Genetically Modified (Gm) Foods Essay Example for Free

Genetically Modified (Gm) Foods Essay The Term Genetically Modified (GM) foods refers to crops produced for human or animal consumption using the recombinant DNA techniques. The world population is growing in a fast pace such that it is expected to double in the next 50 years. Supplying food to this growing population is a major challenge. GM foods can be considered as the major solution for the food security. These foods are produced by the modification of crop plants in the laboratory to enhance desired traits, mainly biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, improved nutritional content, etc. These traits were earlier carried out through conventional plant breeding, but these breeding methods are very time-consuming and often not very accurate. However, with recombinant DNA technology, plants with the desired traits can be produced, very rapidly and with greater accuracy. Process Recombinant DNA technology begins with the identification and isolation of a gene which expresses a desirable trait, with the aid of restriction enzymes. Then a recipient plant or animal is selected, and the gene is inserted and incorporated into its genome through a vector such as agrobacterium, through a gene gun shooting an elemental particle covered in plasmid DNA, electro oration, or a virus. Once part of the recipient, the newly inserted gene becomes part of the genome of the recipient and is regulated in the same way as its other genes. For example, we can isolate a gene responsible for conferring drought tolerance, introduce that gene into a plant, and make it drought tolerant. Crops can also be transformed using non-plant genes such as the use of Bt genes, in cotton and many other crops. Bt, or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal only to insect larvae. Bt crystal protein genes have been transferred into cotton, soya, corn, brinjal, enabling the plants to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the American bollworm, European corn borer. Bt genes are lethal only in the acidic medium, insect gut environment and do not get activated in an alkaline environment, prevalent in humans and other animals that feed on these plants. BENEFITS OF GM FOODS Drought tolerance/salinity tolerance: As the world population grows and more land is converted for housing instead of food production, farmers need to grow crops in non-arable land, previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Creating plants that can withstand long periods of drought or high salinity in soil and groundwater will help people to grow crops in large, barren wetlands/dry lands in our country. Pest resistance: Insect Pests are causing devastating financial loss for farmers, sometimes starvation. Indiscriminate use of pesticides is also a potential health hazard, and the run-off of agricultural wastes from excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers poisons the water supply and harms the environment. Ex: Growing GM foods such as Bt brinjal helps reduce the application of pesticides substantially, as 80 per cent of brinjal crop are infested with pests. Disease resistance: There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases and thereby contribute to yield loss. Plant biologists are working to create genetically engineered plants with resistance to these diseases. Ex: Developing sheath blight resistance in rice. Cold/heat tolerance: Farmers are facing the vagaries of weather, like unexpected frost or excess heat due to climate change. Researchers have identified an antifreeze gene from cold-water fish and introduced it into plants such as tobacco and potato to study the efficacy of the plant to withstand extreme temperatures. Also, research is on to identify plants that can survive excess heat, submergence tolerance etc. Nutrition: People in our country suffer from various nutrient deficiency diseases due to malnutrition. Most of the people rely on rice as a major staple food. But rice does not contain adequate amounts of all necessary micro and macronutrients. If rice could be genetically engineered to contain additional vitamins, iron and/or minerals, nutrient deficiencies could be alleviated. For example, MSSRF (M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation) are working on improving the iron content. Phytoremediation: Soil and groundwater pollution continues to be a problem in many parts of the world. Plants such as poplar trees, brassica spp are being genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from soil contaminated with metals like lead, arsenic, and cadmium. Concerns Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories Environmental hazards: Unintended harm to other organisms; reduced effectiveness of pesticides; gene transfer to non-target species are some of the concerns of the environmental concerns of GM crops. Human health risks: Allergenecity, unknown effects on human health are some of the main health concerns. For example, Pioneer Hi-Bred tested the allergenicity of a transgenic soybean that expressed a Brazil nut seed storage protein in hope that the seeds would have increased levels of the amino acid methionine. The tests (radio allergosorbent testing, immunoblotting, and skin-prick testing) showed that individuals allergic to Brazil nuts were also allergic to the new GM soybean. Economic concerns Environmental activists, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations have criticized agribusiness for concentrating on profits through GM Foods without concern for potential hazards. They also criticized the government for failing to start a regulatory body. All GM crops should be subjected to thorough regulatory processes and toxicology and allergenicity tests data needs to be shared with the regulatory authorities prior to commercialization. Government Role Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness. So, bringing GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process. This is a genuine concern and therefore it is important for the government to fund and support public sector research in reputed universities or agriculture institutes to ensure quality research and also keep prices under check. Conclusion Government should check all the hazards, environmental, health and economic concerns and then decisions should be taken to commercialize a GM product. Though ambiguity during the process, once they get regulatory approve, it implies that they have been subjected to stringent scrutiny and are safe for commercial release. So, the governments around the world are hard at work to establish an effective regulatory process to monitor the effects of and approve new varieties of GM plants. According to M S Swaminathan, the chairman of the National Commission on Farmers, GM foods have the potential to solve many of the worlds hunger and malnutrition problems, and can protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling.

The global strategy of french retailer Carrefour

The global strategy of french retailer Carrefour The last four decades has seen the French group Carrefour S.A. become Europes largest and the worlds second-largest retailer. The group presently operates the four major store format categories: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and also convenience stores. The Carrefour group presently operates more than 15,500 stores which are either company-operated or franchises. The group employs more than 475,000 people and generated sales (including VAT) of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬96.2billion approx. during 2009 (Carrefour Group, 2010, p 1-2). Carrefour was incorporated in Paris by the Fournier and Deoffrey founder families during 1959. It launched its first supermarket during 1960 near a crossroads (Carrefour in French) followed by the first Carrefour hypermarket during 1963. Thereafter, the internationalisation of Carrefour began with the Belgian foray during 1969 (Ki, 2008, p 14-19). Analysis Background Carrefours success was primarily because of its involvement in creating hypermarkets across Western Europe. Carrefour pooled the American approach to supermarkets with the discount stores format by retailing non-food products along with self-service (Jung, 2006, p 1-3). Its hypermarkets success led Carrefour to establish the groups first store in UK and Italy. Its further expansion helped to establish markets in numerous other countries for instance Greece, Turkey, Mexico, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia during the 1970s and the 1980s (Ki, 2008, p 14-19). A ground-breaking entrant in countries exemplified by its Brazilian investment in 1975 and the Chinese entry in 1995, Carrefour presently operates in three major European, Latin American and Asian markets. Present in 34 countries internationally, more than 57 percent of the group turnover is generated from the European markets excluding France. The group perceives strong potential for added international growth in future, principally in large national markets for example China, Indonesia, Brazil, Poland and Turkey (Carrefour Group, 2010, p 1-2). Global Strategy Within France, the group faces an extremely competitive pricing environment. Its hypermarket sales have been declining for a while because of the increasingly popular discount stores. Carrefours hypermarket comparable turnover (including petrol) for the third quarter dropped 8%, with non-food comparable turnover falling 9.5% (Stych, 2010, p 1-2). Perhaps the one way its investors will be truly satisfied is if its French hypermarket division performs better, since it contributes approximately a quarter of Carrefours global sales (Stych, 2010, p 1-2). Unlike some other global retail players like Metro (globally the 3rd. largest) which have financially independent global operations, Carrefours overseas expansion is driven by funding from the French operations. Compared to the Metro Group, Carrefours globalisation policy appears indecisive at the moment. Only time will reveal if the pressure to dispose off its Asian and Latin American businesses proves too hard to resist (Stych, 2010, p 1-2). Carrefour is keenly committed to sponsoring local economic development wherever it is operating globally. Typically, in any country that it operates in, the Carrefour group is the largest private employer. Unsurprisingly, this is true for France, where the group originates from. The same also applies to countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Greece and Italy. The group also strives to sustain local suppliers, with approximately 90 to 95% of its products sourced locally and based on the country of operations (Carrefour Group, 2010, p 1-2). Global markets priority France remains Carrefours recognised home market and also the groups key priority. The Group is taking initiative to reclaim its leadership within France. The aim is to produce growth, firstly through developing further its multi-format model, raising convergence and providing fresh momentum to its hard discount formats, followed by augmenting sales growth, price image and price competitiveness. The groups second priority includes Spain, Belgium and Italy Belgium which, including France, comprises Carrefours G4 countries. In these established European countries, suitable measures will be adopted to sustain growth (in Spain) or improve its performance in Italy and Belgium. Growth markets signify the groups third priority. It will focus its development resources for the most part on countries having stronger growth potential. The Groups progress in these regions will depend on various formats targeted at generating the customer base such as hypermarkets, cash and carry etc. (Carrefour Group, 2010, p 1-2) Successful globalisation Twelve years after incorporation, Carrefour began its internationalisation journey with its Belgian expansion. Its strategy depended on building the groups market share in each market by developing the kind of retailing most suitable to the local market and also by maximising the way the groups formats harmonised one another (ICEP, 2008, p 189-197 ). The companys self-branded products were commenced during the mid-1980s, thus highlighting Carrefours pursuit of in-store market shares. A succession of acquisitions and takeovers during the 1990s culminated in Carrefours 1999 affable takeover of Promodes, its main French competitor, thus crafting Europes largest food retailer (ICEP, 2008, p 189-197). It is seen that Carrefour is able to productively employ its capabilities and resources in creating a persistent competitive advantage with the right use of PESTEL and Ansoff Matrix methodologies to carry on catering to the unpredictable shoppers distinct and localised goods preferences and needs. The macro environment, largely represented as the PESTEL diagnostic framework, typifies the political, economic and societal factors along with the technological, environmental as also the legal factors. It assists in systematically examining and finding the impact of all these criteria on the organisations (Gray, 1999, p12) (Alfino, et al, 1998, p 17-23). The singular differentiator for Carrefours success in China has been its more ingrained adjustment to the local environment and in the appreciation of the local consumer behaviour and culture in terms of the societal and environmental factors in PESTELs framework (Gopalkrishnan, 2009, p 1-9). Further, Carrefour is more successful also because it considers China as a group of local or regional markets whereas Wal-mart considers it as a single large market; Carrefour also has decentralised sourcing and distribution unlike Wal-mart (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010, p 1). The Chinese favour fresh poultry and meat, hence local sourcing results in faster and smarter logistics rather than central sourcing of merchandise (Mahajan-Bansal, 2010, p 1). Another cause of the success of Carrefour is the decentralised organisational configuration, which permits it to continue the focus on local requirements and preferences. The corporate office in Paris is responsible for long-term strategy and policy. It also deals with financial and technical issues and offers advice when requested. It also offers intellectual capital and is responsible for new store locations and capital investments (Lal, et al, 2004, p 289-293). The Ansoff Matrix is a strategic marketing planning tool that connects a firms marketing strategy to its broad strategic direction. It presents four optional growth strategies as a matrix. These strategies look for growth through: (1) Market penetration by driving current products throughout their current market segments (2) Market development through developing new markets for current products (3) Product development through developing