as well as a great economy. Poland has the largest economy in Eastern Europe, with GDP totaling $420 billion in 2007. The major industries in Poland are machine building, iron and steel, coal mining , chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, and textiles. Poland is one of the largest manufacturing industries in chemicals manufacture. Poland also has a very strong presence in making televisions. Most of Poland is country grounded in forestry and agriculture.   A lot of Polands land area is used for farming barley, oats, rye, and wheat. In farms they raise dairy cattle, pigs, poultry, and cultivate fruit. They imported goods for manufacturing and industrial retooling, such as machinery and equipment, fuels, minerals, chemicals, and metals. Some goods they exported were   furniture, foods, motor boats, light planes, hardwood products, casual clothing, shoes and cosmetics. The climate in Poland is warm in the summer and is fr eezing cold in the winters. Poland has many land forms such as the, sand dunes, deserts, mountains, hilly plains, lowlands, and many bodies of water. Lastly, Poland has many natural resources made from minerals are brown coal,copper, zinc, sulphur, lead, and silver. Poland has many Cultural features such as languages, holidays, education, food, and recreation. One of the language the Polish people speak is a West Slavic language spoken primarily in Poland. Some of the Poland holidays are January 1st New Years Day, on May 1st Labor Day, on May 3rd its Constitution Day, on August 15th it is Assumption Day and lastly on November 11th it is Independence Day. The education in Poland is compulsory and starts at the age of six or seven, per the Reforms of 1999, from the 0 class kindergarten (Polish przedszkole, literally pre-school) and at the age of seven, for the 1st grade of primary school (Polish szkoÅ‚a podstawowa). Compulsory education lasts nine years. An important diet they have in Poland is meat. Pork is the most popular meat, and the most commonly eaten meat dish is a fried, breaded pork cutlet served with thick sauce. Beef, ham, and sausage are also eaten regularly. The meat stew called bigos is often called the national dish of Po land. Poland and the USA are two different worlds entirely. The USA is sunny and positive and casual. Poland is cold, dark and romantic. There is an ancient feel in Poland, something almost mystical. Even Though Poland has many interesting facts, it ranks   the ninth country in Europe.   Ever since 1989 the Americans and the Polish are pretty strong allies they are both part of both NATO and the European Union. We learned that Poland was invaded by the Germans in World War II. Also 90% of Poles have completed at least secondary education. An interesting fact we found is that Poles eat pizza with ketchup and watching Home Alone is a Christmas tradition.

Essay --

â€Å"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.† This is a quote by Pele that demonstrates soccer in so many ways. Today I will tell you that there are many aspects in the game of soccer, some of which are the history, the rules and how to become a good soccer player. Soccer is the most popular sport evolved from as far back as the Han dynasty in 200-300 B.C. According to the Complete Book of Soccer, the Chinese played with a wet piece of balled up cloth, trying to kick the cloth through the two bamboo poles. This was the start of the great game of soccer. According to the Complete Book of Soccer, in Europe, soccer did not start till the later 14th century. It is said to be a game of kicking rubber balls in the streets of the British Isles for bragging rights. This then lead to teams building up against each other for bragging rights in England. Unfortunately for the United States, the game did not appear till the 1900th century. â€Å"The American Soccer Association was organized in New...

Napoleonic Era

The French Constitution of the Year VIII was a nationwide charter that was adopted on the twenty-fourth of December, 1799.   Around that time, the French Revolution was coming to coming to an end.   It also marked the eighth year in the calendar of the French Revolution.   This constitution was well known for the innovation of the type of government branded as Consulate.   One of the premises of the constitution is to get the consensus of the general public to weigh on opinion for the masses. This constitution was responsible for fabricating the position of First Consul, a position which gave Napoleon Bonapart the authority of a tyrant (Connely, 2000). Effectivity This constitution was effective for a short time and was later amended into the Constitution of the year X, a constitution that made Napoleon Bonaprte the First Consul for the duration of his lifespan.   The constitution that succeeded was blatantly favored to Bonaparte as it did not come with a Declaration of Rights (cited in Crook, 2007). How Bonaprte amended the constitution and rose to Power The Constitution of the year VIII basically divides the French Government into three parts.   First of which is the senate; it is composed of 31 men with an age bracket of 60 and above.   The second is the Tribunate; which is comprised of 100 men.   Last the Core Legislatif; this division is formed by 300 legislators.   However, though the government has three divisions, the authentic power resides in the First Consul, much similar to the totalitarian concept of Julius Caesar’s rule, which is peace through tyranny (Connely, 2000). References Connely, O. (2000). The Frecnh Revolution and Napoleonic Era.   Texas: Harcourt. University of North Carolina Greensboro (2002). French History Timeline. Retrieved November 17, 2007 from http://www.uncg.edu/com/sources/dafein/civ/timeline.htm The Napoleon Series (1995-2002). Government and Politics.   Constitution of the year VIII.   Retrieved November 17, 2007 From http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/ legislation/c_constitution8.htm

