Merits and Demerits of the Internet Essay

The internet is a socially disruptive technology. It has changed the way we do business, communicate with each other, and even how we view the world in the short amount of time that the public has used it. From its beginning as a project of the Department of Defense to connect its computers together, the Internet is now a resource that most people in the developed world cannot live without. I myself have been affected by the internet. I am one of the 1,114,274,426 people who use the internet in its various forms. Whether by emailing my friends, or ordering a book on Amazon.com, I am a part of the â€Å"internet generation†, the generation of people who grew up with the benefits of the Internet. This paper tries to explore how the Internet has touched my life. I will try to look at both the benefits of the Internet and its drawbacks. Looking at my internet use, I see that there are primarily three ways that I use the internet; for convenience, for information and lastly for the cyber community. Convenience This has got to be the reason most everyday people use the internet, it simply makes things easier. From email to word processing, with the internet, previous tasks that are cumbersome and time-consuming are now performed effortlessly at the click of a mouse. You no longer have to write a letter by hand, affix a stamp, and then mail it afterwards waiting for not minutes but entire days just to send a letter to a friend or colleague. In the amount of time that it takes to read this sentence, I could have forwarded a chain letter to dozens if not hundreds of people in my email address book. Communication through the internet has radically changed the way we live. By the sheer simplicity and ease of sending a letter through email, we probably communicate with each other more and with greater intimacy. It has helped me keep in touch with my family members and friends at home. Even simple messages like trivial requests or a short â€Å"how are you? † reach their destination even half a world a way nearly instantaneously when I press the â€Å"send† button on my email program of choice. Aside from communication, another way that the internet has made lives easier is through electronic commerce or simply e-commerce. From this very chair I am sitting on, I buy my bus tickets, send and receive money through e-banking and even watch movies. I don’t have to move myself out of the house (or even out of this chair) to take care of my basic necessities, leaving me with more time to finish more pressing tasks. Truly, this is a way that the Internet has made my life much easier. On the other hand the internet has not only made my life easier, it has also made the lives of shady characters easier too. It has helped spread junk emails, â€Å"spyware† programs, and even computer viruses through its communication lines. My worst experience with this was a virus I got from a spam email. The virus completely ruined my laptop and made me reinstall the operating system. Even as I did this, the virus had already spread to other email addresses stored in my email address book. Another thing I noticed is that the convenience of the Internet has made me more impatient. For someone who got accustomed to email and e-commerce, I find that waiting even for very short amount of times has already become a difficult exercise for me. Being â€Å"spoiled† by the internet, I now want and expect all things to be done at cyber-speed. A much more serious effect of the Internet’s ease of communication is the creation of a new arena of crime – internet crime. I myself have had no experience with Internet crimes but that is something I don’t want to change in the near future. The convenience of the internet has equally empowered me to do my email and shopping and empowered crooks to perform felonies from credit card fraud to piracy and even identity theft. Information The internet has changed both the way we get access to information and the amount of information we can have access to. Enormous amounts of web pages are born everyday, with equally impressive search engines to quickly comb through these web pages to get the information you want. Personally, I use internet portals such as Yahoo! and Naver as they have almost everything I need, news, entertainment, weather information, dictionaries, study materials etc. Another thing about information on the internet is that unlike traditional media outlets such as newspapers, radio and TV, the internet is a duplex communication channel. The flow of information from traditional outlets only goes one-way, the TV reports on it and I view it. The internet on the other hand empowers me to voice out my opinions and get feedback on these opinions right away. However, not all information on the internet is reliable. The ease of creating a website has made information coming from â€Å"average Joes† look indistinguishable from those of learned academics and authorities. Ease of finding information on the internet has made people unwilling to do research the old way, by going to libraries and referencing known authors and peer-reviewed journals or articles. Now, they are just more likely to take as true the first results that Google or Wikipedia gives out. Also, the internet has given seedy people and organizations a free outlet to promote disreputable activities and information. Hate groups, suicidal organizations, and child pornographers have used the internet to further their agenda and reach more potential victims. I found myself in an embarrassing situation once when I accessed pornography on the internet by accident. The thing with the internet’s ease of providing information is that it makes people think less. It makes us dependent on websites and search engines instead of enforcing our research and information validation skills. It lessens creativity and makes us unable to discern which information is true or false, which fact is correct or incorrect, and what is morally good or bad. The Cyber Community The internet has truly made the world a smaller place as it enabled people to meet more individuals from different backgrounds and different parts of the world. It has created a worldwide meeting place where people could seek out people who share their interests and values. I myself am a member of this community by my blog. My blog allows me to connect to other people just as reading other peoples’ blogs give me a connection and insight into their lives. My blog also satisfies my need desire for recognition by giving me my own personal space to decorate and post my own thoughts to be seen by the world at large. Another nice thing about the cyber community is that unlike the real community, the internet gives its users a blanket of anonymity. This anonymity gives its users the freedom to express their own opinions without fear that it will reflect on them badly. Also, it allows users the freedom to talk things and or problems which could be considered socially embarrassing or taboo. On the other hand, anonymity also empowers people by protecting them from responsibility from wrongdoing. Anyone can read my blog and leave scathing and psychologically damaging comments without revealing who they really are. Also, it makes one think less of others as people are reduced to a few lines of text on a webpage or chat room. Unlike the real community, the cyber community is impersonal and has no intimacy. Another side effect of being part of the cyber community is addiction. I may be guilty of this to some degree. I tend to overuse the internet and in the continual habit of opening internet web pages. You could say that like an addict, I cannot live without the internet. Just like substance abuse, I have grown a dependence on the internet and the cyber community it brings. Conclusion In retrospect, the Internet has really changed the way I lived my life. I am exposed to plenty of empowering technologies that generations of people before me could only dream about. The world is smaller because of it and for the most part better because of it. And it is getting better all the time, newer applications that make life better through the internet are still being made at a rapid pace. On the other hand, the internet is a tool which could also be used for foul deeds. Internet users with shady interests have used the internet to cause harm and promote their foul agenda. As members of the cyber community, one needs to be wary of these things as it may leave one vulnerable to anything from damage to your computer to damaging scrutiny or even more serious crimes like identity theft. In retrospect, is the internet worth it? For me, even with its downsides, the internet is still a blessing to be treasured. It really does make my life easier and allows me to do more things that were unthinkable of even just 50 years ago. One just has to be conscious about how he or she uses the internet. As always, even on the internet, common sense should prevail and one should not forsake traditionally held values such as extending courtesy, doing proper research and others even is one is shielded by anonymity in the cyber community of the internet. References Irvine, Marthat. (2004, December 5). Youth Adopt, Drive Technological Advances. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31A. Staples, Brent. (2004, May 29). What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up In Cyberspace. New York Times, , A24. Leiner, Barry M. , et. al.. (n. d. ). A Brief History of the Internet. In Internet Society. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www. isoc. org/internet/history/brief. shtml. InternetWorldStats. com. (March 19, 2007). Internet Usage Statistics – The Big Picture. In Internet World Stats. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www. internetworldstats. com/stats. htm. Levine, John R. , Baroudi, Carol. , & Young, Margaret Levine. (2000). The Internet for Dummies 7th edition. Foster City CA: IDG Books.