fresh products for its current markets and (4) Diversification through developing fresh products for fresh markets. The Ansoff Matrix was named after Igor Ansoff, its inventor and the father of strategic management and initially circulated in The Harvard business review in 1957 (Businessdictionary.com, 2010, p 1.2). Table 1: The Ansoff Matrix (Ansoff, 2010, p 1-2) The Table 1 above illustrates the four optional growth strategies (Ansoff, 2010, p 1-2). It is evident that Carrefour has successfully continued to implement the market and product diversification strategy by localizing its product and service offerings in most of the countries internationally within which it operates. It is also observed that it is able to continuously diversify into new markets based on the expertise gleaned from earlier international forays and localizing their offerings to suit the local requirements and preferences. Modes of entry The Carrefour group appears, through its choice of entry methods, to realise either the necessity or legal compulsion for a partner in nearly all international markets. Managerial control is typically sought after, and this is especially evident for Carrefour as well as for Delhaize, the Belgian retailer (Burt, et al, 2007, p 5-18). Carrefours conventional model of investment involves joint venturing and collaborating followed by either consolidation or divestment depending on whether the performance and market share grows or stagnates, states Burt (1994, p 391-410). Its merger with Promodes initiated broader variations of management control mechanisms leading to franchising and affiliation becoming more widespread than in the past. These mechanisms were actively followed in certain markets (Burt, et al, 2007, p 5-18). It is, however, noteworthy that its core hypermarket operations remain mainly a Carrefour led activity. Carrefour currently controls directly only 58 percent of the approximately 12,000 stores operating under the groups various fronts. Whilst 9 percent of its hypermarket network only is franchised, almost 93% of its convenience stores acquired from Promodes are franchised. Promodà ¨ss origins as a wholesaler are mirrored in the strength of this small store network as well as the management control mechanisms deployed (Burt, et al, 2007, p 5-18). During the subsequent few years post its Belgian expansion, it forayed into Spain and also brought the hypermarket format to Latin America during 1975. In Latin America, it adopted the self-funding model and restricted starting capital for one store and a half only. It only launched its second store once it was able to produce sufficient funds from the first stores operations. This discipline compelled Carrefour to continue experimenting at the first store until its success within the local market (Lal, et al, 2004, p 289-293). The entry and exit activities of three of the major European retail players, Carrefour, Delhaize and Ahold (Dutch), bears observation. Considering that there is a proliferation of individual markets, a possibly astonishing conclusion of the geographical mapping of businesses of these three groups is that, in none of these markets, do they compete directly (Burt, et al, 2007, p 5-18). One result of the recent reconsideration of the retailers market portfolios is the asset swops that are in effect now. Globalising retailers, including the ones that are comparatively new to globalisation have the prospect to obtain chains, stores or sites in other countries from other global retailers instead of local market operators (Burt, et al, 2007, p 5-18). Carrefours experience is that it pays to be the earliest to penetrate the foreign market and also that the entry mode should be via Greenfield operations (Lal, et al, 2004, p 289-293). But, in several foreign markets, there may not be a choice in this regard because of local market regulations and the entrant may be forced to follow a joint venture formula (Lal, et al, 2004, p 289-293). Some Countries exited Carrefour operates 42 stores in Thailand, counting 34 hypermarkets. It is the fifth largest organised food distribution retailer in Thailand with a 6% market share, à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬723m of net sales and EBITDA of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬67m for the 12 months to 30 June 2010 (Carrefour, 2010, p 1-2). Big C, Groupe Casinos subsidiary, is Thailands second largest hypermarket operator, with 69 hypermarkets generating à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1.7bn net sales over the same period (Carrefour, 2010, p 1-2). Carrefour has recently confirmed an agreement with Big C for the divestment, after 14 years, of its operations in Thailand with the deal valued à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬868million. This valuation amounts to 120% of the net sales of the business being sold with 13.0 x EBITDA multiple. The deal is anticipated to close during the first quarter of 2011 (Carrefour, 2010, p 1-2). Carrefours strategic sale of its operations in Thailand is to enable the group to direct its resources towards the markets where it can occupy or occupies a leadership position and can get the maximum return on its capital employed. The growth prospects for its Thai operations did not permit the Group to envision a leading position either within the medium or short term (Carrefour, 2010, p 1-2). On the back of its successful retail history, Carrefour on its own ventured into South Korea, a completely unknown territory, without a local partner. Due to this reason, it was unable to understand the market. Carrefour deployed most of its top management personnel for South Koreas from France which was not appreciated by the local employees (Khan, 2010, p 7-11). The company did not localise its stores and the products were not stocked as per the requirements and inclinations of Korean consumers. Though bulk purchases were proffered at economical prices, suitable research was not conducted. They did not realise that there were only a few customers that preferred bulk purchases. As such, during April 2006, Carrefour sold its South Korean operations for approximately $1.3billion (Khan, 2010, p 7-11). Carrefours departure from Russia is rather astonishing given that its first store in the country was launched just two quarters earlier. The reason given has been the influence from the key shareholders Bernard Arnault and Colony Capital. These are the same investors pressurising Carrefour to exit its business from the Asian and Latin American markets. These businesses are forecasted to be valued anywhere from $17billion to $20billion. Their sale could shore up Carrefours underperforming share price (Stych, 2010, p 1-2). Conclusions Carrefour has successfully evolved over five decades from being the largest retail player in France to becoming the largest in Europe and the second largest globally in terms of net sales. This has resulted largely from its successful European play and the further globalisation through Latin America and Asia. Its success stems from its relentless quest for localizing its product and service offerings to fulfil the needs and preferences of its local customers in each of the countries that it ventures into. The mode of entry has largely been through the greenfield and joint venture strategies subject to the local legal requirements. The management control has been largely with the parent Carrefour. Yet, there are lessons to be learnt from unsuccessful ventures in certain countries, though the overall strategy of targeting leadership positions wherever it operates has brought success. Due to shareholder pressures to exit Latin America and Asia, it will ultimately either need to aggressively maximise its operations in those countries or redirect their resources as needed in the larger interest of all the stakeholders.

Scheduling And Progress Monitoring Analysis Construction Essay

Scheduling And Progress Monitoring Analysis Construction Essay Effective project management is important in order to ensure that projects are delivered within budget, time and to the agreed quality. It demands a comprehensive understanding of the key stages, which are critical to success, in the life cycle of a construction project. In aid of achieving good planning takes time, but it ensures that the project will be on budget, on time and also risks are minimised. It makes sure that organisational values and client requirements are clear and understood. Good planning has as a result to reduce waste deliver better design. Furthermore, it helps the project team to manage better with risks as they happen, which otherwise possibly will cause greater delay and increased costs (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). This section describes the scheduling and progress monitoring activities for managing the project with supporting processes like as change control. The schedule is also known as the time plan. The project sponsor, through the project manager, is responsible for scheduling and monitoring progress. A programme, in the context of construction projects, is a schedule that identifies the work to be carried out as a series of activities and plots the time periods required to execute and complete each activity and the interdependencies between each activity (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Schedule is a diagrammatic representation of activities and their time relationship. Also, schedule is known as project programme. (Construction Industry Council, 1996). A programme also controls resources needed and their availability. It is essential to know possible risks or problems. The project manager must check the schedule and progress monitoring against progress already achieved in aid of understanding where difficulties and risks are possibly to arise and to establish different course of action in order to reduce their impact. (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Risk management is a core process within any business or organization regardless of size, activity or sector. Individuals and organizations can lose substantial sums of money as a result of not paying sufficient attention to the identification and management of threats to their goals and to the projects they commission. Similarly, full advantage cannot be taken of potentially beneficial opportunities arising in the course of their activities if these are not recognized in good time. The project sponsor must be capable to identify those tasks that lie on the critical path. Critical path is the shortest possible time based on hypothesis about the tasks to be carried out and the resources available. Time for the processes should be integrated as specific activities in the schedule of the project. The schedule is an estimate that is based on considered assumptions on issues such as likely risk (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Some estimation might prove to be wrong. Some deviations might be expected but these will accepted if they do not affect the critical path and the project is finished on time. Techniques include bar and Gantt charts and network planning help with progress monitoring. Bar and Gantt charts define an uncomplicated view of activities aligned with timetables. Network planning is especially useful for complex projects because it links dependent activities in a logical order (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). The project sponsor must make an effort in order that final schedule to be simple and straightforward. The networks of activities of the final schedules, and the interrelationships between them should be sophisticated and comprehensive. They must be rapidly understood of the project sponsor that is why color-coded bar charts are used as management control documents (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Schedule planning tasks The project manager must report on schedule planning to the project sponsor on behalf of the project team. The project manager must produce a work breakdown structure (WBS). WBS defines the work content of the project in terms of basic elements, work packages, generic tasks and detailed tasks (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). The main schedule planning must show how elements affect each other. It defines activities and also establishes the logical relationships of the activities. It determines the work content, the duration and the required resources of each activity. Furthermore, it also defines the critical path, which determines the duration of the project. Finally, it can optimize the time plan by resource leveling. Resource leveling compares the calculated requirements with those actually available and recalculates the network to spread resources more evenly (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Progress monitoring Progress monitoring includes reviewing monthly progress reports produced by the project manager with others in the integrated project team (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Progress monitoring must focus on critical activities and warn the SPOs attention in the proper time in order to appropriate actions to be taken as soon as possible. The project sponsor must understand the total rate of the whole progress in order to judge the forecast completion date. In order to measure the progress, the percentage completion of an activity can be measure in terms of cost and time. The planned progress must be compared with the actual progress. Also progress can be measure the work in progress by taking account of milestones of the project. Any impact on critical must be checked in order to finish the project on time. Furthermore progress can be monitored by the payment progress and from resources still required. (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). An essential element of process monitoring is the process of tome control. A time control system can cover time budget, time plan and time checking. Time budget represents the overall project duration as developed by specific constrains of the project in the contract strategy. It is the period which fixed one time and from that moment becomes one of the most important parameters for management of the project. Time plan is a division of total time into interlinked time allowances for identifiable activities, which can be defined start and finish points. Time checking is monitoring the time actually spent on each activity and compared it with the allowance in the time plan. If any divergence is identified, it must be reported as soon as possible. (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). In the case that an activity on the critical path exceeds its time allowance later activities must re-sequenced, or try to shorten the planned time for future critical activities by increasing the resources (extra cost) for the specific activities. If neither is possible to be done, the project will finish late. The project sponsor must understand that time control is as essential during the planning stages as the construction stages of the project. (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Progress reports Progress reports are essential reports in the whole process of the project, because they keep the project sponsor informed about the project progress. They discover problems and choices for their resolution. Additionally, they provide the necessary information to enable the project sponsor to make decisions on time. Progress reports demonstrate that the integrated project team executes their responsibilities properly and that the management processes procedures and controls are operating successfully. They provide an authority, and a communication tool in a simple and comprehensive format, for the whole project team. Furthermore they provide a time reference for meetings and plans. In addition the gathering of statistics by the department permits external monitoring and identify best practice and support of improvement in performance. (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Change control Change can be handled most successfully through project planning and control. Change for any reason must be treated as a project risk. Changes to design, especially after contract award, are one of the major causes of time and cost overruns and poor value for money. Changes arise mainly as a result of unclear or ambiguous project definition, poor communication, inadequate time spent in project planning and risk management, or changing circumstances (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). Changes can be reduced by making sure that the project brief is comprehensive and has the stakeholders agreement. They can be minimized by taking account of present and proposed legislation. Furthermore, early discussions with stakeholders must be done in the early stages in order to anticipate their requirements. Site investigations and conditions surveys must be undertaken early in the stages. The designs must adequately develop early in the project and definably before constructions plans are committed. Finally, a proactive project management in order to identify and managing risks will have as a result to minimize changes (Office of Government Commerce, 2003). A change control procedure must consider the factors, which will mention below, before approval is given for the change. It must taking account of the reasons for the change, and for its source, which is responsible for wanting the change. The consequences of the change in terms of quality, cost and time. It must consider the risks and their impacts associated with the change. In addition, alternatives to the proposed change must be evaluated properly. It must checked proposals for avoiding time overrun and source of funding of any cost overrun. Finally, it must consider client approval for the change. After a detailed evaluation of the change confirms that it offers value of money and that the client accepts any impacts the approval of the change is given by SRO. Furthermore, the investment decision maker will approve any additional funding which exceeds the amount allowed in the risk allowance.

Women in Muslim Society :: essays papers

Women in Muslim Society 1 ABSTRACT In the western society today there is a stereotypical belief that Islamic women are treated unequally and cruelly. The object of this report is to challenge this stereotype and the argument of gender equality within the Islamic Religion/Muslim society. 2 INTRODUCTION The status of women in the Muslim society is neither a new issue nor a fully settled one. The position of Islam on this issue has been among the subjects presented to the Western reader with the least objectivity. This report is intended to provide a brief and authentic display of what Islam stands for in regard to women within their beliefs. The teachings of Islam are based essentially on the Qur'an (God's revelation) and Hadeeth (elaboration by Prophet Muhammad). The Qur'an and the Hadeeth provide the basic source of authentication for any position or view which is attributed to Islam. This report focuses on the position of Islam regarding the status of woman in society 3 METHODOLOGY The information of this report was obtained through:  Mullah, Hassan Ismahael- One of the priests (Mullah^s) of the Gold Coast Islamic community. Mullah Ismahael was approached with the question over equal rights within his religion and its typecasts. In response he stated that ^he opposed these stereotypes for it is against the true meaning of Islam, Muslims do not believe in such inequality^ and with this he was a main source of information quoting from the Qur'an and Hadeeth plus giving his viewpoint in many aspects of this religion.  Qur'an (God's revelation) and Hadeeth (elaboration by Prophet Muhammad).  Library resources  The Internet 4 WOMAN IN ISLAM 4.1 The Spiritual Aspect The Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that woman is completely equated with man in the sight of God in terms of her rights and responsibilities. The Qur'an states: "Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38). It also states: ...So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You proceed one from another ...(Qur'an 3: 195). Woman according to the Qur'an is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both were jointly wrong in their disobedience to God, both repented, and both were forgiven. (Qur'an 2:36, 7:20 - 24). In one verse in fact (20:121), Adam specifically, was blamed. In terms of religious obligations, such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, and Pilgrimage, woman is no different from man. In some cases indeed, woman has certain advantages over man. For example, the woman is exempted from the daily prayers and from fasting during her menstrual periods

Personal Narrative: Goodbye My Best Friend Essay -- essays research pa

Goodbye It is amazing how many things we take for granted. We make plans for the day, and don't think twice about how those plans can be taken away in the blink of an eye. I never thought much about it myself, until I was faced with the shock, and undeniable truth of my cousin's death. I don't think anyone really thinks about tragedy until they are actually faced with shocking news. It was a bright and warm summer morning when I woke from a good night sleep. Nothing prepared me for the dark, gloomy and sad day ahead of me. You see, this was the day that my cousin and childhood best friend passed away in an auto accident. Bright, intelligent, loving and caring 16 year old, these are words to describe her but let me to you how I seen her. From as early as I can remember her and I we... Personal Narrative: Goodbye My Best Friend Essay -- essays research pa Goodbye It is amazing how many things we take for granted. We make plans for the day, and don't think twice about how those plans can be taken away in the blink of an eye. I never thought much about it myself, until I was faced with the shock, and undeniable truth of my cousin's death. I don't think anyone really thinks about tragedy until they are actually faced with shocking news. It was a bright and warm summer morning when I woke from a good night sleep. Nothing prepared me for the dark, gloomy and sad day ahead of me. You see, this was the day that my cousin and childhood best friend passed away in an auto accident. Bright, intelligent, loving and caring 16 year old, these are words to describe her but let me to you how I seen her. From as early as I can remember her and I we...

Schiaparelli vs Chanel

In Judith Thurman’s article for The New Yorker, â€Å"Mother of Invention in Fashion† she tells of the life and fashion influence of designer Elsa Schiaparelli. The name may not be familiar to fashion outsiders but the Italian designer emerged around the same time period as the better-known Coco Chanel. While Chanel is most known for her simple cut clothing and classic designs, Schiaparelli is known for her courageous use of eclectic patterns and colorful zippers.In a world of fashion where firsts are a rarity, Schiaparelli is recognized for innovations such as the overall, the power suit, colored hosiery and the wedge, a shoe that has yet to go out of style just to name a few. She had the boldness to design scarf dresses in bright fuchsia and mix and match sportswear in an array of knits. She was there for society during a time of adventure and outspokenness and through her daring designs she gave women an outlet to express themselves.During World War II Schiaparelli p ut designing on the backburner due to the political situation and instead used her popular influence to help raise funds for various French relief charities. She refused to design clothes at such a time of suffering and terror and through this act she showed her solidarity and strong ethics. Her rival, Gabrielle â€Å"Coco† Chanel was shacked up with a Nazi officer at the fancy Ritz while women were wearing her black designs to funerals for the many that were dying throughout the country.As the war came to an end Chanel came back strong with her original designs as simple and as black as ever just what society needed-mindless outfits. This society who was once willing to work and try to stand out, now just wanted to blend into the sorrowful world that the war had turned life into, they didn’t want to think at all. In the time of pre World War II, society was willing to go out of their way for fashion, to strive to stand out and be bold, to try and to work for it. Schap arelli was a â€Å"poet of couture† as Thurman calls her, â€Å"she designed clothes for an emboldened and unbeholden New Woman†.(Thurman, 1) Postwar the world was in a conservative state, the demand for fuchsia and graphic knitwear was not high, and â€Å"her work was out of tune with the tastes of a conservative postwar public†. (Thurman, 3) The innovative work of Schaparelli was recognized and at a time useful to the general public but its uniqueness was not good enough to stay in society’s minds and unlike Chanel, it did not become a household name. Women no longer wanted to be outspoken, they instead wanted their clothing to speak for them.The little black dress practically invented by Chanel did just that-it spoke for itself. Throughout decades Chanel has created a following strong enough that in a sense it is its own category of style and has kept its affluent name throughout depressions and economic plights. The highest forms of royalty, the great est icons and even the First Ladies of America clad themselves in the classic tweed of Chanel. The mindlessness of being able to rely on the classic cut, the clean lines and the dependent mix of grays and blacks are what makes Chanel a â€Å"go-to† for recognized and upper class women.Chanel represents the adaptation of fashion, postwar women did not want to try, they did not want to â€Å"think too hard† or work for fashion. Chanel doesn’t want you to work at all, her clothing is meant to be worn and say enough for you, one of her classics, the little black dress symbolizes a woman putting on a dress that speaks for itself, it screams classy and timeless. Thurman writes, in reference to monumental breakthroughs such as â€Å"monotheism, penicillin, the little black dress, â€Å"history tends to remember those who have one big idea.† (1) Chanel had big ideas, even if they were adapted from what was already invented, and those ideas were timeless. When on e is wearing Chanel that is what is seen, it is not the women in Chanel that stands out but the Chanel on the woman. The little black dress which is casually referred to by today’s designers as the â€Å"LBD† has become such a staple that rarely will a woman’s closet be lacking at least one. A little black dress is hardly as exciting and conversational as a hot pink pantsuit or as daring as sportswear with animal shaped buttons, but its black simplicity is mindless.It was exactly how society wanted its women to behave at the end of the 1940’s; the little black dress spoke for them because nobody wanted them to speak for themselves. A woman standing in the corner at a dinner party wearing Chanel does not need to be attended to, the fact that she is donning Chanel says just enough. She is wealthy, she is taken care of and anything she feels the need to say is being said by her Chanel outfit. One of the best known images of the little black dress is in Blake Edward’s film adaptation of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s.Audrey Hepburn plays the naive yet eccentric character of Holly Golightly and her look has become legendary. Her hair pulled tightly into a bun and a never ending strand of pearls wrapped around her neck all of which accessorize her classic little black dress and a long stemmed cigarette that she has, without fail, permanently in hand. Hepburn, frequently clad in Chanel, prances around the city as if it is her playground, nonchalantly yet tragically running with a different gentleman every evening.It would seem that she enjoys their company but she refers to them as â€Å"rats† during her daily rants to her new companion and neighbor. This character remains unnamed in the book but through the film we learn that his name is Paul, although Holly finds him uncannily familiar to his brother and insists on calling him Fred. Holly Golightly’s behavior is eccentric and sometimes unprompte d and in both the film and the novel the audience and readers are able to grasp this unpredictable aspect of her personality.Edwards and Capote’s depiction of Holly is incredibly different in their respective portrayals of this wild character. Although the storylines differ each of their portrayals successfully convey Holly as the