Mass communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mass communication - Essay Example Moreover, the analysis will consider the two pertinent arguments that seek to define the ways in which the media and culture interact with society. For such a purpose, it is necessary to view â€Å"the media† as a solitary entity rather than a conglomerate of multi-dimensional pieces. Although such a definition is somewhat simplistic, it is one of the only ways that such a broad topic can be attempted to be researched and answered in such a brief piece. Firstly, many scholars have sought to portray the way in which the media interacts with and defines culture as a mechanism by which one is forcefully shaping the other in a way that exhibits the strength and power of one over the other. This approach has been used by many to draw a level of inference with respect to the ways in which the media has a direct or indirect effect in attempting to mold and direct the shape of a given culture (Salomon 1997, p. 379). As such, this interpretation necessarily takes the view that the medi a is somehow operating in a type of vacuum and has the strength to both mold and shape the beliefs, attitudes, and norms/mores of society in which it interacts. Although this can to a large extent be realized to be partially true, the fact of the matter is that the media is itself integrally tied to the concept and understanding of culture. In this way, it cannot be fully understood to be a foreign force that is acting upon culture as a means to influence it. However, to the credit of those that espouse such a view of the media, it should be understood that recent changes and direction in the media actually helps to add a degree of credence to such a worldview. Years past, the media itself was a massive conglomeration of different firms and interests that could be divided amongst radio, television, movie industry, newspaper, magazine, entertainers, production entities etc. However, there has been a definite and pronounced trend within the past 30-40 years to have what can only be de fined as a more integrated representation of the media within our world. This is not the result of some sinister plot to control the minds and culture of our current society; rather, it is merely the fact that the media industries are like any other business and seek to continually differentiate themselves and seek out new opportunities, reduce competition, and open themselves to new markets and new consumers of their products. As a means to earn more profits and generate a higher degree of market share, mergers have been a trend within the media industries for the better part of the past several decades. As such, the aforementioned groups that make up the media industry within the world have become more and more related; thereby creating a situation in which but a handful of dominant media firms seemingly dictate multiple sectors of the media. This has caused many people to assume that due to the non-penetration of free market players into the industry it necessarily means that the media as such has a powerful and monopolistic effect on interacting with and defining culture (Mallia 2011, p. 33). However, as will be analyzed in the proceeding section, such an approach is somewhat narrow-minded. Due to the fact that each of these media sectors ultimately seeks to operate in the same way that any firm would (i.e. to generate profits), the behavior of the entity is not unpredictable or

Reactivity series for common metals experiment Essay Example for Free

Reactivity series for common metals experiment Essay Aim To see if a common metal is reactive or strong enough to replace/push out/displace another common metal from its liquid compound. Hypothesis My prediction will be: the most reactive metal shown by the reactivity series will show if the metal can displace or not the metal in the compound. For example my hypothesis in a reaction of Mg and Pb is that; Mg being a more reactive metal in the reactivity series will displace Pb, a least reactive metal in the series. Equipment 1. A chart with spaces big enough to proceed with the reaction. With the names of each different metals. For obvious reasons put an x from the top left corner to the inferior left corner. 2. A glass bigger than the chart for the paper for protection of it. 3. Each solid metal and metal compound for the reaction: Solid Metals: Magnesium (4), Copper(4), Iron(4), Zinc(4), Lead(4). Liquid Metal Compounds: Copper Sulphate, Iron Chloride, Magnesium Sulphate, Zinc Nitrate, Lead Nitrate. 4. A teat pipette. 5. Another table, but smaller, to record data. Procedure/Method 1. Get all required elements you are going to need, this elements are listed above. 2. Put the glass on top of the table of reactions. 3. Clean all metals, until they are shiny and clean. 4. Place 4 times the same metal on its corresponding column and different square; for all the metals(5). 5. Add carefully with the teat pipette one or two drops of the metal compound indicated directly onto the solid metal. 6. Observe for changes, take into account that if the texture or color are altered, it means that there has been displacement, reaction. 7. Write your observations. 8. Results should be written in a neat table, as tick if there was reaction, X if there was none and ? If not sure. 9. Analyze and conclude from your data. Data Analysis From the table above, we can conclude that the most reactive metal is Magnesium (Mg), since it reacts with all the metal compounds except itself (Magnesium Sulphate). Then will come Zinc (Zn) , reacting with 2 Metal Compounds. Iron(Fe) will be less reactive than Zn and reacting with only 1 Metal Compound. Finally the least reactive Solid Metal will be Copper and Lead, reacting with none metal compounds. Conclusion 1. Write down the order of reactivity you found: Based on the graphic above; the reactivity order i found: 3. Suggest why some squares were marked with an X on the grid. The diagonal squares in the grid from top left hand corner to lower right hand corner were marked with an X because it is pretty obvious that a metal can not displace the same metal on the compound; because it has the same reactivity and atoms on the last shell in the atom. So for example, Copper will not displace Copper on the compound: Copper Sulphate. 4. Referring to your text book. Is there any metal that does not seem to be behaving as its position says it should? Can you find any reasons for this? Well referring to the reaction series there are some metals i found which do not fit in the reaction series, this are Copper and Lead; well copper and lead should not be tied, the reactivity series show that Lead is more reactive than copper, and by this it should be first in the reactivity order. i think there are 2 possible ways to explain why this happens: Since the results we did were not very accurate and Lead and Copper are very close in the reactivity series, maybe we did not noticed the reaction of Lead or Copper, or maybe there wasnt in neither of them, well it is very possible that the reaction of them was not too noticeable to see the difference between them, but even though there was. The other possible way, could be that the metals werent very clean before we tested them, and so this could have altered and prevented a reaction in Lead. Evaluation In general we did a great effort with my teammate in the lab, we applied exactly two drops of the metal compound to the metal solid, tried every metal to be clean , but unfortunately we needed machinery to polish every single metal but we did not had it, we just had to do our best at trying to polish them. Another problem we did had, was to handle the spaces and the arrangement of the metals within their boxes in the lab; well we applied a small square to each experiment, we frequently had the metal compound spreading into other boxes, damaging the fair results of the other experiments. One solution could be to apply bigger spaces and arrange each metal at the center of its box.

Young Americans Must Vote! Essay -- Politics Political Argumentative

Young Americans Must Vote! Why vote? This is a major question among many young Americans today. America's youth, does not take the time to read articles, observe the news, or pay attention to presidential debates and campaigns due to their busy schedules. This creates two problems. First, young voters have little knowledge of current issues in the election. Also as a result, they are unaware of the importance of voting. Each presidential election stirs up an old controversy of whether to vote or not to vote. There are many young people who think that voting is not important; I believe that it is. By voting you are exercising your right as an American to voice your opinion, and young Americans need to become aware of this. One of the many young adults that is against voting in this year’s presidential election is Robert Klassen. Robert Klassen in a member of the League of Non-Voters, which is an organization that â€Å"is the focal point for the idea that political government doesn’t work and, contrary to conventional wisdom, democracy may be the worst form of it of all" (http://www.non-voters.org/). In his essay titled â€Å"Don’t Vote!,† Klassen makes arguments of why people should not vote in this year’s election. Klassen feels as if our government is criminal, the majority rule is unfair, the president is a tyrant, and we do not have freedom. This however is a tragedy, since democracy and our freedom to vote is part of what defines our country. Although I do not agree with Klassen on many of his claims I do agree with him when he states, â€Å"Americans have always been busy people preoccupied with their own lives and they pay remarkably little attention to what our full-time political government is really doing.† Thi... ... position of senator by one vote. Also in the 1960 presidential election, one additional voter per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Texas would have elected Richard M. Nixon instead of John F. Kennedy as president (http://www.insuredemocracy.com/vote.htm). When you register to vote, the government collects these statistics on what age groups are registered to vote. If they see that a large majority of potential votes come from young people, then politicians are more inclined to focus on what is important to young people. All you need to do is take a little time to educate yourself about the election. For more information on voting and registering to vote, go to www.rockthevote.com or www.declareyourself.com. As young Americans we need to come together and have a say in what happens to the future of our country. Get educated, get involved, and VOTE !!!

Amazon Rainforest

Amazon Rainforest I am an explorer and I just returned from an expedition to the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon rainforest was amazing and there lots of facts that I would like to tell you about: [pic]The Rainforest grow around the equator. The hot, steamy conditions are perfect for plants. [pic]In fact, rainforests contain the largest diversity of plant and animal life on earth; many species are still unidentified. Rainforests form distinct layers, providing homes for animals at all levels. [pic]The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest remaining natural resource that now represents 54% of the total rainforest left on earth. pic]More than 20% of earth’s oxygen is produced in this area the name of that area is called ‘lungs of the planet’. [pic]An estimated number of 2,700 million acres of the rainforest are burned each year. [pic]The rainforest is one of the wettest but hottest places on earth. August is the Amazon’s driest month. [pic]In the sout heast of England, the temperature in January is about 5 °c, where as in the Amazon it is about 28 °c. [pic]The total number of tree species is estimated to be about 2500. The total numbers of plants are about 40. 000. The Amazon insects are about 2. 5 million species.There are 7500 species of butterflies and 50 species of ants are found in a single tree. [pic]Over 500 mammals, 175 lizards and over 300 other reptiles species, and one third of the world’s birds live in Amazonia. Map of the Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest covers the area of 2. 5 million square miles, and taken up nine countries of Brazil: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and the Guiana’s, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname. Tropical rainforests are located around the equator where temperatures stay near 80 degrees year round. Rainforest receive 160 too 400 inches of rain each year.Today, rapid deforestation threatens the Amazons forests. At current rates, 25 percent of its o riginal forests are projected to be destroyed by 2020, it will be a disaster. Climate This is a climate graph showing temperature and precipitation that happens yearly. The rainfall in January to march is increasing then it falls to May from 310mm to 250 mm. The rainfall then decreases to 110mm, and then it goes back down to august by 60mm. The precipitation level ascends to December by 170mm. There was lots of rainfall in between January and May, its like monsoon in India.The temperature starts in January at the level of 130 degrees Celsius, and then it drops to 110 degrees Celsius. Temperature increased to 140 degrees Celsius in April and may. Then it went up to 150 degrees Celsius in July, afterwards it shoots up to 290 degrees Celsius in September and 300 degrees Celsius in October. The temperature drops right down to 200 degrees Celsius in December. The temperature rose and the rainforest were really hot in between August and November. As I was exploring the rainforest I notice d that it is very hot, wet and sticky- very humid. I was covered with sweat and my boots were all sticky with mud.Another thing is that it rains everyday, so regularly that you could set your watch by it. The eastern horizon becomes suddenly black, and then wind rushes through the forest, a vivid flash of lightening, a crash of thunder and finally the downpour of rain. The next day the sun rises-spring summer autumn as it were in one tropical day. There is one type of rainfall, which is called convectional rainfall, which means that the sun heats the ground, which heats the air nearest the ground causing it to expand and rise. Storms are common with convectional rainfall. The Amazon rainforest gets nine feet of rain every year.Amazon Animals Birds Rainforests contain the richest variety of the world’s birds. From the emergent layer, fast-flying predators, such as eagles and hawks, descend on forest animals. The canopy is home to birds such as hornbills, parrots, and toucans, which feed on fruit and small animals. On the forest floor birds scratch at the soil for insects and plant roots. Here are the three animals that I saw during my expedition. Sloth I saw the sloth, there were lots of them hanging in the trees. They are very unique mammals and I found them in the canopy layer. There are six to seven species of them.They are divided up into two groups: the two-toed sloth, three-toed sloth. Three-toed sloths live on cecropia leaves but two-toed sloths live high in the canopy feeding on a wide variety of leaves and fruits. They are very slow and lazy animals that live in trees. Sloths spend most of their time hanging upside down from the tree branches. They sleep, mate, eat and give birth to a baby hanging upside down. They hold onto the branches with their strong sharp curved claws that are on each of their feet, which adapt to the environment they are living. They can’t stand upright because of the large claws.In their forest habitat, however, t heir hook-like claws provide a far more reliable grip on tree branches than the grip of a normal fist. Sloths have a thick brown and slightly greenish fur coat. Sloths are about a size of a cat. They are short, flat head, big eyes, a short tail, long legs and tiny ears. Some sloths have green algae on their fur to camouflage effect and providing some nutrients to the sloths, which lick the algae. Their fur goes upside down for rainwater to drip off. Sloths also have adaptations to stay warm! Apparently the sloth’s laziness is because of its diet.They eat only leaves, which are naturally low in energy and they are hard to digest. They sleep to get energy and they sleep about for 20 hours a day. They camouflage to hide from the predators like harpy eagles, anacondas, jaguars and humans. They can live up to 12 years in the wild. They are better at swimming than walking. Anaconda- heaviest snake in the world Honestly I really hate snakes, but unfortunately I saw an anaconda resti ng in one of the trees. Luckily it wasn’t hungry. It was camouflaged so it cannot be visible. Then I found out that they are the heaviest snakes in the world.They also known as the water boa, they are giant, semi-aquatic meat-eater lives in swampy areas of tropical South America. The largest anaconda ever measured was almost 28 feet long with a girth of 44 inches. The weight was over 500 lbs. Anacondas are not poisonous but it coils itself around its prey and they crush it. Anaconda could swallow entire cow. The digestion can take up to several days. They feed mostly on capybara, humans (if necessary), fish, and mammals. Anaconda don’t use its teeth to chew, it uses it to hold on to its prey to prevent it from escaping. Hummingbirds Awww! The hummingbirds look so cute.There were lots of them. It was really colourful when they all came together into groups. They are extremely small and brilliantly coloured, their wings beating up to 80 times per second and making an aud ible buzzing sound as they  as they fly. They are incredibly fast and they don’t keep still. Hummingbirds require lots of energy. They have the fastest wing beats of any bird and their hearts beat up to 1,260 beats per minute. Hummingbirds may visit 1,000 flowers per day. For protein, hummingbirds eat spiders and strain gnats from mid-air. They will pull insects out of spider webs including the spider itself.Sapsucker holes are a double treat, netting both insects and sap! They mainly live in the canopy area. Plants As I researched on plants I discovered that many rainforest trees are tall, with straight trunks with few branches and buttress roots support them. Other plants include epiphytes, such as bromeliads and orchids. Epiphytes use other plants as support, attaching themselves to branches by their roots to reach the light. They trap water and obtain nutrients from plant material that fall on them. Bromeliads have spiky leaves that channel water, leaves and fruit into a pool in the centre; these rot to provide the bromeliad with nutrients.Structure of the Amazon rainforest trees The Emergent The upper layer can reach up to 60 m above the forest floor. Here the tallest trees of the forest stick out in isolation from the mass of trees below. The emergent layer is home to bats, predatory birds, and fruit eaters such as the sun conure. Emergent trees are the tallest trees in a rain forest canopy, the ones that get the light. When they fall, they help a lot of light reach down onto the forest floor for other trees to finally get their chance to grow. Canopy Between 30-45m above ground level is the canopy.This dense layer of branches and leaves contains the greatest variety of animal life in the forest. Lianas- woody creepers – reach up to the sunlight of the upper canopy. Plants like Epiphytes grow on canopy trees. A common term for canopy trees is shade trees. A canopy is the outer layer of the tree’s leaves, and shade trees have a dens e canopy that block out the light. Some good canopy trees include: Oaks, maples, ashes, lindens, elms, poplars, beeches, tilias, tulipwood, tree waratah,  birches, golden robinia, crepe myrtle, Japanese crab apple, ornamental pea,  flowering plum. UnderstoreyShrubs grow in the Understorey layer wherever light squeeze through the canopy. Lizards, such as the common iguana, live here, climbing up tree trunks and feeding on insects and vegetation. The Understorey is the group of small trees, shrubs and vines that grow under the taller trees. These plants can grow in the shade of the taller trees. Understorey trees usually stay short, even if they are very old. Forest floor There are few plants on the dark forest floor, but many small animals such as insects feed on and recycle material that falls from above. Almost no plants grow in this area, as a result.Since hardly any sun reaches the forest floor things begin to decay quickly. A leaf that might take one year to decompose in a r egular climate will disappear in  6 weeks. Leaf-cutter ant use leaves as a compost to grow fungus they feed on. Indian Tribes The kayapo village Traditional Kayapo villages are formed by a circle of houses built around a large cleared area. The houses from the kayapo village are mainly made from materials from the forest. Men work together as a team and a colourful parrot guides the men like where to put the stuff and etc. There are 10 houses altogether.They are made from palm trees. In the middle of the village there is the men’s house. Young and unmarried men go there. They join the senior men to paint their faces and bodies as a tradition and they learn the history of tribes and the daily basis. The river is used for fishing, bathing, cooking and drinking. Fishing is a year-round activity, but it has to be done in the dry season, when the water level is at its lowest, that fish are caught in large numbers. To achieve this, the Kayapo use timbo vines. The men beat the vin es for hours in the water with small clubs (sticks wider at one end).This decreases the oxygen of the water but this won’t poisson the fish. The fish won’t be able to breathe in the water. Then the fish floats to the other end of the water and the children catches the fish with their bare hands. Then they go back to their village and hand their fish over to their wife, if they are unmarried they will give the fish to their mother or sister. Other foods are grown in the garden where women look after them. The women harvest the family's garden for vegetables. They also prepare body paint with the help of their children. Children play hunting games.Kayapo learn portugese to help them understand the world around them. They use radios to communicate with the other tribes. Deforestation Deforestation is when the amazon tropical rainforest or any forest which is being cut down at an alarimg rate. It is estimated that 100,000 species willl become extinct in the next 40 years a s a result of deforestation. The potential for discovering new foods or medicines from these species will be lost forever. The problem is that the rainforest does not grow back. This is because most of the nutrients which the plants needs to grow are stored in the trees.Once the trees have been removed, the source of the nutrients diappears. Any goodness that is left in the soil is quickly washed away by the heavy rainfall that happens in this region. There used to be 6 million indigenous people in the amazon rainforest; today there are only 200,000 left. This is because deforestation is destroying their traditional lands, they have suffered from diseases brought in by the settlers. If deforestation is not controlled only 28 per cent of the amazon rainforest will be left by 2020. Deforestation is caused by: Agriculture- the forest has been cleared to clear farmland for large estates.Ranching- a major cause of deforestation is for beef cattle farming. Mining- the amazon is rich in mi nerals like iron ore, tin and gold – the forest is destroyed by the mines. Dams- the dams provide essential electricity, which is a renewable energy source. However the forest is flooded and wildlife will loose their habitat. Roads- 12,000 km of roads have been built in the amazon. Conclusion We can help to protect the rainforest by making sure that we do not buy any products that are responsible for trees being cut down. We can also support organisations that protect rainforests such as friends of the earth or greenpeace.Each year an area of forest slightly larger than trees are cut down, releasing global warming pollution in the form of carbon dioxide and methane from burning and decaying vegetation. Deforestation disturbs the water cycle by allowing water to runoff directly to rivers rather than being trapped in soil and vegetation and slowly released throughout the year. 85% of the Amazon rainforest may be lost due to global warming. By the end of the year the trees had r eleased more than two-thirds of the carbon dioxide they have stored during their lives, helping to act as a break on global warming.Instead they began accelerating the climate change. These are some steps for saving rainforests which are known as â€Å"TREES† Teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save rainforests. Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down. Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment Establish parks to protect rainforests and wildlife Support companies that operate in ways that minimize damage to the environment That was the end to my journey I had a lovely time. I like to go there again.

Anthem by Ayn Rand Essay

The book Anthem by Ayn Rand expresses the true meaning of the word â€Å"ego.† The definition says its meaning but the story itself shows it with actions. Ego means the self aspect of an individual that thinks, forms values, and makes judgments. In Anthem it refers to the need individuals have to be liberated from collectivism, free to use their own minds and express individual uniqueness. This word has a lot to do with the book and the purpose of the story. It recounts to it in many ways, since this is the story’s main focus. Ego relates to the book Anthem because it is the theme, and is the lesson we readers learn from it. Equality the main character of Anthem is our guided road to egoism. He is the one that leads the readers to understand the reasons his society is in need of ego. He goes after the solutions and takes dangerous risks as well. The world in which they live is so miserable, they are basically treated like robots. Equality felt like he needed to do something about it, that he needed to recover the ego that got lost in the web of dystopian inhumanities. There is where we see the relation between â€Å"ego† and the book. The whole reason why there is a problem in the story is because everyone is lacking of THE EGO that life grants each human being. As it states on page 46, â€Å"There is fear hanging in the air of the sleeping halls, and in the air of the streets. Fear walks through the City, fear without name, without shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak it.† Meaning these men are scared of their society which is why they don’t stand up for themselves and they feel fear. It all happens because they don’t have their own ego. At the end when Equality discovers what had been hidden for many years. He starts to live life the way it should had always been, that is when he finds egoism. We now see how ego turns to be the theme of Anthem. This book shows us how a different lifestyle/society can completely restrict us from the life humans are meant to have. That is the lesson I take away from this story. Ego is truly important in life and that is what Equality teaches us. He does so by showing how great his life can be when there is objectivism. He lives in the mountains in a two stories house by himself with the exception of Gaea. That is a big step towards the Unmentionable times and a better life for Equality and the ones that surround him. As it states on pages 99-100, â€Å"I shall live here, in my own house. I shall take my food from the earth by the toil of my own hands. I shall learn many secrets from my books. Through the years ahead, I shall rebuild the achievements of the past, and open the way to carry them further; the achievements which are open to me but closed forever to my brothers, for their minds are shackled to the weakest and dullest ones among them.† Asserting us he will make good use of his ego. Overall the word ego ties in very well with the book and the story’s purpose. This word is the motor that carries on the book. It is also the teaching that readers obtain. â€Å"Ego† is the best good word to represent all the barbarities that are now long gone and banned from Equality’s life. It was known as â€Å"the unspeakable word† and it turn into the salvation word. Ego relates to the book Anthem because it is the theme, and is the lesson we readers learn from it. â€Å"The word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning and the glory. The sacred word: EGO†

Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Example

Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Example Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Healthcare and Financial Issues Essay Healthcare Financial Issues The history of the American healthcare system has experienced some form of distray. Despite the introduction of the managed care (sought to bring the cost of healthcare down), Americans have expressed fear that the costs of healthcare have continued to rise. The 2010s Obamacare was introduced to reform various aspects of the American health insurance industry, and to also improve the quality and access of healthcare services. The research paper aims at exploring Obama healthcare service and how the new requirements have transformed that nature of the health of the U.S. citizenry. The concern of the paper lies in examining how the quality and value of the American health care service has changed since the introduction of the Obama healthcare service. This research uses qualitative research method; qualitative method enables the researcher to dig deeper into getting finer details aboutthe non-quantitative aspects of the topic being studied. Through qualitative research, the paper will unearth how managed care, as an an initiative, addresses the escalating costs of medical care. The research is interested to investigate how managed care can lead to effective funding and offering referals. The researcher will unmask how this healthcare tool covers services that are experimental in nature (Babbie, 2016). The research will narrow down to utilize case study reseach approach, which refers to a research whereby where the researcher is suppopsed to give a comprehensive analaysis and cccount of more than one case. The leading (foundatonal) research in this case study research would thus be put as follows: What are the major characteristics of the Obamacare case? Since the roots of the case study are interdisciplinary, the research shall draw upon various other models can be incorporated to describe and explain the Obamacare case. As classified by Babbie (2016), a caqse study research can be divided into three: e Collective case study-where researchers interest is to study and compare multiple cases in a singular research sudy; e Instrumental case study-where the interest of the researcher is to understand something more general than the obviousness of the case; e Intrisc case study-where the researchers interest lies in understand particulars ofthe case. By setting research questions, the research will be centered on sourcing the answers to these questions. The three questions to be considered include: RQ1: How has Obama healthcare service and the new requirements changed the nature of health of the US citizens? RQ2. How can Healthcare services improve quality and value in the U.S. Health Care System? RQ3. How can adequate healthcare coverage ensure all people have access to quality health services without facing financial hardship? Some of the benefits the research will seek to investigate is the shared benefit with which Obamacare service allows Americans to access it from any part of America. Since this service requires all health insurance plans to cover crucial health benefits and rights. This healthcare plan favors millions of American patients together with the uninsured citizens by ensuring that they canaccess free and low healthcare costs. It consequently allows parents to cover their childrens health up to to the age of 26, a factor that gives more benefits and returns to insurance companies andproviders. Obamacare will detrimentally lead to low costs, since it will outnumber the insurance companies that havebeen having a good number of clients who take all sorts of insurance covers. This is because the service aims at offering high quality healthcare at relatively lower costs. It negatively affect Americans who may be unwilling to buy the insurance through Obamacare tax penalties. By setting research questions, the research will be centered on sourcing the answers to these questions. Some of the considerations involved in carrying out this research include the capability to seal the gaps in knowledge needed to be derived from the research. The research will be carried out ina natural setting and would involve a process of building a holistic and complex picture of the phenomenon of interest. There are many ways through which the researcher can collaborate and enrich their work while conducting a study on a certain topic, like the Obamacare, in this case. The capability to have several iterations of the study in different settings will provide a means of validating findings. Collaboration requires many forms, including crossing discipliness (Babbie, 2016). The practitioner research addresses the investigator, the purpose, and the setting. In this case, the research seeks rightful information from the practitioner who have insight regarding the Obamacare. Reference Babbie, E. R. (2016). The practice of social research. Belmont: Wadsworth Pub. Co.

What Does It Mean To Be a Muslim Essays

What Does It Mean To Be a Muslim Essays What Does It Mean To Be a Muslim Essay What Does It Mean To Be a Muslim Essay Recent events have put the Muslim population of the world in the middle of public attention. Unfortunate events like the 9/11 terrorist’s bombings have place Muslims in a bad light because of some people’s accusations that the Islamic religion is somehow related to terrorism. Nevertheless, even though the suicide bombers who are responsible in these terrorists’ acts are indeed Muslims, it does not necessarily mean that all those people should be characterized as such. However, those people who lack the necessary knowledge about Islam as well as those people who adhere to these beliefs become susceptible in giving judgments toward the Muslims in the forms of stereotypes and prejudices. Being the case, a persisting question arises, what does it really mean to be a Muslim? To be a Muslim means to have a deep commitment towards your religion that is observable in words and in actions that is mindful of the well-being of oneself and most especi ally of other people.In order to understand what it is to be a Muslim, the meaning of the Islamic religion must first be understood. The word â€Å"Islam† means â€Å"to submit† or â€Å"submission† (Chittick, 1992, 2). Thus, Islam is defined as â€Å"voluntary submission to God’s will by following His revealed messages† (Chittick, 1992, 2). The Koran states that â€Å"Muslims† are those who freely submit to God. As such, religion is a very important aspect of being a Muslim wherein they adhere and practice the different teachings and beliefs of their religion. The principles that guide the Islamic religion are found in the Koran. The Koran or Qu’ran is a book of Holy Scriptures of the Islamic religion that contains a record of the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings, which he delivered during the seventh century (Dawood, 1990). Since, Muhammad is considered as the messenger of Allah or God; his teachings are also recognized as coming from the divine. Among the most notable principles that guide the Muslim in the practice of their faith are the Five Pillars of Islam.The five pillars of Islam are: Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj. First, the Shahadaha also known as the testimony is the basic foundation of remaining four pillars as it is considered as the gist of Islam’s central points. It is a profession of faith wherein an individual bear witness that there is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet (Schimmel, 1992). Second, the Salat or the ritual prayer, which is performed properly five times a day. Third, the Zakat or giving alms or tax is considered as a form of charity, which is given to the poor and the needy. Fourth, Sawm is the practice of fasting during the month of Ramadan. Lastly, the Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, the center of Islamic teaching, at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime (BBC, 2008). These Five Pillars served as the framework in the life of every Muslims. These also proves that Muslims give due importance to their religion by actually practicing it in their daily lives and not just merely something that believe or preach.The important element in a Muslim’s worldview is rooted in their Islamic belief. The Islamic perception of the world is concerned not only in the present situation or reality of events but it also includes the life after death or the Day of Judgment. It can be said that Muslims believe in â€Å"dual worldviews†, which makes it different from the Westerners’ view. Dissimilar to Western perspective that is dependent on logical reasoning and rationality, Muslims still based their views mainly from the Koran (Asri and Fahmi, 2004). This only shows the great influence that their religion has with the other aspect of their lives.The attitudes or characteristics of a Muslim are also influenced by his or her religion. According to the Prophet Muhammad, a believer of Islam also known as the Muslims are describ ed as morally upright, giving, and compassionate. This is clearly seen in his sermon, which states that a believer has a life that is mindful of the law and exemplified righteous deeds. He or she has good morals and treats other with respect. A Muslim also has a purified heart and soul because he or she does not hate others or being hypocritical about them. A believer of the Islamic religion spends his or her wealth for the cause of Allah, which could be exemplified through acts of charity. Most importantly, Muslims are compassionate. They are not offensive towards other people and their actions are guided accordingly in order not to harm their fellow human beings (Al Balagh Foundation, n.d.).Since Muslims are characterized as morally upright individuals, they tend to adhere to strict codes of conduct. The moral teachings of the Islamic religion is grounded from the belief that Allah gave every individual the necessary intellect in order for him or her to differentiate what is right from what is wrong. Temptation is something that is present and observable in the world. It exists among the midst of every individual but a human being’s capability to discern and make morally judgments should enable him or her to fight these temptations.  Ã‚   In this sense, an individuals’ morality is what makes him or her different from other living creatures that Allah created. Animals do not have the capability to distinguish good from evil, which made humans distinct from them. Being the case, an individual who practiced lying, cheating, deceitfulness, and other unjust deeds are worse than an animal. The Islamic teachings mandate that humans should have a life that is guided by principles and moral virtues. Muslims should follow good, praiseworthy as well as moral behavior and forego of immoral and bad conduct. This is related from the belief that an individual who possesses a bad character causes harm to oneself as well as to the society as a whole because h is or her actions affect other people (Al Balagh, n.d.).Contrary to some people’s belief that resurrection and the judgment day are only observable in religions like Christianity, Islam also has their own teachings when it comes to these matters. The central doctrine of the Qu’ran also give due importance to the Last Day or the Day of Judgment. Based upon the Islamic belief, the souls of the death remain in their graves while waiting for resurrection to take place. Nevertheless, during this period of waiting they already can already foresee what will happen to them during the Day of Judgment. Those people who follow the teachings of Islam and live a life that is in accordance with the principles that Allah gave them will always be at peace. On the other hand, those people who lived an immoral life and completely disregard the teachings of their religion will suffer in their graves, which only indicate that they are bound for hell (Religion Facts, 2008).During the Judgm ent Day, those humans that are resurrected will face Allah. Allah will judge them according to their actions while they are still on earth. Their eternal destination is dependent upon the balance of their good and evil deeds. There are only two destinations that these people will go to. They can either be admitted to Paradise wherein they will experience spiritual and physical well-being forever or they will be condemned to Hell in which they will suffer spiritually and be physically tormented for eternity. This kind of judgment is also described as passing over Hell through a narrow bridge in order to get to Heaven. Those who are sinful will be weighted by their bad deeds and fall in Hell forever (Religion Facts, 2008).People who do not completely understand the Islamic teaching thought that Muslims practiced intolerance especially with regards to non-believers or those who adhere to a different religion. This kind of adage is proven to be wrong. According to the basic principle of Islam, faith should be observed towards all prophets of the world. This clearly debunks this aforementioned allegation. The Islamic religion preached the love and respect for other religions in the world but more than that it gives emphasis in having â€Å"faith† for these other beliefs. This only proves that Muslims are tolerant of people who do not adhere to their religion. Moreover, it does not only preach faith for other religions, Islam also gives equal for all (Ali, n.d.).Being a tolerant and inclusive systematic religion, Islam is characterized with an interrelated set of ideals and realities that influence individuals. As such, many concepts in this religion are also connected with each other. This is exemplified by martyrdom and Jihad. Jihad is often described as the mere idea of holy war; however, its literal meaning is the â€Å"struggle† or â€Å"effort† (BBC, 2008). Muslims pertain to Jihad in three various kind of struggle. First, a believer of th e religion’s internal struggles to live a life that is guided by the Muslim faith. Second, is the struggle to establish a sound society of Muslims. Lastly and the most controversial is the struggle to defend the Islamic religion even with the use of force. There are references in the Islamic writings that describe this third form of struggle as military in nature wherein this means is utilized in order to counter anything that threatens Islam (BBC, 2008). The concept of martyrdom is usually related with the idea of holy war because it is being prepared to die in the process of submission to the Islamic religion. However, martyrdom is not only realized by dying in the course of battle because the other kinds of struggle in the light of living the Islamic faith are also associated with it (Ezzati, 1986).During this modern age, Islam is also faced with numerous challenges with regards to criticisms about the practice of this religion. One of the most notable issues being raise i s the inequality between men and women in Islamic religion. However, the scriptures of Islam disprove such claim. It gives men authority over women but it gives emphasis that men should treat them properly. Divorce is also seen as a prerogative of the man but women also have to divorce their husband if it is stated in the contract. Moreover, the way women conservatively dress and act in the Muslim society is also scrutinized by Westerners as a form of subordination. Nevertheless, Muslim women defend these practices as a part of their religion and culture, which they willingly and voluntarily follow. In relation to these, other modern phenomena like globalization and internationalism are not something the Islamic society completely disagrees from, the only thing they want to ensure is that modernity will not disrupt the Islamic religion that they uphold.Being a Muslim entails being committed to the religion that you adhere to. This is clearly established by the great influence that I slam has in the different aspects in the life of a Muslim. Muslims does not merely believe or preach about their religion but rather they make sure that they practiced its very values and ideals in their everyday lives. This is observable in their decisions, actions, and even when it comes to their perspective about the world. It only shows that to be a Muslim is indeed to be a firm believer of Islam.ReferencesAl Balagh. (n.d.). The Characteristics of a Muslim. Retrieved October 6, 2008, fromal-islam.org/gallery/kids/Books/bca3/.Ali, M.M. (n.d.). Liberal view of other religions by Islam. Retrieved October 6, 2008, frommuslim.org/islam/tolerance.htm.Asri, M., Fahmi, M. (2004). Contribution of the Islamic Worldview Towards CorporateGovernance. Retrieved October 6, 2008, fromiiu.edu.my/iaw/Students%20Term%20Papers_files/Asri%20and%20Fahmi%20IslWWandCG.htm.BBC. (2008). Five Pillars of Islam. Retrieved October 6, 2008, frombbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/fivepillars.shtml.B BC. (2008). Jihad. Retrieved October 6, 2008, frombbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/beliefs/jihad_1.shtml.Chittick, W. (1992). Faith and Practice of Islam: Three Thirteenth Century Sufi Texts. NewYork: SUNY Press.Dawood, N.J. (1990). The Koran: Revised Edition. New York: Penguin Classics.Religion Facts. (2008). Islamic Beliefs about the Afterlife. Retrieved October 6, 2008, fromreligionfacts.com/islam/beliefs/afterlife.htm.Schimmel, A. (1992). Islam: An Introduction. New York: SUNY Press.