The History of Death and Burial Customs

Death has always been both celebrated and feared. As far back as 60,000 BCE, humans buried their dead with ritual and ceremony. Researchers have even found evidence that Neanderthals buried their dead with flowers, much as we do today. Appeasing the Spirits Many early burial rites and customs were practiced to protect the living, by appeasing the spirits who were thought to have caused the persons death. Such ghost protection rituals and superstitions have varied extensively with time and place, as well as with religious perception, but many are still in use today. The custom of shutting the eyes of the deceased is believed to have begun this way, done in an attempt to close a window from the living world to the spirit world. Covering the face of the deceased with a sheet comes from pagan beliefs that the spirit of the deceased escaped through the mouth. In some cultures, the home of the deceased was burned or destroyed to keep his spirit from returning; in other,s the doors were unlocked and windows were opened to ensure that the soul was able to escape. In 19th century Europe and America, the dead were carried out of the house feet first, in order to prevent the spirit from looking back into the house and beckoning another member of the family to follow him, or so that he couldnt see where he was going and would be unable to return. Mirrors were also covered, usually with black crepe, so the soul would not get trapped and be left unable to pass to the other side. Family photographs were also sometimes turned face-down to prevent any of the close relatives and friends of the deceased from being possessed by the spirit of the dead. Some cultures took their fear of ghosts to an extreme. The Saxons of early England cut off the feet of their dead so the corpse would be unable to walk. Some aborigine tribes took the even more unusual step of cutting off the head of the dead, thinking this would leave the spirit too busy searching for his head to worry about the living. Cemetery Burial Cemeteries, the final stop on our journey from this world to the next, are monuments (pun intended!) to some of the most unusual rituals to ward off spirits, and home to some of our darkest, most terrifying legends and lore. The use of tombstones may go back to the belief that ghosts could be weighed down. Mazes found at the entrance to many ancient tombs are thought to have been constructed to keep the deceased from returning to the world as a spirit, since it was believed that ghosts could only travel in a straight line. Some people even considered it necessary for the funeral procession to return from the graveside by a different path from the one taken in with the deceased, so that the departeds ghost wouldnt be able to follow them home. Some of the rituals which we now practice as a sign of respect to the deceased, may also be rooted in a fear of spirits. Beating on the grave, the firing of guns, funeral bells, and wailing chants were all used by some cultures to scare away other ghosts at the cemetery. In many cemeteries, the vast majority of graves are oriented in such a manner that the bodies lie with their heads to the West and their feet to the East. This very old custom appears to originate with the Pagan sun worshippers, but is primarily attributed to Christians who believe that the final summons to Judgment will come from the East. Some Mongolian and Tibetan cultures are famous for practicing sky burial, placing the body of the deceased on a high, unprotected place to be consumed by wildlife and the elements. This is part of the Vajrayana Buddhist belief of transmigration of spirits, which teaches that respecting the body after death is needless as it is just an empty vessel.

Essay about Reality and Individual Interpretations

â€Å"There are no facts, only interpretations.† These words from Frederick Nietzsche poignantly illustrate the notion that one’s reality is inevitably shaped by the influence of other’s around us. The set of values according to which one judges everyday events upon is the result of the reality formed based on other’s interpretations of the world. When one lacks the knowledge to develop a sound reality, one relies upon the reality of others to come to a sensible interpretation. However, though one may be adamant that the reality that one experiences is real, others’ continual influence upon them may eventually persuade them and thus conform to the newfound reality. Nevertheless, it is still dependant on the individual on the way they deal with†¦show more content†¦Even when an individual has a strong consolidated reality of their world, it is still susceptible to other’s influence and may eventually conform to this alter reality that is so strongly condoned by people surrounding them. Though one’s reality, formed by experiences of childhood and memory, may be strong and seemingly concrete, the persistent encouragement from others that the particular reality is false may yet have an immense impact on one’s reality. In Ron Howard’s adaptation of the biography of Professor John Nash, A Beautiful Mind, the notion that one’s consolidated reality can succumb to other’s influence is profoundly illustrated. Professor John Nash suffers from schizophrenia, and hence has illusions of people that do not exist. Though he had been strongly convinced that these people do not exist, he still sees them. However, he acknowledges them to be non-existent and a figment of his imagination. This poignantly expounds the strength of impact that other’s influence has on one’s interpretation of reality and indeed strongly disproves the idea that â€Å"Seeing is Believing†. Though Pr ofessor Nash’s illusions are caused by a mental disorder, it nonetheless shows the effect that the desire to ‘fit in’ to society orShow MoreRelatedCulture : The Minds Eye : What The Blind See1691 Words   |  7 Pagesit is a mistake to think that individuals are bound to behave in a way that culture told them to behave. Instead, individuals are free to create his or her own unique experience of interpreting the world. We might consider the â€Å"reality† that we live in to be fiction to the extent that we are willing to use different faculties and analyze what we are witnessing; this gives us the power, as individuals, to think and search for each of us’s unique interpretation of reality. . John Hull, a religiousRead MoreThe Mind: Biological and Mental Functions923 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation that is processed through these biological and mental functions. It constructs an interpretation of the sensory input that is received by both functions. The information that is received by the brain is further interpreted by the mind and it constructs a unique reality from the basic information. The mind as the mediator can be seen in topics such as categorization and bias in social realities, but also in the language and thought of both humans and non-human animals. ***CONSOLIDATE THISRead MoreThe Identification And Interpretation Of Transference964 Words   |  4 PagesThe identification and interpretation of transference is a cornerstone of psychodynamic therapy. Through the linking of the here and now interactions of client and therapist with experiences from the past, transference interpretations can often serve as a valuable tool for insight and change. However, there is a prevailing belief in the mental health community that the interpretation and use of transference in session is only appropriate for stable individuals who are already capable of a certainRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory Of Psychoanalysis1413 Words   |  6 PagesEver since Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalysis theory, its applicability has been extended beyond therapy to literature. In the interpretation of dreams, Sigmund Freud coins the term the oedipus complex in reference to the greek mythology of Oedipus the king. The application of psychoanalysis to myth is treated by Dowden with scepticism and he states that the only significance of the psychoanalytic approach is in its recognition of how fundamental the images that recur in the myth are (DowdenRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception Checking942 Words   |  4 Pagesprovides accuracy instead of assuming our first interpretation is correct. It minimizes defensiveness through face saving and requir es both nonverbal and verbal elements to match. The benefits of perception checking is to help us have a better understanding of a message, so both persons can mutually relate and to reduce conflict so we don t jump to conclusions. In the perception process reality is constructed in two ways. The first order realities is physically observable qualities of a thing orRead MoreMemory in Nietzsches Beyond Good and Evil1479 Words   |  6 PagesGood Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche seeks to develop the idea of moral philosophy beyond basic pleasures, how they relate to the general population, and further into our own personal intricacies and how they create a set of rules that apply to most individuals. Throughout the book, Nietzsche articulate well over 200 epigrams, each of which highlights a different aspect of human morality. 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By combining the real with the fictitious, Borges incorporates ambiguity into his stories and introduces his readers to new perspectives of world around them. In â€Å"The South,† Borges establishes ambiguity by dropping subtle textual hints that would ultimately allow for the reader to attain vastly different interpretations of the same text. If taken at face value, the main characterRead MorePolitical Framing As Used By Presidential Candidates1442 Words   |  6 PagesWikipedia defines framing as a social science technique that â€Å"comprises a set of concepts and theoretical perspectives on how individuals, groups, and societies, organize, perceive, and communicate about reality†¦ In the context of politics or mass-media communication, a frame defines the packaging of an element of rhetoric in such a way as to encourage certain interpretations and to discourage others. For political purposes, framing often presents facts in such a way that implicates a problem thatRead MoreWhy is important to study the media, rather than simply consume it?1631 Words   |  7 Pagesis both powerful and important. It demonstrates this by p laying a vital role in the development of a person s perspective on political, economic and socio-cultural issues. This consequently helps to shape individuals viewpoints of the world and define their lives through the interpretation of media texts. (Newman, 2004). Bazalgette supported Newman s point by stating Media studies open up your understanding of how things work, how people become informed - or misinformed - and how the myths and