Psychological Affects of End-of-Life Care

As people approach the end of their lives, they with their families and their caregivers, face many tasks and decisions. They may be psychological, spiritual, or medical in nature, but all end-of-life choices and medical decisions have complex psychological components, ramifications, and consequences that have a significant impact on the suffering patients and their caregivers. Hospice is a special healthcare option for patients and families faced with a terminal illness. At Hospice there’s a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses social workers, bereavement counselors and volunteers that work together to address the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of each patient and family members (â€Å"Hospice†). The main focus of Hospice is to address the issues that are most important to the patients’ needs or wants at the end of his/her life. The term â€Å"Hospice† comes from medieval times when it referred to a place of shelter and rest for w eary or ill travelers on a long journey (Hospice).The name was first applied to specialized care for dying patients by Physician Dame Cicely Saunders, who began her work with the terminally ill in 1948 and eventually went on to create the first modern hospice—St. Christopher’s Hospice—in a residential suburb of London (National). Her lecture, given to medical students, nurses, social workers, and chaplains about the concept of holistic hospice care, included photos of terminally ill cancer patients and their families, showing the dramatic differences before and after the symptom control care. This later resulted in the development of hospice care as you know it today (National).Caregiving is associated with physical, psychological, and financial burdens. Hospice nurses perform many traditional nursing duties such as observing, assessing, and recording symptoms. They still work closely with physicians, administering medications and providing emotional support, al though psychologists do not have much of a presence in the hospice movement. Medications that hospice nurses administer and the symptoms they record are not intended to aid a patient in his or her recovery, but rather to make his or her remaining days as comfortable as possible (â€Å"Hospice†). Being a nurse of any kind is very difficult, but dealing every day with a dying patient requires an  extraordinary temperament, one that symbolizes great caring and patience (â€Å"Career†).It can be especially trying on nurses to attend patients who are as young as or younger than the nurse themselves are. Palliative care highlights the total well-being of the patient as well as that of loved ones and caregivers. The caregiver is there to listen, support, encourage, comfort and help the patient. Their goal is to prevent, treat, or eliminate discomfort whenever and, however it appears, never about giving up hope (â€Å"Career†). Every caregiver may be required to provi de a variety of care tasks including physical, emotional, and practical.Research shows that families find personal care to be the most physically and emotionally challenging aspect of caregiving. Emotional care involves listening, talking, reading, or playing music (Collins). Providing the kind and loving companionship that patient may need during the end-of-life process. Handling insurance and other legal matters, taking care of financial concerns such as paying bills, coordinating visits with loved ones, friends and hospice staff is all a part of practical care (Collins). Along with discussing and ensuring that all of the patients’ wishes are carried out if also the healthcare power of attorney (â€Å"What†). In 2009; 66 million Americans (3 in 10 U.S. Households) reported at least one person providing unpaid care as a family caregiver (Collins). Under Medicare, hospice is primarily a program of care delivered in a person’s home by a Medicare – approved hospice.Reasonable and necessary medical and support services for the management of a terminal illness are furnished under a plan-of-care established by the beneficiary’s attending physician and the hospice team (Berry13). Hospice care is available under Medicare only if: the patient is approved for Medicare Part A, the patient’s doctor and the hospice medical director certify that the patient is terminally ill with six months or less to live if the disease runs its expected course, the patient signs a statement choosing hospice care instead of standard Medicare benefits for the terminal illness, or the patient receives care from a Medicare-approved hospice program (â€Å"Hospice†).Hospice care can be provided by an agency or organization that is primarily engaged in furnishing services to terminally ill individuals and their families. To receive Medicare payment, the agency or organization must be approved by Medicare to provide hospice services (Berry15). App roval for hospice is required even if the agency or  organization is already approved by Medicare to provide other kinds of health services. Medicare pays the hospice directly at specified rates depending on the type of care given each day. The hospice can charge five percent of the reasonable cost, up to a maximum of five dollars, for each prescription for outpatient drugs or biological for pain relief and symptom management related to the terminal illness (Collins).When Medicare beneficiaries choose hospice care, they give up the right to standard Medicare benefits only for treatment of the terminal illness. If the patient, who must have Part A in order to use the Medicare hospice benefit, also has Medicare Part B, he or she can use all appropriate Medicare Part A and Part B benefits for the treatment of health problems unrelated to the terminal illness. When standard benefits are used, the patient is responsible for Medicare’s deductible and coinsurance amounts (Berry 14 ). All services required for treatment of the terminal illness must be provided by or through the hospice.If not through the hospice then Medicare will not pay for treatment for the terminal illness which is not for symptom management and pain control. If you receive care given by another healthcare provider that was not arranged by the patients’ hospice or if the patient is receiving duplicate care Medicare will no longer fund in the patients’ healthcare (Berry14). When a patient is expected to live six months or less is when hospice is referred. Although many hospice patients have cancer as their primary diagnosis, hospice provides care to patients of all ages who are dealing with any potentially life-limiting illness, including Alzheimer’s, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dementia, and emphysema.Once the patient has been diagnosed and chooses hospice care, this can generally take place at home or as in-patient care. Hos pice neither prolongs life nor hastens death, but controls pain and discomfort allowing a person to live as fully and comfortably as possible during life’s final journey (â€Å"Career†). Pain control is one of the central goals of hospice care. Every person facing a serious illness hopes for as little pain as possible. Fortunately, with advances in modern medicine, physical suffering can now be almost entirely manages, and in some cases eliminated. From the legal standpoint, the federal guidelines regulating hospice require the hospice to make every reasonable effort to assure that the patient's pain is controlled (Berry3).Most state laws governing hospice  also make pain control a primary and required component of hospice care. The hospice Interdisciplinary Team and the hospice Registered Nurse case manager are focused on making sure the patient is comfortable. The Attending Physician who orders all medications should be focused on the same goal, and in many cases d oes see to it that the patient is kept comfortable. Unfortunately, for varying reasons, some physicians may not order the needed medications to adequately control the patient's pain (Berry4). In these cases, the hospice staff must intervene to protect the patient and make sure the patient gets what is needed to control pain.The hospice Medical Director, being a physician, has the authority to give medical orders and can intervene to provide the patient with the needed medications. In fact, the hospice Medical Director is required by law to make sure the patient's medical needs are met; these needs include medication for pain (Berry4). When dealing with patients and families in hospice care, the psychological and social needs of both patients and family members must be met in order to improve the quality of life throughout the dying process.Many caregivers and loved ones feel overwhelmed by the fact that end-of-life may be near for someone they love; you have to have realization that the patient is not going to get any better despite your best care. It may bring feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, grief and loss to the family of the patient (â€Å"What†). Ignoring feelings of depression, anxiety, confusion or delirium can be harmful†¦ Expressing can be freeing. 48 children and spousal caregivers of hospice patients and 36 controls were evaluated shortly before deaths of their loved ones and again at 2, 7, and 13 months after their deaths. All subjects were administered the Hamilton Raitina Scale for depression, symptom innovatory and the Texas Revised instrument of Grief (Dutton 30).Caring for a loved one who is nearing death can be important time of growth for caregivers. Experience can bring a deep sense of joy and satisfaction in having helped to make a loved one’s last days happier, and more peaceful. Studies indicate that the majority of patients would like their spiritual issues addressed. Spirituality has to do with respecting the inherent value and dignity of all patients. It is very important for the patients’ beliefs to be known to healthcare workers so the patient is not disrespected in any way by the healthcare worker (Karnes2). Patients tend to become more spiritually connected during end-of-life care because they are  nearing the end of their journey.Families are impacted emotionally and spiritually and will be grieving the loss of their lived one whereas their journey is beginning (Karnes6). When a loved one dies, mourning is an essential step in the healing process for those suffering the pain and confusion of loss (Karnes8). Counselors work with clients to validate the experience of grief, find the strength and coping skills, and eventually regain a sense of hope (Karnes7). While grief is very personal, there are many common experiences that accompany the death of a loved one.Talking with a counselor helps clients learn more about the natural process of grief and identify areas of strength and support, as well as areas of potential growth (Collins). Grief support group sessions provide the opportunity for people to meet others who are experiencing similar losses. Grief that accompanies the death of a loved one often comes in waves-and sometimes those waves arrive in the days and weeks that follow. At other times, it may be months-or even years- before the reality of the loss sinks in (Karnes11).Family members may also be grieving over the fact that financial issues may accompany them after their loved one passes. There is always help for any patient or family member in need. After learning more about Hospice and the care that they provide it’s more of a â€Å"safe haven† and a place of comfort for you or your loved ones that are passing. Many others would personally choose hospice as their end-of-life care.

An essay identifying and exploring the factors impacting on childrens

An identifying and exploring the factors impacting on childrens physical and psychological development in the present day - Essay Example Some philosophers during the ancient times believed that the neonate possessed some inborn character traits. The philosophers noted that people recollect the knowledge, which remain dormant in the brain. However, some philosophers contradicted the old philosophers saying that the brain of a born child was like a blank slate. They believed that the human experience moulds their behaviour. Apparently, more philosophers stack to nature as the determinant for human behaviours. Even so, some philosophers stood concrete on their decision that the environmental influence influenced human traits. Nevertheless, conclusions have that interaction between nature and nurture typically explains human character traits. Psychology founding fathers for instance, John B Watson, Albert Bandura and BF skinner. Both psychologist discussed the psychology behind behaviour of people. Each father had different though. However, they relied on a similar platform which is behaviour develops either through nurture or nature. John B major theory of behaviour was behaviourism theory. Through the theory Watson explained that it is possible to mould behaviour of a child as a person pleases. Explains that when a child is born, he/she does not know anything. Therefore, a person can teach them any skill that the want. According to one of Watson’s famous quotes, he said that he can mould a child to a lawyer, doctor or anything he pleases. Bandura’s theory was social learning theory. He explained that a person can learn a behaviour through observing, he called it observational learning. He added that human beings think of consequences of a behaviour before developing it. Therefore, according to Bandura man is conscious of the behaviour he develops or he learns. Unlike bandura, Skinner believed that man did not consider the impact of behaviour they learn. Skinners explained his behaviour perspective using operant conditioning. He

MANAGING FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

MANAGING FINANCE - Essay Example Financial analyses of the company reveal that though liquidity position of the company is good to meet short term obligations, but its earning powers, and efficiency to collect receivables and inventory turnover is much below the industry standards. It is suggestible that the company should make capital in investment in machine costing $3 million in order to make cash savings in cost of sales on the basis of in depth analysis of investment made as per payback and NPV methods of capital expenditure budgeting. The aim of any pricing strategy is to cover the costs involved in the project and earn desirable profit. Costs in any project can be traced as direct or indirect costs. Direct costs are those that are easily traceable by the management to specific items like direct material and direct labour for specific product. Whereas Indirect costs are common to many items and cannot be traces to any specific item or area. Indirect costs are charged to item on basis of certain allocation techniques. Again from the point of production the costs are either prime costs or conversion costs. Prime costs are direct material and direct labour costs and these are directly related to production. Conversion costs are related to transforming direct material into finished goods and these include direct labour and factory overheads. Costs further changes with volume of production. On basis of relationship to volume costs are either fixed costs, variable costs or mixed costs. Fixed costs remain constant over a relevant range of volume or output. Variable costs are assumed to change in direct proportion to changes in volume/ output. Mixed costs contain both fixed and variable attributes, and may be semi variable costs and step costs. Semi- variable costs usually represent a minimum fee for making a particular product or service available, and variable portion is cost for using

Discuss the importance and role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Essay - 1

Discuss the importance and role of Corporate Social Responsibility in event management in the 21st Century - Essay Example The complexity of cooperate social responsibility has attracted many scholars from all fields in an attempt to describe its many aspects. This essay will discuss some of the impact that cooperate social responsibility has effected in the economic and management strategies. It will also check on the various roles and importance in event management. It creates awareness on the various models of responding to various problems (Hopkins, 2006: 10). Different institutions have used this strategy with the emergence of globalization, which has raised the needs of the business to diversify with the diverse cultures, and the geographical settings that it serves (Horrigan, 2010: 352). Application of the strategy has helped create competition among event planning institutions serving the customer’s needs effectively and enhancing the sustainability of the enterprise (Jones, 2010:25). Institutions that apply this strategy have been able to diversify their services. This depends on differen t factors like the geographical settings hence increasing the country’s demand to serve the emerging social demands. ... The morals, standards, and monitoring the general plans of the people to ensure no tragic flaws experienced as after effects (Mullerat, 2010: 144). The society recognizes the enterprises need for to maximize on their profits, but still on the same, it demands the enterprise to intervene on other matters that affect the society. This helps enhance the impression of the society to increase their abilities of gaining profits from the public and globalizing their event organizing activities (Hopkins, 2006: 15). In addition, by interacting with the various societies the enterprise gets to interact with different cultures, which enhance its ability to satisfy the diversifying demands in the international market. With globalization, no enterprise should for-go cooperate social responsibility with the aim of addressing the urgent issues in the international market. Event managers need creativity and new strategies that are attractive to consumers. By applying the cooperate control strategy w hich has tremendously improved in the 21st century to satisfying the demands of their consumers. The extended environmental boundaries to serve and the diversified social cultures to interact with have raised the need for creativity on any organization in branding its products. Social responsibility may involve getting ideas from the public, or financing and supporting other creative enterprises and giving them rewards or collaborating with them (Zu, 2009:115). This may help bring about a change of ideas and do away with some of issues such as outdated products, which would have been modified to suit the revolutionized times and create impact on the environment and

The Forced Marriage Legislation in the UK Research Paper - 1

The Forced Marriage Legislation in the UK - Research Paper Example â€Å"Marriage, whether civil or religious, is a contract, formally entered into. It confers on the parties the status of husband and wife, the essence of the contract being an agreement between a man and a woman to live together, and to love one another as husband and wife, to the exclusion of all others†. This is the universal and perhaps most comprehensive characterization of marriage. Among the most controversial aspects of this is the element of consent. This is encapsulated in the concept of a contract. In a contract consent that is not tainted by force or coercion is essential to its validity. Consequently, it is also a major of controversy for marriage. This is compounded by the fact that marriages as a social phenomenon are diverse and multi-faceted.The forces governing present society in the present have imposed significant challenges upon marriage. These adverse forces have given rise to a wide array of problems. The government today struggle tot to protect and uphold family and marriages by finding means to deal with the various problems that undermine them.This also challenges the state to uphold society’s many concepts of marriage while also containing negative elements attributed to it. Furthermore, it has to strike the balance between its power to regulate societ y, society’s right to culture and the welfare of its citizens. This is not a mundane task given the complexity involved and the magnitude of the harms involved society today.Among the malign realities faced by society today are â€Å"forced marriages.† This kind of marriage â€Å"is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of both parties, where duress is a factor. Duress can range from emotional pressure from family members to threatening behavior, abduction or imprisonment, and physical violence†.

Solar energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Solar energy - Essay Example There is huge potential of creation of jobs and establishment of allied manufacturing industries in the Arab countries. With the growth in the export demand of the solar thermal systems, prices are expected to decline. â€Å"A World Bank/African Development Bank CSP Investment Plan for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has secured $750 million from the $6.4 billion Climate Investment Funds to support the expensive start-up phase when costs of solar power are high and export markets undeveloped† (â€Å"Concentrated Solar Power†). TiSUN, the Austrian solar thermal system manufacturer manufactured the subsidiary TiSUN GCC FZC to serve the Middle Eastern markets. It has been more than twenty years since TiSUN has been creating and selling systems to utilize the solar energy. These solar systems offer fully independent and free solar energy that can be used for a variety of purposes including water heating, backup heating, and cooling. TiSUN is the solar heating specia list from Europe and its quote of export is almost 83 per cent (â€Å"Press Releases†). TiSUN founded the solar thermal system in the start of December 2011 in Dubai. ... Robin M. Welling, the CEO of TiSUN who is involved in the renewable energies’ economics in the Arabian markets explained this in these words, â€Å"The countries of the Arabian Gulf are among the sunniest regions in the world. With nine hours per day, the amount of sunshine is much higher than in any European country. This is one reason why the Middle Eastern countries provide the ideal conditions for the installation of solar thermal systems† (Welling cited in â€Å"Press Releases†). TiSUN G.C.C. FZC has been distributing the solar thermal systems in numerous Emirates since December 2011 that include Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi currently has a large project on which TiSUN solar thermal systems are being installed. This project contains a total of 750 houses constructed on the area of six square kilometers, gardens containing pools, various commercial buildings and two private schools. In this area, 28 luxury houses for single families have been supplied with the TiSUN solar thermal system. This system provides the houses with environment friendly hot water. The TiSUN solar thermal system allows each house to produce energy for at least four individuals with the total area of collector surface being eight square meters and a provision of fresh water tanks with the capacity of 500 liters. Percentage of the TiSUN system’s solar fraction is 70. TiSUN G.C.C. FZC’s Managing Director, Bashar Muhtadi expresses his contentment with the positive developments with respect to energy in the markets based in the Middle East in these words, â€Å"The integration of solar heating systems in the modern building environment has become a standard in the MENA (Middle East + North Africa) region in the last three years –

Small company bias Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small company bias - Essay Example The EMH maintained that a market was perfect in the sense that the information spread very fast to accommodate immediate changes in the market stock prices. However, key criticisms have been leveled against this hypothesis based on a number of contradicting scenarios. The use of small firm effect has sustained the opposition and criticism for the EMH. The extensive studies undertaken among the USA small firms indicated that small firms outperformed large firms in respect of stock prices in spite of their advantageous operational economies of capital and market dominance (Edgar 31-35). Investigators have found the strongest effect of the tendencies of small firms to generate large stock returns compared to returns on stocks of large companies. According to the survey carried out by Fanna and French (1992) on the stocks data between 1963 and 1990, they found that clearly, portfolios of small companies tended to produce higher monthly average returns that those made on stocks of large companies EMH (Jonathan, Jandik, and Mandelker, 17). Therefore, it is essential to examine the EMH from a wide perspective that attempts to explore the necessary information. according to EMH, the larger the firm, the more advantageous it is in accessing and retaining important market information hence resulting in information asymmetry, hence creating an ability to benefit from the skewed information compared to the small firms. It should be noted that although the results of the studies of small fir effect have tended to degenerate the meaningfulness and application of EMH, it might harbor significant flaws such as survivor bias where the researcher might have used data from small firms that survived the informational imbalances (Edgar 34). Since its inception about four decades ago, EMH has occupied a large space in economic literature. The researches on

Comparison of Heroes in Flood Stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparison of Heroes in Flood Stories - Essay Example He was also mentioned in stories depicting episodes of his drunkenness and the ensuing "Curse of Ham." (Wenham, 2000) Noah's story was greatly influential in the West and was the focus of much elaboration in the following Abraham-ic traditions. In Islam, Noah (Nuh) is believed to be a prophet of Allah (God) (Khan, Anand, & Anand, 2001) and Christians likened the Christian Church to the Ark of Noah (Wenham, 2000). Noah in the book of Genesis lives for a total of 950 years, with the great flood happening in his 600th year. In Quran, Nuh (Noah) is already 950 when the great flood happened and was told to have spent his lifetime preaching the belief that there is only of God (singleness of Allah) (Wenham, 2000). In later stories, only 83 people are willing to become Muslims (submit themselves to Allah) and only these 83 people were saved with Nuh. Mankind's stubbornness ultimately brings God's wrath on the non-believers (Wenham, 2000). In Quran, the theme of the flood story is the need to seek peace with and the unity of Allah. The element of the account focuses totally on the great flood, and does not include the accounts of episodes of Nuh's drunkenness. The "Curse of Ham" story's likelihood is in fact totally disqualified: Quran's Nuh has two sons, not like the Christian Bible's three, and that son does not follow his father despite Nuh's ultimate plea for salvation, "O my son! Come ride with us, and be not with the disbelieve

Assignment 4A Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment 4A - Coursework Example It leads to the creation of a wide pool of entrepreneurs who are able to take on the challenges facing the modern society and generate revenue through entrepreneurial ventures (Bers, Head, & Palmer, 2014). This can be achieved by setting up experimental learning where students are exposed to practical learning process. Establishing such colleges ensures the development of sustainable culture of entrepreneurship in the society. The two readings, though having different approaches, are related to each other. Both readings focus on funding learning institutions, colleges and universities. Both reading acknowledge the importance of proficient financial management within learning institutions. Despite the fact that Margaret J. Barr and George S. McClellan focus on both colleges and universities, while Trudy H. Bers, Ronald B. Head, James C. Palmer focus exclusively on community colleges, the ideas that the authors covey are basically the same. For example, both readings explore the concept of budgeting and attempt to create a clear understanding of the budgeting concept, which is crucial for survival of learning institutions. I agree with my colleague that the readings are very crucial for college administrators because they provide useful information about effective management and allocation of scare resources to achieve optimum

The Same Things Still Fall Apart Essay Example for Free

The Same Things Still Fall Apart Essay In his first acclaimed novel, Things Fall Apart, one of Chinua Achebes many accomplishments is his uncompromisingly toughened rendering of Nigerian tribal life pre and post colonialism. The book was first published in 1958, which was just two years ahead before Nigeria declared independence from Great Britain; the book abstains from the obvious attraction of portraying pre-colonial life as a kind of Eden. Instead, Achebe outlined a world in which cruelty, war, and anguish exist; but at the same time, is filled with a balanced and strong sense of belief, ceremony, and social coherence. But more important than that, let us focus on his protagonist—Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a self-made man. He is the son of a charismatic good-for-nothing father. Okonkwo hated his father for this; and because of such, he worked day and night all his life to triumph over his fathers flaws. He was able to overcome his father’s reputation and has finally arrived at great richness and even greater status amongst his colleagues in the village of Umuofia. He is a champion warrior, a wealthy farmer, has three wives and father to several children. But more important than the characteristic that he portrays in the story, in a deeper and more objective angle, he is the epitome of a man who displays the flaws of a well-known Greek catastrophe: â€Å"Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children. Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwos fear was greater than these. It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father.† (Achebe) At the same time, Achebe was also able to make this man cruel and sympathetic at the same time. And no matter how he conceals it, Okonkwo is fond of his eldest daughter and Ikemefuna—a little boy that was sent from a different village as payment for the wicked death of a young woman from Umuofia (another village). He starts to be delighted in his eldest son, in whom he has too frequently seen his own father. A series of catastrophic events tests the determination of this strong man, and it is his dread of weakness that eventually undoes him. It is only near the end that the real climax of the story begins. By then, Okonkwo and his village are already being colonized by the white men. But, with the traditions of his culture and village, his hopes for redemption are too mighty high to be abolished. The arrival of the white men with intentions to convert them into Christians, and the pursuance of the officials from the colonial government made his village confused and disrupted the Ibo culture completely. Okonkwo realized that it will be very hard on his part and for his fellow villagers to adapt to the incoming modern influences. And with these in mind, Okonkwo is now confused and lost between the abyss of the old and new ways. Because he believed that they should keep their traditions, Okonkwo self-decided that they should rage a war against the colonizers: â€Å"Does the white man understand our custom about land?† â€Å"How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.†   (Achebe) With this ideology, it is quite clear that Okonkwo does not want to be colonized and he will do anything in his power to avoid that. He was ready to go to war but when he realized that his clan is not ready, he was very disappointed and just decided to hang himself instead. When the commissioner decided to write a book about his rebellion and his clan, from the title of the book itself (The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger), it is sufficient to say that he was not successful in attaining his goal. The title of the book itself implies that the book will only be filled with biased point of views and opinions from him. Both the commissioner and Okonkwo failed in meeting half-way to share their culture. Since it became harder for him adapt and at the same time he does not want to be colonized, he decided and resorted that war is the answer. But his bravery is not the same as his villagers. He failed to emphasize to them the importance of their culture. This scenario not only happens in secluded villages in ancient years. It also happens in modern times in different forms and intensity but the same ideologies persist. Last December 2007, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in her homeland of Pakistan. For the longest time, she kept on fighting for the liberation of the vast minority in Pakistan. With the power that she has, it was inevitable that there will be people who will dislike her, and so, they assassinated her. Though this example is very political in nature, it has similarities from the story because they fought for the same thing—which was liberation for their people and at the same time, both characters were not able to fully achieve what they are fighting for. Somehow, both characters failed to achieve their goals. Works Cited: Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. 1st Anchor Books Ed edition ed: Anchor, 1959.

English Language Requirements for International Students

English Language Requirements for International Students Academic English Requirements: University-Level Preparation Programs  for International Students Introduction The issue of English language standards and the academic preparation programs of international students who must meet them has become an increasingly complex and controversial topic in education today. This paper will explore this issue in depth, focusing on the specific needs of foreign students at University level. It will do this by exploring the current literature and theories that dominate the field, including Computer-Assisted Language Learning, or CALL. Then it will discuss issues pertinent to planning and developing an effective language preparation program to address those needs Current literature and theories A number of theories are currently competing to dominate the field today. Among these are several entry level issues. Most professionals agree that some sort of preparatory training is absolutely necessary for first year University students of non-English speaking background (NESB). However, the agreement stops there, as they seem unable to decide on which of these programs is best. One of these programs is focused primarily on teaching students only those English language concepts that are essential for them to be successful in attaining their academic degrees. Called English for Academic Purposes (EAP), this plan, as the name suggests, zeroes in on those skills that best ensure academic success. Academic success here is defined solely by completion of a degree. This raises issues of its true long-term worth as a sustainable skill (Pathways 2004, 2). Other plans include English for Specific Purposes (ESP), which focuses on teaching students those aspects of English that will be most relevant their specialised professional projects. Alternate pathways to University level education are another option; this approach focuses on integrating relevant skills learned outside the academic setting in such a way that the student is given academic credit for them. A methodology similar to this is described by Sandra Elbaum in Grammar in Context: Learning a language through meaningful themes and practicing it in a contextualized setting promote both linguistic and cognitive development (Elbaum 2005, xv). The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol Model, also called the SIOP Model, focuses on what the authors refer to as sheltered instruction. It is an approach that can extend the time students have for getting language support services while giving them a jump-start on the content subjects they will need for graduation (Echevarria et al. 2004, 10). Computer-Assisted Language Learning Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) was first used to assist in foreign language teaching in the 1960s. This was only at University level; it has since grown to include earlier grade levels as well. It has made drastic strides in development since its introduction (Warschauer Healey 1998, 58). CALL is described by Warschauer as having three primary functions: behaviouristic, communicative, and integrative. The first of these, the Behaviouristic, is the simplest model. In this mode, the computer functions primarily as a means of providing the learner with the appropriate educational materials. Essentially, this means that the computer functions in a tutorial capacity. The second mode is called the Communicative mode. It is much more interactive and allows the learner a greater degree of choice and control in the methodology and level of study. Some examples of this mode include word processing functions, spelling and grammar checkers, and stimulating games such as Sim City (Davies 2005, par. 3; Warschauer Healey 1998, 67). The Integrative phase, the final and most recent, is also the most complicated and the most rewarding of the three. It offers a far greater degree of sophistication. It does this by combining both multimedia and internet technologies to offer a wide range of control to learners and teachers. Communication can be synchronous or asynchronous, eliminating scheduling conflicts as well as time zone differences. This also helps students to pace themselves according to their own learning needs. Finally, geographic distance ceases to be a barrier, allowing individuals to expand their social horizons as they exchange ideas with other members of the global community (Davies 2005). Thus, the Integrative aspect of CALL offers such a wide range of options and challenges for second-language learners. However, the Integrative phase does invite criticism, particularly regarding foreign-language acquisition. For example, it can be said that language is basically a social activity. As such, the concept of truly learning one without face-to-face contact may seem prohibitive to some. It can also be argued that Integrative communication tends to isolate rather than draw people together, making the concept of global community seem more unattainable than ever. Proposal for Course Layout In order to plan an effective preparatory course for international students at this level of study, facilitators must be aware of the variety of material available for improving students language skill, not just one or two texts. The variety and options offered by University-level textbooks and accompanying tools seem endless. Although the standard grammar-based traditional approach still forms the core of many methodologies, few programs base their programs on a single methodology. Dana Ferris stresses the need to develop a comprehensive error-treatment plan that directly addresses key issues regarding linguistic ability in composition and writing (Ferris 2002, 105). According to Ferris, teachers need to realize that differences in students levels of L2 proficiency will affect both the number and type of errors that they make as well as their ability to process particular types of feedback (Ferris 2002, 56). It is also vitally important to know the needs of the students in the class. This is a point that cannot be stressed enough: to effectively plan the class, instructors need to know the basic makeup of individual classes rather than design a curriculum that is based on theoretical conjecture. Use of multimedia and similar resources can greatly facilitate this process. Another aspect to consider in designing a course is that fact that approaches to studying are different in different countries. For example, in the UK and most other English-speaking countries, students are expected to be very independent. International students should be made aware of the different levels of expectation, as well as strategies for learning to adjust and thrive in this environment. This theory is a key part of the theory of Lowes et al. in their guide for international students. Lowes and his partners are lecturers who have had several years experience teaching students at University in the UK. They include specific, real-life examples of the experiences they have had with students from different cultures and countries to demonstrate the relevance of their point. Conclusion It is clear that the issue of academic preparation programs for international students is complex and controversial. The trend today seems to be leaning heavily towards computer-assisted methodologies, which offer flexibility, convenience, and control for both students and instructors. There also seems to be an increasing awareness that general English-language courses need to be tailored to fit the specific needs of the students who take them, thus enabling them to concentrate on their primary courses of study. By designing a preparatory course that considers the actual levels and the specific needs of international students, the lessons will address relevant issues—issues that will enable students to focus on their primary programme of study to successfully complete their degrees. Reference List Ascher, A.. 2004. Think About Editing: An ESL Guide for The Harbrace Handbooks. Boston, MA: Thomson. Davies, G. 2005. Computer Assisted Language Learning: Where are we now and where are we going? Accessed September 5, 2005. URL: http://www.nestafuturelab.org/viewpoint/learn23.htm. Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., and Short, D. 2004. Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model. 2nd ed. London: Pearson Education. Ediger, A. and Pavlik, C. 1999. Reading Connections: Skills and Strategies for Purposeful Reading. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Elbaum, S. 2005. Grammar in Context. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Thomson Heinle. Ferris, D. 2002. Treatment of Error in Second Language Student Writing. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Lowes, R., Peters, H., and Turner, M. 2004. The International Students Guide: Studying English at University. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Pathways to University Level Education. 2004. Survey sponsored by Tertiary Sector Special Interest Group (TESOLANZ). Collated by Tricia Hewlett. Accessed September 5, 2005. URL: http://www.tesolanz.org.nz/Pathways Survey.doc Warschauer, M., Healey, D. 1998. Computers and language learning: An overview. Language Teaching, 31, 57–71.

Public Relations in Insurance Industry

Public Relations in Insurance Industry There are various definitions of Public Relations. Lee Edwards emphasize that there is no universally agreed definition of PR due to the fact that PR is used in a huge range of industries and in each one slightly different skills and competencies have emerged among practitioners (Tench and Yeomans, 2009:4) Overall we can distinguish between academic and practitioners public relations definitions. For the academic point of view, Harlow offered the next definition: Public relations is a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation between an organization and its publics; involves the management of problems or issues; helps management to keep informed on and responsive to public opinions; defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve the public interest; helps management keep abreast of and effectively utilize change; serving as an early warning system to help anticipate trends; and uses research and ethical communication techniques as its principal tools (Tench and Yeomans, 2009:4). It is a definition that covers most aspects of PR. On the other side practitioners use PR to substitute terms like corporate communications or organizational communication. During the first World Assembly of Public Relations Associations, in August of 1978 that was held in Mexico City the definition of public relations was developed as the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which will serve both the organization and the public interest. (Tench and Yeomans, 2009:6) What is insurance? If a layman needs to be explained what insurance is, it is all about managing risks on behalf of others. One of the most popular forms of insurance, life insurance, the insurance company makes an attempt to manage the death rates of its clients. The insurance company charges premiums from the policyholders and then invests the money in other low risk investments. The money, along with benefits is paid to the policyholder on maturity or to the beneficiaries in case of death of the policyholder. Insurance companies use demographic data to make life estimates of policyholders. Characteristics like age, sex and smoking and drinking habits are taken into consideration to decide on the premium amount. Shorter the life estimate, higher is the premium payable. For other forms of insurance like health, property, automobile etc., the same rule applies. In the year 1999 in the United States, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act legislated that banks, insurance and brokerage firms and various other types of financial institutions can join together and offer their customers more varied and complete range of services. As a result of this act, especially in the insurance industry, there have been some major mergers and acquisitions. In the past some years, the majority of the liability insurance underwriting in the US insurance industry has been through the bigger firms while these firms have been busy acquiring other smaller insurance firms. (The Industry Handbook: The Insurance Industry) Why PR: Insurance companies are not charitable organizations. While managing risk, they also look to make profits. The industry is one of the most competitive in the world with multiple companies vying for a place in the market. It is not uncommon to find new entrants coming in from time to time. To maintain their foothold, existing insurance companies are required to come up with new products very now and then. Insurance companies are also governed by strict rules and legislations and are required to publish their financial results as and when the law states. It is also common knowledge that the insurance industry receives a lot of flak from policyholders, former employees and the media. Hence, the role of public relations in the insurance industry is of utmost importance. Unlike other fields in insurance, PR requires specialization in this field because it is a critical job in the industry. Social and economic impact of PR: The social impact of public relations is quite clearly visible. This line of job is totally concerned with communicating with the public and the media. The power exerted by public relations as a socially-embedded profession is a focus for increasing numbers of scholars in the field. Critical approaches to public relations examine the manner in which the profession sustains or generates social inequity and include theoretical critiques of scholarly work by industry frontrunners like Aldoory and Pieczka. In addition to these and other works focusing on specific aspects of public relations, there have been broader analyses of public relations and its influence on society and the discussion is still evolving. (Bridgen Liz, Emotional labour and the pursuit of personal branding:   Public relations practitioners use of social media) The economic impact of public relations has received less attention that it deserves because it has always been looked upon as a service industry. The economic impact of PR from induced economic output of PR vis-à  -vis buyer and seller transactions is completely different from the reliable figures. Till now, the calculation of economic impact of PR was done in the same way as it was done for the advertising industry. Both were considered as capital intensive activities but the fact is that PR is more of a labor intensive activity. In order to calculate the economic impact of PR, a three step process is required Identify the number of professionals in the industry. Estimate their annual CTC. Adopt an economic multiplier which accounts for the increased productivity delivered by those professionals, as it would seem senseless for an organization to invest resources in activities whose final value is considered equal to or lower than their gross costs. Falconi Toni M. (2006) Public Relations and the Insurance Industry Scope From the findings stated already, it seems quite natural that the insurance industry needs PR specialists. There are many companies that outsource their PR to professional PR firms but there are many more that have an in house team of PR specialists. PR is a specialized job that can only be handled by professionals who have done a specialized course in this field. While a PR professional has the potential to make it big in the insurance industry and earn good money, there are some social and economic contexts that must be cleared right in the beginning. The social impact of PR is difficult to measure in monetary terms but given the volatile publicity that insurance companies receive, it is vital for them to employ PR professionals who can handle the outside world well. The inner workings of the insurance industry are always under the scanner and speculations are always rife about what happens and what does not happen. It is the job of a PR specialist to handle the public, the lawmakers and the media. The insurance industry, considered by many as a faceless, giant behemoth, needs a human face to show the world. What the world likes to see is a smiling, confident face that can handle the accolades as well as the accusations. As for the economic impact, the calculations can be done but again, monetary terms matter less in PR. Some people may question the amount paid to PR professionals but the fact remains that these are specialized people who are the face of the industry. Whether it is disseminating information, getting the publicity done or handling the pressure from the people outside the industry, it is the PR professionals who do the work for the insurance industry. As stated above and reiterated, specialization is the key. Public Relations What is required and what is expected? Important requirements for PR professionals: Public relations is all about interaction and communication of various forms. There are some basic qualities that are required by PR professionals. Effective communication Effective communication is a must for PR professionals. One must be able to think on your feet and respond. There is no scope for reaction. It is important to remember that speaking the truth bluntly may not be the best policy in a PR job. One needs to be honest but tactical at the same time. What is important is a strong vocabulary and body language. Assertion is a key and it is important to know where to draw the line. It is important to remember that people out there are ready to pounce and being an extrovert and a charismatic personality is very useful. A PR professionals job is not to alienate people even in the most trying circumstances. If you cannot endear them, at least dont make enemies out of them. Effective communication in PR means reaching out and touching people of different age groups, different demographics and different social strata. Depending on the PR announcement one is making, the language needs to be fine tuned according to the audiences capability. For example, a group of bachelors would not be interested if the PR professional kept harping on the fact that insurance is for families. They need to be told about savings that could help them in future. A degree A professional Bachelors degree is a must for a PR job. One cannot expect to find a job in PR just because he or she can speak clearly. There are intricacies associated with a PR professionals job and only a professional degree can teach the tricks of the trade. Some people also opt for a Masters degree in PR and further enhance their knowledge and skill. Starting from the beginning One needs to be a go getter to become a PR professional and the learning starts from the college. People usually fritter away time during long vacations. Those who want to make PR a career spend their time doing internships with professional PR firms so that learn the skills needed for this industry. It is common to see future PR professionals getting engaged in college fests and annual events. It is here that the learning starts and it helps massively in ones future career. Industry knowledge When someone is applying for a PR job in the insurance industry, a knowledge of the industry is a must have. When appearing for an interview, the incumbent is expected to know about the insurance industry and the role of PR in the industry. As mentioned above, PR is very important in the insurance industry and only those who exhibit adequate knowledge are chosen. There is no honeymoon period even during the interview. The role starts right inside the interview room. (Gaikwad R. Education PR Know the Skills and Qualifications That Make a Successful PR Professional. Singleton A. How Do you Get a Graduate Job in Pr? Spring D. Pr People Stand Out From the Crowd.) Qualities of PR professionals: As a PR professional, one needs to meet the expectations and demands from both the employer and the audience. A PR professional cannot afford to endear someone and alienate someone else. It is said that it is not possible to make everyone happy and this is precisely the challenge that a PR professional faces. Often there is a dilemma should I keep my employer happy or should I keep the press people happy? Those who manage both sides do well as PR professionals. Be optimistic What a company looks in its PR professional is optimism. The situation may be at its worst but the PR professional needs to maintain a steady and professional demeanor and go ahead with the job. A never say die attitude is a must for someone working in the PR department. Walk the walk and talk the talk Practicing what one preaches is important in a PR role. It is important to remember that a PR professional is the face of the company and if the company does not follow what it states, the PR person faces the music. As a PR professional, it is important to be clear about everything, policies and practices, before facing the world outside and communicating. Be assertive and extrovert PR is such a job that one cannot afford not to be assertive and extrovert. The former quality allows one to draw the line as and when required while the latter quality helps one maintain good relations with the company as well as the media and the public. Be honest Honesty is a very good policy. Blunt truth does not always work in a PR role but dishonesty is a complete no-no. What is required is effective communication skill and the ability to play around with words. Be helpful Going that extra mile is a great quality for PR professionals. A helpful attitude always helps, especially when communicating bad news. Be knowledgeable The employer will expect its PR professionals to have knowledge about, well, almost everything. Knowledge about current affairs and global news is a must. One never knows which question to expect during a press conference. Even if the PR professional is not aware of some or the other topic, the communication has to be tactful. (Henderson J. Ten, Essential Qualities for Success as a Freelance PR Consultant.) Meeting the demands: What the employer demands from its PR professional is a lot of tact and inter-personal skills. The PR person communicates all types of news and a professional demeanor along with a pleasing personality is what the employer expects. As for the outside world, a PR person is expected to be honest and open and an affable person. When someone has these qualities along with a professional degree, a PR job is tailor-made for that person. As Bill Prickett of APR says that during meltdown of US economy when unemployment is out of control it is only the profession public relation experts and executives who would be able to provide the much-needed expertise and support in critical business areas like Encourage the employees Employ constant, consistent communication Embody the conscience (VandeVrede L., A bad economy demands great PR) PR: When and why is it used? Public relations covers many areas, but there are three important fields where public relations is really important. Financial public relations The role of PR here is to provide company information to business reporters and analysts. The insurance industry is one of the largest in the world and handles a lot of money, money belonging to the policyholders and money belonging to the shareholders. Like any other industry, companies in the insurance industry need to publish their financial results at times specified. A PR professional is often given the job of making the financial announcements and handle questions from the audience. Product public relations PR here is used as an alternative to advertising. This area mainly covers publicity for new products and services. Unlike advertisements, the role of the PR professionals is not to come into the limelight. A PR persons job is to make the announcement and handle the questions from the audience. Publicity and branding are important criteria in this part of a PR professionals job. Insurance companies often need to come up with new products because of the intense competition in the market. Before the advertisements blitz the media world, the PR team makes a quiet entry and makes the announcement to those who matter. Crisis public relations This is one of the most challenging areas in PR. This area covers the response to any negative publicity that the company faces. Insurance industry as a whole receives a lot of negative publicity from people who are not associated with the industry. There are lawsuits filed almost every day and the press tends to highlight even minor issues. The job of a PR professional is to act as a cushion and blunt all these attacks. As stated by Bob Kelly, a former DPR of Coca Cola and a PR expert public relations indeed packs a punch, but only when its based on a solid foundation. According to him it is the very fundamental premise of PR. He says as generally people act on their own observation of the facts and behaves accordingly in different situations one can handle the situation on the basis of the perception. It is therefore very important for the PR executives to create, modify or strengthen the clients opinion by reaching, convincing and moving-to-desired-action in a way that helps the organization in achieving its goal. According to Kelly this ensures that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the public relations mission is accomplished. (Kelly Robert A. Why PR Packs a Punch.) PR: Key Tactics When it comes to PR in the insurance industry, there are some key tactical areas one needs to focus on. Insurance as a product is quite complex for the layman. As a PR professional, one will find different types of people in the audience. Some people will be absolutely ignorant and others will have varying degrees of knowledge about the industry. As a PR person, it is important to be able to reach out and address all the different people in the audience. This is where the skill comes into the picture. The goals of the PR campaign must be identified in advance. Setting a goal may sound a little tough when one is fresh in the insurance PR job but gradually, the idea will set in. When the goal is planned in advance, it makes life much easier. The PR person can then keep the goal in mind and work towards achieving it. All the paths to the goal will gradually fall in place and the entire process will be smooth. The second tactic is to totally understand the objectives of the PR campaign. Before one faces the audience, absolute knowledge of the topic and associated ideas should be well within ones grasp. From the venue to the audience to the speech everything needs to be planned well in advance. Invitations need to be sent out and the press release has to be marketed. This is when a PR professional is supposed to have done a good job. The message that is sent to the public, lawmakers and the media must be clear and concise. It is important to remember that a PR persons job is not to hog the limelight. The PR person should ideally deliver the message, answer questions and then gradually fade away. If the PR campaign is about disseminating the financial information of the company, the finance people can then take over. If it is about declaring a new product or service, the advertisements should do the follow up. If it is about communicating some bad news or handling some negative publicity about the company, the lawyers should take over. What the PR person needs to do is present facts and data honestly and ensure that the audience is not alienated. There are some innovative PR persons who dwell into the social fields that earn a name for the company. It is very common to see insurance companies partner not for profit and charitable organizations to take up social causes. The job of the PR professional is to advertise and publicize any such campaign and put the insurance company in a positive light. As has been mentioned again and again, insurance companies are often held in negative light and it is important to highlight the good deeds as much as possible. Of course, being in PR and having a good contact list always pays. If a PR person has good media relations, it works wonders for the insurance company. PR professionals are often invited to participate in TV debate shows and are asked to write columns in newspapers and magazines. Through these channels, PR professionals can publicize their company. The insurance company on the other hand gets free publicity without spending a dime. Social and ethical implications of PR in the insurance industry Customer relationship management Customers of insurance companies are spoilt for riches. There are simply too many options to choose from. And it is common knowledge that retaining customers is any day less expensive than acquiring customers. While it is important for insurance companies to acquire new customers, much more important is retaining existing customers. It is the existing customers that give new business either by buying new policies or by referring others to the insurance company. A PR professionals job is to keep customers happy. There are many ideas about how this can be achieved. What is absolutely important is connecting with customers. Whether it is about disseminating information or bad news, a PR person has to connect to customers in such a way that they actually feel proud to be associated with the organization in good times and feel accountable and empathetic during bad times. Promotion One of the key social implications of insurance PR is marketing and advertisement. Insurance companies today engage in various social activities by partnering with charitable organizations. The PR person must ensure that any such activity is publicized. A social cause attracts more attention than some glitzy ad that showcases a new product or service. Through positive visibility, insurance companies get the required attention and are put in a positive light by the public. There are some critics who continue to raise their brows and comment that all the social work is a gimmick. But the majority of the public tends to think high of any insurance company when they see the company associated with some form of social cause. Ethics Any company that is ethical tends to do well. Contrary to what some part of the outside world thinks, insurance companies dont earn their bread by cheating policyholders. There have been some instances over the years where people have felt cheated but those cases are a flash in the pan. Most insurance companies have their policies in place and they try their level best to help people by staying within the policies. Insurance companies have a profit motive in mind. They earn their bread by giving service to people and taking risks on their behalf. It would be unfair to brand them as anything but honest. As a PR person, it is vitally important to project this image of the company. And to achieve this, the PR person needs to be ethical himself or herself. PR codes of ethics Codes of ethics may be established by employers or by professional organizations. There are various codes of ethics but adoption of a code of ethics does not automatically bring morality to a calling. Generally, having a code reflects a sincere desire to raise standards of ethical practice and to provide criteria to guide and judge individual behavior (Cutlip and Centers, 2009:152). Ethical Public Relations is not an Oxymoron The companys conscience most often determines the role of the PR desk. It is a very important job albeit not the most popular one. (Van Hook Steven R. Ethical Public Relations: Not an Oxymoron) Praise of Secrecy Peter OMalley asks us to stop the deception that is completely muddle headed. When it comes to honesty, truth, integrity and accuracy, this is not PR ethics are grounded. (OMalley P. In Praise of Secrecy) PR Disasters The Truth Gerry McCusker says that public relations jobs these days just perpetuate PR disasters while earlier on, public relations professionals were supposed to fix them. (McCusker G. The Truth About PR Disasters) It is also said that the prevailing state of ethics in PR practice depends greatly on codes of ethics practiced by leading professional PR associations. One can voluntarily join these associations or groups to practice this concept of ethical public relations. Here you need to abide by a code of conduct that may include a set of forbidden activities and some ethical principles. (Bowen Shannon A. Ethics and Public Relations.) Summary: One cannot deny the importance of Public Relation today. With new industries coming up everyday this specialized field is evolving at a fast rate. As PR executives in an insurance company you will be facing government organizations and personnel, nonprofit or nongovernment organizations, educational institutions, athletic teams, industries, corporations, entertainment companies, and even nations. So, under the broader umbrella of the term PR you may have to work as a publicist, analyst, media specialist, as well as communications specialist. The insurance industry has always needed PR professionals ever since PR as a profession came into being. The insurance industry has the tendency to stay in the limelight for right as well as wrong reasons. Whether it is about garnering positive publicity or dousing negative publicity, PR professionals, over the years, have been the face of the insurance industry and handled the general public, lawmakers and the media. PR is the human face of the insurance industry and it is the PR professionals that act as customer service representatives, corporate communication specialists and media sources. Data shows that the demand for the number of PR professionals in the insurance industry is still higher than the supply. For fresh graduates who earn their degree in PR, there is immense opportunity in this industry. This is one profession that needs specialists and ordinary graduates are not really wanted in the PR field. Very few people choose PR as their discipline and fewer still are really able to make it big. Those who are smart and suave, have excellent communication skills, have great contacts with the outside world are cut out for PR jobs. If you are someone who has all these qualities and have the ambition to make it big in the insurance PR field, then we wish you all the best. If you have reached this portion of this manual, we hope you now have a fairly good idea about this industry and what you really need to have and need to do.

michael jordan :: essays research papers

Michael Jeffrey Jordan is the son of Deloris and James Jordan. He has three siblings, Ronald James, Deloris, and Larry. Mike was born on February 17th, 1963 in Brooklyn Hospital. He grew up in North Carolina. Before basketball Mike enjoyed playing the game of baseball. I chose him because I knew little about him, like he played with the Chicago Bulls and he got married and had a son. Before I didn’t know he got a divorce. He is currently playing with the Washington Wizards in his fifteenth season of basketball. He is the fourth player to score 30,000 points. Besides basketball, Michael Jordan opened his own school and training camps called Michael Jordan Flight School.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One day Mike’s father made a full basketball court in their backyard where Larry and Michael always played there. He started playing around the age of eight. Every time the two brothers played it made Mike’s skills get better and made him into a better player. He wasn’t sure if basketball fitted his talents, so he went to baseball, football, and track. However, Mike found his love in the game of basketball. He wanted to work on his game to become a pro player so he skipped school to practice, but unfortunately he got suspended. His mother made him study all day. Mike never said an unkind word to anyone and was liked by everyone, even his teachers. When he needed help, he’d come after school to learn more. Some people would make fun of him in front of girls. In that way no one would marry him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A basketball scout picked him in Division I. No one from his school had ever played in Division I. His experience gave him more confidence to play the game of basketball. He played for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels where he made both team and starting lineup. At age 20 Michael was 160 lbs., six foot six inches and could run the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds. His confidence and carelessness improved his game and made him into a great decision maker to lead in all areas of the game. He loss to St. John’s University, University of Missouri, and Tulane University in 1982-1983. The Sporting News named Michael Jordan College Player of the Year. Michael Jordan was drafted to the NBA by the Chicago Bulls in 1984 in the first round (third overall) to start his amazing career as a pro basketball player.

Footsteps Of Time: Eb Whites Once More To The Lake :: essays research papers fc

Dombroski 1 Lisa Dombroski Prof. Harrison English 101 18 September 2000 Footsteps of Time E.B. White's essay, Once More to the Lake demonstrate his own security in consistency from growing up on into adulthood. White begins to set the stage mid way through the first paragraph, mentioning that he and his father "returned [to the lake] summer after summer- always on August 1 for one month" followed up by the fact that "has since become a salt-water man," longing to one day return to the "holy spot." This trip back to the lake brings back a great deal of memories, as if there "[had] been no passage of time." It is on this trip that White begins to realize that his son seems to possess the same enthusiasm that he did when White was a boy. To White, all of this is a shock because now his role is now reversed from a flamboyant and energized child to an observational parent, as he remembered his father. This vacation spot White describes through memories of his boyhood days always seemed to be so wonderful no matter what had gone wrong. White recalls the time when "[his] father rolled over in a canoe" and another time when "[they] all got ringworm" but none of this mattered in the long run, after all, this was the best place on earth. To White the mountain lake is seen as "constant and trustworthy", and on the trip back there with his own son, White wondered if "time would have marred" the appearance of the lake. Thoughts of the time spent there summer after summer continued to revisit White throughout the trip and everything from thunderstorms to the stillness of the water Dombroski 2 was seen as a work of art, falling into place and creating an illusion as if it were known what was to follow. White's son acted in the same manner as White did back when he was a young boy, recalling how "I was always the first up" and now, he lay still in bed while his son snuck out early in the morning headed down to the lake. Having seen this anxiety in his son, White "began to sustain the illusion that he was I." Many times during their trip White would feel confused, unable to distinguish who he was, a father with his son, or him with his own father. In a way this means a great deal to White, because now he and his son share a bond, very similar to White and his dad and can enjoy this haven together over the years.

Human Trafficking and how the Global Community can Mitigate the Practice Essay

Human trafficking is a type of illicit trade in humans which is carried out globally for the purpose of sexual slavery or exploitation and forced labor. It is one of the most booming business and fastest growing criminal enterprise around the world. The most affected population is women and children and the global community is charged with the responsibility of responding urgently to issues related to human trafficking. A number of approaches can be utilized by the international community to curb the problem of human trafficking. The most important approaches include the human rights approach, enhanced research into the problem of human trafficking, encouraging international judicial and the police cooperation as well as the community integration in the fight against human trafficking and providing support and assistance to victims of human trafficking (International Organization for Migration, 2008). One of the approaches that can help mitigate human trafficking is the human rights approach where the root causes of human trafficking such as patriarchal structures and gender based violence need to be brought into the limelight. These elements have been shown to favor several incidents of human trafficking particularly among the women. Policies and legislation on equal opportunities can help strengthen and protect the social and legal position of children and women and address gender and age discrimination. Support programs should be stepped up to strengthen efforts of fighting poverty and marginalization among vulnerable populations such as the girl child and women (Morrison, 2010). The global community should be keen not to confuse the fight against human trafficking with the fight against illicit immigration as there is need to scrutinize ways of increasing gainful, non-exploitative and legal migration of labor for the purpose of globalization. Education provision to vulnerable groups and creation of campaigns among the targeting clients can help reduce human trafficking (Morrison, 2010). The global community can combat human trafficking by encouraging research which will provide sufficient data and form a starting point of tackling the problem. Extensive research will indicate the scale of human trafficking and the mechanisms of exploitations. Information on human trafficking should be made available and this information should be shared bilaterally and multilaterally in order to facilitate good research on the problem (UNGIFT, 2009). Research on counter-trafficking responses will form a crucial component of combating human trafficking. This research will examine the reasons why clients of trafficked humans prefer the trade and check ways on solving the clients’ requirements. There should also be an extensive research that will focus on the needs of the vulnerable groups who mainly include women and children (UNGIFT, 2009). Another approach that can be used by the global community to combat human trafficking is the judicial and police cooperation which include the fight of corruption, checking on the investigative methods, exchange and specialization measures and legislative recommendations. The law should always ensure that there is protection of the witnesses and the victims, prohibit prostitute exploitation, ban illegal work and regulate national territory residence so as to combat such trafficking. There should be an introduction of adequate penalties into international and national legislation for such crimes that involve trafficking and other related offenses. Confidential and parallel investigation of the suspected traffickers’ financial affairs should be followed when identifying, sequestrating and confiscating the assets and proceeds of the human traffickers (UNGIFT, 2009). These should be legal provisions which may include the financial institution taking the legal duty to disclose any suspected transaction of money laundering to the agencies of law enforcement. However, the financial institution should not disclose any police enquires into the affairs of the suspect’s finances. The international community should ensure that states have legislations to assure the victims the right to secure and seek compensations for the harm and injuries they suffer during trafficking. Additionally, there should be direct contact between the judicial authorities and effective service of law enforcement for the purpose of speeding up information exchange in investigation process and having mutual legal support (UNGIFT, 2009). The approach of victim assistance and protection can help combat human trafficking. There should be an establishment of sufficient study and research to identify the trafficked victim and the traffickers’ profiles. This may include the design of key indicators of trafficking design matrix which can be used by the border personnel and the front-line police to assist them in distinguishing between the irregular migrant and the trafficked victims. The victims have to be provided with access to the support measures of all ranges such as shelter, sexual, psychological and physical health support and care. There should also be legal, social and independent health counseling to equip them with skills which will ensure that they avoid any future human trafficking predisposing factors (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2007). The global community can play a major role in combating incidents of human trafficking. This can be done by setting up rules and proving enabling environment that will discourage such crimes in the society. The approaches which look into the needs of both the traffickers and the trafficked individuals tend to strike a balance between caring both the offended and the offender as both are members of the community. Several organizations such as the United Nations have so far invested efforts to fight human trafficking although the cases of the illegal trade continue to be reported. This calls for more integrated approach which will involve the community, the victims and even the criminals of human trafficking.