Rohypnol essays

Rohypnol essays To inform people about Rohypnol Topic: Rohypnol (date rape drug/roofies) Its strange how someone can be having a great time one minute and the next, be fighting for their life. Well, numerous teenage girls have been in this situation. Some are fortunate to have another shot and fight in order to go back to the life they knew before that dreadful minute, and others remain forever lost in those sixty seconds. According to the website www.faculty.washington.edu accessed on October 24, 2004, Ellen Kuwana, a Neuroscience for Kids Staff Writer, stated that Rohypnol, is a drug that depresses the central nervous system and is also used as a sleeping aid. Although illegal in the U.S., Ellen Kuwana states that Rohypnol is made in Europe and Latin America and is distributed throughout the world. Rohypnol is a serious problem affecting todays youth all around the globe. Today I will discuss what Rohypnol (the date rape drug) is as well as its different uses. Second, I will tell you about who uses Rohypnol, how, and why there has been an increase in the teen use of t his substance. Finally, I will share with you what happens as well as what the side effects are of using this potent drug. O Lets shift over to my first point. I. Rohypnol (the date rape drug) is a drug and has several different uses. A. The manufacturers of Rohypnol and what it is made for. 1. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations website accessed on October 24, 2004, Rohypnol is made by Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., which is a large Pharmaceutical company. 2. This drug demoralizes the central nervous system. 3. This drug is colorless, odorless, and flavorless. B. The different uses of Rohypnol. 1. It is also used in combination with other drugs such as heroin, and cocaine to make he effect of the drug even more powerful. 2. Rohypnol is used as an aid for insomnia. It also allows individuals taking i ...

Technology Global Issues Essay Example

Technology Global Issues Essay Example Technology Global Issues Essay Technology Global Issues Essay Essay Topic: Global Issues Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Technology Global Issues A stem cell is an undeveloped cell that possesses the potential to become specialized into various types of cells throughout the body. Stem cell technology refers to the acquisition and development of undistinguished human cells into any or most of the 220 ranges of cells that occupy the human body. It is a rapidly emergent field that merges the attempts of cell biologists, clinicians and geneticists and provides hope of valuable treatment for various malignant and non-malignant maladies (Panno, 25).Stem cell procedures and processes are usually applied in the provision of treatments for patients with life threatening illnesses such as lymphoma, blood disorders, and solid tumors and leukemia. The stem cell technology has been considerably applied in three main areas. One of the foremost areas to encounter the use of stem cell technology is the Adult Stem Cell Transplant. In this type of transplant, stem cells have been used in bone marrow transplants, whereby the stem cells in a pati ent’s bone marrow are substituted with healthy stem cells from a matching and healthy donor. The transplant becomes successful when the stem cells migrate into the bone marrow of the patient and start producing novel and healthy leukocytes to substitute the abnormal cells. Another area involves the use of Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSC). Despite a considerable number of blood stem cells residing in the bone marrow, a few of them are also in the bloodstream. Thus, PBSCs can be acquired from blood making it simpler to collect than stem cells in the bone marrow. Stem cells have also been applied in Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant. Conventionally, umbilical cords have been deemed unnecessary. Presently, blood drawn from the umbilical cord has been utilized in the treatment of similar health defects that require PBSCs and bone marrow stem cells (Panno, 67). Stem cell research also holds future possibilities in treatments. For instance, stem cells can be utilized in the testing of new medicines. For instance, new medications can be tested for safety on differentiate cells produced from cell lines such as cancer cell lines which can be used to test latent anti-tumor medicines. Stem cells can also be used in the generation of tissues and cells, which can be utilized for therapies that are cell based. Presently, donated tissues and organs are usually utilized to substitute destroyed or ailing tissue, but the need for organs and tissues that are transplantable offsets the accessible supply. Stem cells intended for differentiation into particular cell types avail the possibility of a restorable supply of substituting tissues and cells to treat ailments such as spinal cord injury, strokes, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, burns and osteoarthritis. For instance, it would be possible to produce healthy c ells in the heart muscle in the laboratory and subsequently transplant the cells in patients suffering from chronic heart disease. Stem cells can also lead to the treatment of baldness. This is because there are stem cells present in the hair follicles. It is believed that the stem cells in the follicles can help treat baldness by activating the progenitor cells and the stem cells existing in the scalp (Panno, 89). Regardless of the innovative and aiding treatments that arise from use of stem cells, ethical problems encompass the mode of treatment. The ethical problems are partly based on the derivation of the stem cells from the body. Usually, adult stem cells are derived or removed from tissues that possess less harmful effects on the person whereas embryonic stem cells are developed from embryos cultured in the laboratory. One of the ethical problems associate with stem cell treatment is its destruction of a fetus or an embryo. Ethically, this portrays the obliteration of a latent human being and clashes with the moral and religious views held in the society. Another chief and important ethical problem that encompasses the stem cell treatment is the combination of cloning technology and embryonic stem cells. This combination leads to the production of an embryo that is a hereditary double of the nucleus’ donor. The ethical problem is primarily based on the creation of an embryo for th erapeutic or research purposes and not for potential life. Moreover, the purpose of cloning is ethically problematic since it is mainly based on the production of tissues for transplantation while the generated embryo is permitted to continue developing leading to the potential birth of a human (Panno, 156-167). A biologically plausible mechanism portrays the relationship between a supposed cause and a result. The mechanism establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between the biological aspect and a specific disease or an unfavorable event. Generally, it is asserted that for a relationship to be deemed causal, the association between the biological aspect and the disease should be biologically consistent (United States, 21). For surely new advances, however, the biological plausibility may be unclear. Irrespective of this, biological plausibility remains relevant in the establishment of causality. Based on the cause-and-effect relationship, disease is assumed as a result generated from the interaction of the environment, the physical and genetic structure of the individual and the disease agent. Diseases resulting from sole causes are habitually so by definition. For instance, the reality that tuberculosis results from the Tubercle Bacillus is a matter of description. The causal basis of the association requires judgment in the case where there is biological implausibility. For instance, biological plausibility is unclear where smoking is asserted to be a direct cause of lung cancer. Hence, it is important to judge causality of lung cancer. Foremost, the supposed cause, smoking, precedes the disease, lung cancer. The incidence of the disease is raised when the person there is exposure to as much as 20 to 30 fold in smokers of 20 or more cigarettes each day. Moreover, varying exposure to smoking alternately leads to varying disease because of the clear relationship between smoking and lung cancer. This is because of the act of smoking which can lead to the introduction of numerous other diseases that are related apart fro smoking. However, there is association with the disease by smoking as indicated by the one of the major cause agents of lung cancer, smoking (United States, 78). Originally, smoking as a causal factor for lung cancer was bitterly contested. However, it has come to be accepted as a causal factor for the disease. Concerning lung cancer, the association is provable across social groups as well as men and women. The effect, lung cancer by smoking is partly understood since the tar in the cigarettes comprises vital carcinogens. Manipulating the exposure level does affect experience of the disease because lessening cigarette consumption reduces risk of the effect. Coaxing and encouraging individuals to take part in smoking is unethical since it increases the susceptibility to gaining lung cancer. Additionally, tobacco, which is one of the main ingredients in animals, is carcinogenic and can therefore affect human beings as well as animals negatively. Panno, Joseph. Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications and Ethical Controversy. New York, NY: Facts on File, 2005. Print. United States. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: a Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, 2010. Print.

Critical Factors that Influence Supplier Selection Essay

Critical Factors that Influence Supplier Selection - Essay Example Capacity Capacity refers to a subject’s potential to meet particular expectations. An organization within a supply chain has demands to meet and requires necessary and sufficient supplies to meet such demands. As a result, a supplier’s ability to meet required capacity in delivery is of great importance. A good supplier should therefore be one that is able to deliver orders according to quotation’s specifications and one that is flexible and can adjust to emergency needs for high quantity deliveries. Evaluating a supplier’s capacity should therefore look into the suppliers supply chain personnel’s competence as well as its production capacity and normal stock level in order to guarantee continuity in supply.1 A supplier’s capacity to deliver however goes beyond deliverables to long-term factors such as â€Å"financial capability, market share, personnel capability, process capability, and top management capability†.2 Financial stabilit y, demonstrated by suppliers’ financial ratio analysis for example identifies a suppliers’ potential to guarantee a ‘long-term ‘contracts for supplies. ... Integration of organizational roles in a supply chain for example ensures efficient delivery of a supplier’s commodities through outsourced logistics.5 Cost Cost is another important quantitative factor that should be considered while selecting suppliers. One of the obvious reasons for considering suppliers’ costs is the fact that every organization aims at either maximizing its profits or minimizing its losses through reduced costs. As a result, a supplier that offers relatively lower costs is most likely to increase the buyer’s profitability level. Evaluating cost should however be comprehensive to factor every involved expense in acquisition and delivery of a commodity. A buyer should for example consider the involved price of the commodity together with other costs such as logistics expenses, and installation or operational expenses. This comprehensive review of the suppliers’ costs is important because different suppliers offer different cost packages . While some costs may appear low at face value, they may be exclusive of other expenses and be more expensive in the end. It is therefore important to factor in differences in cost packages to ensure that more economically sound suppliers are considered.6 The different elements of costs can also be explored differently as significant factors to suppliers’ selection. Commodities’ net prices for example rank high among critical suppliers selection factors. Consistency in findings, as was realized in Dickson’s research and Weber’s research that commodities’ net prices is one of the most highly considered factors when selecting a supplier affirms the factor’s essence. Other elements of total cost however ranked poorly in the two research

Should there be a legal right to privacy in Australia Essay

Should there be a legal right to privacy in Australia - Essay Example One of the countries adversely hit by the issues of privacy rights is Australia. For a long time Australia has been mentioned as lacking substantial laws that draw the lines of privacy rights in the society of Australia. With great upsurge of cases that breach privacy rights of human beings, Australia has been relying on amended acts in the constitution and the Commonwealth privacy guidelines. In the real sense, Australia needs to have well defined and elaborate privacy rights in order to safeguard its citizens from the continued abuse of personal rights through the internet. Laws governing the privacy rights in Australia need to be formulated especially in the wake of advancing technology to control the use of technological devices and systems in crushing the rights of other people. One disheartening case involving the breach of privacy rights occurred in the media reports confirming an incident where a man used mobile phone cameras to capture images of naked women in the changing r ooms in a fashion store (Donaldson 1). The dire of need for laws governing privacy rights can also be seen excavated from the case of an Australian pop musician named Sapphire who uploaded into the internet nude photos of National Rugby League player by the name Stewart Hamilton whom he happened to date for about two years. The release of the nude photos into the social sites of the internet was done without due consent of Stewart thereby raising questions as to the eligibility of the actions in line with the contemporary human rights. In this case it was analyzed that the criminal misused unregulated technology of computers to abuse fundamental rights of the uninformed women. Donaldson (1) reports that the criminal who captured the images of naked women without official assent was charged with filming for indecent reasons rather invasion of privacy. This ruling did not mean that the event never showed elements of breach of privacy rights, but it took that direction due to lack of s ubstantial privacy laws that be used to convict an individual. Another case that raised eye brows seeking to the establishment of clear privacy laws involved a businessman by the name Dirk Bowker who was late for flight from Townsville to Canberra. As a custom at the airports, Dirk had to line-up for security checkup before proceeding to the boarding gate. Since he was late for the journey, he opted to go for X-ray scanning that tended to be much quicker than other methods. It happened that X-rays scanners produce electronic images showing the naked body of passengers that is only viewed by a special security officer in a closed room. On realizing the nature of procedure underwent at airport, Dirk got frustrated and planned to sue the airport authorities for having exposed his nude during frisk. This issue carried with it some levels of confusion considering the fact that the passengers privacy rights were disclosed and that the airport officials were also performing their duty of e nsuring air security and that it was accomplished with full consent of the Dirk. This has therefore imposed alarms to the legislatures to structure laws that show clear lines and acts that need to be considered as invasions into privacy rights of individuals so as to avoid uncertainty over the convictable cases regarded as breach to people’

Are court and tribunals in the English legal system now Essay

Are court and tribunals in the English legal system now indistinguishable in all important respects - Essay Example The content of the law here include things like criminal offences and civil wrongs. Here the distinction between a crime and civil wrong cannot be stated as depending upon what is done because what is done may be the same in each case. The true distinction lies therefore not in the nature of the wrongful act but in the legal consequences that follow it. The instances above thus are addressed, heard and determined at very different places which bring us to the court system of the English legal system. This court system is divided or subdivided into either the criminal court system which includes the Supreme Court, the court of appeal, crown court, magistrates, high court and Privy Council. The other division is the civil court system which also includes the Supreme Court, the court of appeal, the county court, the magistrates, the high court and the tribunals (Baker, 2009, p. 29). This brings us to our main subject of the courts and tribunals. From the oxford learners dictionary the m eaning of a court is basically a person or body having judicial authority to hear and resolve disputes in civil, criminal, ecclesiastical or military cases. On the other hand a tribunal is a sitting or a group of proceedings how end goal is to establish and deliver a judgment on a specific issue such as a tribunal to resolve an election dispute which in itself is under the guidance and rules of the court system. The Court and the Tribunal In origin, these tribunals are designed as alternatives to what is believed to be the artificial formality of courts of law, and the supposed ignorance of the ordinary judiciary of specialized information regarding particular economic and social relationships. The ordinary man or woman is expected to be able to operate the process without benefit of counsel or solicitors (Blackstone, 2003). It soon begins to appear, however, that the total absence of formality can be a straightforward passport to injustice. Moreover, in rent cases, and cases of unf air dismissal, the landlord or employer could hardly be expected to spend long days in court instead of managing his own business, and therefore might reasonably be expected to employ a professional advocate. The first characteristic led to a widespread extension of the role of the ordinary courts in their supervisory role of subordinate tribunals, the second to an equally widespread demand for the extension (Bailey, et al. 2007, p. 68). The second to an equally widespread demand for the extension of legal aid to tribunals originally instituted with the intention of keeping the lawyers out. One thing, however, has emerged from the development of the tribunal system since the war, and this is the marked preference shown by Parliament and the public for a tribunal consisting of a lawyer in the chair sitting with two seasoned and experienced lay members over trial by judge alone, or trial before a judge and civil jury (Elliott & Quinn, 2011, p. 38). First and foremost, in a court the p urpose of the case is usually to get the culprit of the offence i.e. the wrongdoer and the appropriate punishment to be administered like in instances where a robbery has occurred and the person responsible has been arrested by the persons concerned which in this case might be the police or even the public. This is somehow different from a tribunal whose real and intended purpose is to

Big city vs small town Essay Example for Free

Big city vs small town Essay Matter and Energy Learning Objectives Understand the general concepts of matter and energy-why are these entities important to environmental scientists? Be able to define and give examples of the three laws governing matter and energy-how do these laws affect our understanding of matter/energy quantity and quality Be able to differentiate between potential and kinetic energy Be able to discuss the concept of entropy and how this process affects all living things Check out the chemistry review if you feel you need some additional chemistry background for this section I. One important thing about systems and living things: Life obeys physical laws. Drink some water, eat some food, run to class. The two things that connect these activities and other aspects of life on earth are matter and energy. Matter has mass and occupies space: it is the stuff you and everything else is made of. Matter comes in a variety of forms. We call these different unique types of matter elements. An atom is the smallest unit of an element that has all of the properties of that element. There are 92 naturally occurring elements in nature. These different forms of matter differ uniquely in their physical and chemical properties: carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) differ in their size, reactiveness with other atoms, and other physical and chemical properties. An element is a substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by ordinary chemical means. An element can be combined with another to make a compound. For instance, hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce water. Scientists use symbols (hydrogen=H, oxygen=O) as a kind of short-hand for describing compounds. For example H2O is mean water is comprised of 2 toms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen II. Energy is a more elusive concept. Formally, it is defined as the ability (or capacity) to do work Work is the product of force and distance. When you are walking up the Hill, you are doing work by applying muscles (force) to move up the Hill (distance). Energy is what you and all living things use to move matter around and to change matter from one form to another. Energy is used to grow your food, to keep you alive (metabolism), to move you from one place to another, and to warm and cool the buildings in which you work and  live. The uses and transformations of matter and energy are governed by certain scientific laws, which unlike the laws people enact, cannot be broken. III. There are three physical laws governing matter and energy that are important to us. A) Law of conservation of matter B) First law of energy (first law of thermodynamics) C) Second law of energy (second law of thermodynamics) A. Law of Conservation of Matter: (everything must go somewhere) We talk about consuming, or using up material resources, but actually we dont consume any matter. We only borrow some of the earths resources for a while C taking them from the earth, carrying them to another part of the globe, processing them, using them, and then discarding, reusing, or recycling them. In the process of using matter we may change it to another form, but in every case we neither create nor destroy any measurable amount of matter. This results from the law of conservation of matter: In any physical or chemical change, matter is neither created nor destroyed but merely changed from one form to another. When you throw away something, remember there is no away. Everything we think we have thrown away is still here with us in one form or another. How does this affect environmental science ? Although we can certainly make the environment cleaner, the law of conservation of matter says we will always be faced with pollution of some sort. This means that we musttrade-off one form of pollution for another. This trade-off involves making controversial scientific, political, economic, and ethical judgments about what is a dangerous pollution level, to what degree a pollutant must be controlled, and what amount of money we are willing to pay to reduce the amount of a pollutant to a harmless level. B. The First Law of Energy (First Law of thermodynamics): You cant get something for nothing You encounter energy in many forms: mechanical, chemical (food and fuel), electrical, nuclear, heat, and radiant (such as light). Scientists usually classify most forms of energy as either potential or kinetic energy. 1) Kinetic energy is the energy that matter has because of its motion and mass. A moving car, falling rock, and the flow of electrons or charged particles called electrical energy are all examples of kinetic energy. The amount of kinetic energy matter has depends on both its mass and its velocity (speed). Because of its  velocity a bullet fired from a gun can cause more damage that one thrown by hand; and a bowling ball dropped on your foot does more damage that a pool ball. 2) Potential energy: The energy stored by an object as a result of its position or the position of its parts is called potential energy. A rock held in your hand, a bowl of cereal, a stick of dynamite, and a tank of gas are all examples. The rock has stored (or potential) energy that can be released and converted into kinetic energy (in the form of mechanical energy and heat) if it is dropped. Doing work involves changing energy from one form to another. a. When you lift an object, chemical energy (a form of potential energy) stored in the chemicals obtained from your digested food is converted into the mechanical energy (kinetic) used to move your arm and the object upward and into heat given off by your body b. In an automobile engine, the che into electrical energy and heat (low grade form of kinetic energy. c. In an electric power plant, chemical energy from fossil fuels (potential) or nuclear energy from uranium nuclear fuel (potential) is converted into a combination of mechanical energy and heat. The mechanical energy is used to spin the turbine that converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy and more heat. When the electrical energy oscillates through the filament wires in an ordinary light bulb, it is converted into light and still more heat. Note that in all of these transformations, some energy is always lost as heat that flows into the surrounding en vironment. 3) Energy changes: What energy changes occur when you drop a rock? Because of its higher position, the rock in your hand has a higher potential energy than the same rock at rest on the ground. When you drop the rock and it hits and eventually rests on the ground, the rock now has a much lower potential energy. Has the amount of energy changed (i.e., the rock lost energy where did it go?) At first glance it seems so. But according to the first law of conservation of energy, in any ordinary physical or chemical process is neither created nor destroyed but merely change from one form to another. The energy lost by a system or collection of mater under study (in this instance, the rock) must equal the energy gained by the surroundings or environment (in this instance, air molecules pushed out of the way, and soil particles moved by the impact of the rock). This energy law holds for all systems, living and nonliving. Lets look at what really happens. As the rock drops, its potential energy is changed into kinetic energy C both its  own and that of the air through which it passes. The friction created when the rock is drops through the air causes air molecules in the air to move faster, so their average temperature rises. This means that some of the rocks original potential energy has been transferred to the air as heat. When the rock hits the ground more of its mechanical energy is transferred to particles of soil. The energy lost by the rock (system) is exactly equal to the energy gained by its surroundings. Scientists have never seen an instance where energy input does not equal energy output. C. Second Law of Energy (Second law of thermodynamics): You cant break even Energy quality: Because according to the first energy law energy can neither be created nor destroyed, you might think there will always be enough energy. Yet when you fill a cars tank with gasoline and drive around something is lost. If it isnt energy, what is it? The second law of energy, also known as the second law of thermodynamics provides the answer to this question. Energy varies in its quality or ability to do useful work. For useful work to occur energy must move or flow from a level of high-quality (more concentrated) energy to a level of lower-quality (less concentrated) energy. The chemical potential energy concentrated in a lump or coal or a tank of gasoline and the concentrated heat energy at a high temperature are forms of high-quality energy. Because the energy in gasoline or coal is concentrated, they have the ability to perform useful work in moving or changing matter . In contrast, less concentrated heat energy at a low temperature has little remaining ability to perform useful work. Over the years, after investigating millions of conversions of energy from one form to another, scientists have found that some of the energy is always degraded to a more dispersed and less useful form, usually as heat given off at a low temperature to the surroundings. In an internal combustion automobile engine, only about 20% of the high-quality chemical energy available in the gasoline is converted to mechanical energy used to propel the car; the remaining 80% is degraded to low-quality heat that is released into the environment. In addition, about 50% of the mechanical energy produced is also degraded to low-quality heat energy through friction, so that 90% of the energy in gasoline is wasted and not used to move the car. When electrical energy oscillates through the filament wires in an ordinary light bulb, it is converted into a mixture of about 5% useful radiant energy (light) and 95% low-quality heat. It is interesting to note that much of modern civilization is built around the internal combustion engine and the incandescent light that, respectively, waste 90 and 95% of their initial energy input. Some of this waste is due to the energy-quality tax automatically exacted as a result of the second energy law and some is due to technological designs that waste more energy that necessary. Most energy exchange processes occur like this (high quality energy to low quality) but there is one VERY IMPORTANT exception: the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy in food by plants and some bacteria.Photosynthesis converts radiant energy (light) from the sun into high-quality chemical energy (stored in the plant in the form of sugar molecules) and low-quality heat energy. If you eat plant food [like spinach], its high-quality chemical energy is transformed within your body to high-quality mechanical energy, used to move your muscles and to perform other life processes, and low-quality heat energy. The process of breaking down food such as sugars to simpler molecules, such as CO2 and water, releasing potential energy in the process, is called respiration. At each step, the low-quality heat flows into the environment. Without the action of plants and bacteria, life as we know it would not exist because animals have no way of turning the radiant energy from the sun into high energy (high quality) food. So, the first energy law governs the quantity of energy available from an energy conversion process, whereas the second energy law governs the quality of energy available. According to the first law we will never run out of energy, but according to the second law we can run out of high quality or useful energy. Not only can we not get something for nothing (the first law), we cant even break even in terms of energy quality (the second law) The second energy law also tells us that high-grade energy can never be used over again. We can recycle matter but we can never recycle high-quality energy. Fuels and foods can be used only once to perform useful work. Once a piece of coal or a tank full of gasoline is burned, its high-quality potential energy is lost forever. This means that the net useful, or high-quality energy available from fossil fuels, uranium, or any concentrated energy source is even less than predicted by the first energy law. d. mical energy stored in the gasoline is converted into mechanical energy that propels the car and is eventually lost as heat (engine heat), friction of the tires with the ground, and energy imparted to the air as it is pushed out of the way by your car.

Religious Information Seeking on Social Media in Saudi

Religious Information Seeking on Social Media in Saudi Abdullah Almobarraz Religious Information Seeking on Social Media in Saudi Society ABSTRACT Reading and learning about religious information is a habit that Saudis practice to increase their understanding of Islamic rules. It is common now for people to learn about religion from social media. Therefore, the study reports on a survey that was distributed to people in Saudi Arabia to investigate the use of social media technologies for religious information seeking. The objective is to determine if Saudis utilize social media to search for religious information and to understand their information-seeking behaviors when using such a resource. In addition, the study is an attempt to investigate how religious information on social media changes and influences people, and what obstacles and difficulties Saudis encounter when they use social media to obtain religious information. Keywords: Information behavior, Internet resources, Religious information, Saudi Society, Social network, Social media Introduction Social media has become a popular tool used to search for information during the past few years. Currently, a growing number of people use social media in all activities related to their lives. Social media tools can also be excellent for searching out, learning, and publishing religious information. As people become more adept in their use of social media in religious learning and practice, questions begin to emerge about the implications of new media platforms and practices for faith formation, leadership, and religious practice across traditions (Anderson, 2013). By answering these questions, we can come to understand why social media is commonly used to change religious views and deliver beliefs to different types of people. As social media increasingly becomes part of our daily lives, people will find new ways to interact with religion and spirituality. In the digital age, a group of virtual religionists will emerge, comprising individuals who do not affiliate with religious institutions, but are nevertheless engaged in many aspects of a faith community through social networking (Miller, 2011). Research Problem Reading and learning about religious information is a habit that Saudis practice to increase their understanding of Islamic rules. In the past, most people learned about religion from traditional resources, such as attending religious events, reading books and journals, and watching television programs. But with the advent of social media, religious information and resources have become accessible through this new channel. However, we do not know how religion and new forms of social media interact or what impact they have on each other. Indeed, no study has thus far investigated the use of social media or its content on the subject of religion. Therefore, this study explores the extent to which Saudis utilize social media to find religious information and examines how this affects their knowledge and learning style. Specifically, this exploratory study employs a quantitative approach through the distribution of a questionnaire to collect data related to the population. Literature Review Social media plays a clear role in changing the way people talk about faith and share religious information and perspectives, so religious leaders find it a great way to involve younger generations who may not be growing up with religion in their households (Cyprian, 2015). Recent years have seen a concern with the publishing of new information to help religious scholars understand digital media-especially social media. Religious leaders can now find texts to guide them through the construction of websites, blogs, and social media (Hutchings, 2012). However, the use of social media is not limited to religious leaders, but is also used by laypeople. It has increasingly become an important source of religious information for many people in the world (Harvey, 2014). In an average week, one in five Americans shares their religious faith online (Pew Research Center, 2014). In addition to sharing their religious faith, people use social media to share information about their favorite relig ious organizations, activities, preachers, religious resources, Web sites, educational materials, new issues, and much more (Groenpj, 2011). Preston (2011) reported that although it is too early to say that social media has transformed the way in which people practice religion, the number of people discussing faith on Facebook has significantly increased in the past year. This trend is supported by the findings of Tallant (2013), who declared that over 43 million Facebook users are fans of at least one religious page, and 31% of users in the United States list a religion in their profile. At this very basic level, it is possible to see that members of religious groups are using Facebook and are incorporating their religious beliefs into their online activities. As the use of social media evolves into an essential part of peoples daily lives, religious organizations are also using social media tools in increasingly inspired ways to spread their influence and build communities (Newberg, 2013). For example, a recent study in China showed that digital and social media have allowed one of the largest international religious an d benevolent organizations to keep in touch with its more than 10 million followers worldwide, helping it in its mission to provide humanitarian relief (Cheong, Hwang, Brummans, 2014). Religious information in the Islamic world is also in the category of favored information. Baddawy (2014) surveyed 250 Muslim Facebook users and found that the highest percent of them are attracted by religious information. Mustafa et al. (2013) states that the attraction of information may contribute to religious understanding; however, this is reliant on how people perceive the Islamic information shared on social media. Religious information may lead to improper behavior due to various reasons, such as ignorance of a religion, ease of online publishing, and spread of fringe groups (Hammad Faraj Allah, 2011). In Saudi Arabia, over the past few years, social media usage has been one of the most rapidly adopted activities, with more and more users accessing the Internet via their smartphones and tablets (AlJabre, 2013). Research conducted by Global Web Index suggested that almost 25% of the population in Saudi Arabia is active on social media (Zarovsky, 2013). Moreover, a social media agency report showed that there are 3 million Twitter users (around 12% of the population), growing by 3000%, with an average 50 million tweets per month, 840,000 LinkedIn users (4% of the population), and 6 million Facebook users (23% of the population) (Social Clinic, 2014). The adoption of social media has had a great effect on Saudis behaviors and beliefs (Alsharkh, 2012). Religion, for example, is an essential part of society, and so information related to religious issues has a crucial influence upon the cultures and thinking styles of individuals. Almaghthaway (2011) states that these issues used to be delivered by preachers and through traditional resources such as newspapers and audio materials, but in the 20th century, this all began to change. The advent of greater literacy, the deterioration of religious establishments, and new forms of communication such as radio and television all contributed to breaking down the pre-modern modes of religious authority (Almaghthaway, 2011). The late 20th century brought forth a new phenomenon: the creation of Google. It is now common for Muslims to search for answers to religious questions by accessing the Internet. Social media, especially mobile computing devices such as smartphones and tables, contributes to the importance of the Internet as a source of religious information, which fosters discussion of contemporary religious issues. Increasingly, Saudis are posing questions to people they identify as religious authorities through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media apparatuses (Hellyer, 2013). Purpose of the Study and Research Questions Although some research has been conducted on the effects of social media on peoples lives, previous studies have not focused on specific areas of Saudi society. More specifically, no studies have examined the effect of social media on religious information seeking. Therefore, the current study serves to examine this issue by using a descriptive method to investigate how religious information on social media changes and influences people. The study was designed to address four questions central to understanding Saudis information-seeking behavior on social media regarding religious information: To what extent do Saudis use social media for religious purposes? What are the purposes and strategies of searching for religious information via social media? To what extent do Saudis trust social media to obtain religious information? What obstacles and difficulties do Saudis encounter when they use social media to obtain religious information? Methodology This study applied a quantitative research design involving a questionnaire distributed by e-mail to a group of participants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The participants represent various segments of society. The questionnaire contained 14 items in five categories in order to collect data related to participants use of searches via social media for religious information. The five question categories were (a) the demographics of participants; (b) usage level of social media; (c) purposes of and strategies for use; (d) behavioral trust in social media; and (e) obstacles to social media use. A total of 492 participants completed the questionnaire. Due to the nature of the research, descriptive statistical techniques were used to analyze and report the data. In the following sections, the findings are presented in relevant tables immediately after their corresponding interpretations. Data Analysis and Results Descriptive statistics on each variable of the study are used to investigate peoples use of social media related to religious information. The percentage for each survey item question is reported in the tables that follow. The results are divided into categories that address the previously mentioned five issues, namely the demographic characteristics of participants, social media use, purposes and strategies of use, trust in social media, and difficulties of use. Demographic Characteristics of the Sample As shown in Table 1, participants were relatively equally split by gender, with 54% men and 46% women. As for age groups, 40% were aged 20-30 years, 28% were 31-40 years, 17% were 41-50 years, 9% were less than 20 years, and 5% were in the 51-60 years age group. As for marital status, the majority of participants (62%) were married, 34% were single, 3% were divorced, and only 1% were widowed. As for level of education, half of the participants (50%) had a bachelors degree, 18% had completed high school, 13% held an associate degree, 10% had a masters degree, 6% had a doctorate, and the rest of participants (3%) had not completed high school. In terms of occupation, 45% reported being government employees, 23% were students, 15% were unemployed, 13% were private-sector employees, and 4% were self-employed. Table 1. Demographic characteristics Variable Item Percentage Gender Male Female 54% 46% Marital status Single Married Divorced Widowed 34% 62% 3% 1% Age (years old) 20-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 >60 9% 40% 28% 17% 5% 0 Level of education Less than high school High school Associate degree Bachelors Masters Doctorate 3% 18% 13% 50% 10% 6% Occupation Student Government employee Private-sector employee Self-employed Unemployed 23% 45% 13% 4% 15% Social Media Usage for Searching for Religious Information Table 2 shows the percentage of participants who strongly agree, agree, sometimes agree, disagree, and strongly disagree, respectively, with the use of social media to obtain religious information. Almost half of the participants (47%) agreed or strongly agreed that social media is their preferred source for obtaining religious information. This phenomenon could be a result of the widespread use of social media by Saudi religious scholars. Of the top 10 most-followed users of social media in Saudi Arabia, 5 are religious scholars (Tweepar, 2014). Therefore, a large amount of information related to religion will be available to those who look for it on social media. Table 2. Use of social media to obtain religious information Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 82 17% Agree 148 30% Sometimes agree 189 38% Disagree 48 10% Strongly disagree 25 5% Traditional Resources for Religious Information Participants were allowed to choose more than one option to specify the resources they used to search for religious information before the advent of social media. Table 3 shows that among the different pre-social media resources, Internet Websites were reported by 64% of participants as their primary resource, followed by books (55%). A much smaller percentage of participants (3%) indicated that they used newspapers to obtain religious information. Table 3. Resources used to search for religious information before the advent of social media Resources Frequency Percentage Books 271 55% Journals 19 4% Newspapers 16 3% Audiovisual materials 260 53% Websites 315 64% Other 29 6% Most-Consulted Social Media When seeking religious information, the majority of participants (71%) consulted Twitter, followed by Google+ (42%). Surprisingly, Facebook was consulted for religious information by only 11% of participants. This finding differs from the general state of social media in Saudi Arabia, as Facebook is favored in that country (Social Clinic, 2014). Table 4. Most-used social media for seeking religious information Media Frequency Percentage Twitter 348 71% Facebook 54 11% LinkedIn 10 2% Google+ 207 42% H5 2 1% Other 65 13% Purposes of Using Social Media Related to Religion Alzoman (2012) stated that Saudi youths mostly use social media to understand and learn about new events. This study is consistent with those previous results. As Table 5 shows, learning about religion was the biggest reason (43%) for using social media to obtain information about religion, followed closely by the desire to read posts written by religious scholars (40%) who have a good reputation and are highly popular and by the desire to find answers related to religious issues in society (34%), and by the wish to communicate with religious scholars (12%). Table 5. Purpose for using social media Purpose Frequency Percentage Finding answers to religious issues 166 34% Communicating with religious scholars 61 12% Learning about religion 213 43% Reading posts written by religious scholars 198 40% Other 63 13% Religious Information Sources Although most people use electronic databases and formal Websites rather than personal