How To Post To Multiple Social Networks At Once In No Time

How To Post To Multiple Social Networks At Once In No Time Imagine how much easier your life would be if you could just update all social media at once And what if you could go beyond that to simply schedule social messages to publish now and well into the future? And what if you could do it all in a few easy minutes? Youd solve the blank slate problem since you know posting  to social media consistently is important, but  doing it consistently- or even knowing where to start- is a challenge of its own. Youd turn what was a tedious  nightmare  into an efficient and repeatable process.  Youd forget about logging in and out of every social media account  and  setting reminders to share things.  There has to be a better way to set it and forget it! Youd actually find time to post on all of your social networks. Its easy to avoid posting when it sucks up your precious time but now youd be organized enough  to really focus on creating even better social media content, increasing your engagement, growing your following. Well, your imagination really isnt running that wild because you can post to multiple social networks at once and well beyond with a beautiful and easy-to-use tool I like to call . How To Post To Multiple #SocialNetworks At Once In No TimeHeres a sneak peek of exactly what I mean by posting to all social media at once with : Now, just so I dont get ahead of myself- and to help you choose the app that posts to all social media thats right for you- lets explore where to get started all the way through a real-life example of how this works. How To Find Your App That Posts To All Social Media Your first step is to create a checklist of what you need from an app to help you choose the ultimate best tool for you. Here are the definite must-haves on your list to help you solve the problem of posting on multiple social networks now while also helping you easily scale your  social media strategy. [ ] An App To  Manage All Of Your Social Media Accounts In order to post to all social media at once, you need to find a tool that helps you manage all of your accounts in one place. Create a social media accounts list to get you started. Here are a few things to think about You have business profiles: Facebook page Facebook groups Twitter handles Pinterest profile LinkedIn company profile Google+ page You have personal profiles: Facebook profile Facebook groups Twitter handles Pinterest profile LinkedIn profile Tumblr blog Youll want to find an app  to post to multiple social networks where you already have accounts. This will help you organize  all of your social media, focus your efforts on the right profiles, and post consistently to every account. [ ] An App That Posts To Multiple Social Networks At Once Easily This is kind of a given since updating all of your social media at once is  the problem you need to solve. But theres a difference between an app that can do this versus one thats designed  to make this an easy process. [ ] An App That Helps You Write  A Variety Of Social Media Messages At Once Many tools may help you write one message and blast it to all of your social networks. But your followers  on Twitter likely expect different messaging than your fans on Facebook. You need an app that helps you write a variety of messages so you can tailor them to the unique experiences your audience expects on different social networks.  This will help you increase your reach, boost your engagement, and grow your following. [ ] An App That Helps You Switch Up Visuals  In Your Messages Visual content  is one of the best ways to make sure your social media messages stand out in crowded news feeds. But GIFs perform well on Twitter and dont even animate on Pinterest where longer images dominate your followers screens. Since you found an app that helps you post to all social media at once while tailoring your messages to each network, your  next checkmark is to make sure that the tool  supports visuals and that you can choose them specifically for each network or message. [ ] An App That Helps You Schedule Once While Sharing At The Best Times For Engagement Sure, you want a tool that posts to your social networks now. But why not  do the work of writing your messages once while automatically posting  your social media messages at the absolute best times to increase your engagement and click-throughs? [ ] An App That Helps You Post To Social Media Well Beyond Right Now Yeah, this is similar to making sure you share at the absolute best times. But what if you could also schedule more messages to send tomorrow, throughout the week, or even a month or two from now? Find  a tool that helps you schedule out well beyond today so you can post all of your messages today while consistently sharing  relevant content with your followers well beyond right now. [ ] An App That Helps You Save Your Work As A Template To  Quickly  Post New Content In The Future So you just found an app that will help you write messages for each network and connect awesome visuals to each. It also helps you post at the absolute best times and allows you to schedule social media messages tomorrow, next week, and beyond. Find an app that helps you save that social media posting schedule to reuse it as a template. That will  save you time by doing the  hard stuff once, help you  turn your social media posting into a repeatable and efficient process, and help you share awesome content consistently to grow your following. Win-win-win! [ ] An App That Helps You See Everything Youre Posting At Once The more messages you post to your social networks, the more youll need a way to see everything thats going out. Search for a tool that gives you a visual at-a-glance view of the social media messages youll post every day of the week and allows you to easily drag and drop  your messages to other days as needed. [ ] An App That Helps You Manage Your Social Media Projects You probably have blog posts to  share on social media, campaigns to manage, and curation to organize. Why not find a tool that helps you get completely organized with all of it in one place complete with  as many workflows as you need? Shop Around, But Will Fill Up Your Checklist Youve probably guessed it, but is the worlds only social media calendar that will check  off every point in your checklist. Lets take a look at how you can  use to post on multiple social networks at once (and beyond). Manage All Of Your Social Media Accounts In One Place Simply log in to your social media accounts, then connect them into . Once youre set up, you wont need to worry about logging in and out of your social networks  to post your messages because youll schedule everything to send through . Post To Multiple Social Networks At Once You can easily write a message, choose an image, and  post that same message to multiple accounts at once. Step 1 and 2: Step 3:   Step 4: While this is a thing you can do, I recommend tailoring each message you send to  a specific social network. This practice will help you write for each network accordingly to help you increase your reach, engagement, and click-throughs. The following steps will help you learn how to do exactly that. Write Awesome Messages With Social Text  Helpers Use social helpers to write messages  that you can reuse without copying and pasting. I like to write social text  helpers  specifically for each network, then get inspiration for the actual messages from: Questions: Close-ended questions that leave followers answering yes or no are proven to increase  click-throughs. Stats: Share an interesting fact from your content. Numbers tend to draw clicks, too. Blog titles: There are three kinds of headlines that get shared more than any other- how to, list, and question. Controversy: Make your readers question what they think they already know to get clicks. Anecdotes: What do you believe that goes against the grain of common belief? Taking your followers off guard can increase clicks. Humor: About 50% of all social media users  share content that entertains. Get reshares by  sharing funny content that appeals to your followers emotional need to be entertained. Quotes:  Did you mention something an influencer said in the content youre sharing? Quotes like that make for  powerful social messages. Benefits: The age-old question your audience constantly asks themselves before clicking through to read your content is, Whats in it for me?  Write social media messages that help your audience improve themselves and achieve self-fulfillment. Snippets: Subheadlines,  powerful sentences, and messages in boxes all serve well as ideas for social messages. Include Awesome Images In Your Messages With Social Image Helpers Next, mix up your visuals in your messages to add variety to your posting schedule.  When you use social image helpers in , you can easily reuse your images in multiple social media messages without copying and pasting. Facebook example: Twitter example: Sizing images correctly for each network can help you increase your engagement, and social image helpers make it easy to post those correctly for each network. Heres some inspiration for the types of images that perform well on social media: Infographics: This is the most-shared type of content. Infographics perform particularly well on Pinterest. Quote graphics: Grab a powerful quote from your content and embed it in a graphic. This tactic is common on  LinkedIn. Animated GIFs: Motion stands out in busy news feeds. Animated GIFs perform well on Twitter. Title graphics: You spend a lot of time on your headlines include them in your social media images to capture attention immediately. Title graphics tend to perform well on Twitter. Mini infographics: Sometimes, its nice to summarize some of the big points from a particular section of your content in a mini infographic to teach your social media followers immediately. This tactic performs  well on Twitter, and is definitely worth trying on Google+ for a more techie audience. Recommended Reading:  How To Make The Best Social Media Images The Easy Way (+ 84 Free Images) Schedule Messages Now While  Automatically Sharing  Smarter With Best Time Scheduling Create a  new social message in , then simply select your text and image helpers. will automatically send your message at the best time for the networks you select according to best practices. Save Your  Social Media Posting Schedule To Reuse It Later With Social Templates The point of writing multiple messages and images is to schedule a variety of social media messages now and let them automatically post to all of your social media well into the future. That will save you tons of time, organize your process, and help you share consistently. Now youll post to multiple social networks at once with a variety of text and images, while also scheduling more messages for: 1 day from now 3 days from now 7 days from now 28 days from now and anything in between or beyond When youre done, simply save your social queue as a template you can reuse again for other content youd like to share. See Every Social Media Message  With Your All-In-One Editorial Calendar Now that youve scheduled  social media messages for multiple projects, its nice to see all of it on one calendar. Easily filter by social media account to find days where you may have too much or too little activity, then drag and drop your messages accordingly. All of it is here! Manage Your Social Media Projects Even Smarter With Task Templates You can use to manage all of your social media posting projects- blog posts, social media campaigns, Twitter chats, e-book promotions, anything! Simply create your project on your calendar, then use tasks to seamlessly assign work to you and your team, complete with due dates. An Example Of How  It All Comes Together: Posting  An E-Book Landing Page On All Social Media In 10 Minutes Or Less Learning from example is a great place to start. So Lets say your team just wrote the e-book on How To Create A Social Media Strategy. Wink-wink, this is a real example. ;) Your team would add that project as Content on your editorial calendar. From there, youd create the Tasks necessary to complete the project, choose  the task due dates, and assign them to your team to complete. Posting to social media is one of the tasks assigned to you! And with , you can  create your social media messages way before you publish the e-book. Here we go: 1  Minute: Create Your Social Helper Tags In that same Content on your calendar, youd simply open the Social Helpers and create your Text Helper tags. Then youd create your Social Image Helper tags. 5  Minutes:  Add Content To Your Text And Image Helpers Then youd fill in the blanks of your Text Helpers with the actual copy  youd like to use in your social media messages. Then youd fill in your Image Helpers by uploading your graphics, pictures, or GIFs: 3  Minutes: Schedule Multiple Messages In Your Social Queue Next, youd start filling up your Social Queue with messages. Choose your Text Helper and Image Helper, then select the Social Media Profiles  to which you want to send those messages. Add more messages to your queue to span days, weeks, or even months from the point of publish. 1  Minute: Save Your Queue As A Reusable Social Template When youre done creating your messages, simply Save Queue As New Template. Now youll be able to reuse the work you put into this template with future e-books- or whatever content youd like to post, really. Thats it! Your e-book is going to be a social media success because of you! You just posted to multiple social networks at once- and scheduled tons of bonus messages that will help you post consistently without the tedious, manual work. And the best part? You saved all of the work you did creating Social Helper tags, scheduling your Social Queue, and creating a Social Template.  So the next time you have to post on social media, itll only take you seven  minutes or less because youll just have to add content into your text and image helpers. Now You Know How To Post To All Social Media In A Matter Of Minutes Youre pretty much the best social media manager in the world right now. :) Youve learned: Where to get started to post to social media consistently to build a following of engaged fans. How to boost your efficiency with a repeatable social media posting process that will get you organized. How to actually find time to post on all of your social media because you wont have to log in and out of multiple accounts. Your social media calendar is a great way to manage all of your  profiles, post to multiple social networks, and organize every project along the way. Get started with a free 14-day trial and let me know  how much time you save!

Is homework on school holidays necessary

Is homework on school holidays necessary Should school homework deprive families of the quality time and prevent young people from being what they are on school holidays? Is Homework on School Holidays Necessary? The primary purpose of homework is to build or improve study skills, self-control and discipline, and responsible behavior among students. Therefore, extending the learning environment outside school setting is necessary. There is no doubt that basis for homework is realistic, informed, and with a noble in intention that would surely benefit students. However, extending the learning environment from classroom to each student’s home with no clearly defined boundaries may result in some unwanted effects. These include reduced family time, social isolation, stress, health problems, reduced motivation, and loss of interest in learning due to long hours spent on daily homework and those that consumed their school holidays. This school-home partnership for students’ development  must, therefore, draw a line between educational and personal needs. The reasons are regardless of life benefits, education is not the only thing that matters to people and as government, religion, economics, and other rule-governed social institutions, schools have limited influence on people. Schools should realize the fact that students, as members of the most important institution in our society can â€Å"Say No To School† or #DigaNoAEscolaPq on matters affecting the quality of their lives. HIGH SCHOOL IS A MUST-DO Homework in Reality School homework is generally students’ out of the  class task that normally requires research, problem-solving, reading, or writing. It is normally prepared and completed after class hours and submitted on next class meeting. The purpose (initially) is to help students learn or acquire some more information about the subject matter. Another purpose of homework is to keep students busy while away from home. A study conducted in 2007 found 45% of grade 3-12 in the United States is spending one hour while 6% spend 3 hours a night on their homework. On average, young and older students spend about 7 hours of a week. In contrast, the 2014 Stanford University research team found that high school students spend an average of 3.1 hours of homework per night. More than 50% of these students experienced greater stress, suffered health problems, and spend less time with their family, friends, and not enjoying their hobbies. Overall, spending more than 2 hours of homework is counterproductive, stressful, health hazard, and negatively affects students’ personal and social life. The call #DigaNoAEscolaPq or â€Å"Say No To School† by a disgusted Brazilian student exposed the enduring school practice of assigning students homework that they need to work on during school holidays. The student actually missed all the fun and excitement because she spent almost half of her two months summer vacation doing homework. This kind of cruel and distressful homework can easily affect young people who by nature are outgoing creatures. They already spent so much time in school, thus being with their family and friends during the holiday are so important to them. There is nothing wrong with homework as it can help develop students’ knowledge, skills, and behavior. The real problem actually is the misuse of the learning tool that until now has a weak link to achievement, but scientifically proven counterproductive when abused, depriving families of the quality  time, and preventing young people from being what they are on school holidays.

International Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Politics - Essay Example This paper aims to critically review the book ‘Why Globalization Works’ which is written by Martin Wolf. In order to support the arguments, evidences from the text will also be presented. Author’s Argument Martin Wolf has presented the topic of globalization rationally. Defending globalization, the author argues that anti globalization, failure of governments and systems have been the cause of global market failures. Wolf also dismantles the argument that rich countries exploit smaller countries. He has drawn a clear picture where the problem exists (Wolf). â€Å"The failure of our world is not that there is too much globalization, but that there is too little† (Wolf 4). Thesis Statement   â€Å"For the greater good, globalization itself is a vibrant channel but as how the political system has mismanaged or mislead this channel of globalization, it has brought the worst affects throughout the world, to the world economies and to their systems†. Bod y The book has a strong appeal for those who are interested in globalization and its future; how democracies will make the most out of this phenomenon and how governments and their free markets will collapse due to its wrong or mere use. In order to understand the author’s argument and to prove the thesis statement, a critical analysis of the book is given below. The idea that distance, space, and technology matters is not disagreed but at the same time a territorial authority of states matter. Even though technology is noticed as a sound source which allows strong territorial control and monitoring of physical objects that crosses the borders, states should not emphasize and rely heavily on the regulation of markets; local or international. The state or a government will itself decide and plan to which extent it is going to utilize the opportunities presented by globalization (Wolf). Market failures are noticed not because of globalization but because of the system failure a nd the weak and ineffective policies. These failures are usually local. It is also due to the central planning as the author has termed it as ‘ludicrous’ as it does not reflect the consumer behavior or his taste, lacking the element of innovation (Wolf 59-60). It is the duty of the government to cater the basic needs of consumers by providing them the basic goods (Wolf). In order to prosper and grow, a state should realize that it needs to clean its debt and at the same time should also protect what belongs to the public. The state must show elements of ‘credibility, predictability, transparency, and consistency’ (Wolf 25). Moreover, the government must refrain itself in interfering in the business deals of merchants and investors. It should let them do business as they want because it is evident that all the Western societies have been crafted by these businessmen using the elements of ‘practicality, rationalism, and freedom of inquiry’ (Wolf) . The author of the book Martin Wolf comes with a very comprehensive definition of globalization that it is something which is meant for the greater good, for the good of the world, for the good of the world’s economies and their economic revivals. The author describes globalization as a method of free trade, and a method where free movement of goods, resources and opportunities are made possible. Globalization itself is an idea to promote the greater integration of the world as the author

Theories of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theories of Management - