Reluctant Users Slow O Take Up Videoconferencing Essay

The public relations executive was enthusiastic on the phone. The IT company he represented had started installing green data centres and energy-efficient computers. Would I like to fly to California to see for myself? That would be a 2500 mile round trip from my home in Midwestern Canada. According to the online calculator from Terapass, the trip would release 1,1232 pounds(about 500 kilos) of CO2 into the atmosphere. ‘If you’re really into green technology, couldn’t we do a videoconferencing instead? ’ I asked. ’Sure,’ said the PR person. We are totally into green issues’. He promised to arrange it. Months laters, nothing had happend. The high-tech industry is quick to praise the benefits of flexible communication, but videoconferencing is one area where things have failed to live up to the hype. ‘Videoconferencing has not significantly displaced travel,’ say Frank Modruson, CIO for global technology consulting firm Accenture. As the IT sector continues to push its green values, this mismatch between rhetoric and reality is becoming harder to ignore. So why are relatively few people using videoconferencing? Andrew Davis, managing partner at online collaboration market research firm Wainhouse, says the technology is let down by usability. For many peple, videoconferences are just too difficult to set up. This is why Nortel is emphasizing the services side. ‘The barrier isn’t the technology. It’s the services around that technology,’ says Dean Fernades, the company’s General Manager of Network Services. Nortel is one of several companies getting into a relatively new segment of the videoconferencing market called telepresence. Specially equipped rooms enabled people to appear as if they are sitting across the table, with life-size video representations of remote colleagues in high-definition video. Customers pay to use Nortel’s facilities, which can also handle video filming, enabling the room to double as a production facility for corporate TV, for example. Nortel will also handle post-production tasks such as editing. Accenture, on the other hand, opted for the capital investment route. Mr Modruson said it is installing rooms in Chicago and Frankurt, and hopes to roll out another 11 cities in the next few months.

Faded Walls

Michael was apprehensive as he approached his dorm. The scratched paintwork and the incomplete door number seemed so much more intriguing than usual. As he stared at the space where the eight should be he drifted into thinking about the argument last night with his long-term girlfriend Zara. They had been together for as long as he could remember (well, three years to be exact), and last night was the first major argument they'd had. It all started when Zara bought fish and chips. Michael had never received his favourite take-out meal from her once, in the three years they'd been together, and that brought up considerable questioning in itself. Anyway Michael was halfway through his plaice when it came, â€Å"Michael, I've been accepted.† The silence that followed was deadly. To a person outside this relationship it would seem ridiculous but Michael knew what she meant. In November, after successful results in the deciding mid-term Zara had applied for a job as a reporter on the Seattle Express, a well-acknowledged paper in the state and a job, which could set Zara in the path for success. He had heard nothing more of it and with relief he had let the subject slip from his mind. But now it was back and Michael was furious! His outrage was not so much in terms of what Zara herself had done but at the terrible timing of the paper. They had just set-up arrangements for the future, which suited him fine and now this was happening. â€Å"How can you do this? I have stuck with you through everything and now you're doing this to me.† It was strange but while Michael poured his heart out the only thing he could see in the front of his mind was how did the wallpaper get in such a bad state and why was this new colour emerging out of the marigold that was once there. â€Å"You selfish creep! I have worked so hard for this and now all you can think about is yourself.† â€Å"Alright, alright just calm down for a second and we'll work through this.† â€Å"I'm sorry Michael but there's nothing to work through. I must take this opportunity no matter what I have to leave behind, it's the only way I can get ahead in life, look after myself, you see?† Michael was left speechless and disgusted, firstly at how she could disgard him as something to leave behind and even more revolting the tone of pity that crept into her voice as she realised the context of what she was actually saying. With that Michael stormed out! Furious, but with a blank mind as to where to go. The first place that came to him was Johnny's. He arrived at 486 some ten minutes later and came up with a valid excuse as to why he was there. As soon as he walked through the door two things immediately struck him. Firstly there was a girl sprawled amorphously across the sofa, which may not appear to be an odd thing, for a nearly twenty year-old male to have a girl of the same age in his room, but this was Johnny he was talking about, the same man who had seemed to repel the opposite sex in any shape, size or form for the whole three years he had known him. Then there was the chair. Sunk in the far left corner of the room was the oldest, grottiest, most repulsive chair he had ever seen. This disgusting obtrusion had been cut to bits through the ages to leave it looking like a sort of scratching post for cats and to add insult to what looked like very painful injury someone had had the decency to spill what looked like some type of jam down it. If he had to take a guess it would be blueberry. The hours didn't sail by unfortunately for Michael, who was left in the sitting room thinking about Zara and the fact that he knew (but was determined not to admit) that he would end up having to apologise for whatever was said the night before, regardless of who said what, for there to be any hope in hell of Zara staying. At approximately ten past one in the morning Michael fell asleep after hours of thinking and repeating the fact that he did love her and he supposed anyone you loved was worth fighting for. It was ten past ten and Michael had overslept. Remembering the hours he spent last night trying to save his relationship, he thought he might as well put this time to use and change his thoughts into action. He hurried out of the cluttered room and, after realising he was not yet dressed, just had time to grab the door which was swinging madly back into place after. Correcting his actions Michael dressed scruffily into some Levi's, second-day underwear and a crinkled Gap t-shirt and left 486 for his own dorm. After tracing the space where the six used to be for the infinite time he thought that there would be no way that this door will open of its own accord. He thought he would gently help it in its way, slowly turning the scratched doorknob as if it would break at the slightest extra movement, he cautiously moved the door forward and in less time than he would've preferred he was in. He thought about running straight back out again but the only way he could've done that is if he was ten years younger and the room he was entering was that of his older sister and not that of his girlfriend. So he was stuck. Then something so out of the ordinary happened that put Michael into a state of shock for the next few seconds. It was Zara, and she was actually running towards him. The wind was knocked out of him as she wrapped her arms tighter and tighter around him, pressing her body forcefully up against his own. â€Å"Oh god. I've been thinking about you all night. How can I have been so stupid, to throw away what we have for this†, waving the ticket to America in the air. â€Å"Ohhhhhh†, Michael sighed, his heartbeat racing at the thought of what she just said. Thinking of some carefully worded, beautiful and meaningful thing to say, what came out was, â€Å"I really do love you†. What happened next was; in the space of just under an hour two bedsprings were broken, as were many foreign laws and for some reason there was a pack of cards strewn across the floor. At the end of it Zara felt closer to Michael than she ever had and the wallpaper didn't seem so much of an issue any more in his mind. â€Å"Oh crap!† Zara blurted out. â€Å"What?† Michael was really hoping there wasn't anything negative that would ruin this moment. â€Å"The dance†, Zara had been planning the end-of-semester dance all year and wasn't going to waste all this now they were back together again. â€Å"Can't we just forget about it?† â€Å"Oh please Michael. This is my one chance to see everyone before we leave† Michael seeing the need in her expression admitted to himself that this was a thing he had to do and was sure he could get through it easily if only for her sake, so of course, he said he'd go. After the third call into the bedroom where Zara was getting changed he realised why she took the trouble of two and a half hours preparing. Zara looked stunning. There was no other word for it, as Michael thought to himself that maybe deciding on coming was the right decision for his sake as well. They arrived the breathtaking couple she had dreamed about all through the semester, and took to the dance floor straight away to a Westlife number. It was getting late now as the crowd on the floor slowly started to thin and Zara whispered in Michaels ear before heading off to the toilet. Michael was left standing against the wall slightly annoyed at Zara's timing as the slow song played its first chords, something by Duran Duran, a tasteless track in Michael's mind. Just then he saw a figure slowly move through the crowd in his direction. It was Jessica Lees from his biology class, a geeky, awkward girl who still had braces at the age of nineteen (which disturbed Michael more than he would consciously admit). She was obviously drunk as she pressed her hands against his chest. â€Å"You're very sexy Michael King, do you know that?† This was a situation Michael really did not want to be in and just as he tried to politely leave she had him pushed up against the wall and in the next second brought her chapped lips up against his. The worst thing was the braces; grating and grating his gums he finally pushed her away after the worst experience of his life. He searched the hall until there were only a dozen people left, the last couples determined not to leave until the tape had played out. He thought she must have just gone back to the dorm for some urgent reason; he put it down to some womanly thing. However he couldn't for the life of him think what. He returned back to the dorm, repeating his past performance of slowly opening the door at a speed which no other person could manage, thinking Zara would by now be asleep so it would be best not to wake her. Opening the door he could see the room fully now and to his surprise it was spotless, which it had never been before. It was then he noticed two other things, far more disturbing than the last: a folded piece of A4 paper and marigold wallpaper where Zara once kept her bags.

Medical Marijuana Essay

Marijuana is a very prominent and controversial issue in society today. Although many slanderous claims have been made about cannabis in recent history, the truths are slowly starting to resurface. Unfortunately, these truths are under heavy criticism due to the stereotypical view of what people view as the typical â€Å"pot smoker.† This skewed perception of a lazy and unmotivated American is the result of over seventy years of propaganda and misinformation spread by private interests who relied on illegal cannabis illegal from their own personal gains. As a marijuana consumer and a current medical marijuana patient, I strongly believe that marijuana should be legalized for all users. Currently in the United States today, marijuana is prohibited by federal law and has been a topic of controversial debate since the start of the prohibition. There are several, important reasons for the legalization of marijuana, including research concerning these issues are beneficial in understanding both sides of the debate. The result of abolishing our country’s marijuana prohibition by supporting legalization will stimulate the economy, to show the medical properties, and lower the crime rate. The legalization of marijuana has both positive and negative outcomes; although, the benefits of legalization outweigh the risks of the negative impacts. Marijuana is a natural plant with psycho-active properties that is commonly used by Americans as a recreational drug. Additionally, marijuana has been used for medical purpose for thousands of years. Records show that â€Å"A native of central Asia, cannabis may have been cultivated as much as ten thousand years go. It was certainly cultivated in China by 4000 B.C. and Turkestan by 3000 B.C.† (Grinspoon 3). Furthermore, from 1900 to 1940, marijuana, including opium and cocaine were considered part of everyday drugs. As time went on, the U.S. cracked down on crack and opium, eventually outlawing them, nut continued to be very â€Å"loose† with the use of marijuana. Eventually, as time continued to roll on, the use of marijuana became â€Å"frowned upon.†For instance, marijuana was made illegal and the U.S. govern ment became very strict with cannabis laws. This began around the 80’s and then started to become increasingly worse. Then, around the late 90’s and early 2000’s, scientific studies started to produce jaw-dropping results. Scientists started to discover that marijuana can significantly help people that have become ill. Medical marijuana has been tested to help people with cataracts, cancer and severe depression just to name a few (Zeese). States wanted to only make medical marijuana legal so it may help sick people, but the government did not want any form of marijuana legal. The law that was known throughout the United States was any form of marijuana was illegal. But now with this new discovery, doctors in states across the country wanted legalization of marijuana. The first state to allow the use of medical marijuana was California in 1996 (Zeese). The only distribution of medical; marijuana though is through the recommendation of a certified doctor. Other states began to follow in the footsteps of California such as Arizona and Colorado. One thing led to the next and now there is up to fourteen states that have legalized the distribution of marijuana medically, with many more to come. These states allowed the use of medical marijuana to help people with anxiety and certain types of cancer. But the U.S. federal government has tried to prevent patients from obtaining cannabis and threatened physicians who prescribe it with criminal prosecution or loss of their license to practice medicine. But yet, the growing support for medical marijuana has grown massively in numbers over the past twenty years. Furthermore, the United States has worked its economy into a financial crisis over the years and needs to start coming up with some plans to balance out the debt. The citizens of the United States are almost equally divided on the decision of legalization, but when examining the facts, there are many outstanding benefits that would arise as a direct result of legalization. A benefit of legalizing marijuana includes providing the government with leverage to this problem. Marijuana is currently against federal laws yet medical marijuana complies with several state laws. Every year, the government is obligated to spend money directly related to the cost of enforcing marijuana laws. Marijuana is a cash crop and can be used for clothes, paper, medical substances, along with many other uses. The legalization of marijuana would provide the government and our country with control over a huge cash crop that can be easily cultivated to our climate. In addition to exporting hemp and marijuana to accumulate more funds, the government would be able to tax the plant very similarly to alcohol or tobacco. If this were the case, it is estimated ‘according to the calculations here, legalization would reduce government expenditure by $5.3 billion at the state and local level and by $2.4 billion at the federal level.† (Miron18). These figures generated in the article the Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition reinforce that the calculated values of getting rid of the expenditure caused by marijuana offenders along with the taxation of the substance would be a substantial revision to our economy. Moreover, using marijuana for medicinal purpose is not a recent discovery. In fact, written references to use medical marijuana date back nearly 5,000 years. Western medicine embraced marijuana’s medical properties in the mid-1800s, and by the beginning of the 20th century, physicians had published more than 100 papers in the Western medical literature recommending its wide for a variety of disorders. These disorders include pain relief, nausea, glaucoma, and movement disorders. It is also used as a powerful appetite stimulant which helps patients that had HIV/AIDS or cancer patients going through chemotherapy. Today, thousands of patients â€Å"like me â€Å"are able to use marijuana as an effective method of treatment for their ailments. This is possible because fourteen state governments across the country have acknowledged cannabis’ effective healing properties and legalized its consumption for medicinal purposes with the consent of a licensed physician. However, these patients are at the mercy of the federal government. On the other hand, opponents of medical marijuana or just marijuana itself have given many reasons for why it should not be legalized. One of the main reasons they argue is that Marijuana smoke contains known carcinogens and produces dependency in users. In many studies, it has shown that it does have some harm, such as the harms associated with smoking. But the National Academy of Science affirmed that â€Å"marijuana’s short term medical benefits outweigh any smoking-related harm for some patients. Though marijuana has been proven to be damaging to the lungs more than tobacco a study in 2006 found no evidence that marijuana smokers had higher rates of lung cancer. The FDA has tested the effectiveness of marijuana and has found that the cannabinoids are helpful in treating pain associated with chemotherapy, postoperative recovery, and spinal cord injury, as well as neuropathic pain, which is often experienced by patients with metastatic cancer, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. There is also no evidence shown that patients who use marijuana become addicted. Through the opposing side argues this, they show no evidence in supporting this claim, which therefore, the claim is invalid. There are many pharmaceutical drugs used for treatment and they are addictive, yet it’s legal. Also carcinogens can have a negative effect, but there are many things in society, such as tobacco, that contains harmful toxins, yet it’s still legal. To say marijuana should remain illegal because it is addictive, is irrelevant because these items are still present in society today and are harmful to the human body, but still they remain legal. In addition, a huge controversial subject on marijuana legalization movement is the topic of criminal activity as a result of the plant’s legalization. Oppositionists in favor of keeping marijuana illegal argue that crime rates will spike to unheard of levels if marijuana is legalized. Advocates believe that the result of legalizing marijuana will result in the opposite. The legalization of marijuana will result in the opposite. The legalization of marijuana would create adverse effects on criminal activity levels. For example, the level of criminal offenders on marijuana will drop to zero. This would directly result on lower levels of crime as a whole due to the no longer existing costs associated with decriminalization. The end result of this would be no longer filling prisons and jails with marijuana offenders. Another key issue on this point is whether or not organizations involved in cultivating, selling, or smuggling will strengthen to overcome the government control on marijuana. This is a hypothetical situation which more realistically would result in drug organizations holding power of more serious drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines, or heroin. Drug trafficking organization control most of the power associated with these drugs already. The governmental control of marijuana would not strengthen drug organizations or gangs as no one would be able to compete against them. Authors from the Elliot school of International Affairs/Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission states that â€Å"a retail markup between 20% and 50%, and state-level tax of 25$ per ounce, the price of legalized marijuana in California would likely be between $60 and $75 per ounce†¦ legal marijuana regulated by the government would be roughly the same price as its Mexican competitor and between 23.6 times as potent† (Miron 28). The advantage would be largely held by the government if it was made readily available for public consumer use due to the convenience, price, and quality of the marijuana. In conclusion, the United States as a whole is in need of new more effective policies to stimulate more economic growth, provide more advanced healthcare, and lower the nation’s criminal activity rate. As it stands today, marijuana is against the law and counteracts the advancement and prosperity of the United States. Through the research has been shown that marijuana has a large potential to become a solution and wiser decision to thee ongoing issues. Some of the top issues in the debates when arguing either side of marijuana prohibition and legalization were analyzed to effectively prove the benefits of legalization over prohibition. The legalization of marijuana has been analyzed to be effective addition to the federals laws set by the United States. Many of the different reasons that the opposing side has given are irrelevant and can be easily proven by the evidence given by the proponents. The DEA has let millions of patients suffer miserably for many years because they refuse to give them the proper care. Research has already proven that it has medicinal values and it shouldn’t be withheld from the patients any longer than it already has.

Culture Appropriate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture Appropriate - Essay Example The story showed the fusion of the American and Mexican culture as the characters, who were of Mexican heritage tried to integrate themselves into the American society. The fact that story focuses on the issue of gender equality from a feminist perspective, the role of women in the society and cultural integration justifies the work as a culturally appropriate one and underlines its importance as a good cultural source for the American literature. It could be seen that Cisneros tried to draw reference from the American society that has women withdrawing themselves from the role that culture assigned to them and make attempt to attain a certain degree of independence. It also shows the extent at which women struggled against stereotypes and taboos that have a cultural undertone (Perkin & Perkins 2038-2042). What you Pawn I will Redeem by Sherman Alexie shows the journey of the protagonist, Jackson, a Spokane Indian to repossess the powwow regalia of his grandmother. The cultural appro priateness of the Alexie’s work is evident from Jackson’s description of the oppression and violence which is common with indigenous America.

The Politics of Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Politics of Education - Assignment Example of education with successful establishment of libraries in some societies, Mann claims that education contributes immensely towards individual’s mental improvement (Massachusetts. Board of Education 95). He relates most countries’ prosperity with education; he believes that education contributes to growth and development of a successful generation. Additionally, Mann believes that education has a significant impact on how governments bestow their leaderships; he believes that education enhances the discharge of regal duties by the government. Mann’s views on education conquer with the current perception of education. This is evidenced by how majority f the people value education in the current societies; most people believe that education gives individuals the platform of expressing themselves. It also boosts the courage of people who value their rights; it enables them question their leaders about the mistakes they make in their daily activities. It is also evident that lots of advancement has taken place in the current societies because of increase in the rate of literacy among people. Additionally, most people are successive and independent today because of exposure and awareness enhanced by education. In what ways were you prepared by your experiences in elementary, middle, and high school for achieving success in college? In what ways did the readings help you understand better how you were educated? The passage of my lifetime through elementary, middle, and high school played a very significant role in my life. It made me value books and develop the urge of advancing my education elsewhere after high school. It is through the association with my colleagues in these academic levels that I garnered courage that enabled me to associate with other students from different backgrounds. Apart from learning that hardworking plays a pivotal role in one’s academic success, my passage through high school also made me have easy time in college; the experience

Part b Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Part b - Assignment Example ntition, decreased appetite, decreased taste sensation, and presence of chronic illness, older adults are more likely to be nutritionally deficient, which put them at risk for hypoglycemic episodes (Roach, 2001, p. 321). Likewise, older adults frequently live alone and the non-recognition of the symptoms of hypoglycemia may lead to incidences of injury (Surrena, 2009, p. 387). Mr. Adams Douglas, 51 year-old male, was admitted to the hospital due to confusion. Assessment revealed a blood sugar of 2.1 mmol/L, a marked hypoglycemia. In addition, Mr. Douglas is receiving medication for diabetes and hypertension and stated that he administered full dose (26 units) of insulin in the morning although Mr. Douglas had not eaten anything prior to administration of insulin. Further assessment also revealed that Mr. Douglas smokes 1 pack of cigarette/day and has been living alone in a single bed unit. Upon admission to the hospital, Mr. Douglas’ current conditions include slurred speech, inability to remain still in the bed, feeling of weakness and lack of energy, and Glasgow Coma Scale of 13/15. Initial medical interventions were implemented in order to rule out hypoglycemic episodes. The first nursing diagnosis is the Risk for Injury related to decreased blood sugar level, secondary to insulin therapy. After two hours of nursing intervention, Mr. Douglas’ will be free from any form of injury by maintaining blood glucose levels between 2.7-3.3 mmol/L and identifying signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. Nursing interventions include the following: assessment of serum glucose levels at bedside before administering oral hypoglycemic agents, before meals, and before going to sleep because serum glucose levels are more accurate parameters than urine glucose, which is affected by renal threshold and function of aging (Moyet, 2008, p. 856); assessment of signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia such as irritability, confusion, fatigue, weakness, sweating, shakiness, palpitation,

Quality of Life principles by the Toronto Real Estate Board Scholarship Essay

Quality of Life principles by the Toronto Real Estate Board - Scholarship Essay Example Rooted with the goal to increase the peoples’ awareness that they are part of the community, they aimed to make people see that they do not only want to sell houses but even more – that they hope to create communities where people can live, work, and do other stuffs in a peaceful, safe and clean place (Ontario Real Estate Association REALTORS ® â€Å"Quality of† 2). In realizing these goals, they founded the program with five major principles of â€Å"protecting economic vitality, providing housing opportunities, preserving the environment, protecting property owners, and building better communities† (Ontario Real Estate Association REALTORS ® â€Å"REALTOR ® Guide† 1). They believe, however, that these are broad and needs to be furnished more. Hence, the founders suggested that other realtors who want to apply these principles can modify the program according to the situation of each place. Getting involved in local issues. Because real estate agents are involved in selling homes, they are responsible in knowing the condition of the place and the people as a whole. They can make an action plan that will involve the local police, municipal government, the media as well as the rest of the community in tackling important issues that can affect the quality of life. Visibility can be appreciated if realtors can provide significant contributions concerning the issue and not only tackle it. Instance like recommending to the government that the homebuyers’ provincial land transfer taxes be reduced is one (Flood). Supporting the Government’s Plan. One of the innovations that are given focus by Mcguinty government as per report is to â€Å"create jobs today to prepare a strong economy for tomorrow† (Ontario Ministry of Finance 1). Moreover, an agreement that gives financial support to allow affordable housing was already signed in the year 2005 in partnership with homeownership

Questions For A Second Reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions For A Second Reading - Assignment Example Richard Miller organizes the whole chapter in further sub heading in an easy manner so as to give something useful in his all passage from major points to lower one. Its very first passage tells about the failure of modern world. According to him the problem actually lies in the advancement of technology and all the imagination unrestricted by realities that has called forth, which has dimmed the line between reality world and fantasy, between fact and fiction. Therefore he has given stress on the use of old fashioned and modest way of entertainment like reading novels, books and other story books that create a strong human interaction in man and always keep the man in reality. He first gives the example of modern world with Columbine Massacre and its failure. Miller has described all the problems of modern world in an organized manner and selected the major problems lies in the modern world in a very easy way. He at start tells about two master minded boys, Harris and Dylan Klebold, were outsiders in whom one was follower and one is leader indulged in evil activities, killed many adults and finally were in funerals, himself in his writing did not accept the idea of blaming others on his actions. Miller has started from the problems of Harris then goes to further more critical problems in a very systematic and organized manner. He forces us to think how do the threats of unforeseen and unpredictable can be eliminated either with the help of educational system or legal system. According to him problem should be stopped at its roots. It should not be increased. It is a challenge for legal and education institution to control the problem from its ground. Miller has used lexis phonic and dense style in his writing. His writing style is very cognitive and knowledgeable. He shows that such a long sentence with a lot of antonyms and large words do not always correlate and give such

Death on a factory farm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Death on a factory farm - Essay Example The thrashing of an unhealthy piglets against the wall as a means of euthanasia, throwing of the piglets by almost tossing them across the room into the crates, to the sight of impregnated sows held back in the pens reducing their ability to move to the brutal killing of a sick cow hung from a chain of a forklift until it choked to death are the naked truth of implementation of low-cost means of euthanasia in the farm and brutal treatment of animals used for the purpose of food in the farms. Message of the Film-Maker The gruesome practices against animals in the farm constitute the major part of the documentary followed by the trials and the documentary brings three agendas or issues pertinently. A thorough watch of the documentation would lead any audience to think on the Ohio factory’s cruel practices. It will definitely reinstate the thought of animal rights and its proper practice and practical implementation and will lead one to think about the US courts and the impotency of the animal welfare laws. Euthanasia, better known by the name of mercy killing encapsulates the idea of a painless death.

Analysis of Medical Malpractice Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Analysis of Medical Malpractice - Case Study Example Mr. Smith signed a consent form but only agreed to the operation because Mrs. Smith had privately threatened to divorce him if he did not. ?As a result of the operation (which was competently performed), Mr. Smith’s tear drainage improved, but he suffered a side effect of poor night vision. The risk of night vision problems was 2 percent, but many doctors consider it a minor problem as it has a limited adverse effect (due to the fact that people are usually asleep at ? night) and the operation is highly effective at improving tear drainage. Mr. Smith is a taxi driver and insists that he would not have had the operation had he known the risk. He is no longer able to work at night and has suffered a loss of income. ?In July, Mr. Smith visited Dr. Zeus, his GP, complaining that his left eye was still sore. Dr. Zeus suspected cancer of the eyelid. The computers were down so Dr. Zeus wrote a note to his receptionist asking him to request a referral to a specialist for Mr. Smith, bu t the note got lost. As a result, the referral was delayed by 4 weeks. ?In August, Mr. Smith was seen by Dr. Foster who diagnosed an aggressive malignant eyelid cancer (which was unrelated to Mr. Smith’s previous tear drainage problem). Expert evidence is that symptoms of the eyelid cancer would have been visible to a reasonably competent ophthalmologist when the tear drainage surgery was performed. ...Here, within different realms of medical malpractice, each aspect of the case will be discussed. Mr. Smith—who seeks financial compensation and complains about his treatment—will be advised to point out all of the following elements to the General Medical Council. II. Negligence Basically, there are four components or criteria of negligence which must be met in order to establish that a patient has a case for medical malpractice (or any kind of tort) (Donoghue v. Stevenson, 2011, pp. 1). Donoghue v. Stevenson was a classic case in the sense that the plaintiff had found snails in her bottled beverage, and claimed that the company owed her damages due to negligence. In a similar manner, Mr. Smith has every right to be upset with not only Dr. Foster, but Mrs. Smith, Dr. Zeus, and Dr. Zeus’s obviously incompetent staff. First of all, Dr. Foster should have mentioned that there was a 2 percent chance that his night vision might be affected. Failure to alert him to this fact is definitely negligent on his part. In addition, Mrs. Smith, his wife, is not only involving herself in the criminal behavior of blackmailing her husband to have the surgery or else divorce him—but she is also criminally liable as a tortfeasor (a person who commits a tort) because she was a consultant ophthalmologist overseeing the surgery superior to Dr. Foster, and she did not report the fact that she saw cancer on her husband’s eyelid.

How much data should companies have Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How much data should companies have - Essay Example The essay "How much data should companies have?" talks about the data that is needed in business organizations. The paper also analyses what type of data is more useful and if the size of stored data is something you should worry about. Most of the internal data of a business organization is credible in that it has been derived from the past experiences in running and managing various business activities. Therefore the data is credible. This data irrespective of the volume and imperfections that may be present is a valuable asset from the perspective of the insights it can provide in the running and managing of several business activities. The imperfections do not matter much as in business intelligence applications the focus is on reading patterns and signs in the available data, and so the data does not have to be precise as may be required in the case of accounting or auditing. Let us take the case of insurance companies. Several years of data with regards to policies, claims, premium bill payments, agent/producer sales, and so on are available with the insurance company. This may be considered as too much data by some companies. Yet, irrespective of the volume of the data, intelligent use of the data will help the company to be better at precision pricing, customer retention, claims fraud detection, product cross-selling and similar activities to overcome competition and prosper in a competitive environment. Therefore, it is not too much data that is need be the worry of the organization.

National Westminster Bank Essay Example for Free

National Westminster Bank Essay Q1. Analyse the customer contact process during the account opening procedure. What aspects of the branchs operation impact on each stage? From analysing the branchs operation it is clear to see which parts of the banks operation impacts each stage of the account opening procedure. Firstly the customer arrives into the bank, usually customers go to the cashiers section, they are then referred over to the enquiries counter, where they are greeted by enquiry personnel who find out which of the banks service the customer requires. If the customer wishes to open a new account, a member of the records staff comes to administer the account opening procedure. It is the records staff who deals mostly with new customers. The records staff must to have a good basic knowledge of all the banks operations to be able to advise the new customer which account is best suited for them. They must find out if the customer wishes to invest money or if they wish to avail of the banks credit facilities. The records staff would not have an in depth knowledge of the investments available to new customers so more often than not a member of the investment section is called over to advise the new customer. Read more:Â  Bankers Draft Natwest For credit facilities, the new customer is referred to the lending section for processing, as this operation is outside the record section staff jurisdiction. Once they account type has been established, the formalities begin (processing of customer details). Records staff go through forms to ensure that all key information has been gathered. This is probably the longest part of the account opening procedure with the customer as a lot of details need to be processed. Once all the details have been gathered by the records staff, the direct customer contact finishes. Customer details are then passed onto the administrative section and the machine room to finalise the opening of a new account and the paper printing (cheque books, log books, ATM cards etc.) How the different operations interact upon the Records section: Q2. How would you improve the process? Once the bank identified their problems the set out an improvement plan. They key areas identified for improvement were identified: Signage Inexperienced Staff Limited staff for rush hours Uneven flow of walk-in customers at peak times From a recent survey customers identified the following problems: Account opening forms were not properly explained Banks standard account pack was not sent out to customers Some customers waited more than the standard 9 days to receive cheque book and bank card Customer personal details were recorded incorrectly Staff seemed uninterested in the customers needs Customers wouldnt recommend the bank to others All of the above points were taken into account in the banks improvement plan. Firstly the signage issue was tackled. This issue was clearly a problem when we visited the bank, see fig.1 It was evident from this, that the enquiries desk wasnt clearly noticeable or signposted. To eliminate the problem of new customers queuing at the cashiers desk (adding to queue delays in the bank) new signage was positioned around the bank clearly highlighting where the new customers were to go. While it was unfeasible to move staff permanently from section to section, records staff who are generally young and junior members of staff could be temporarily move around each of the banks operations. This would add to their training knowledge and enable them to give more specialised advice to customers. By doing this staff will get to know each others jobs, they will become more confident in their work, giving the sense of importance to the banks operation. This increases staff motivation which reduces boredom as boredom leads to mistakes. To assess the overall performance of staffs training and progress, the bank could introduce mystery shoppers, a member of staff from another of the banks branches comes to open an account, goes through the whole procedure and at the end evaluates the staffs performance, identifies areas for improvement etc. As it was, the cashiers would go for their lunch, and it was the job of the records section to cover the cashier positions during lunch. This however was the busiest period for new customers wishing to open accounts. During the lunchtime rush customers could feel they were been rushed, inevitably resulting in mistakes occurring. To deal with this issue, lunch time for the bank staff could be divided up more evenly. Only a set amount of cashiers go for lunch at any one time, these cashiers do not take their lunch until the first group comes back, this way there is always somebody covering the records section to deal with new potential customers if they arrive during the lunch time period. To ensure the records section were not over burdened by new customers during the lunch time period, a system of appointment only during the lunch time rush was set up. This way the records section could easily deal with walk-in customers in the mornings and afternoons, and during lunch time they knew how many customers to expect and spend the required time needed with each customer opening an account. This way the customer feels more at ease and the records section staff do not feel under pressure and rushed, reducing the amount of mistakes made. Customers felt that the account opening forms were not properly explained to them. This issue was tackled by more staff training and the mystery shopper also helped by giving feedback. This helps the junior staff in training to interpret the forms better and be much more capable of explaining the forms to customers. In terms of the banks standard account pack not been sent out to customers, the bank set up a system of having all the leaflets on hand so the member of staff dealing with the new customer could make up a package there and then to suit the customers needs. It was identified that some customers waited more than the standard 9 days to receive their cheque books or ATM cards. This waiting period was improved by a more clear line of communication set up between the records staff, administration staff and the machine room. This was also helped as now there were fewer mistakes and the records staff had more time to process the forms during the day as the by appointment only and not having to cover the cashier positions fully during lunch had clearly freed up some extra time for them. To deal with the problem of customers personal details not been recorded properly, the customer was asked to fill in a form which clearly legible showing how to spell their name address etc. Once all the forms had been filled out, it was advised that the supervisor provided an extra check on the forms before they were sent for processing. To assist with the implementation of this system a sort of a Kanban system could be set up, In-Kanban, Out-Kanban this way everything was fully completed before it was sent for processing, and there would be no mix ups, on what was processed and what has to be processed. Also as part of this kanban system to finalise the last step, approval by the manager must be signed on the form. The problem of the customers feeling rushed was solved when the records section were released from other duties such as fully covering the cashiers during lunch. If all of the above points are implemented successfully, the bank will be back on track to a successful and complimentary word of mouth.

Complex Narrative Structure Of Memento

Complex Narrative Structure Of Memento Due to the nature and complex narrative structure of Memento (Nolan 2000), one has to closely evaluate the succession of events before one could make the assumption that this film is a typical Hollywood mainstream motion picture. It is easy to assume that this film would in fact fit the criteria of the Hollywood mainstream motion picture, only upon looking at the cast and A-List director- Christopher Nolan- who one could assume would use his usual cinematic style to ensure the success of this film. The complex introduction to the film already creates the anxiety-driven need to finish watching the film, due to the unusualness of the opening scene that distinguishes Memento (Nolan 2000) from other classical Hollywood films. Jean Baudrillard: brief biography Jean Baudrillard, the French sociologist, cultural critic, and theorist of post modernity were born in Reims on the 27th of July, 1929. Even though his parents were civil servants and his grandparents were peasant farmers, Jean Baudrillard was the first University graduate from his family. He later went on to teach sociology at University and was named one of the most intellectual figures of his time. Throughout his childhood, he was exposed to the Algerian war of the 1950s and 60s, which had a significant influence on the way he thinks and perceives society (Jean Baudrillard-Biography [sa]). After becoming an assistant at Nanterre University of Paris in 1966, he was quickly connected with Roland Barthes and used Bartheses analysis of culture in his first book, namely The Object System (1968). When the students of Nanterre University revolted in 1968, Baudrillard joined in the action, and through inspiration, assisted with a distinctive journal of the time, Utopie. This journal was clearly influenced by situationism, structural Marxism and various media theories wherein he issued numerous theoretical articles about/on the environment of capitalist prosperity (affluence) and the evaluation of technology. Baudrillard then went on to teach at the European Graduate School (EGS) from the day that the school opened to the day of his death on the 6th of March, 2007 (Jean Baudrillard-Biography [sa]). Marxism and (post-) Marxism: Marxist film theory The Marxist approach to the study of films centres (focuses) on the continuous ways that cinema ideologically allow and even betrays the devises that diminishes the middle-class (bourgeois) view of society and the world. These devises (mechanisms) of ideology comprise both the social organisations (institutions), as well as the industrial knowledge that vigorously function to create (produce) the middle-class culture which society consume daily. Several precise illustrations of such social and industrial organisations are: (1) the way labour is divided to ensure revenue (capital); (2) hierarchy (social order and class-structure); (3) industrial transformation of revenue of production; and (4) replacing services (commodities). Each (and all) of the mentioned devices (mechanisms) have been incorporated into (and informed) the film trade since it originated. In the sphere of cinema and film, these mechanisms shape the influential culture-producing section of societal apparatuses that Ma rxist film theorists calls the cinematic apparatus (Netto 2000:[sp]). Jean Baudrillards opinion of Marxism In his book, The consumer society (Baudrillard 1998:183), Baudrillard makes the conclusion and commends multiple forms of refusal of common ruling (convention), obvious notable and eye-catching utilisation (consumption), and conventional thinking and behaving, which can ultimately be merged (combined) into a practice of radical change (Baudrillard 1998:183). Baudrillard then goes on to describe a state (situation) where isolation (alienation) in its entirety cannot be improved on since it is the very structure of market society (Baudrillard 1998:190). Baudrillard argues that in a social order (culture), in which everything is seen as a product or service that can be purchased and put up for sale, that isolation (alienation) is total. Thus, isolation (alienation) is ever present in the social order where everything (from products to services) can be bought (Kellner 2007:[sp]). In the early 1970s, Baudrillard had an unsure (ambivalent) relationship with the theory of conventional Marxism in the since that he agreed with the Marxian analysis of the production of social commodities, which ultimately defined and critiqued the various notions of estrangement (alienation), dominant power, and exploitation that was shaped by capitalism. One could say that Baudrillards evaluation of these notions corresponds with the traditional (standard) neo- Marxian viewpoint which puts emphasis on the culpability of Capitalism and makes the assumption that Capitalism is homogenizing, domineering and ruled social class systems whilst depriving individuals of their liberty, originality and imagination, time, and potential (Kellner 2007:[sp]). In contradiction, Baudrillard could never emphasise any revolutionary forces and above all, didnt argue the circumstances and prospectives of the working class as a driving force for an altered (changed) social order of consumption. Thus, with no suggestion of the subject as a participating driving force of societal modification, Baudrillard pursued the structuralist and poststructuralist assessment of the truth-seeking (philosophical) and practical subject matter which was extensively governed in French deliberation. Practitioners of structuralism and post structuralism argued that bias (subjectivity) was shaped by verbal communication (language), societal establishments, and cultural appearances and wasnt sovereign of its creation in these establishments and preparations (Kellner 2007:[sp]). Classical film noir: Definition, Primary characteristics, conventions and historical surroundings The role of the male protagonist In (post-) Marxist noir films, the protagonist is frequently depicted as a single white male, who is usually psychologically troubled due to disloyalty or some form of loss of something in particular. The male protagonist is also usually emotionally crippled or psychologically injured. This summary of the post Marxist noir leading male is applicable to the post Marxist neo-noir picture Memento (Nolan 2000) (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In Memento (Nolan 2000), Nolan presents the character of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce) who could be seen as a combination of the typical private investigator that thrives in noir and neo-noir films and the defective (flawed) insurance salesman of the noir crime picture. The result is a brain damaged insurance investigator. This character in itself is already a complex and interesting one, but Nolen makes Leonard even more complex by turning Leonard into a serial killer who is unaware of the driving forces that influences him to commit these crimes (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Further characteristics of classical film noir: mood, tone, visual and cinematic elements According to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), that did a study on films dealing with memory, and made the conclusion that in Memento (Nolan 2000)- different from other films dealing with the memory genre- Leonards character (with some form of amnesia) maintains/retains his identity and puts emphasis on a number of strenuous daily problems regarding recollection related to mental disorders (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). After watching this film one could argue that the disjointed, mosaic-like quality of the succession of edited scenes in Memento (Nolan 2000) ingeniously simulates the perpetual present characteristics of memory loss related conditions. The film does not however merely represent mental/neurological illness, but furthermore supports the (post-) Marxian notion of the leading white male point of view. This notion is supported by purposely bringing in a cruel femme fatale character named Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss). Natalie makes use of Leonard by lying to him, whilst telling him that she is using him, since she is fully aware of Leonards condition and knows that his memory will fade. Yet again, Nolan does so to make a victim of the protagonist in order to distract the viewers from the plot by making use of empathetic relation to the character (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Neo noir films In the 1990s, spectators all through the world were presented with a newer and darker adaptation of noir, which was concealed within old methods, yet they were presented as fresh and sleek narratives in magnificent colour. One of the things that make 90s neo-noir different from previous recreations of film noir is the reoccurring focal point on mental illness and the dilemmas caused by psychological struggles. Within this new neo-noir, a white male middle-class outlook was reflected, articulating the fear of becoming the solitary objective in an innovative bold politically correct society. neo-noir also emphasised the increasing statistics of mental illness of the 90s in America (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Neo-noir films were made to retaliate against a variety of minorities occupied with complicated interior clashes that inhabits not only the minds of the characters, but also the mind of the filmmakers. Whereas this is a presumption as to why noir returned (resurfaced), it is evidently apparent that noir- exclusively composed of method (style) over matter (substance) was a new way of thinking in (post-) Marxist filmmaking. By entering the unknown territory of the inner workings of the mind (psyche), as supposed to the usual physical plane of existence that regularly surfaces in the narrative cinema, the matter (substance) was produced (formed) (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In these types of films, making use of the psychological (mental) state whilst attacking unfit elements disrupting the social order, a new innovative way of filmmaking ensured an interesting and attention-grabbing combination (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In 90s American cinema, audiences were extremely wrapped-up in paranoia. It was a time of confusion and society was faced with a civic (public) crisis when the need for truth, the status of information, and the determination of truth surfaced (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). It is ordinarily noticeable that postmodern, post-industrial, post- Marxist, and post- cold war social orders (society) shaped and produced an ongoing concern to what is real and how reality could be established and the authorization thereof. The continuing psychological (mental) focal point in/of 90s contemporary American cinema- mainly of neo-noir- revolves around the postmodern panic (fear) and uncertainty over truth and reality. The internet (made available to the public in the 1990s) not only brought an increasing stream of information, but made it more difficult for society to know what to trust and what not to trust. The 90s is known as the era where it was the fastest and easiest way of distribution of propaganda and misinformation, which added a spiralling effect of cynicism and disillusionment of a nation (Szyszka 2007:[sp] ). Strategy of the real The way in which text positions and/or fixes the viewer (consumer) is revealed first and foremost through a significant assessment surrounding the dominant (governing) structures of cinema, demonstrated by the Hollywood system (structure), and its utilization of narrative and realist forms (BaraÅ„ski and Short 1985:276). One could argue that the dominating shape of narrative used in mainstream cinema and Television creates a meticulous mode (way) of interpreting the world (dominant society): rather than focussing on the subject matter of the motion picture it is concerned with mysteries and anxiety that focuses on the attention of the audience to the method of narrative resolution, it demands and supplies endings which appear to present straightforward resolutions and conclusions to the struggles it has symbolized (represented), so that it gives a closed view of the world (modern society); attention (interest) is frequently concerned on a single protagonist rather than grou ps, and driving forces is understood in the psychosomatic rather than societal conditions (BaraÅ„ski and Short 1985:276). In the same way that it is impossible to rediscover a total (absolute) level of reality it is also impossible to stage a false impression (illusion) of what is real. The possibility of illusion is not possible anymore because the possibility of the real does no longer exist. for instance, should one fabricate (simulate) a break in at a local department store, it would be an interesting observation as to how one would be treated by the repressive state apparatus, as sopposed to what would happen to a person who organised a real brake in. A real brake in would ultimately disturb the natural order of things- individual property rights- whereas the simulation of a robbery ultimately obstructs the code of reality. Misbehaviour and aggression (committing a crime) are not as serious, because it simply challenges the natural (real) order and will be delt with. Simulation of the real is considerably more hazardous given that it constantly implies (suggests), in addition to its object, that re gulation (law) and instruct (order) in itself are merely simulations (Simulacra and Simulations 1988:[sp]). Nevertheless, after simulating a fake robbery, how would one convince the repressive state apparatus that it was merely a simulation of theft? One couldnt, for the reason that there is no objective distinction. Identical motions (gestures) and identical signs are apparent in a simulated robbery as it would in a real theft. As far as the dominant power (Ideological state apparatus and repressive state apparatus) is concerned, they (the gestures and signs) resemble those of a real robbery. After the fake robbery, one would- without knowing- find oneself instantly in the real (one of whose purpose is specifically and ideologically produced to consume all efforts of simulation) reducing everything to reality (Simulacra and Simulations 1988:[sp]). Socialist and radical practitioner have been using realism as a narrative structure, and although they have been criticised since they are significant to the realities they depict, have been presenting information of reality as trouble-free and doesnt properly give possible methods of altering (changing) the world. in addition, they present an uncomplicated truth regarding society. This is the innermost predicament of realism: that it presumes a representation which it considers as the truth, neither inquiring the course of representation nor inserting audiences into position from which they have to work to create an understanding of the text. The significance to the workings of Marxism and (post-) Marxism is that dominant cinema and TV are viewed as two of the positions through which dominant ideology is symbolized (represented) and accomplishes its effects. Narrative forms and realist forms are ideological, and their naturalness and obvious impartialities are conducts of disguising the fact that they create a meticulous vision of the world (BaraÅ„ski, Z.G Short, J.R 1985: 277). The revenge film By convincing the viewer that Leonards murderous ways are driven by vengeance (Leonard wants to avenge the rape and murder of his wife by hunting down the alleged murderer, John G) one could say that Nolan relies on the aspect of sympathy .i.e. to sympathise with a character to justify his/her actions (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Common characteristics Although the film humorously simulates the authorative power of the case-hardened private detective (private- eye) by giving Leonard a voice-over narration, his weakening state-of-mind (short-term memory loss) undermines/and challenges any assertion that Leonard is creating a continuous, consistent narrative- either about himself or about other characters. One could say that one of the main purposes of the confusing voice-over narrative is to include comical relief throughout the picture. This is applicable in the scene where Leonard is apparently chasing a man: Okay, what am I doing? Im chasing this guy. Nope. Hes chasing me. (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Memento (Nolan 2000), in addition to coming across as a series of fragmented scenes, is also edited so that the narrative plays out backwards. This becomes evidently clear as the protagonist (Leonard Shelby) vigorously lies to himself. One could make the assumption that Leonards condition not only makes the creation of self- trickery (dece ption) achievable but also possibly fatal (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Analysis of the narrative structure of Christopher Nolans Memento Memento (2000)is a film written and directed by Christopher Nolan (and adapted from the short story of his brother, Jonathan Nolan), revolves around memory. In the film, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce), is the protagonist who has lost the ability to/of forming new memories when he was violently assaulted during the rape and murder of his wife in their own home. Now suffering from short-term-memory-loss, Leonard is not able to remember, nor recognise people even after just having interaction with them (people such as the clerk of the hotel where Leonard is staying). Leonard does, however, recall everything that happened in the past preceding his accident. The plot revolves around Leonards condition (as he calls it) and the determination of avenging his wifes death(He has a clear recollection of the actual murder of his wife) (Clarke 2002:167). The combination of his condition and the yearning to avenge the death of his wife requires him to constantly refresh his memory, which he does by making and keeping loads of mysterious/ puzzling (cryptic) notes, by taking Polaroid pictures of everyone he meets (to remember them) and even going so far as to tattoo the facts that leads his investigative search, on his body. Even though Leonard has all these clues, his memory is constantly fading and he has to function in perpetual confusion when he meets people for the first time or when he finds himself at a different location. Thus, one could say that Leonard is constantly exposed to submission (he is easily persuaded or convinced). Leonards condition is so severe that he can instantly forget what he was doing or talking/thinking about. One could argue the hilarity (comical aspect) of this situation of memory loss throughout the film (Clarke 2002:167-168). One such an example is when Leonard is running but doesnt recall why he is running. As he looks around, he quickly becomes aware that someone is running parallel/next to him, when suddenly, one can hear Leonards thoughts. He is thinking: Okay, now, what am I doing? Oh, I must be chasing that guy (Clarke 2002:168). The comical aspect arises when Leonard changes his course and starts to run after the unknown male, when suddenly, the unknown male points his gun at Leonard and starts chasing him (forcing Leonard to change his direction again when the gun is fired) after almost shooting Leonard (Clarke 2002:168). Leonard is also constantly manipulated throughout the film, not only by his own mind, but also by the characters. Various characters (will be made clear later on) misleads Leonard due to his condition and manipulates him into doing their dirty work (Clarke 2002:168). Spectacle has always been the major field of entertainment, but in todays society that is mainly concerned with infotainment, spectacle and entertainment have come into the area of society, economy, politics, and existence in significant original customs. Building on the convention of manifestation, modern figures of entertainment stretching from Television to stage include spectacle society into their schemes, changing film, television, music, Drama and other areas of society, as well as creating original structures of society, such as cyberspace, multimedia, virtual reality and psycho-crime Drama (Kelner, D 2003:4). A plot summery Leonard Shelby had been struck in the back of the head by the rapist/murderer when trying to save his wife, which resulted Leonard to sustain severe mental and physical trauma and nearly destroyed the function of memory making entirely. After recovery, Leonard is now faced with the difficult role of functioning in society without any short-term memory reconciliation. Leonard is, however, able to function in society after learning to retain information through impulse (instinct) and repetition (replication) .i.e. conditioning. He does so by taking Polaroid pictures and writing short notes (information) on them, thus, using the pictures to simulate short-term memory. This simulation evolves further, one could say, due to the fact that Leonard tattoos the fact of his investigation onto his person (like a bodily map of facts and clues). In a classical (post-)Marxist noir-ish style of filmmaking, Leonard is surrounded by characters who exploit his misfortune by helping (assisting) him, mi sleading him, and/or achieving a little of both (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). The narrative structure In the film Memento (Nolan 2000) which could be perceived as a (post-) Marxist film- it is evidently clear that the film relies on gimmick ( a devise used to grab attention). The fact that one has been hailed (interpolated) into a chain of lies can be terrifying upon watching this film, however, what is more terrifying is that the lies were created by ones own need to fabricate a real narrative (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Just before the ending of Memento (Nolan 2000), Nolan actively places the viewer into Leonard shoes in the scene where Teddy tells Leonard the truth about the death of his wife, creating final confusion to ensure that the viewer partakes in the movie. Nolan does so by actively ensuring that the viewer takes on the role of detective (just like the role of Leonard Shelby) by trying to make sense of (decipher) the narrative truth. This however posts the question: Does one believe the character of Leonard Shelby who constantly confesses to his unreliability? Or does one believe the character of Teddy who discloses that he had been lying to Leonard and that he, himself, is also named John G Gammell? (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In order to answer this question one has to closely evaluate various scenes from the film. One of the scenes that stands out meticulously (by using flashbacks) is the scene just before the climax of the movie where Teddy informs Leonard that Sammy Jenkins (a man described by Leonard when he talks about his job where he had to investigate an insurance claim made by the wife of Sammy Jenkins) did in actuality, not exist. The viewer is presented with a sequence of flashbacks that changes momentarily which furthermore contributes to the constant confusion of who and what to believe. One thing is certain though, given that the viewer is restricted to Leonards point of view (perspective), that when Leonard makes the subtle realisation (the flashback where he injects his wife with insulin) and squats down to the floor while convincing himself that his wife didnt have diabetes that Sammy Jenkins is in fact just a fabrication in Leonards mind, thus, showing that Teddy tells a version of the t ruth (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Another scene that convinces one that Leonard is the one lying to himself, is the scene where Leonard tells the story of Sammys wife not believing that Sammys condition is real. She then goes on testing Sammy- according to Leonard- by telling him (Sammy) that it was time for her to be injected with insulin. After Sammy had injected his wife with the medicine she is still convinced that her husband is lying, so she turn back her wristwatch by 15 minutes and tells him that it was time for her to be injected with insulin (she was diabetic and relied on him to inject her even though he suffered from short-term memory loss). After repeating this process yet again Sammys wife overdoses on insulin and dies. Sammy was then placed into a mental asylum and in the final seconds of the black-and-white scene, just before it ends as the camera is closing up on Sammy a nurse walks past the camera-obstructing the view of Sammy- and for a brief second the shot is edited so that one sees Leonard sitti ng in the same chair as where Sammy sat, thus, emphasising that Leonard was in fact the one who was lying to himself through conditioning his mind and ultimately fabricated the story of Sammy Jenkins (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). One could say that in this particular scene, that Leonards memory of Sammy Jenkins is a simulation of himself in order to detach from the traumatic loss of his wife whom was raped and murdered before his very eyes. Here, the (post-) Marxist notion of neo-realism hits the most confusing plane of paranoia by making use of a protagonist who will never be able to believe himself and must constantly remind himself of where he is by leaving himself a postmodern network of clues to function in society (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). unified social reality In cinema, spectacle is presented as all of society, forming a part of the social order and as an instrument of unifying the general public, all at the same time (simultaneously). The spectacle is not a compilation of imagery, but rather a way for people to relate to one another socially, by mediation of imagery. An immense variety of obvious phenomena is explained and unified by the notion of spectacle. Measured in its own conditions, the spectacle confirms how everything should look (appearance) and confirms the nature of humanity (how humans should live), i.e. social life, as mere appearance. However, further analysis of the truth of the spectacle depicts it as noticeable contradictions of life, since spectacle is no longer about visual aesthetic and enriched text, but rather about mainstream cinematic ideology and revenue (Debord 1967:[sp]). Conclusion The master/slave dialectic is the story of the actualisation of a unified social reality. It is also an extension of the story of how the identity of the self is constituted in and through another. It is the story of desire (Diprose 1994:46). Even though the above mentioned excerpt speaks of the female form in modern day society, one could argue that just like the master/slave dialectic, that Leonard represents the slave and everyone else that is using and deceiving him- even his mental condition- are the masters. One could make this conclusion since Leonard is the one being used and mislead (just like the typical female character is usually exploited) without his knowledge. He thus creates, within himself, the longing (desire) to avenge his wifes death. One could thus conclude, that due to the fact that one is presented with a male protagonist, driven by loss and vengeance, in order to find closure and move on with his life, that Memento (Nolan 2000) does represent some form of unified social reality .i.e. the need to move forward. The fact that he never does move on with his life, almost contradicts the previous statement, except, the fact that Leonard is unable to realise this tragedy due to his mental trauma-paired wi th the fact that he is in actuality a serial killer- ensures the unified social reality (in accordance to the dominant power) that he gets what he deserves, an ongoing struggle of redemption. Sources consulted BaraÅ„ski, Z.G Short, J.R. 1985. Developing Contemporary Marxism. London: The Macmillan Press LTD. Baudrillard, J. 1998. The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures. Gateshead: Athenà ¦um Press Limited. Clarke, M. 2002. The Space-Time Image: the Case of Bergson, Deleuze, and Memento. The Journal of Speculative Philosophy 16(3): 167-168. Debord, G. 1967. Society of the Spectacle. [O]. Available: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/debord/society.htm Accessed 5 October 2010 Diprose, R. 1994. The bodies of woman: ethics, embodiment, and sexual difference. London: Routledge. Hurd, R. 2003. Christopher Nolans Memento Analysis of the narrative structure of a noirish revenge film. Paper presented at the Seminar: Decadence and Modernism in Late 20th Century American Cinema, 23 February 2003, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Jean Baudrillard-Biography. [Sa]. [O]. Available: http://www.egs.edu/faculty/jean-baudrillard/biography/ Accessed 2 October 2010 Kelner, D. 2003. Media Spectacle. New York: Routledge Kellner, D. 2007. Jean Baudrillard. [O]. Available: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/baudrillard/ Accessed 1 October 2010 Netto, J.A. 2000. Marxist film theory. [O]. Available: http://www.nettonet.org/Nettonet/Film%20Program/theory/marx-theory.htm Accesed 2 October 2010 Simulacra and Simulations. 1988. [O]. Available: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Baudrillard/Baudrillard_Simulacra.html Accessed 30 September 2010 Szyszka, E. 2007. Brain Damage: Neo Noir in the Nineties. [O]. Available: http://thecinephilenewyork.blogspot.com/2007/08/brain-damage-neo-noir-in nineties.html Accessed 3 October 2010

Islamic Fundamentalism And Terrorism

Islamic Fundamentalism And Terrorism Introduction All religion preaches peace and brotherhood and Islam is no different. However, how do you justify the killing of thousands of innocents by the Islamic terrorists. Islamic terrorism is the common term for violence,[1] rooted on Islamic fundamentalism, and aimed at defending, or even promoting, Islamic culture, society, and values in opposition to the political, allegedly imperialistic, and cultural influences of non-Muslims, and the Western world in particular.  [1]   Today, it is global terrorism has come to fore of the world politics after terror attacks on World Trade Centre on 09 September 2001. While looking at the globosity of the phenomenon of terrorism, it has to be appreciated that before terrorist groups attain their national, regional or global stature the first begin the same at local levels. A consideration of the origins of various terrorist groups would indicate that the growth of the small groups into the national or supra national movements could have been attributed to, if not large measure, to the frustration of the people, with the inability of their governments to provide with the elementary justice, security and welfare. It is difficult to say at which point local terror groups joins hands with the other groups operating in the region to form supra national entities that can operate trans national boundaries. If concrete steps are not taken immediately with due foresight, terror menace can well become the the biggest threat t o mankind.  [2]   Varieties of Terrorism Fundamental conformist religious movements have been associated with terrorism in almost all parts of the world starting from Middle East, Africa, Central and South East Asia, China, Europe and US. It would be prudent to is necessary to study terrorism before further investigating the link between fundamental religion and the clinch of violence. Terrorism is difficult to define as one persons terrorist is anothers freedom fighter. Political violence can be of various types. There are various types of egregious political violence that are sometimes conflated. Certified papers on terrorism seldom define terrorism or distinguish it from supplementary forms of hostile political action, for example, guerilla movements, ethnic conflict or racial movements. Countries frequently trademark opposition/resistance/demonstrations as terrorist actions to disgrace and dishonor such movements. Ahmad (1998) offered a typology of five varieties of terrorism:- State terrorism. Religious terrorism. Criminal terrorism. Pathological terrorism. Political terrorism. There are different motives for these. Some highly visible expressions of terrorism can be thought of as spectacles of violence, media events staged to dramatize an issue by gaining the attention of the world. Terrorism acts as both a symbolic message and supposed means of social change aiming at political transformation. The terrorist act dramatically advertises the grievance to a larger community that may support their goals. Further, the pain and suffering inflicted is believed, at least by the terrorists, to avenge a prior injustice and/or attain the organizations goal.  [3]   Jehad The word Jihad links its origin to the Arabic word JHD, which means strive. Jihad in essence means the measures taken to practice religion even during the times of adversity in the face of oppression and persecution. In Arabic, the terms Mujahid/Mujahideen and jihad, are Islamic-derived terms indicating righteous struggle, and are commonly used to refer to what the Western world calls Islamic terrorists and Islamic terrorism. In the non-Muslim world, this usage is often considered to be inaccurate and giving religious glorification to murder, and Islamic terms like hirabis and Muharib have been promoted as alternatives when referring to terrorists. Islamic terrorism is itself a controversial phrase, although its usage is widespread throughout the English-speaking world. Ordinary Muslims who have nothing to do with terrorism find it reprehensible because it forces upon them a label simply because they, too, are believers of Islam. In fact, the common Muslim believes that you are making him a racial hate target by using the word Islam with terrorism. Bernard Lewis believes that the phrase Islamic terrorism is apt, because although Islam, as a religion is not particularly conducive to terrorism or even tolerant of terrorism  [4]  . In his own words:- Islam has had an essentially political character from its very foundation to the present day. An intimate association between religion and politics, between power and cult, marks a principal distinction between Islam and other religions. In traditional Islam and therefore also in resurgent fundamentalist Islam, God is the sole source of sovereignty. God is the head of the state. The state is Gods state. The army is Gods army. The treasury is Gods treasury, and the enemy, of course, is Gods enemy. This argument is countered by Jamal Nassar and Karim H. Karim, who contend that because there are over a billion adherents of the religion, the phenomenon is more precisely regarded as Islamist terrorism or, because describes political ideologies rooted in interpretations of Islam. In this vein, describing terrorism as Islamic may confirm a prejudicial perspective of all things Islamic.  [5]   Radicalisation of Islam As has been noted, modern Islamic political fundamentalism is the product of a desire by some Muslims to return to a pure faith in order to counter and overcome growing pressure from an increasingly westernized world. Identifying and analyzing these pressure points is essential to understanding the rationale behind the often violent expressions of Islamic political fundamentalism whose ultimate purpose is to bring individual, country and world under the sovereign reign of Allah. As has been noted, Islamic political fundamentalist movements are a twentieth-century development. Not surprisingly, the majority of these movements are of the Sunni variety. Of the 175 Islamic fundamentalist groups (mainly of the political variety) in the Arab world as identified by Dekmejian from 1970-1995, only 32 were Shiite fundamentalists (with an additional four having both Sunni and Shiite followers). The modern era radical clerics have interpreted the Koran to their advantage and have used it effecti vely to strengthen the military wing of Islamic fundamentalists and use terrorism as a tool against the non practitioners of Islam. Some clerics supporting the hard stand against non Islamic societies and nations are reflected in the subsequent paragraphs. Radical as part of his sermon one Friday in August 2004, the Palestinian Sheikh Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi told his followers, Cutting off heads is part of our religion. Indeed, by God, slaughtering Allahs enemies is part of our religion. It should be done in accordance with the interest of Islamic nations. In another article titled The Infidels will be Obliterated, the cleric Seif al-Din al-Ansari writes Allah made annihilating the infidels one of his steadfast decrees. According to (divine) natural law of alternating fortunes, Allah said (Allah will) obliterate the infidelsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.It inevitably follows that this wisdomà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.has become the way the life is to be livedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The (Koran) mentions his decree frequently, to the point that it makes you feel that it is truth of supreme importance. In another context, Shiekh Nasser ibn Hameed, an al Quaeda affiliated Saudi cleric, considers the permissibility of using the weapons of mass destruction to bring about the will of Allah. The sheikh concludes that, considering what Americans have done:- If a bomb was dropped on themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that would annihilate 10 million and burn their lands to the same extent that they burned the Muslim lands this is permissible with no need to mention any other proof. Yet if we want to annihilate a greater number, we need further proof  [6]   Creating an Ideology A century ago, Islam had the same Koran, the same Prophet Muhammad, the same stories about founding of the faith, and the same religious and the legal traditions. Yet there were no suicides bombers like Salah Ghandour, no incendiary leaders like Hassan Nasrallah, no militant sheikhs like Yousaf al-Qaradawi and no murderous conglomerates like Hamas and al Qaeda. And that there was not should give pause to all those who claim that Islam is, necessarily, a violent and destructive faith. To attribute todays problems to the essence of the religion is to commit a grave error of oversimplification. Islam is a grand tradition that has proven itself capable of sustaining many different cultures, philosophies, approaches to life and political arrangements. Since September 11, and to a lesser extent before, many authors have probed the history of Islam and the Arabs in search of the roots of extremism. One good place to start is the story from the recent past, the story of Sayyid Qutb, an Egypt ian writer who is described as the intellectual hero of every one of the groups that eventually went to Al Qaeda, their Karl Marxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ their guide.  [7]   Sayyid Qutb was born in Egypt in 1906. His early education was in the western system of education. After completing his studies, he took up the job of a teacher. He later became a novelist and a functionary in Ministry of Education, Egypt. In late 1940s he did his masters from Colorado. However, during 1930 to 1950, Qutb lost faith in the secular system and became a radical Islamist. On return from America, Qutb supported the Nassers secular revolution. Difference arose between Nasser and Qutb and later was imprisoned. It was during this time Qutb wrote some of his best known and influential work Milestone (a thirty volume commentary on Koran) and In shade of Koran. Qutb was latter executed by Nasser in 1966, giving Islam its earliest and most revered martyr. Qutb was influenced by Mawdudis writings but constructed a khariji-like revolutionary ideology. He stressed both Gods sovereignty and governance (hakimiyya) and the unity of God (tawhid) with the resulting unity in nature, rel igion, society, and state as the foundation of the integrated and comprehensive Islamic system. Qutb transformed the meaning of the Islamic term hijrah (emigration) from a simple description of the Prophets historic migration from Mecca to Medinah to signifying a definite stage in the development of all true Muslim societies hijrah is the response of true Muslims to the state of jahiliyya prevalent in their society. They must withdraw from society in order to create a vanguard of committed activists able to take over society when the right time comes.  [8]  Some of Qutbs interpretation of Jahiliyyah in his own words are as follows:- Islam cannot accept any mixing with Jahiliyyah, either in its concept or in the modes of living which which are derived from this concept. Either Islam will remain or Jahiliyyah: Islam cannot accept or agree to a situation which is half Islamic and half Jahiliyyah. The foremost duty of Islam in this world is to depose Jahiliyyah from the leadership of man, and to take the leadership into its own hand and enforce the particular (Islamic ) way of life. Indeed, people are not Muslims, as they proclaim to b, as long as they live the lier of Jahiliyyahà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Today th task f the call is to return these ignorant people of Islam and make them into the Muslim all over again. A person who feels the need of defence, justification and apology is not capable of presenting Islam to people. Indeed, he is a person who lives the life of Jahiliyyah, hollow and full of contradictions, defects and evils, and intends to provide justification for the Jahiliyyah he is in. These are offender against Islam.  [9]   Qutbs central mobilizing concept was a reinterpretation of Jahiliyya, and provided an ideology to military faction of Islamic leaders. Most terrorist Islamic groups today, derive their ideology from his writings. Interpretations of the Quran The role played by the Quran, Islams sacred text, in opposing or in encouraging attacks on civilians is disputed. Certain scholars such as Zakir Naik have said all Muslims should be terrorists in the context of war and fighting evils of society. When he was asked about the verse. Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies. [Quran 8:60] He replied. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. A Muslim should be a terrorist for the Robber and all other anti-social elements. The Princeton University Middle Eastern scholar Bernard Lewis, states that Islamic jurisprudence does not allow terrorism. Professor Lewis notes At no time did the (Muslim) jurist approve of terrorism. Nor indeed is there any evidence of the use of terrorism (in Islamic tradition). Muslims are commanded not to kill women, children, or the aged, not to torture or otherwise ill-treat prisoners, to give fair warning of the opening of hostilities, and to honor agreements. Similarly, the laws of Jihad categorically preclude wanton and indiscriminate slaughter. The warriors in the holy war are urged not to harm non-combatants, women and children, unless they attack you first. A point on which they insist is the need for a clear declaration of war before beginning hostilities, and for proper warning before resuming hostilities after a truce. What the classical jurists of Islam never remotely considered is the kind of unprovoked, unannounced mass slaughter of uninvolved civil populations that we saw in New York two weeks ago. For this there is no precedent and no authority in Islam. Indeed it is difficult to find precedents even in the rich annals of human wickedness. In 2007, Osama bin Laden, best known for the September 11 attacks, used quotes from the Quran-and a militant Taliban clerics interpretation of those verses-to justify his declaration of war on Pervez Musharraf and the Pakistani army, such as: O prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them. Their abode is hell, and an evil destination it is. [Quran 9:73] O you who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust. [Quran 5:51] And fight them until theres no fitnah (polytheism) and religion is wholly for Allah. [Quran 8:39] However, the interpretation of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban has been condemned by influential group of Pakistani scholars and religious leaders, who declared that suicide attacks and beheadings as un-Islamic in a unanimous resolution. Marmaduke Pickthall, a Western convert to Islam and an Islamic scholar notes that Nowhere does the Quran approve a spirit of revenge and situates verse 2:194 in the context of a defensive war. Ibn Kathir stated that the Quran clearly commands believers to prefer forgiveness over retaliation wherever possible. Michael Sells and Jane I. Smith (a Professor of Islamic Studies) write that barring some extremists like Al-Qaeda, most Muslims do not interpret Quranic verses as promoting warfare; and that the phenomenon of radical interpretation of scripture by extremist groups is not unique to Islam. According to Sells, Most Muslims no more expect to apply the verses at issue to their contemporary non-Muslim friends and neighbors than most Christians and Jews consider themselves commanded by God, like the Biblical Joshua, to exterminate the infidels.  [10]   Root Cause of Terrorism The Worldview of the Fundamentalist. It is obvious to mention that Islamic fundamentalism is caused by the actions of the fundamentalist. What we can ask ourselves is what drives these individuals to advocate fundamentalism? Several scholars have proposed that fundamentalists adopt a literal reading of the Quran. Consider the following verses:- And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah is worst than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the sanctuary at Makkah) unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the unbelievers (Surah Al-Baqarah). If one takes a literal reading of the above passage, then it is quite obvious that Muslims should kill non-Muslims where and whenever the former thinks that they are in a position to do so. Take for example Palestinians. Palestinians have been resettled to accommodate for the state of Israel, consequently displacing the former from their own homeland in the process. When seen within the light of the above verses, the perceived injustice suffered by the Palestinians would mean that Palestinians have every right to oppose the Israelis as well as their American benefactors. This is if a literal reading of the above verses is taken devoid of the context and historical circumstances that gave rise to such verses in the first place.  [11]   Islams Identity Crisis in Confronting Modernity. The historical inevitability and pain of transition to modernization/capitalism has been met with resistance and conservative religious leaders sees such forms as imperialism, colonialism, and the spread of neoliberal ideology. As conservative religious leaders struggled to deal with the advent of modernity, Islamic modernizers were more open. Indeed, these Islamic modernizers worked with secular nationalists and were better able to cope with modernity, using European models of socialism and capitalism for nation building and national development (Hossein-Zadeh, 2005). However, when socialism and capitalism failed to deliver for example, instances of poverty were rife; people were alienated from the system they were in; materialism and decadence prevailed in the capitalist system the disappointed masses of the Muslim world turned to the more radical message of Islam as Muslims especially those alienated and disaffected by socialist and capitalists models looked for an Islamic Alternative. This yearning signalled a desire to return to the state of Islam during its Golden Age. Conservative religious leaders thereby became the sources of mobilization and self-respect as the disappointed masses sought to return to the Golden Age (Hossein-Zadeh, 2005).  [12]   Socio-Economic-Political Factors. Islam is not a monolithic entity how Muslim states/Muslims relate to the non-Muslim other depends a lot on their socio-economic-political factors. For example, poverty and undemocratic regimes are significant factors that can contribute to Islamic militancy. In Aceh (Indonesia) and Mindanao (Philippines), marginalized Muslim communities suffer acute deprivation and alienation vis-vis the post-colonial state dominated by the ethnic and religious minority (Rahim, 2003). Additionally, given the lack of democratic mechanisms in these regions, there are no means for legitimate and sufficient political representation thereby making Islamists act subversively. Undemocratic and draconian measures adopted by oppressive regimes to contain the radical Islamists will also exacerbate the threat rather than effectively reducing it. Instances of poverty as well as undemocratic regimes and draconian legislation among many other factors can contribute to the conditio ns fuelling Islamic Militancy.  [13]   American Foreign Policy. American foreign policy is also a significant variable in the surge of Islamic Militancy. Many argue that Islam is a religion of peace Islamic terrorism, however, is a product and response to American foreign policy. This sentiment is reflected upon Americas unconditional support for Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the ubiquity of American troops in the Gulf; historical legacy of European colonialism; and terrorist attacks are a cumulative process of humiliating Arabs (for example, displacing Palestinians in their homelands; the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal; torture techniques used by the Bush administration). The rise of non-state actors such as Osama Bin Laden represents the Muslim and Arab worlds rage against American hegemony or simply arrogance/hubris (the so called Liberation Theology). Moreover, the double standards as exercised by the Americans in regards to supporting oppressive regimes so as to secure regional cooperation in the war against terrorism is seen as having veiled intent that the war against terrorism could be a war against Islam. American, it has been argued, should look into the causes and conditions that fuel Islamic rage that is, by reflecting upon its own foreign policies rather than blaming the other for the calamities that had happened thus far.  [14]   Drug Trafficking. Drug trade entered the murky scene of terrorism, in a big way, in Afghanistan during the Taliban operations using Afghanistan Pak axis. Initially, they justified the use of drug business as it was for a sacred cause and even convinced the clergy. However, gradually it became a part and parcel of their activities and drug mafias became big players in the venture and terrorist became synonymous of drug trafficker. Equally, the wide network created by the drug mafia was exploited by the terrorist outfits for their operations. As big money was involved politicians in Afghanistan and Pakistan were easily drawn into vicious circle. Drug trafficking provided the illegitimate money to fuel the Holy War Jihad across the globe. Conclusion Conceivably, future reforms in Islam is more vital than the ideology debate over the character of Islamic past. Kepel in 2002 suggested that Islamist terrorism does not, nor can it produce its intended goals and has become consumed with a fantasy of a world-wide triumph of radical Islam. Understanding the reasons for rise in fundamentalism in Islam and factors contributing to global terrorism, it is neigh important to take concrete measures against terrorism, else, we are likely to inherit a world without peace to the coming generations. Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. 33.29. Quran