Frameworks and Models Detection of the Human Behavior

Question: Describe about the Frameworks and Models Related to the Detection of the Human Behavior. Answer: Introduction The analysis of the human behavior and activities has been regarded as one of the most intriguing and important issue related to the automated video surveillance system (Mubashir, Shao and Seed 2013). The human activities and behavior can be detected by utilizing the techniques related to the pattern recognition and computer vision. The paper deals in planning a research project for the topic related to the Human Behavior Analysis and understanding of unusual behavior by utilizing the computer vision. The paper would be helping in identifying the frameworks and models related to the recognition approaches that could help in analyzing the behavior of humans. The paper would also be helping the readers in learning and recognizing the human behavior based on the video information. Project justification The project deals in preparing a research project based on the research topic related to the Human Behavior Analysis and understating of unusual behavior by utilizing the computer vision. The research requires the investigation of various fields relating to the implementation of the high-level abstraction behavior models to the motion detection system. Moreover, the major applications of the computer vision include the video surveillance and Ambient Assisted Learning (AAL) (Chaaraoui, Climent-Prez and Flrez-Revuelta 2012). The techniques require the estimation of the movement of humans at the motion level. The techniques also require the implementation of the appropriate data sets and tools for analyzing the behavior of humans. In addition, the presentation of the motion requires the activity recognition approaches such that to analyses the behavior of hams. Thus, it becomes very important to identify the frameworks and models that could be helping in learning and recognizing the hum an behavior based on the video information. Project aims and objectives The main objective of the paper is to plan a research project related to the topic based on the Human Behavior Analysis and understating of unusual behavior through the use of video surveillance. The computer vision would be helping in recognizing the visual patterns of the motion of humans. The research project aims at identifying the framework and models that could be helping in evaluating the behavior of humans from the multimodal observation in the form of video. The project also helps in proposing and evaluating an approach for recognition and learning human behavior models from the multimodal observation based on the audio and video information. Research Questions What framework proposes the evaluation of the human behavior from the multimodal observation in the form of video? How do the 3D video tracking models help in understanding the motion of the humans? How do the patterns exhibit variation in the motion visually? Millstones and tasks Sl No Task 1 Project plan for research project on frameworks and models for detection on human behavior 1.1 Selection of research topic 1.1.1 Finding the research topic relevant to the research plan 1.1.2 Reviewing on the topic being selected 1.2 Literature review 1.2.1 Reviewing the different views on the literature 1.2.2 Summarizing on the reviews 1.3 Implementation of the research 1.3.1 Identification of the appropriate methodology applicable to the topic 1.3.2 Formulation of research questionnaire related to the topic 1.4 Data collection 1.4.1 Identification of the primary and secondary sources 1.4.2 Implementing appropriate data collection method 1.4.3 Acquiring the data through the use of various data collection tools 1.5 Data analysis 1.5.1 Identification of the appropriate tools and techniques of the data analysis 1.5.2 Summarizing on the findings of the data being acquired 2 Final report submission Milestones Literature review due Data collection and analysis report due Final business report due Table 1: Milestones and tasks related to the project plan Source: Created by author Experimental approach The research approach can be classified into two main segments including the qualitative research approach and the qualitative research approach (Smith 2015). The qualitative research approach deals in describing, explaining, exploring and interpreting the various theories and models related to the case study for the other researchers to follow. The approach requires the formulation of new theories ad models related to the research topic. On the other hand, the quantitative research approach deals in validating, confirming and testing the theories related to the research topic already proposed by the various researchers. This approach is also known as deductive reason approach and would be suitable for this particular research study. Data collection The data collection process involves the collection of valuable information that should be relevant and useful for the research study. The process requires the identification of the sources of information which could be either primary sources of data or, secondary sources of data (O'Leary 2013). Though, the implementation of the primary sources of data would be more predictive for the research in terms of acquiring quality data, the seminary sources are less time consuming. The primary sources include the employees working in the computer technology based organization. The secondary data include the sources from the various articles, magazines, newspapers, websites, books, journals and others that contain useful information related to the research topic. The research project should be utilizing both the primary and secondary sources of data in order to acquire quality information related to the research study. Measurement The data collection process should be followed by the data analysis process which deals in implementing the data analysis tools and techniques in order to analyze the data being collected in the process. The data analysis tool includes the tables, graphs, figures, charts and analytical software including Word and SPSS as well. These tools are helpful in analyzing the data being acquired in the process such that to reach to a final conclusion. Timeline Sl No Task Duration Start Date Finish Date Predecessor 1 Project plan for research project on frameworks and models for detection on human behavior 60 days Thu 8/25/16 Wed 11/16/16 1.1 Selection of research topic 10 days Thu 8/25/16 Wed 9/7/16 1.1.1 Finding the research topic relevant to the research plan 1 wk Thu 8/25/16 Wed 8/31/16 1.1.2 Reviewing on the topic being selected 5 days Thu 9/1/16 Wed 9/7/16 3 1.2 Literature review 15 days Thu 9/8/16 Wed 9/28/16 4 1.2.1 Reviewing the different views on the literature 2 wks Thu 9/8/16 Wed 9/21/16 4 1.2.2 Summarizing on the reviews 1 wk Thu 9/22/16 Wed 9/28/16 6 1.3 Implementation of the research 10 days Thu 9/29/16 Wed 10/12/16 7 1.3.1 Identification of the appropriate methodology applicable to the topic 1 wk Thu 9/29/16 Wed 10/5/16 7 1.3.2 Formulation of research questionnaire related to the topic 1 wk Thu 10/6/16 Wed 10/12/16 9 1.4 Data collection 15 days Thu 10/13/16 Wed 11/2/16 10 1.4.1 Identification of the primary and secondary sources 1 wk Thu 10/13/16 Wed 10/19/16 10 1.4.2 Implementing appropriate data collection method 1 wk Thu 10/20/16 Wed 10/26/16 12 1.4.3 Acquiring the data through the use of various data collection tools 5 days Thu 10/27/16 Wed 11/2/16 13 1.5 Data analysis 10 days Thu 11/3/16 Wed 11/16/16 14 1.5.1 Identification of the appropriate tools and techniques of the data analysis 1 wk Thu 11/3/16 Wed 11/9/16 14 1.5.2 Summarizing on the findings of the data being acquired 5 days Thu 11/10/16 Wed 11/16/16 16 2 Final report submission 5 days Thu 11/17/16 Wed 11/23/16 17 Table 2: Timeline for the project plan Source: Created by author Budget Budget Items Category USD Resources Expenses for conducting interviews $ 20,000.00 Project administration $ 5,000.00 Data collection $ 6,000.00 Data analysis for the project duration of 60 days $ 10,000.00 Enhancement of accessibility of reliable data sources $ 4,000.00 Total Tangible Benefits $ 45,000.00 Total Expenses on Resources Category USD Direct Expenses Conduction of interviews $ 8,000.00 Translation of language Total On-Time Costs $ 8,000.00 Total Expenses on Resources Category USD Travel Expenses Domestic travel $ 2,000.00 Lodging $ 800.00 Food and meals $ 500.00 Total Tangible Recurring Costs $ 3,300.00 Total Tangible Costs $ 56,300.00 Table 3: Budget for the research project Source: Created by author Summary The paper deals in planning a research project for the topic related to the Human Behavior Analyses and understanding of unusual behavior by utilizing the computer vision. The project includes the illustration of various aspects of the project management plan inducing the description of the milestones and task to be implemented in order to conduct the project in a successful manner. The project also includes the estimation of the project timeline such that to conduct the research within the scheduled deadline. The paper also includes the description of the appropriate research approach such that to lead the research project in the right way. The project also helps in formulating the research questionnaire which would be helping the researcher to conduct the research study in a successful manner. The research project aims at identifying the framework and models that could be helping in evaluating the behavior of humans from the multimodal observation in the form of video. The project also helps in proposing and evaluating an approach for recognition and learning human behavior models from the multimodal observation based on the audio and video information. Refereneces Chaaraoui, A.A., Climent-Prez, P. and Flrez-Revuelta, F., 2012. A review on vision techniques applied to human behaviour analysis for ambient-assisted living.Expert Systems with Applications,39(12), pp.10873-10888. Mubashir, M., Shao, L. and Seed, L., 2013. A survey on fall detection: Principles and approaches.Neurocomputing,100, pp.144-152. O'Leary, Z., 2013. The essential guide to doing your research project. Sage. Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.

Human Resource Planning and Employee Relations

Question: Discuss about human resources planning and employee relations? Answer: 1. Importance: Accurate record keeping is an essential requisite for the success of any business organization. Record keeping is a potent tool of management. Thus, giving due importance to record keeping is essential. Many entrepreneurs invest lots of capital in their business but fail to realize the importance of records keeping. Profit maximization is the main aim of a business organization (www.smallbusiness.qld.gov.au, 2015). They aspire for maximum returns to receive from their investments, and to preserve records is very much part of the equation. Consequences due to lack of record keeping: Without records, business operations cannot be assessed. Without records the performance of employees cannot be determined. Records are pre-requisite for preparing financial statements like assets liabilities, profit loss, income statement, expenses, projection of cash flow which in turn induces good relation with banks. Lack of data can induce overpayment of taxes as well as underpayment of taxes. Rationale for record keeping: Maintaining employee records is necessary for the following: Maintaining records helps in enabling to control cash inflow and cash outflow in a business. Maintaining records helps in knowing how much is spent and owed for goods and services. Maintaining records helps in knowing which products are helping in earning profits and which induces loss. Maintaining records helps in knowing how much cash is in hand. Maintaining records helps in knowing how much cash is tied up as stocks. Maintaining records helps in knowing the actual expenses. Maintaining records helps in knowing the overheads. Maintaining records can help entrepreneurs or business house to access the financial status of their business at any point of time. Maintaining records can help in comparing financial status with the previous years. Maintaining records assists the entrepreneur or business organizations in preparing their financial statements in a quick manner with accuracy. Maintaining records can measure the performance of business in accordance to what was being projected in the plan of business. Maintaining records can help in providing information about management in basing decisions about the business. Maintaining records helps in saving effort and time. Maintaining records helps in accessing how much tax is required to be paid by a business organization or an entrepreneur. Maintaining records provides information and details which is valuable for sales in future of the business organization or the entrepreneur. Maintaining records can help in quickly accessing the problem areas and offers remedies for the problems. Maintaining records help banks to gather information about a business organization or an entrepreneur. Maintaining records helps in keeping track of costs incurred for the employees of a business organization or employees of the entrepreneur. Maintaining records helps in accessing the performances of the employees. Maintaining records helps to detect thefts in the organization. Maintaining records helps to know the gross and net profit of a business. Maintaining records helps in increasing the chances of operations in business. 2. Formal documents are those which are mostly used for business purpose or office purpose. Formal words and formal language is used in this kind of document. Example is business e-mail. E-mail is used for day to day job activities of an employer. It is a proof from where data can be extracted about an employees attendance, transaction, leaves applications etc. Informal documentation uses light words and informal languages that are not recorded. Example e-card (congratulatory) sent to colleagues on their promotion. Employers can be protected by documentation in the sense that an employer can decide pay hikes, promotions, and terminations, disciplinary actions based on these documents as because the foundation stone of documentation is legal and government mandated elements. 3. Termination is a process of dismissing or releasing a worker of an organization with his will or without his will. Legal risks are inherent in dismissing or releasing an employee. For this, employers sack employees on behavioral ground after undergoing a counseling and disciplinary process which is progressive. Employees can seek time for correcting their behaviour through process of counseling and prevent themselves from termination. 4. Challenges faced by health care leaders are: Providing equal opportunity to all: Providing equal opportunities to all the healthcare workers is an ethical problem faced by healthcare leaders (Maqsood Khan, 2015). Treatment should be equal for all. Being well known does not imply special treatment will be given to that person. All patients should be treated equally. Employee behavior: Behavior of employees affects both the internal environment and external environment of a business. Behavior leads to retention of patients or attrition of patients. Need for ethics: Ethics is needed for proper functioning of an organization. Ethics are inborn and cannot be taught to the employees 5. An effective succession plan is required for the development of an organization. Identifying needs and objectives. Gathering information. Preparing Analysis. Developing an action plan. Implementing the plans. Monitoring the progress. 6. Unionization is required for perfect running an organization. Union is a bridge between the management and the employees. Unionization has both advantages and disadvantages from the management as well as the employees point of view. Both management and the employees, working under the same organization is benefited by the presence of the union. Union can do judgment about situations. Union can also help in arbitration when it is deemed compulsory due to unrest in the organization. The advantages are: Employees get job security due to unionization They can ventilate their complaints or grievances about the management through the union. Union fights for healthy working conditions of the healthcare workers. They ensure a safe, congenial and bonhomie working conditions. Employees can benefits like bonuses, health benefits, paid vacations with the help of union. Management can come to conclusion with the help of unions when any dispute arises with the healthcare workers. Unionization help in collective bargaining i.e. equal rights. The disadvantages are: Lockouts, picketing, strikes by employees with the aid of union can affect the days financial status of the company. Management may lose money due to non-production of work. Strikes may be boomerang on part of the organization as it may lose its existing customers or future prospective customers. If the conditions of a business change, the contracts with unions are hindrances for these changes. Unions can at times create dispute between the management of the organization and the employees of the organization. Unions encourage employees to demand for high wages which may not be feasible on part of the management. Human resource control may decrease due to unionization. People in the union are not judged based on their merit or productivity. Seniority and experience may not gain promotion due to union arbitration. 7. Organization changes according to time with technological leap frogging. Human resource management lays emphasis mainly on the human resources. As human capital brings the strategic changes, thus, HR can help as a strategic partner. If any strategic decisions are taken; each units of the business organization shall take a few years to implement it (Saez, 2015). HR helps in deciding the key skills and people required for the change. HR acquires staff according to their skills. Thus, HR knows better what strategy plans is fit for which employees. The role of Hr in strategy implementation is very high. It may be noted that, the strategic implementation planning activities are related to learning and growth of the employees of the organization. References Maqsood Khan, D. (2015).HR as a Strategic Partner: A Critical Review.Macrothink.org. Retrieved 8 June 2015, from https://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ijhrs/article/viewFile/5129/4125 Saez, A. (2015).Advantages Disadvantage of Labor Unions.Business Entrepreneurship - azcentral.com. Retrieved 8 June 2015, from https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/advantages-disadvantage-labor-unions-3553.html www.smallbusiness.qld.gov.au,. (2015).The importance of record keeping. Retrieved 8 June 2015, from https://www.ajml.com.au/downloads/resource-centre/references/operational-management/The%20importance%20of%20record%20keeping.pdf