Websites to locate new information and keep pace with scientific developments in their fields of specialty (Alsharhan, 2002), the search for religious information seems to operate differently. Almost half of the participants (45%) reported that they turn to the personal accounts of religious specialists to find information about religion. This finding may be unsurprising for Saudi Arabia due to the good reputation religious scholars hold within that society. Institutional accounts, by contrast, did not have the same popularity with participants, only 21% of whom reported using institutional accounts (government and nongovernment) for this kind of search. Table 6. Sources for searching for religious information via social media Source Frequency Percentage Government agencies accounts 110 16% Nongovernment agencies accounts 46 7% Personal accounts of religious specialists 308 45% Subject headings and hashtags 201 29% Other 21 3% Handling Information Participants were asked what actions they usually take after finding the information for which they were searching. The majority (68%) declared that they search for other sources to verify the credibility of the information. Because any one can publish information on social media, participants might understandably not trust information the first time they see it. Social media is full of both no credible users and no credible information. Therefore, some users prefer to make some kind of evaluation before accepting information as credible. The behavior of the remaining 32% was as follows: 12% accept the information and use it for their original purpose, 12% discuss the information and comment on it, and 6% publish it in their social media accounts. Table 7. Action taken after obtaining information Action Frequency Percentage Accept it and use it for my original purpose 60 12% Search for other sources to verify the credibility 335 68% Publish it in my social media accounts 30 6% Discuss and comment on it 58 12% Other 9 2% Credibility Participants were asked to report their opinions regarding the credibility of religious information on social media and whether or not it can be trusted. A five-point Likert scale was given to measure this item, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The highest percentage of participants (45%) indicated that they sometimes trusted religious information on social media, whereas 32% of participants either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the credibility of social media. This matches the previous result indicating that users will search for other resources to verify the credibility of information they find on social media. The rest of the participants (24%) indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that social media is credible and trustworthy. Table 8. Religious information on social media is credible and can be trusted Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 20 4% Agree 96 20% Sometimes agree 220 45% Disagree 128 26% Strongly disagree 28 6% Social Media Sufficiency Table 9 shows the percentage of participants who strongly agree, agree, sometimes agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the statement that religious information on social media is sufficient and meets their needs. A plurality of participants (38%) disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement, whereas the next highest percentage (33%) thought that it is sometimes sufficient. This is not surprising, because many people feel strongly about their religion and therefore may care about the credibility of religious information more than some other types of information. The information found on social media may be posted by users who are nonspecialists in religion. This leads many people to search for more credible and trusted resources. The rest (29%) of participants agreed or strongly agreed that religious information on social media is sufficient and meets their needs. Table 9. Social media sufficiency Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 16 3% Agree 128 26% Sometimes agree 163 33% Disagree 148 30% Strongly disagree 37 8% Influence on Peoples Thoughts Table 10 reports participants opinions regarding the statement that social media affects religious thoughts on society. The majority of participants (82%) reported that they agreed or strongly agreed with this statement. This result is compatible with a referendum conducted by a local newspaper that indicated that social media sites influence the personality of users and change their intellectual and cultural attitudes (Okaz newspaper, 2013). Only a small percentage of participants (3%) disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement. This finding shows the strength of social media in Saudi society, further confirming its role in societal and cultural transformation. Table 10. Social media affects religious thoughts on society Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 148 30% Agree 258 52% Sometimes agree 71 14% Disagree 12 2% Strongly disagree 3 1% Presentation and Dissemination of Religious Issues A recent study revealed that social media is very effective at improving the dissemination of information (Allen, Stanton, Di Pietro, Moseley, 2013). The present study reached the same result. Table 11 shows that most participants (76%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that social media is useful in presenting and disseminating religious issues. By contrast, only a small number of participants (8%) reported that they disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement regarding the positive role of social media in publishing religious opinions and issues. Table 11. Social media is useful for presenting and disseminating religious issues Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 154 31% Agree 223 45% Sometimes agree 76 15% Disagree 31 6% Strongly disagree 8 2% Social Media Censorship Saudi Arabias Internet censorship is considered one of the most extensive in the world, and restricted and blocked Websites include those that are incompatible with Islam (Almobarraz, 2007). Therefore, participants were asked if they believed that the religious content of social media risked censorship. Table 12 shows that the highest percentage (44%) sometimes agreed that religious information on social media was blocked, whereas the next highest percentage (34%) agreed or strongly agreed with this statement. The rest of participants (22%) either disagreed or strongly disagreed. Table 12. Some accounts specializing in religious information are blocked Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 51 10% Agree 118 24% Sometimes agree 216 44% Disagree 84 17% Strongly disagree 23 5% Awareness of Religious Accounts Participants were asked if they were aware of specialized religious accounts. As shown in Table 13, combining the positive responses of agree and strongly agree indicates that a plurality of participants (45%) were aware of specialized religious accounts on social media. The combination of negative responses of disagree and strongly disagree indicates that 25% were unaware of such accounts. The rest of participants (30%) were neutral. Table 13. Knowledge and awareness of accounts specializing in religious information Opinion Frequency Percentage Strongly agree 39 8% Agree 182 37% Sometimes agree 147 30% Disagree 109 22% Strongly disagree 15 3% Presence of Religious Resources on Social Media Participants were asked about the resources they trust to find religious information presented on social