entertaining woman that she is. Capote’s version makes readers push themselves and question Holly as a character is she a phony? Is her behavior really past her? Does Holly not see what is going on? Readers are delving deep and thinking hard to understand the Holly Golightly in the text. We are looking deep into her character and trying to see her for who she is, to understand this seemingly complex woman.But then there is something about the Holly Golightly that Blake Edwards has created, a facade that appears in part due to her memorable ensemble. The movie’s Holly Golightly is easier for the audience to understand and empathize with . There is no thinking involved, just a beautiful face and a simple little black dress. The Chanel-clad Holly allows us to look at her without really looking into her, we are satisfied with what we see and our judgment is left at that. The Chanel little black dress is speaking for Holly and it is giving off an impression that leaves the audience excusing her for her petty actions.One of the most notable differences between the movie and the book is the ending that Paramount pictures completely changed from how Truman Capote first wrote it. Holly’s main eccentricity is that she is constantly traveling, never being able to settle in one place that she finds herself comfortable in. â€Å"I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I'm not sure where that is†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Capote,) At the end of the novel Holly remains her true nomadic and the last readers hear of her is through a postcard sent from Brazil to the narrator, like expected she has not settled down.Then there is the film version of Holly, a character who we choose to take for what she is, whatever that may be. In the film the narrator Paul/Fred, is able to convince Holly to stay in New York, as he departs from a taxicab ride with her the audience thinks this is the last time they will ever see each other and the narrator, a man who is clearly head over heels for Holly, gives her a peace of his mind, and a glimpse into his broken heart: â€Å"You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-You-Are?You're chicken; you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, â€Å"Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness. You call yourself a free spirit, a wild thing, and you're terrified somebody's going to stick you in a cage. Well, baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself†¦it's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you ju st end up running into yourself.†(Breakfast at Tiffany’s) Then to reader’s surprise but to audiences content Holly returns the narrator’s gestures! The Holly in the book would have never settled for love and given in to one man Holly was a traveler never settling for one man or one address. The Holly in the movie has just been put in her place and audiences expect this of her and they accept it. Of course the lady in Chanel will fall in love in this fairytale-like rainy scene.For a Schiaparelli wearing character we expect more, we don’t expect her to take such confrontation and to be told where she stands in the world, but the Chanel wearing woman will be swept off her feet and won over by her neighborly suitor. How is it that courtesy is given to the Holly Golightly in the film but yet the novel’s version of Holly would never be excused like this? Society, being the funny unpredictable way it is has the ability to turn its head at certain ev ents or times.In Thurman’s article we see that Schiaparelli and Chanel started off on equal ground but it is only one designer that is still around today: â€Å"Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli launched their fashion houses in the first decades of the last century like two rockets with equal payloads of ambition. Chanel settled into the lower and brighter-more visible-orbit, which the gravity of convention begins to erode. Schiaparelli exerts her influence like a distant celestial body on women and designers who may see hot pink when they free-associate her name, but who otherwise have no precise image of her work.†(Thurman, 1) For such originality, Schiaparelli was merely lost in the times and is only a memory with no precise image attached to her name. Was she who we should have remembered? While Schiaparelli was working for a good cause during the war and using her resources to raise money for French charities, Chanel was holed up decadently with a Nazi officer liv ing a lifestyle totally oblivious to the world’s events. Yet society turns its head and excuses Chanel’s actions just as quickly as they forget Schiaparelli’s heroic ones.Schiaparelli might not have been lost in the times had she made it simpler on us, had she tended to society’s needs. We give Chanel the courtesy that we give Edward’s version of Holly Golightly and we give Schiaparelli no courtesy at all. Edward’s Holly Golightly makes it easy to fall for her quirky little expressions and disregard towards the real world, the fairytale ending we are left with is simple and does not leave the audience wondering and digging deeper and for that we love the simplicity and mindlessness of the film’s Holly Golightly.It is the Holly Golightly in the film adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany’s that has become illustrious throughout the years; her timelessness has stuck around like Chanel’s while the original novella’s fame has fizzled out like Schiaparelli’s. Like Chanel, the film version of Holly Golightly is one that the audience does not have to work to understand. Readers are sick of working to understand Truman Capote’s original Breakfast at Tiffany’s like women were sick of working to understand Schiaparelli.Sometimes it is the easy and the mindless that society not only wants but needs, and they are willing to throw all originality out the window for it. Works Cited Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Dir. Blake Edwards. Paramount Pictures, 1961. DVD. Capote, Truman. Breakfast At Tiffany’s. New York: Vintage Books, 1993. Thurman, Judith. â€Å"Mother of Invention in Fashion. † The New Yorker 27 Oct. 2003: 1-3. Print.