Air Pollution and Plant Deciduous Trees free essay sample

Vanrex, Inc is a manufacturer of paints for home, businesses and institutions. The company also supplies coasting for manufactured product and automotive parts. Vanrex is a diversified company that also manufactures pain cans, aerosol can, brushes, roller and other paint applicator. Vanrex is situated on the outskirt of an urban area that has grown out and around the plant. Residential neighbor are located closely on all sides and public concern is environmental matters is at a higher level nationally than ever. Previously, the site has been inspected by ODH E and USEPA which they found the plant in compliance with the regulatory requirement There are complaints concerning the air pollution caused the plant. Obviously, there are two different sources affecting the air in Hayestown: the fugitive dust and stack emissions. In other to enhance the environmental program Vanrex took some steps in reducing the pollution such as establishing control over all new projects that are part of pollution control effort, continually reviewing the operation of the plant and strengthened the environmental group of Vanrex. We will write a custom essay sample on Air Pollution and Plant Deciduous Trees or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From my own point of view, I think the residents are gunning for zero emission which is not possible in this situation. In order to reduce pollution in the area, I have recommendations for both the residents and the plant Possible solution for the residents Plant deciduous trees in locations around their home to provide shade in the summer, but to allow light in the winter. Check daily air quality forecasts Clean frequently to remove dust and molds Possible solution for the plant They should reduce the use in their methane They should be gunning for technologies or equipment upgrades that reduce or eliminate equipment venting or fugitive pollution, There should also be an improvements in management practices and operational procedures

Free Essays on Historical Perspective

The Power and the Glory A Historical Perspective Graham Greene's novel of persecution of the clergy in the early 20th century is a study of sin, deceit, suffering, religion and politics. The story begins near the end of our hero's efforts to escape death by wandering throughout Mexico. The hero is the Whiskey Priest, so named because he was an alcoholic. To understand The Power and the Glory, one must have a bit of background knowledge about the violent history of Mexico. History of Mexico The history of Mexico is one fraught with civil war, dictatorships, revolutions and political intrigue. Religious persecution was a part of this history from the moment Mexico gained independence from Spain, which was in 1821. Mexico became a republic, but the country had no experience in self-government and the economy was seriously depleted. The economic decline was a direct result of this very independence. There was pervasive distrust of Spaniards, which lead them to leave Mexico. This virtually eliminated capital reserves and the working class. In 1824 a republican constitution was adopted, based loosely on the constitution of the United States. The Mexican constitution created a federal republic of 19 states, four territories and a federal district, and remained in place until 1857 (Murray). Of note is the fact that "Article I of the constitution established Catholicism as the only religion to be tolerated" states Murray. From 1824 until 1857 a number of factions and leaders were in power, all in contention for control. The Centralists wanted a strong central government in the vice regal tradition, a paid national army, and Roman Catholicism as the exclusive religion. The opposing faction, the Federalists, wanted limited central government, local militia, and nearly autonomous states. They were in favor of giving special status to ecclesiastics and the military and exempted them from various civil obligations. Then, ... Free Essays on Historical Perspective Free Essays on Historical Perspective The Power and the Glory A Historical Perspective Graham Greene's novel of persecution of the clergy in the early 20th century is a study of sin, deceit, suffering, religion and politics. The story begins near the end of our hero's efforts to escape death by wandering throughout Mexico. The hero is the Whiskey Priest, so named because he was an alcoholic. To understand The Power and the Glory, one must have a bit of background knowledge about the violent history of Mexico. History of Mexico The history of Mexico is one fraught with civil war, dictatorships, revolutions and political intrigue. Religious persecution was a part of this history from the moment Mexico gained independence from Spain, which was in 1821. Mexico became a republic, but the country had no experience in self-government and the economy was seriously depleted. The economic decline was a direct result of this very independence. There was pervasive distrust of Spaniards, which lead them to leave Mexico. This virtually eliminated capital reserves and the working class. In 1824 a republican constitution was adopted, based loosely on the constitution of the United States. The Mexican constitution created a federal republic of 19 states, four territories and a federal district, and remained in place until 1857 (Murray). Of note is the fact that "Article I of the constitution established Catholicism as the only religion to be tolerated" states Murray. From 1824 until 1857 a number of factions and leaders were in power, all in contention for control. The Centralists wanted a strong central government in the vice regal tradition, a paid national army, and Roman Catholicism as the exclusive religion. The opposing faction, the Federalists, wanted limited central government, local militia, and nearly autonomous states. They were in favor of giving special status to ecclesiastics and the military and exempted them from various civil obligations. Then, ...

A historical and critical analysis of an entrepreneurial venture (Gap Essay

A historical and critical analysis of an entrepreneurial venture (Gap Inc.) - Essay Example He believed that he could do the business his own way creating a unique entry into a market flooded with casual wear stores. 1.2 The Entrepreneur Gap Inc. is an organization whose brainchild id Don Fisher and his Doris. The business started as a small family business in San Francisco where he lived with his family. Don came from a middle class family, which had settled in a two-storey house in San Francisco. Don had great vision from early stages in life. He could recall great constructions in United States such as Golden Gate Bridge, which sparked his life to create a difference in a lifetime. His personal life includes spending time in the beach as a way of enjoying his weekend. Don attended UC Berkeley University where he studied business administration degree (Don, 2009:12). Don recalls that his business ideas came from his early days in the University where his, which he attest did not cut across his mind. Don worked as US Naval reserve and participated in making decisions for h is father in business meetings. He married Doris who altered his life to become a renowned entrepreneur a cross the globe. 1.3 Opportunity for the venture Don had the idea that business could not just pay his bills but would also excite him. He took some time to achieve this ambition. Don asserts that without bad lack Gap Inc. would not be in history. Don who had been in business with his father, branched out to initiate his own business in mid 1960s. Don used the first opportunity that came his way when he bought Capitol Park hotel. He refurbished the building and leased some of its space to Levi’s sales representative. Levi’s sales person took the opportunity to open a showroom within the building. Don mentioned that he enjoyed the arena created by the showroom in the building. Opportunity for the business venture came when Don could not find the right pant size. He had bought pants that could not match their needs. Don recalled that Doris and him walked through the streets of San Francisco and failed to get the right sizes. Then the idea came what if someone stocked all sizes. 1.4. The motivation to found the venture Don motivation was Levi’s showroom in his capital park hotel building that he had bought. Don and Doris figured the situation around the city and felt that it was a good idea to create their own retail store that would cater for age 12 to 25. The urge to change the underlying situation motivated their idea of business. Don had stated that he had little idea about retail business but that could not let his views collapse in one drop. Don noted that he did not have a similar competitor in San Francisco bay that had similar products. Business personalities are keen to evaluate factors that would make their business thrive. 1.5. Exploitation of the venture and acquisition of resource Don thought of the name of his new venture and settled to name Pants and Discs. His wife Doris changed the name by giving the business opportunity the name Gap. Don conducted a market research before a writing a business plan about the intended store. He noted in his market research that the location of the Capital Park building would address the needs of customers age 12 to 25. The location had adequate parking. He outlined that his success would depend on right employees and adequate stock. He could not afford to ignore the influence of stock or capital for the business. Gap creation was to exploit the existing resources that Don acquired. Resource acquisition and

Preventing biodiversity reduction in the coastal zone Essay

Preventing biodiversity reduction in the coastal zone - Essay Example Biodiversity have three levels - genetic diversity (i.e. diversity of genes within a species and between species), species diversity (refers to the differences in populations within a species, between populations, and between the various species), and ecosystem diversity (refers to the various habitats, biological communities and ecological systems; also denotes differences within ecosystems) (Ecological Society 1997). An ecosystem remains stable and balanced due to the variety and richness of organisms and species. The relationship of the varied species within an ecosystem has been well documented that destruction or extinction of one species may affect other living things, which may even lead to the extinction of the other species in the ecosystem. Thus, preserving and protecting one species in a particular area is similarly protecting the rest of the species. This is equally true to land-based species and sea and coastal creatures. Biodiversity denotes ecosystem balance and surviv al of the species within the system. Degradation in Biodiversity Generally, the ecosystem remains balanced in its usual natural course. The imbalance occurs when outside elements interfere with the usual processes. Man has interfered with the natural ecosystem for a long time. One form of invasion is by establishing habitation in the coastal areas (Water ecology 2009). It is reported that an estimated two-thirds of the total population lives near or along the coasts (Water ecology 2009). In fact, wetlands and some coastal areas are being dried by people in order to reclaim land for urban expansion (Water ecology 2009). The wetlands are also converted for farming, mining, gas and oil extraction, and highways for land transportation (Water ecology 2009). Sewage run-off and toxic contaminants (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals) are passed to coastal zones that become concentrated over a period of time (Water ecology 2009). These chemicals threaten aquatic life and biodiversity. Over-fishin g of a certain species without proper regulation likewise degrades biodiversity (Water ecology 2009). The coral reefs, that comprise a great number of plants and animals, are important in the coastal ecosystem balance. Ten percent of the coral reefs worldwide are being destroyed by human beings and only half of the countries around the world are capable of protecting them due to the expense that it entails (Water ecology 2009). According to Island Resources Foundation (1996), tourism has a greater indirect contribution to the degradation of coastal waters in terms of oil, fertilizer and pesticide pollution. The foundation’s report cited the US Virgin Islands waters that received oil spills from motorized vessels such as yacht, ferry and cruise ship (Island Resources Foundation 1996). In the Sarasota Bay and the Corpus Christy National Estuary Program assessments, the care practices for golf courses and condominium resorts release nitrate and phosphate to the waters during run off of storm water (Sarasota, 1993, cited in Island Resources Foundation 1996). It was also reported that the top 20 percent of countries that depend on tourism (e.g. Cayman Islands, Northern Netherlands Antilles, Anguilla, etc.) suffered environmental degradation that include reef, mangrove and related ecosystem damages (e.g. damage caused by anchors, clearing of mangrove, use of dynamite, littering, etc.) (Hoagland, et al. 1995, cited in Island Resources Foundation 1996). An alteration in the coastal zone such as construction of piers and wharves which

Law of Armed conflict. Is it viable in today's world Essay

Law of Armed conflict. Is it viable in today's world - Essay Example The Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) was formulated with the intention of making armed conflict a more civilized exercise. That is, participating countries themselves decided to incorporate certain laws to prevent unnecessary destruction and suffering of human life, through the use or removal of excess military power. By following the Geneva Convention regarding human rights during war time, countries rationalized and codified various rules, guidelines and stipulations to be followed during armed conflict, resulting in the formation of LOAC. Although, it is clear that LOAC has included many key and constructive stipulations while conducting an armed conflict, my research paper will discuss how in current times, its viability cannot be guaranteed due to few extraneous situations or events that continue to occur in conflict without any specific geographical focus. o One reason why LOAC may be considered unviable in modern warfare is due the rise of terrorists or armed groups, who mostly i ndulge in a ‘non-direct’ form of warfare, without directly taking on a country’s military in a ‘battlefield’. Attrition warfare as practiced through the twentieth century is no longer the method in warfare. Due to these extraneous situation, conflics could take place between a country’s military and a terrorist group in ‘Third party countriey’, which mays not be governed ‘aptly’ or adhere toe international laws and conventions relating to human rightr. This ‘unclear’ geographical focus as well as unclear ‘target group’ became visible mainly in the aftermath of the September 11 World Trade Center attack, and particularly visible in the mission to eliminate Osama Bin Laden. Conflict in a particular geographical area and against a particular country’s military are becoming irrelevant nowadays. Along withLOAC also seems to have become irrelevant. â€Å"...the boundaries between "war" and "nonwar," and between "national security" and "domestic issues," have been eroding for some time. September 11 and its aftermath have highlighted the increasing incoherence and irrelevance of these traditional legal categories.† 1 When Al-Qaeda launched the terrorist attacks on the American soil, U.S. launched military attacks on Afghanistan. Although, the country of Afghanistan is not the real culprit, the Taliban government in Afghanistan harboured al-Qaeda in its territory. Thus, it was not viewed as an ‘innocent’ neutral territory by United States and its Western allies. â€Å"In sharp contrast to most wars, the geographic distinction between belligerent and neutral territory is highly unstable in the conflict with al Qaeda.† 2 In addition, the Taliban government was also not recognized by majority of the world countries. So, in this case, non-state actors and non-military forces with the aid of unauthorized government indulged in ‘armed’ a ggression against United States. This being the case, the American government and its military went into the free country of Afghanistan to punish the non-state actors of Al-Qaeda. Thus, in such case, the LOAC could not be applied, because the American forces did not fight the regular military or even the official government of this country country. â€Å"..al Qaeda is neither a state nor a domestic insurgent group, the law of armed conflict does not apply at all to the U.S. struggle against terrorism,†

Abortion and Human Rights | An Analysis

Abortion and Human Rights | An Analysis What is Abortion? The word ‘abortion’ comes from the Latin word ‘aboriri’ meaning ‘to fail to be born’. Abortion can be defined as the premature expulsion of a foetus from a womb (termination of pregnancy). In matters of ethics abortion usually refers to the intentional destruction of a foetus in the womb. Why do women have abortions? Find out that the foetus is disabled or deformed. Mother is underage and would not be able to look after the baby. The foetus is carrying a hereditary (genetic) illness. Mother got pregnant by mistake and it is used as a form of contraception. The mother will die if she continues her pregnancy. The mother is underage (16) and faces physical harm if she goes full term (as not developed well enough). The mother has been raped and become pregnant. It is used to cover up an affair. In some cultures, where sons have a higher economic value women can sometimes decide to abort if the foetus/embryo is female. Women in the workplace and career minded. The Legal Position of abortion in the UK In the UK abortion became illegal in the nineteenth century when the penalty for having an abortion was life imprisonment. Women trying to escape the unwanted pregnancy were forced to use unreliable and dangerous methods, including poisonous drugs, knitting needles, blows to the abdomen etc. If a woman had money, she was discreetly taken to a clinic for an illegal abortion. For those without money the only option was ‘back street’ clinics where untrained people performed the operation. Knitting needles were routinely used for this ‘operation’, but there was rarely pain relief. Poor hygiene and (sometimes) banned drugs were another feature of back street abortions. Many women haemorrhaged (very heavy bleeding-often life threatening) and some bled to death rather than go to hospital where their symptoms would be recognised. Many people were appalled by the number of women suffering and dying as a result of illegal (‘back street’) abortions. Due to pressure from the public, an abortion Reform Bill was introduced. This became LAW in 1967 and took effect in 1968. The Abortion Act of 1967 (Revised 1990) stated that: Abortion is legal if two doctors independently agree that one or more of four reasons for it exist: The mother’s life is at risk if the pregnancy continues. The mother’s mental or physical well-being is at risk. Scans or tests show the foetus is badly or physically disabled, or has a deformity, meaning it is unlikely to live at birth. There is risk of harm to existing children. The main time limit was lowered from 28 weeks, to 24 weeks in 1990 (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act). However, the law allows an abortion at any stage of the pregnancy if the doctors agree that continuing the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the mother or if there is a substantial risk if the child were born that it would be seriously handicapped. The biological father has no rights and cannot, in law, stop an abortion. (In 1987 an Oxford University Student lost his attempt in the courts to prevent his girlfriend aborting the child they had conceived). Most abortions in Britain are performed under the part of the Abortion Act which allows abortion if the pregnancy involves a risk to the physical or mental health of the mother. Many doctors involved in abortion argue that if a woman is determined not to have a child, to refuse her an abortion poses a possible threat to her mental health. It was the rape by British soldiers of a young girl in 1938, which justified Dr Aleck Bourne carrying out an illegal abortion in order to safeguard her mental health. At trial he was acquitted. The precedent established grounds for abortion as an exception and eventually became the basis on the 1967 Abortion Act. How are abortions performed? Vacuum Aspiration: (Suction abortion) Under general anaesthetic neck of womb (cervix) is dilated (opened) by probes. Suction then used to remove contents of uterus. Larger pieces of foetal tissue (usually the head) are crushed and pulled out with forceps. Dilation and Curettage (D C): Scraping instrument (curette) is used and contents of the womb are scraped out. Dilation and Evacuation (D E): Instead of a curette, small forceps are used to crush the contents and pull it out in bits. Prostaglandin’s (induced premature labour): This type of abortion is used in very late abortions and is rare in the UK. Hormones called prostaglandins are injected to bring on labour, which may last for 8 to 22 hours. A poison may be added to the womb to kill the foetus before delivery. RU486 pill will induce an abortion if taken in the first ten weeks of pregnancy. Why is abortion so controversial? Abortion is now commonplace and in many countries tens of millions of abortions take place every year. Although abortion is legal, its morality is still disputed. Religious organisations, such as the RC Church campaign against the availability whilst many women’s right groups campaign for greater access. The key ethical dimension in the abortion debate is whether there should be an absolutist prohibition of abortion on the basis of divine law, natural law or human rights or whether there are situations in which it should be made available. There are two central issues in relation to abortion: Whether the foetus is a person or potential person Whether the foetus has rights, and, if so, how these are to balanced against the rights of the mother. 1. When do humans become persons and become part of the moral community? The status of human life between conception and birth is central to the abortion debate. Whilst some form of life is clearly present at conception, whether that form of life should get the full protection of the law as a ‘person’ is disputed. Not all-human tissue is a person as not all living cells are persons. Living cells such as cancer cells for example are not persons. If things like bacteria or plants are considered for example, very few people would argue that they should be protected simply because they are alive. In terms of abortion, if the foetus/embryo is to be classified as a ‘person’, then abortion may be considered as the equivalent to a form of murder. Opponents of abortion argue that to kill a foetus is to murder a human person. Pope Pius IX in 1869 declared that a foetus is a human person from conception and therefore abortion is murder. This claim is supported by the fact that all necessary genetic material is present at conception and the foetus continues development from conception until born as a human being. Critics of this position argue that a fertilised egg is not a person. In ‘A defence of abortion’ (1971) Judith Jarvis Thompson accepts that there’s a continuous development but suggests that there is a point at which it is not a human being. Let’s consider when the foetus could be classed as ‘human’: Conception: In effect this is the point in which life begins and this is the argument given by opponents of abortion who say that this is the point at which a pre-embryo should be considered as a person. Others disagree with this, as the chromosomes do not develop until the third day and half of all fertilised eggs do not attach themselves to the wall of the womb, therefore cannot become babies. Physical sign: Some say that the foetus should be considered human when there is a physical sign, but what? From the 22nd day the heart beats and by day 42 the foetus is recognisably a human baby. Some argue that the foetus is human when the brain has developed activity, implying that the brain has some form of consciousness, which is crucial for making human beings what they are. Others argue that when the foetus has developed organs it should be considered human, but what organs and at what stage of development? Consciousness may be suggested as a definition of personhood as it cannot be applied to all living tissues, as it applies to sensory experiences and the ability to feel pleasure and pain etc. The only problem with this is that consciousness would include many animals and most people would argue that an animal is not a person in the same sense as humans are. The presence of rationality and our ability to develop complex language are distinctive features of ‘personhood’. Perhaps self-consciousness or self-awareness defines personhood? This includes a sense of our past and our future. However, very young babies are not self-aware in this sense, and most would argue that killing babies is killing human persons. Viability: some say that a foetus should be considered a person when ‘viable’ (can survive independently of mother). Currently a foetus is seen as ‘viable’ at 24/25 weeks. There are two objections to this: Many people have tried to ‘draw a line’ at a particular point in which a foetus is to considered viable and say that before this point a foetus is a bundle of tissue. The problem with this is that there is no easy way of drawing that line. The age at which the foetus can survive outside the womb is constantly reducing as medical technology progresses, therefore what is viable now may not be in five years. It is now possible to keep a 21-week foetus alive in an incubator and with intensive care, yet abortion is allowed at up to 24 weeks. One could say that until the main organs are formed the foetus is not a person, but which organs are essential and at what stage of the development of the organs? Many people are dependent upon medical technology to stay alive, such as dialysis. We do not consider these people not to be ‘viable’; we consider them to be persons, despite their medical conditions. Shouldn’t the same be applied to the foetus? Ensoulment: ‘Ensoulment’ means having a soul attached to something. This is a very different suggestion as to when the foetus/embryo becomes human and is based mainly on religious ideas. It is argued that the most important aspect of being human is having a soul; therefore a foetus/embryo becomes human at the point when the soul is attached. Augustine maintained that a soul was implanted at 46 days, although he condemned abortion at any stage. Aquinas maintained that the souls of girls were implanted at 90 days and boys at 40 days. In the 17th Century however, the RC Church stated that ensoulment took place at conception, therefore the fertilised egg is a human person. Birth: Before the foetus is born it is part of the mother’s body and after this it has certain independence and does not have to rely on its natural mother. Mary Anne Warren in 1991 argued that birth marks the point of true moral status. (Singers, ‘A companion to Ethics’) she sates ‘birth, rather than some earlier point, marks the beginning of true moral status’. She argues that if a foetus is to be considered a person then so should sperm. Does this mean that we need to protect the rights of sperm? She states that birth provided a clear boundary. Legislation in many countries allows abortion in exceptional circumstances up to birth but regards the deliberate killing of the baby after birth as murder. Warren’s argument is vulnerable as a foetus of 34 weeks is quite clearly viable and if aborted is likely to live outside the womb and may actually have to be left to die. Is a foetus that is capable of surviving outside the womb entitled to moral rights? The potential to become a person: It could be argued that the foetus is a potential person, as has the capability of becoming human and thus should be treated as one because of this. Many philosophers would argue against this. Potentiality does not necessarily imply that full legal status should be awarded on the basis of what it has the potential to be. A potential victory is not the same as an actual victory, having the potential to pass exams is not the same as actually passing them and a potential person is not equal to an actual person. The definition of personhood remains unresolved, as it is an agreement over the point of which a potential human being becomes a full human being. I could not find any recent statistics relating to the number of abortions at different stages in the UK and on what grounds. However, the following tables refer to abortions in England and Wales (1996) and are taken from Wilcockson’s ‘Issues of Life and Death’. Wilcockson’s source for this was ‘Office for National Monitor AB 97/4 (July 1997)’ Table 1: Abortions in England and Wales, 1996 Weeks of pregnancy Number of abortions Under 9 weeks 69,926 9-12 weeks 85,083 13-16 weeks 14,779 17-20 weeks 5,266 21-24 weeks 2,078 24 weeks and over 92 Unknown 1 Total 177,225 The above table indicates that most abortions in England and Wales take place within the first 9-12 weeks of pregnancy. Table 2: Number of abortions in England and Wales for each of the statutory grounds, 1996. A: Risk to mother’s life 138 B: To prevent grave permanent injury to mother 2,471 C: Risk to mother’s physical or mental health 171, 175 D: Risk to existing (born) children’s health 12,227 E: Substantial risk of serious disability of child 1,943 F: In emergency – to save mother’s life 3 G: In emergency – to prevent grave permanent injury to mother 0 Total (Doctors sometimes cite more than one category for reasons for abortion) 177,225 The above table indicates that most abortions are carried out under the ‘physical or mental’ health part of the act. The argument over when ‘life’ begins is ongoing and probably will be for a long time. Medical advances have made abortion easier and can also save the life of the unborn earlier. The debate is likely to continue and be hotly debate. The question you should perhaps ask yourself is when do you think life begins? When do you think a foetus/embryo can be considered a ‘person’ and therefore have rights? The table below may help you answer this question, although it must be stressed that this is only a short summary. At conception: Embryo starts growing from day one. This is when fertilization happens. The fertilized egg does not attach itself to the wall of the womb until day twelve (50% of fertilized eggs will not attach). At 1 Month (0.5 cm): Heart pumping since 18th day. The beginnings of eyes, spinal cord and nerves, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver and kidneys. At 2 Months (2.5-3.5 cm): Arms and legs become distinct and tiny fingers and toes appear. All internal organs of an adult, at various stages of development, are present. The first bone cells begin to be formed. Brain waves can be detected from about the sixth week. At 3 Months (6-8 cm): Development continues. The mother may feel the foetus kicking as it flexes its muscles. The heartbeat can be detected. The foetus now looks clearly like a human baby. At 4 Months (12-18 cm): The head has distinct human features and may have hair. The skin is pink, and the bones are closing to form joints. At 5 Months(25-30 cm): Developing rapidly and very active. At 6 Months (28-34cm): Eyes may now open. All systems are formed and are just growing in size. At 7-9 Months (36-56cm): Grows in size and fat is deposited to help survival at birth. Does the foetus have rights, and, if so, how are these balanced against the rights of the mother. If the foetus/embryo is seen as human at a certain stage it then has rights. If the foetus or embryo is regarded as a person, how then does one balance its rights against the right of the mother? A philosophy professor from Kansas, Don Marquis argued that killing in general is wrong because it deprives an individual of a future, which contains value. Most abortions, therefore, are immoral since they deprive the foetus of a future containing value. The foetus then has the right to life. Marquis argues that since it is wrong to kill rational and morally significant persons in principle it would be permissible to kill infants. Do we then allow abortion and the murder of infants because they are not rational? The feminist position began from the perspective of women’s rights. Mary Anne Warren put forward the case for granting women the ‘right’ to have an abortion arguing that the absence in the past of safe legal abortion led to undesirable consequences. (‘Back street’ abortion). Warren goes on to say that abortion must be permissible to guarantee a woman’s human rights. The World Health Organisation (WHO) backs this statement up with their statistics showing that 200 000 women are killed every year by unsafe abortions. To be forced to bear a child brings with it the hardships of possibly giving up work, therefore income, education, freedom etc. Prohibitation of abortion infringes these rights. Warren does say that killing is wrong, but to deny an abortion would deny a woman’s rights. Beverley Harrison in an article ‘Our right to choose’ argues forcefully for the rights of the mother. She maintains that since the woman carries the embryo/foetus and has to go through the pain of childbirth and has to care for and support the child then it is the woman’s decision, which should be paramount. Harrison stated that: ‘The well-being of the woman and the value of her life plan should always be recognised as of intrinsic value’ (Page 152, ‘The Puzzle of Ethics’ Vardy Grosch) A philosophy professor Judith Jarvis Thomson argued that even if we grant that foetuses have a fundamental right to life, in many cases the rights of the mother override the rights of the foetus. Accordingly abortions should be allowed in rape, life-threatening pregnancies and contraception failure. If a foetus was given equal rights then court cases would result and a mother could be forced to have an unwanted child. A court could even force a woman to go through a dangerous childbirth as her life would be considered to be of no more valuable than that of the foetus. What about Christianity? The Bible: There is not one clear message about abortion found in the Bible. In Exodus 20: 18 it is stated ‘Do not kill’ which is a quotation used by many Christians in opposition of abortion. This passage may be seen as only applying to a ‘person’ and the issue of when the embryo/foetus becomes a person crops up again. In response to this a Christian may argue that the Bible teaches that a foetus/embryo is human as it is stated ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you’ (Jeremiah 1:5) and ‘You created every part of me; you put me together in my mother’s womb†¦.. When I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there, you saw me before I was born’. (Psalm 139:13 15). This does seem to imply that someone is human before birth. We are told in Exodus 21:22-25 that if a person injures a pregnant woman, causing miscarriage, compensation must be paid. This suggests that the life of the ‘unborn’ has both significance and value. However at the same time in Exodus 21:22-25 we are also told that if the mother dies then a ‘life for life’ policy applies. This suggests that the unborn does not have the same significance and value as the mother. The birth and role of Jesus is said to have been foretold, therefore his life was mapped out before birth. In opposition to this however are passages which suggest that the foetus need not be considered human ‘a stillborn child comes without meaning, it departs in darkness’ (Ecclesiastes 6:3-4). This COULD be taken to imply that a foetus/embryo lacks humanity and we are also told that a man does not become a human being until he receives ‘breath of life’ (Genesis 2:7) Christian Tradition: Generally most churches are in favour of preserving human life but there are many different teachings on the status of the foetus. Many Christians accept abortion in order to save the life of the mother, or in the case of a severe deformity, but others argue that a person born with a deformity can still give and receive love as a human being and that the detection of such defects should not be grounds for an abortion. The RC Church maintains that it is intrinsically evil and totally condemns it. Abortion goes against Natural Law, as it is not fulfilling the purpose of life ‘to live, to reproduce’ and also goes against the word of God. (See also Ensoulment). Pope Pius IX in 1869 decreed that anyone performing or allowing an abortion was wrong. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) states that, ‘Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence a human being must be recognised as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.’ (Issues of life and death, Michael Wilcockson, page 36) The Roman Catholic Church, and indeed most Christians would argue that since man was created in God’s image and likeness, so then is the foetus/embryo. God alone is lord of life and death and humans do not have the right to take away life. The ‘sanctity of life’ argument may be given here. This is to say that life is sacred and that human life is valuable in itself. The term ‘sanctity of life’ means ‘a life set aside’ and Christians would say that God creates each life specially and uniquely. Human life is therefore intrinsically (i.e. in itself) worthwhile and we have a duty to preserve this life. There is of course in Natural Law and the Christian position the principle of double effect. Double effect is a theory used to justify the termination of a foetus/embryo if the intention of doctors is to save the life of a mother. (E.g. hysterectomy) In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilised egg attaches itself to the fallopian tube the double effect justifies the removal of the fallopian tube as if it is not removed the mother will die. In this case if the pregnancy continues the mother and foetus will die and the double effect theory justifies the removal of the fallopian tube, because the intention is to save the mothers life even though the effect of doing so leads to the death of the foetus/embryo. Even pro-life groups, such as SPUC would allow for DDE. What do ethical theories say on this matter? Virtue Ethics: Would abortion be allowed in virtue theory? Virtue Ethics concentrates on what a person is, rather than does. The aim of virtue ethics is a good life of well being (eudaimonia) It is an ethic of aspiration to be a better person and looks to those who have set a good example. Aristotle classifies the virtues and we must try to find the ‘Golden Mean’. Would abortion be classified as an ‘extreme’ of behaviour? Well as you will remember Robert Louden argued that virtue ethics is of little practical use to someone faced with a moral dilemma as virtue ethics fails to address dilemmas, which arise in applied ethics, such as abortion. He gave the example of a woman who discovers that her baby will be born with severe disabilities. He asks how are we to know what a good person would do? How are we to choose between compassion and bravery? Having an abortion could be classed as ‘cowardice’, ‘rashness’ etc. and one could say that Mother Teresa as a Christian would not have an abortion, but what about in certain circumstances? What if virtues clash? Since Virtue Ethics focuses on the person, rather than actions or consequences of actions can we really say whether an abortion would be acceptable? For Aristotle you cannot explain ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ simply in terms of rules, but rather you can show how a virtuous person can be trusted and do the right thing in a variety of situations, each of which may be unique and cannot therefore be covered by a way of a rule. Relativist/teleological ethical theories and abortion: a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Situationism (Notes from page 53, ‘Issues of Life and death’ (Wilcockson) Since the 1960s many Christian theologians have argued that Jesus’ teaching was based on giving people their own freedom to act responsibly based on the principle of generous love or ‘agape’. Joseph Fletchers influential book ‘Situation Ethics’ (1966) coined this term and set out a Christian calculus, which decides each case on its own merits. This theory is absolutist in the agape part but this is the only absolute rule. Fletcher claimed that in any given situation the ‘right’ thing to do was that which love required. Whilst this provides an alternative Christian ethic which is consistent with the Gospel representation of Jesus traditional Christian thinkers have rejected it. (E.g. Pope Pius XII-see Relativism booklet for more information). Fletcher outlined a case in 1962 where an inmate of a mental hospital raped an unmarried, schizophrenic girl. Her father’s request for an abortion was denied because the only moral and legal grounds for abortion would have been if her life were at grave risk. Fletcher finds it shocking that this kind of rigid legalism could deny compassionate treatment. The situationist answer cannot really be predicted because each case is unique but in the above case Fletcher argued that her mental health is paramount and furthermore ‘no unwanted and unintended baby should ever be born’. Fletcher however, is far from clear about why and to what extent the embryo or foetus should be included in the calculus: (Taken from p.53, ‘Issues of life and death’ (Wilcockson) They (situationists) would in all likelihood favor abortion for the sake of the patient’s physical and mental health, not only if it were needed to save her life. It is even likely they would favor abortion for the sake of the victim’s self respect or reputation or happiness or simply on the ground that no unwanted and unintended baby should ever be born. They would, one hopes, reason that it is not killing because there is no person or human life in an embryo at an early stage of pregnancy (Aristotle and St Thomas Aquinas held that opinion-see Ensoulment), or even if it were killing, it would not be murder because it is self-defense against, in this case, not one but two aggressors. First there is the rapist, who being insane was morally and legally innocent, and then there is the ‘innocent’ embryo, which is continuing the ravisher’s original aggression! Even self-defense legalism would have allowed the girl to kill her attacker, no matter that he was innocent in the forum of conscience because of his madness. The embryo is not more innocent, no less an aggressor or unwelcome invader! Is not the most loving thing possible (the right thing) in this case a responsible decision to terminate the pregnancy? (Situation Ethics (1996) p.39) Many people use the situation ethics principle to judge whether or not someone should have an abortion. Because situations differ in so many respects, then so should our response. Situation Ethics as put forward by Fletcher encouraged people to use the ‘agape’ principle – what would be the most ‘loving’ thing to do in the circumstances? For this theory the question of whether abortion is morally acceptable cannot be answered, as it would depend upon each situation and specific circumstances of a particular mother. This system allows for flexibility but the problem is, how can we be certain that our response will, in the long run, turn out to be the most loving? (Many people who have abortions regret their decision in later life.) Also if there are two ‘people’ involved, whose interest’s conflict, how should we decide whom to ‘love’? If an end result serves ‘agape’ best then it is right. b) Utilitarianism: A short summary: This theory can be summed up by the phrase, ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number’. At a first glance it may seem that abortion is straightforward for a utilitarian. If the mother’s happiness would be greater is she had an abortion, then abortion would be the right course of action. However, it is more complicated than this, as other factors need to be taken into account. The foetus needs to be taken into account as if the foetus is to be considered ‘human’ then its happiness should also be taken into consideration. This does not mean that abortion becomes wrong. However, it does suggest that abortion would be ‘right’ in certain circumstances, such as if the mothers life is in danger. (May be more happiness if mother survived, rather than if both the mother and foetus died.) In addition, other family members perhaps need to be taken into consideration for the ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number’. If other family members did not want the mother to go ahead with the abortion, or indeed if the father wanted the child, then abortion here would not be the ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number’. In the case of pregnancy as a result of rape for example, the following would need to be considered alongside the ‘greatest happiness’ principle: Trauma for mother and existing family Trauma for any child of rape in learning of their violent origins. Absolutist/deontological ethical theories and abortion: Natural Law: This has already been covered in the ‘Christianity’ section of this booklet and the potential to become a person and Ensoulment should also be taken into consideration. When the Christian examines natural law it is clear that nature’s design is that women are naturally equipped to have children. It is thus, natural for intercourse to lead to conception and for women to be pregnant and bear children (Final cause of sex=procreation.) Natural Law theory would claim that abortion is wrong, as the purpose of the body is to reproduce. The RC Church has opposed abortion for a considerable amount of time based on this tradition. There is however, the principle of double effect, which could be applied here. This principle could be seen as ‘relativist’, although the theory of Natural Law is essentially an absolutist theory. The doctrine of double effect consists of fou

Marijuana as Medicine: More Harm Than Help :: pro use of medical marijuana

Marijuana as Medicine: More Harm Than Help Joan Daly smokes marijuana. She is also a former member of the San Francisco Police Department. When Joan was diagnosed with cancer she began a rigorous chemotherapy program, which has left her in an almost constant state of nausea, to battle her disease. She, and many like her, claim that the only drug they have tried that works to ease their pain is marijuana (Lacayo np). Claims such as this have led to a national movement pushing the legalization of medical marijuana. Marijuana should not be legalized for medicine or any other purpose. (98) Naturally, those who support the cause of legalization will have their arguments, which can be summarized into three main areas. The first is the claim that marijuana is an instrumental treatment for the nausea associated with chemotherapy in cancer patients. The next assertion is that marijuana is an effective controller of glaucoma. Finally, marijuana advocates claim that it is effective in stimulating the appetite for the prevention of AIDS wasting syndrome. (71) Proponents of medical marijuana swear by its ability to ease the suffering of chemotherapy patients, however there is no research to back these staunch claims. To be sure, there is a large body of research regarding cannabinoids, the chemicals found in plants of the same type as marijuana- the cannabis family, but the overwhelming majority of those studies use the already USDA approved dronabinol, a synthetic pill version of marijuana's main psychoactive ingredient, THC (NIH np). The pill, claim legalization supporters, does not work to relieve nausea (Lacayo np). There is, in fact, only one study that has compared smoked marijuana and synthetic THC pills. Of the 20 patients studied, 9 had no preference, 7 preferred dronabinol, and only 4 preferred smoked marijuana (NIH np). Critics of the legalization Cleland 2 movement say that using the drug before its safety and effectiveness are determined is foolhardy ("Weed Wars" np). There is evidence enough to support this claim. The number of patients who have been clinically dosed with marijuana for research purposes is a staggering 56 (NIH np). That is an extremely small number to base such large claims on. The treatment of nausea debate generally focuses on the synthetic pill/smoked marijuana trade off. The simple truth is that treatments are available that much more effective than the pill in the form of ondansetron, granisetron, and others. Their effectiveness has not been rated against that of marijuana, but the vast majority of patients respond well to these new treatments, and the benefits of marijuana for the remaining few is simply not known (NIH np). (255) Another use of medical marijuana, says advocates, is for

NonProfit Management Case Study Essay

Introduction The civil society has taken a very active role in the quest for democracy that continues to spread across the continents till it reached the Middle East region only recently. This is clear given the successive revolts that have taken place in many of the Arab countries calling for real democracy. Therefore, especially in Egypt, efforts should be directed toward defending civil society organizations and activists who are being threatened by the coercive authoritarian government actions over the past decades (Naidoo, 2007). The civil society as identified by Khallaf (2010) comprises â€Å"non-governmental organizations (NGOs hereafter), community groups, professional associations, trade unions, media organizations, research institutes/ think tanks, and advocacy and human rights civil society organizations† (p. 2). However, the current paper aims at focusing mainly on the role of NGOs in strengthening democracy. This is due to the major role NGOs play in several areas in order to enhance democracy. Among these are their role in: (1) allowing a wider range of interest groups to have a ‘voice’, pluralizing institutions to act in a ‘watchdog’ role vis-a-vis the state, networking and creating alliances of civic actors to place pressure on the state, (2) working with grassroots organizations comprised of poor and marginalized groups, and (3) exerting some pressures on the state by pressing for change and developing alternative policies (Mercer, 2002). Previous Studies of civil society in Egypt, over the past twenty years, have been both superficial and confined to only limited areas, namely (issue based publications, academic publications, training materials/ manuals, directories, conference publications, empirical comparative studies, civil society organizations’ (CSOs) publications, donor guide books and publications, CSOs coalitions occasional papers, evaluation studies, and web based sources) (Khallaf, 2010). (Figure: 1). Figure : The diversity of civil society research in Egypt Therefore, more detailed studies should be directed toward deeply investigating the civil society organizations operating in Egypt. Khallaf (2010) has mentioned that more research has been directed recently to track the actual magnitude of civil society through donor efforts in Egypt. However, the literature has pointed to serious gaps in the study of NGOs in Egypt. These include; First: Updated statistical information on number of NGOs. Second: The systematic evaluation of NGOs activities. Third: periodic assessments such as the CIVICUS or Civil Society Index and the Philanthropy study. Forth: studying participatory governance and the involvement of civil society in decision making processes. Fifth: changing Laws and regulations governing NGOs in Egypt. Sixth: An impact assessment of all new NGOs working in charity or development. Seventh: an assessment of aid effectiveness to Egypt (Khallaf, 2010). Finally: a detailed diagnosis of the NGOs operating in Egypt is needed. This should focus on both internal and external analyses of the selected NGOs and provide policy recommendations for possible improvements in the sector. The current paper attempts to draw light on how the civil society operates in Egypt. A well recognized Egyptian NGO was selected in this ethnographic research. It is called the Future Protectors Association for Care and Development or â€Å"Homat Al-Mostakbal†. The reason behind selecting it is the higher credibility and the good reputation it is enjoying. This is quite well perceived by the researcher based on her personal experience with this association. The current research can add valuable insights both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, it attempts to cover few of the gaps mentioned about the civil society research in developing countries and Egypt in particular. Practically, proposed recommendations can serve as strategic agendas for improving the performance of the selected NGO in particular and the entire NGO sector in general. The current paper is organized as follows; the first section will provide detailed information about association’s background. This will be followed by the analysis section which would sum up the major facts collected about the association. The analysis is based on qualitative in-depth interviewing1 conducted with five key persons in the association including its founder. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are presented, to guide future research directions, at the conclusion part here later. Background Future protectors association for care and development (homat al mostakbal) is one of the well known non-governmental organizations in Egypt. It is located at 425 Avenue Road, Roushdy, Alexandria, Egypt. It is a group of young people who work in the field of developmental work and volunteerism in for a better future and a true renaissance to Egypt. It serves in the great Cairo area and some other governorates including; Alexandria, Dakahleya, Gharbeya, Menoufeya, and others. It was originally founded on the 2nd of Novermber, 2004 by Eng. El-Dreiny and his daughter engineer Marwa El-Dreiny. It was mainly founded seeking community development. The vision of the association is to be one of the largest civil society organizations working in the field and leading the areas of development, community care, and voluntary work in Egypt and the Arab world by year 2020. The mission of the association is the development and care of the community through several dimensions including; raising the general level of education and the development of production philosophy, increasing awareness of drug taking problems, providing health awareness, raising the cultural level of young people, and providing a variety of social services. These are to be achieved while taking into account the mastery of work and commitment to the principles of ethics and team work cooperation. The primary objectives to fulfill the pre-mentioned vision and mission include the following; Providing guidance and better utilizing the power of potential volunteers in various activities of the association and developing their skills while strengthening their moral values. Increasing the awareness of community members about the dangers of drugs and training of cadres for different age groups. In addition to providing technical support to partners and trainers in the field of awareness against the dangers of addiction and drug. Training community members by spreading the production thinking and helping youth and poor families in establishing small craft projects to supply industries with high quality products at competitive prices. Providing social services (in kind – physical – technical) and the work projects for poor families, orphans, deaf and dumb cases. Developing different segments of the society, especially children and young people both culturally and scientifically. This would entitle them to acquire new skills, open their horizons to different lives, and raise the level of education among the educated classes with aim of bringing progress and prosperity to the society in large. The major values of the association comprise the following; Intentions precede action Our basic principles are our main priority. Understanding the priorities and giving a high commitment to them. Mastering our work. Best employing our resources. Our clients are our core interest. Team work spirit. Commitment to a safe environment. The association is registered under the old NGO law. This entitles the association to be under the scrutiny and supervision of the Directorate of Social Affairs. Here is the copy of the registration certificate. Figure : Formal Registration Certificate The association tries as much to manage its institutional memory. This can be manifested in the form of reports including information about what happened in the past. Other reports are prepared for each activity and collected annually to be archived and documented for each committee. Also, there are few attempts to record religious seminars and cultural meetings either video or audio. Sometimes the association registers the campaigns to serve the new members by providing them with information about the work flavor. These tentative mechanisms are aimed at saving association heritage of knowledge and transfer it to the future generations who would complete the mission. The organization chart of the association was revised recently. There are intentions to modify it also however some limitations hinder this at the current period. The chart is decomposed into the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, the Chairmen of the various Committees – the Vice Chairmen of the various Committees -who are appointed by the administration according to experience and seniority- the executive management including Secretary, the financial management. There were areas for development and the last updated organization chart was reproduced recently in 2011. The association was built on the basis of predominantly volunteerism however; there are 17 formal employees who are getting paid monthly. There are mainly three managers; executive, financial, and legal affairs. Staff members do not perform overlapping roles, instead there is a clearly specified job description for each single role. This would allow the upper management to apply a strict accountability procedures based on assigned responsibilities. The association is able to deal smoothly with the threat of losing any/all staff member(s). Sometimes, the operations of a highly specialized department, which loses a key staff member, can be postponed until the appointment of a new person. However, in the key roles like secretarial work, work cannot be stopped and duties can be referred to any interested volunteer. The collectivity and shared team working spirit that characterize the association enable it to face sudden problems of this sort. The association is having a board of directors. It is composed of 9 members, 1/3 of them are dropped during each nomination period. The nomination is made for 6 upcoming years. It is preferred to nominate persons with strong public relations to offer some facilities and those who have the expertise and strong knowledge about association’s policies. The association is membership based. There are different types of members including volunteers, affiliated, and working member. The membership status is documented only for continuing members who are then entitled to receive a formal membership card. Members pay a symbolic annual fee of about 20 pounds which represents one of the financial resources received by the association. The following chart represents the progress that has occurred in association’s membership from 2004 to 2008. In 2010, the number of volunteers has reached 4000. Figure : The number of volunteers The following chart represents the geographic allocation of volunteers across the different governorates. Figure : The geographic allocation of volunteers The social and economic background of the members is diverse. Majority of members are classified to be from the middle to upper middle social class. They are almost well educated having a clear intent toward the importance of charity and development societal roles in their country. They have strong religious understandings which enable them to volunteer their efforts for the sake of making others happy while earning credits (thawab) and pleasing the only god (ALLAH). The association has completed a huge number of successful projects2 and some of which are seasonal. The seasonal projects include distributing El Kheir bags and Ramadan lamps. It is planning to undertake some continuous projects not to be owned by the association but by encouraging the youth to execute them and the association can be a partner by 10%. Attached here below in the appendices is a list of the projects and activities the association is involved in. The primary beneficiaries of the association are; Volunteers, university students, school children, widowed women, poor families, knowledge seekers, patients, orphans, and the elderly at large. The association is not specifying a certain population to focus on serving. Activities are therefore not based on the coverage of a particular area, but they are tailored to achieve certain goals across the various geographic segments. 3 The association has unique policy for recruiting both members and staff. For the former, recruitment is based on the real intention to perform volunteer work. For the latter, recruitment is based on the exact mission to be completed within the functional department the potential candidate will join. The association views the current recruitment policy to be an effective one. Therefore, there are no plans to change its policy during the current period. The ratio of association’s founders to its members is roughly estimated to be 10%. Taking into considerations that the number of registered volunteers is roughly 4000, only 100-200 of them are active ones. The association depends on a self financing scheme. Majority of funds come from membership fees, donations (in cash or in kind), and revenues from profit-based committees. There is one company which operates in the field of quality and 75% of its income is transferred to the association. There are some funding projects such as the share the good, CSR, and Ijada company. Only 10% of the directed donations are taken to cover a proportion of administrative expenses but the money of Zakat is kept untouched. The association collects money from Egyptians. The money comes in forms of Zakat, sadakat, and in cash or in kind donations. It utilizes no foreign funding alternatives except for the single initiative with the United Nations. This partnership agreement was made under pressures from Dubai police and entitled the association to receive a fund of $ 10. 000 in order to execute some projects. The association has neither an initial endowment nor an emergency fund. It depended mainly on donations during the initial construction phase. There is a bank account for the association where the money collected from the various sources is being deposited to or withdrew from when necessary. The association does not always profit from most of its projects because they have low profit margins. Some seasonal projects might generate profit like the partnership with Toshiba Company to distribute Ramadan lamps. Donations are considered as part of the revenues. The association uses money coming from donations, sadakat, and the yield of some revenue-based activities. The general overhead costs of the association are estimated roughly to be from 30-40% of the budget. The ways to manage costs to the least possible level include, inducing members to rationalize consumption rates, closely monitoring monthly expenses, rationalizing staff recruitment process, and covering the costs of high telephone bills, hospitality and administrative outlays through collecting in kind donations. The association does not recognize any kind of support offered by the Egyptian government. The old government has provided only some facilities to make agreements with some concerned authorities such as ministries. This was mostly perceived prior to the revolution. However, the picture of the new potential government is still vague and there is no assurance that the new government would adopt a pro-civil society philosophy or not. There are tentative expectations about possible cooperation from the ministry of environment in the future. Analysis Based on the results of the in-depth personal interviews conducted with key persons in the association two types of analysis were made. The following section starts by presenting the first type of analysis which is the SWOT. This will be followed by the PEST analysis. 