An Analysis of ISIS and its Relation to Traditional Islam

In today's world it is easy to assume that ISIS and traditional Islam are the same thing. The news often reports phrases like â€Å"radical Islamist terrorists† and â€Å"radical Islam.† Has society made a correct assumption? Are all people who follow Islam potential terrorists? Does Islam seek to promote such terrorist behaviors? This paper seeks to address these questions and uncover the differences between the two, if any. Traditional Islam Traditional Islam began over 1,500 years ago and currently has around 1.6 billion followers. The word â€Å"Islam† actually means â€Å"submission to God.† Therefore, a Muslim is someone who strives to submit to God. Islam has spread completely around the world. You can find Muslims in North and South America, Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Their principal homelands lie in the area commonly referred to as the â€Å"10/40 Window† (between 10 degrees latitudinal north and 40 degrees latitudinal north ranging from the eastern side of North Africa to the western side of Asia). Majority of Muslims are Asian (60%) and the rest are Arab (22%) sub-Sahara African (12%) and Eastern European (5%) . Islam was founded in 610 A.D. by a man named Mohammed. During Mohammed's time, polytheism reigned, and people were worshipping many gods at the same time. Mohammed had a vision from a being he thought to be an angel who told him, â€Å"There is only one God, and His name is Allah. Worship Him.† Islam, at its core, is a religion based on faith, life, piety, freedom, religion, peace, and morality. Researcher Sohaib Sultan states: â€Å"Islam believes in a God of mercy, a scripture of mercy, and a Prophet who was sent as a mercy to all the world.† ISIS ISIS began in 2003 as a â€Å"blowback† of the U.S. invasion and dysfunction of Iraq. In the earliest stage there were several Sunni extremist groups who were fighting back with the U.S. in hopes to provoke a civil war. The group, at that time, was called al Qaeda which was in Iraq with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in command pledging allegiance to Osama bin Laden. Zarqawi was killed during a 2006 U.S. airstrike, but the group continued . ISIS is a post-al Qaeda terrorist group. With over 30,000 fighters, ISIS holds territorial lands in both Syria and Iraq. It maintains an extensive military operation, controls communications, controls infrastructure, and funds itself. It can be said that ISIS is a pseudo-state which is led by their military. The goal of ISIS is to control certain territories thereby creating a â€Å"pure† Sunni Islamist state that is governed by a strict interpretation of Sharia Law. It also seeks to remove the political borders that the Western governments created in the Middle Eastern regions. ISIS seeks to become the sole political, military, and religious authority over all the Muslims in the world. ISIS core message is more about power and revenge than anything else. Differences Between ISIS and Traditional Islam In the first section of this paper we saw that traditional Islam is a relatively peaceful religion that stresses mercy and peace. This is significantly in conflict with the agenda of ISIS. Where do these two paths cross? What is the relationship between terrorist groups such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabab in Somalia, the Taliban with traditional Islam? Many people believe that ISIS is a group that is based on the religious beliefs of Islam including following the examples of the Prophet Mohammed . This is where most of the confusion comes into play. ISIS uses Islam as a vehicle to carry out their political agenda by reinterpreting the fundamental meaning and purpose of Islam. In other words, they are twisting the Quran to say what they want it to by weaving lies in with the truth and preying on the ignorance of the people. The message of ISIS is vastly spread not only by social media, but through certain mosques as well. Researcher Ian Pelletier suggests the motivations of ISIS are:â€Å"Market and Reinforce: Emphasizes consistency of Islamic State's strategic objectives with mainstream Islamic Law.Obfuscation: Ignores/blurs contradictions between Islamic State's strategic objectives and mainstream Islamic Law.Leveraging: Connects areas in which Islamic State strategic objectives are consistent with mainstream Islamic Law to social movement catalysts in order to gain momentum.Reinterpretation: Justifies a radical reinterpretation of Islamic Law as essential to address past issues or current shortfalls within society and achieve the strategic objectives of the Islamic State. â€Å"ISIS interprets Islam from a very radical point of view that is rooted in the extremist fraction of Salafi/Wahhabi Islam within the Hanbali Sunni tradition . The strategic goals of ISIS are as follows:â€Å"Permanently break down political boundaries and cultivate conditions for government failure and regional sectarian civil war in Iraq and Syria.Establish the Islamic Caliphate by controlling terrain across Iraq and Syria, governing the population within, and defending against external threats.Bring like-minded people to fight alongside and settle within the Islamic Caliphate.  Expand the territory of the Caliphate to connect with the wider Muslim community. â€Å"Traditional Islamic Law (Sharia) is based on the Quran which follows the hadith or the teachings of Mohammad. It is traditionally viewed as a statement of relatively easy limits and not a source of rigid and inflexible rules to be imposed in any circumstance . It is supposed to be based on the premise of justice and equality for everyone . Historically it has been determined that Islamic Law had the most humane and liberal fundamental principles as it fostered peace with se lf and society. Groups such as ISIS use Islamic Law instead for harsh discipline and to control the people. Sharia, as it was originally intended, was used as a guideline for societal norms and values. It served as a model in which one could pattern their life after. Some of the many positive attributes of Sharia are: a belief in God, daily prayers, asking/receiving forgiveness, freedoms of choice, strong sense of community, love your neighbors, exercise self-control, do not abuse religion to exploit or abuse others, and must respect the rights of others. Conflicts Between ISIS and Mainstream Moderate Muslims There have been many practicing Muslims who do not agree with nor adhere to the beliefs of extremists' fringe groups such as ISIS. In an open letter from 120 Islamic scholars and clerics to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, they challenged ISIS's ways as being un-Islamic. They further claimed that ISIS routinely twists and perverts Islamic Law selfishly to achieve their own agenda. The letter went on to illustrate the contradictions between ISIS's theology and that of traditional Islamic Law. The scholars accused them of citing only portions of the Quran without taking the whole spirit of the Quran and Hadith into account. It was also noted that ISIS had a practice of killing innocent people and that jihad was only meant for defensive measures during a war. Offensive measures of Jihad, without proper cause, was equal to criminal conduct and was not acceptable in traditional Islam . The letter also went on to say that Islam forbids the mistreatment of Christians and no one can be forced to convert to Islam against their will. Author Wael Hallaq states that, â€Å"Sharia is not a rigid unchanging ‘Law of God' and when applied correctly, it is flexible. The way it is interpreted and implemented by ISIS makes it a little more than a list of fixed punishments, ritual requirements and oppressive rules that are enforced with coercion upon a marginalized group of people. In addition, it is increasingly clear that ISIS selectively interprets Sharia.† One may ask how ISIS is able to get away with using Islamic Law to achieve its objectives. They accomplish this by convincing people that their views are in fact inline with mainstream Islamic traditions. They have a knack for rationalizing any perceived contradictions that are found within their belief and the traditional teachings. Al-Baghdadi, while addressing his fighters said, â€Å"Beware, O lions, the state that they reach a Muslim woman or child or sheikh without you, for if this happens, then, by God, you have no excuse for yourselves before me. Look to yourselves and do not be a place of blame. Put their bodies before yours. Their blood before yours and their fortune before yours, and beware of being happy to live in a day when the honor of a Muslim woman is transgressed, or the blood of a child is spilled, or an elderly sheikh is insulted, for what deliciousness can there be in life if this is in it or even a part of it?† While his speech is complimentary with Islamic Law in principle, he is trying to energize his fighters to fight in a war that is not justified according to Islamic Law. He stresses that not only is the war just, but it is according to Islamic Law which it a bold lie. They may sincerely believe that their war is justified due to their extremist views, but according to traditional Islamic Law, they are not qualified to wage war with anyone unless it is a defensive measure. ISIS does not engage in defensive measures as a rule—they are very offensive in their tactics. Conclusion Extremists groups, such as ISIS, claim to be Islamic in their beliefs, but they do not adhere to the basic tenants of the faith. They twist and turn the Quran and Hadith to make it say whatever they need it to say that will further their agenda. ISIS is a violent terrorist group that has been attracting many young people. They seek out those who are vulnerable, who are seeking religious righteousness, adventure, power, and a sense of belonging. They are also known for producing sexual opportunities for the young men by keeping women as slaves. This is extremely contradictory to traditional teachings and philosophy of traditional Islam. It is certainly a disservice to the majority of Muslims to assume that all Muslims are somehow connected to terrorist activities. In America, ever since September 11th, 2001, there has been a remarkable increase of violence and hatred against Muslims from such assumptions. Extremists groups are not representative of what it means to be a Muslim in today's world. We need to see them for who they are and not for the vehicle they misuse which is Islam. Furthermore, it is very unhelpful when the media keeps reporting phrases like â€Å"radical Islam† and â€Å"Muslim extremists† as this further perpetuates the discrimination and hatred against innocent and peace-loving Muslims. There is no link between ISIS terrorism and traditional Islam. ISIS fundamentally changes the core beliefs of Islam and inserts their own interpretations to make it into something that is self-serving. Extremists can be found in most religions. The only way to combat this is to be very knowledgeable of your own religion and beliefs so that you will recognize a falsehood when you hear it. Sadly, many people simply believe what they are told and that is it. Such people can be easily caught up in extremist groups as they lack knowledge. The same can be said for Christianity. We are not exempt from those who have perverted God's Word to make it say something that it never was intended to say. This is how cults are formed, and again, is due to a lack of knowledge. The bible says that the people perish due to a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). ISIS operates via intimidation, fear, legalistic authority, assassinations, and bombings . This is nothing like what traditional Islam teaches. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is not fair to classify all Muslims by such rouge fringe groups. For two years I worked and lived in an Islamic country. I never met anyone who was associated with ISIS nor any other extremist group. I found the Muslims there to be very friendly, eager to help, and welcoming. That experience really helped me to see them for who they really are and without the media bias that was projected to me. Many Muslims do not even consider groups such as ISIS to be true Muslims. They look at them in disdain as the perverters of Islam. Usually these are the more educated people who know what Islam is supposed to be. Sadly, a lot of Muslims have a lower educational level which would be very conducive to being led astray. Many modern Muslims are Muslim in name only and not in practice which makes them an easy target for extremists.