Different Modes of Thought

Courses are different to turn from the up-to-the-minute to the post modern in the dominion of philosophy and other theoretical dissertations, having the representation of complex pedigree of various and often deviating shadows through diverse restraints and cultural territories. In The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity (Habermas 1987), in a way showed how a pathway moves through a practice of irrationalism from romanticism to existentialism to French postmodernism. French postmodern theory had proliferation on the said movements through the figures of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Bataille.According to Lyotard, every utterance in the language games is thought of as a move in a game, and â€Å"to speak is to fight [†¦ ] speech acts fall within the domain of a general agonistics. † By linking each statement to one another, there can be an analysis with these terms in a game with specific rules as Lyotard refers speculative discourse as a language game. He gave the name diffe rend in a language game to the calming player. The differend exist when the procedures for what is different to be presented in the contemporary sphere of influence of discourse have no agreement.This can be a suggestion, criticism or aesthetic principle. The stillness of an impossibility of wording an injustice is marked by the differend. The measurement of a unique state of mind which distinguishes its inability to find an object sufficient to the inspirational feeling, the inspirational sensitivity does not come from the object. Powerlessness is a sign by the sublime wherein it becomes the untainted sign when it is understood by the indication of the differend.An event that is historical is an instance of the differend in which a philosopher is tasked to search out for these signs to be given expression by an existing variety of discourse (EGS 2008). There are three remarks about language games. First, legitimating does not carry rules with themselves however they are the object of an agreement, explicit or not, between players. This only means that the players somehow invent the rules. Secondly, there is no game without having such rules. It is a necessity to the games because it serves as a guide to distinguish how players will lose or win to make a fair judgment to both parties.And lastly, utterances are considered as â€Å"moves† in a game. Best example is in basketball. Players in this game do not only play physically but also ethically and morally. Once a player says obscene words against a player or any official during the game, it is somewhat a point against him. This final examination and inspection conveys us to the primary standards fundamental in our technique in one piece is, speaking is fighting, in the good judgment of taking part in, and verbal communication as in talking takes actions to drop within the sphere of influence of a universal anguishes.But does not directly suggests that winning is the primarily concern when playing. For the absolute satisfaction of its creation a particular move is made. The involvement of struggle of language aggravation carried out by trendy speech and by literature is that enormous ecstasy is had in the infinite creation of rotations of expresses, of statements and implications, the development following the advancement of language on the height of parole.But unquestionably even this gratification is dependent on a feeling of accomplishment succeeded at the price of a challenge – at least one adversary, and a redoubtable one: the acknowledged language, or suggestion. (Lyotard 1984) Losing the sight of the second principle which sets as a balance to it and presides over our examination that the discernible social bond is composed of language â€Å"moves† should not happen by the influence of the idea of agonistics of language.The core of everything at hand is at the end of the elucidation of this proposition. In the Modes of Discourse: The local structure of texts, book by Carlota Smith, she mentioned about the Discourse Mode which she broadened an argument for the position that there is an appropriately linguistic stage in discourse stated that the earlier unsuccessful linguistic approaches to discourse are over-reaction made by the pragmatic turn.The observation of linguistic regularities in adjacent sentences is made possible by text passages like the successions of at least two sentences which belong to different discourse approaches that are determined by the types if discourse units such as occasions, states, overviews, concepts which are being introduced in the course and the form of progression from one discourse entity to the next which is called simply as the â€Å"semantic progression†. In nature, it can be temporal or a temporal.Narrative, Description, Report, Information and Argument are the five discourse modes Smith recognizes. These modes speak about regular models of linguistic forms in texts to regular understandings t hereof which claimed to be linguistic units. Having an investigation on questions as how linguistic properties of passages can shed light on features made by Smith aside from making an argument for the existence of linguistic discourse modes and elucidating the characteristics of their features which are shared by all discourse modes.Expressions of subjectivity in the sense of point of views and the effects of â€Å"surface presentation† in the sense of commentary and focus-background modulations in discourse are of these features. As what had Lyotard stated, in relation to Smith’s ideology, linguistics is not just mere verbal or nonverbal concepts. It also deals with various considerations and factors. These can be culture, environment, traditions and customs, religion and others.Two people of different races, geographical locations can have a vague interpretation to a certain subject or topic or just to a plain word. Diversity is a major concern but can be arranged o r managed if appropriateness is dealt with. As a language game, rationalism comes with its own rules of engagement—objectivity, certainty, universality, instrumentality and predictability. However, the game is played within various â€Å"forms of life† (Lebensformen) and the latter provide the background and context against and in which the game plays out its sense and reference (Schrag, 1997, p.32).Discourse as a concept is introduced as a theoretical refinement of the concept of paradigm and applied to the sets of knowledge claims of the natural and social sciences. Horizontal differentiation defines particular modes of sociological discourse and vertical differentiation from everyday discourses defines general modes of scientific discourse. Science is the best medium for the concerns on diversity. Scientific names and such others are universally accepted that is why there would never be a problem on confusion, misconceptions and misunderstanding.It is another langua ge that unifies other language speakers used for scholarly studies and to communicate about indefinite species. Lyotard is claiming that the conventional idealistic measures and evaluation of knowledge and genuineness within the restraints are but interior legends, which efforts to disagree with the societal foundation of omnipotence or all-knowing. The postmodern point of view like an amount of other scholarly practices and traditions, announces that all human comprehension and understanding is integrated through a shared cultural leveling, and is a social edifice.