Job Requirements of an Addiction Counselor Essay -- Career

The job of an addiction counselor specializing in, but not limiting my choice to substance abuse is the job profession I have chosen. The opportunities for this field are very open in my area of the country and throughout the Unites States. The counselors that work within range of me are very busy, and have little time to offer to a person in training. I was able to arrange an email interview with a particular counselor working at a rehabilitation facility for alcoholics and drug addicts. His job entailed monitoring the day-to-day progress of several people assigned to his case load. These clients were monitored for coping skills, stress levels, emotional stability, and general state of health. These areas were not limited to whether it was personal, romantic, or job related, but covered all aspects of the client’s day. The interview consisted of a brief explanation of each of the five questions and was performed via email. The counselor replied stating that his job duties included; group and individual therapy sessions. Other areas of responsibility were taking notes, treatment planning and management of each case including referrals and all documents. The counselor mentioned the most difficult obstacle was resistance from the client and being able to carry out a treatment plan. He also mentioned there is always the difficulty of emotional detachment. This is also one of the reasons the job is rewarding. The fact that this is a very engaging and challenging job, but there are times it can be sad. With alcoholics and addicts you never know what they will do next, since they can be unpredictable. This can be a fun and interesting profession, and is one that keeps you on your toes. The counselor explained that these are the t... ...lenging and rewarding, and yet sometimes they would bring sadness. One has to be a strong and caring person to work with people who have addictions. In the end, the result would be for the patient to feel better about their self and gain the desire to succeed. Works Cited Kartha, D. (2010). Substance abuse counselor job description. Retrieved December 16, 2010 From http://www.buzzle.com/articles/substance-abuse-counselor-job-description.html Smith, J. (2010). Addiction counselor careers. Retrieved December 16, 2010 from http://www.ehow.com/list_7191834_addiction-counselor-careers.html Thompson, E. L. (2010). The role of substance abuse counselors. Retrieved December 17, 2010 From http://www.ehow.com/about_6630288_role-substance-abuse-counselors.html