1. SWOT analysis The association enjoys a number of strength points. These strengths include, but not limited to, the following; a. Strong team spirit is a huge asset, good and efficient management system, good public relations, raising the skills of volunteers through gained experience, and very good reputation perceived by partners and the community at large. b. The presence of strong networks both locally and internationally. Locally with government institutions such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, the Adult Education in Alexandria, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Environment (protocol of cooperation),partnership training with the engineering industries sector TV ITV’s affiliated to the Ministry of Industry, Alexandria Biblotecha library (Department of Public Relations and Information), Morkoseya Church, the Food Bank, and the Egyptian (permanent agreement). Internationally, networks with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime in the United Nations, the Dubai Police (working as technical/training consultants to raise awareness of the damages of drug addiction. c. Good coordination with other local and international organizations. Examples include organizing joint training programs with renaissance makers club in Kuwait, the Ministry of Awqaf in Kuwait, the American University of Kuwait, Gulf University, CID in Kuwait and the Ministry of Defense, Union of Arab Doctors (donations to Libya), the office of Dr. Muhammad Salim Al-Awa, Toshiba Arab company and Ocean Express Company and Isam Abu-setta for heavy transport, New Horizons and Xeon, Arab Academy for Science and Technology, University of Pharos, Alexandria University, Cairo University, Helwan University, Ain Shams University, Menoufiya University, Western University , Mansoura University, Assuit University. Alshanek ya Balady Association, Alexandria west investors association, and set your goal association, the future hands Hospital. In addition to cultural partnership cooperation with the Egyptian-Turkish Friendship Association. d. The presence of a strong infrastructure in the main headquarters in Alexandria. It is located in a prestigious location, well furnished, and highly accessible. However it is not a private property and thus imposes the burden of paying high monthly rent. This location is equipped by personal computers, laptops, wireless network, and they have electronic marketing forces empowered by strong specialists in the field. e. The presence of an independent financial management and independent social affairs and legal affairs units whose staff are paid. The recycling project, the specialized teams used in field case studies, the illiteracy teachers, and volunteers. f. The lack of specific religious or political directions and the presence of strong relationships with respectable figures in Alexandria. The inclusion of small associations in the many events organized by the association. Dependence on respectable personalities in providing certain services. g. Partnering with the association provides the partner several privileges and huge returns. A list of those privileges and returns to partners and individuals can be found later in the appendices. The obvious weakness points observed in this association include the following; a. Funding problems (almost self-financing by 99% from members) and the presence of many projects in second row but (senior management has recently begun to train the middle class members to complete these projects and continue the transfer of expertise to their followers). b. There are no integration links between the projects. c. Some personal conflict problems might arise sporadically among members. d. Administrative problems, and lack of strictness and formalization procedures due to a conflict between the role of leader and manager, but they overcome this problem by appointing an executive director. e. Inadequate promotion for the association in the media compared to other competitors. The reasons are mainly to reduce expenses and due to the imposed security restrictions. f. The absence of headquarters in some governorates like Dakahleya and Gharbeya which constitutes a big problem because the teams there are highly specialized and they need the proper setting to grow on it. g. The lack of specialization between the work forces in undertaking the projects. h. Some communication problems were present however, the Human Resources Director has solved them. i. Lack of volunteers and problems with their continuity/tenure. In some cases the volunteer has a desire to see the immediate result of his voluntary work which makes them less patient to continue. Most of the projects carried out by the association have longer term impacts and feasibility. j. Shortage in financial resources and operational tools. The major opportunities, brought from the external environment, facing the association for the time being include the following; a. Activating some agreements with the Union of Arab doctors, the Ministry of Environment, various associations, political awareness teams, in addition to different charitable and awareness-raising teams seeking support from the association in terms of logistics and training. b. A strong deactivated relationship with Al-Jazeera training center which is currently under study. c. The existence of many public figures, associations, and young modest advocates who have neither political nor religious direction. The association can take advantage of their cooperation efforts. d. A number of donors from America, Canada and Morocco who have appeared after the revolution as service volunteers like doctors. e. Localities and the Council of the People elections. This can be achieved by nominating independent members. Any successful nominated member can offer some facilities and services to the association. Also, this will give the chance for the association to be presented as one of the active civil society organizations participating in crafting the new constitution. f. Offering many partnerships to join the association with large well known institutions such as New Horizons, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, and other new companies through exhibitions. Their offered contributions come mainly in the form of donations. g. The existence of promising facilities to complete some strategic projects through governmental entities. h. Reducing some of the strict scrutiny procedures imposed previously by the old government and the security apparatus. i. The expansion and proliferation in the environment of charity work, the launch of various public events and the intense presence of the civil society activities. j. The potential for participation with other unknown may be small, associations to perform some other projects outside the scope of work of the association. This represents the potential for diversification and expansion of work coverage. k. People’s Openness and their new reconciliation with the community with the desire to join the civil society institutions to provide charity services. l. The presence of various finance institutions through which the association can expand its operations scale after getting approvals from concerned authorities. m. The neutrality of the association both politically and religiously is a major strength. It is manifested in attracting bodies of various ideologies either as beneficiaries or participants. These include for example, Morosely Church or El-Azhar in my life project. The major threats or challenges, brought from the external environment, facing the association include the following; a. The societal openness can produce many competitors; some of them are supported by huge funding schemes and are biased toward the fulfillment of certain political religious agendas. b. Security threats to volunteers and the possibility of exposure to risk in places where they provide services. The possibility of being abused by law breakers due to the lack of security in the Egyptian streets mainly after the recent events. c. Exploiting association’s activities for the beneficial interests of others. This is totally rejected. This might impose the threat of diluting the association’s public image. Examples include candidates’ coverage for elections or political support using association’s name and good reputation. d. The presence of some competitors with high media coverage, such as resala. e. The culture of voluntary work is still somehow tentative. The lack of awareness of others about the culture of volunteerism and societal responsibility. f. The necessity to invest in volunteers to improve their skills and derive maximum value out of their participation. g. The unstable economic situation of the Egyptian State. h. The role of the Ministry of Social Solidarity has been hindering the progress of the work of the civil society for long years ago. i. The emergence of the Muslim brotherhood and the ancestors (salaf) as major competitors. j. Lack of human rights and political awareness and the prevailing unjustified freedom leading to chaotic results. k. The culture of the conspiracy against Egypt and the presence of some many unnatural Egyptian T. V talk show moderators. l. The owners of certain rented headquarters are drug dealers. This represents a major threat calling for immediate actions in moving those headquarters. 2. The PEST analysis a. Political Factors The political environment in which the association operates appears to be unstable. This status has recently turned to be much intense following the revolution due to the emergence of new political groupings. There are some promising expectations that the new democratically elected government will set new policies that are pro the civil society. The new policies are expected to contain modified laws that regulate taxation and provide more support and facilities to NGOs’ operations. The old government economic policies seemed to be incredibly inefficient resulting into a deteriorated national economic performance. This government had also no hand on regulating the marketing ethics of operating NGOs. Its major concern was on prohibiting religiously oriented activities and banning NGOs participation in the political life. b. Economic Factors The slowdown in Egyptian national economy has impacted the role of the association. This was reflected into low interest rates on savings and high interest charges on borrowings. The inflation rate continued to grow reducing the purchasing value of the Egyptian pound. The long-term prospects for the economy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and other economic indicators will depend on the policies and procedures adopted by the new elected government. c. Socio-cultural Factors The dominant religion in Egypt is Islam. The association is not discriminating against either religion or gender. The partnership with morkoseya church is an evidence to support this claim. The role of women continues to grow largely and rapidly in the Egyptian society. They are becoming well educated, highly paid, and having a self commitment toward volunteer work. The majority of people the association is targeting its services are illiterate. The general population lacks a solid awareness regarding green environmental issues. This is a very important role of the association in advocating for a green environment and promoting green activities. These include reducing consumption and disposal rates, saving energy, recycling disposed items†¦etc. d. Technological Factors Technological innovations make life easier for all. The association utilizes as many of the technological facilities like wireless connections, fax, and international calls to carry out daily activities. The emphasis should be directed toward strengthening association’s technological infrastructure to be able to do business through online communication channels. There are strong promises regarding what the future can bring to the civil society in general and to the association in particular. This is manifested in several key points. First: the majority of people are becoming motivated to volunteer work. Second: the increased public awareness of the importance of civic and collective actions in contrast to confining the role of the individual to achieve purely personal goals. Third: the strong promises and positive perception maintained by the majority of the poor toward the role of the civil society due to government failure to satisfy their needs. Forth: the diversity in working areas removes many of the restrictions imposed on the civilian work. Fifth: the potential for cooperation from the new elected democratic government. Sixth: the potential for receiving huge inflows of international donors’ funds. Finally, the presence of many initiatives aimed at community and society renaissance that could be built upon. Conclusion and Recommendations Based on the previous systematic analyses, the following conclusions are reached. The selected association is one of an above medium size. It has several branches covering a range of governorates in Egypt. In addition to that it has multiple international partnership agreements abroad with some countries like Kuwait and Dubai. It is innovative due to the creativity exercised by its members in proposing and launching new project initiatives given the limited financial and physical resources available to them. The diversity of its projects adds to its effectiveness by solving problems in multiple critical areas. Administratively, the association can be run more efficiently than its current status. The overhead costs can be controlled so that not to exceed 10% of the annual budget. This can be achieved through cutting back on hospitality, renting, and utilities expenses or finding a sponsor company to offer them for free. The remainder of the budget should be entirely devoted to implementing key projects and programs. Once those two objectives are met – keeping O. H costs to the minimum and maximizing the pool of resources available to projects – the association can enhance its reliability and credibility as perceived by the various stakeholder groups. It has to overcome one of its critical weaknesses which is the deficient public media coverage. Adopting innovative promotional campaigns, through media, flyers, and positive word of mouth, can bring in extra revenues, many volunteers individuals or corporations, government support, and a favorable public image. It has to integrate advanced sophisticated techniques to save institutional memory for the next generations. Applying digital archiving, video and audio recordings of important projects, seminars, and events, keeping records of association’s best practices are all effective methods to save memory beside the conventional paper-based archiving mechanism. Web presence is very critical to the association. It is not well developed because the current website is down and the main gate to potential members is through the social media like the face book. Thus, developing a full featured website can provide good communication channels for the association both locally and internationally. The association has to allow potential members to register online. The composition of the board of directors needs some adjustments. A combination of co-founders, highly prestigious figures, wealthy capitalists, experienced technocrats – given the fact that they are all politically and religiously unbiased – will allow the association to leverage each party’s privileges respectively. The reason is that co-founders are well informed about the association, its mission, vision, goals and have an intuitive inner commitment to achieve them. The highly prestigious, well known, famous, and rich members – who represent the status symbol – can bring in extra money through their special donations and strong contacts with bureaucrats. The wealthy capitalists can have a win-win situation. On the one hand, they can enjoy public credibility and commitment toward social responsibility and on the other hand they will cash in the association to derive this legitimacy. Experienced technocrats can propose better structural reforms, manage operational complexities, and implement strategies to improve performance by capitalizing on strengths and overcoming weaknesses. The association is membership-based and it serves multiple interests. It channels members’ annual fees to implement projects serving members of the poor communities. It also develops the skills and competencies of its members in return for their volunteer time, money, and efforts. The non-profit nature of the association should not hinder its attempts to implement profit-based projects. These projects are important to cover the high overhead cost, keep an emergency fund â€Å" to hedge against bad economic conditions,† invest surplus in revenue earning initiatives, finance new developmental projects, and finally keep work flow smoothly while enjoying the tax exemption privilege. Providing full fledged free support should be only restricted to severe cases. These include very poor, eldery, disable, and young sick children in highly marginalized areas. Otherwise, providing services should have something in return. For example, providing microfinance for poor families can be balanced against donating a certain percentage of periodical revenues to fund other projects. One more thing that should be emphasized specially after the revolution of January 25th is augmenting international funding options. The association has to devise an effective strategy to share a large portion of international donor money coming into Egypt to support democracy. Only with a clear schedule of valuable projects, the association can guarantee international donors’ support without facing the threat of policy conditionality i. e. , imposing a certain development agenda on fund recipient as a condition to be granted the money. This can secure association’s activities financially, allow it to cover O. H costs, implement expansion plans, and better serve society’s compelling needs. General recommendations to improve the civil society in Egypt; 1. The presence of a regulatory environment for transparency rather than for control. 2. Ensuring enough flexibility in law application and enforcement i. e. , the law versus the implementation issue. 3. Promoting an openness commitment to partnership between government and public institutions and the civil society. 4. Supporting a bottom-up approach to development from donors’ side. 5. Supporting the creation of institutions rather than only short or medium term programs to promote for sustainable development. 6. Mobilizing mechanisms to maximize the real value perceived by the beneficiaries from the donors’ dollars. Page (2011) mentioned that only 10 to 30 percent of this actual grant will go to the real beneficiaries. 7. Supporting the youth-led NGOs so that they can actually participate in leading the winds of change toward democracy in Egypt. P. S. for those interested in accessing the association for donations, or more research work, here are association’s contacts. Address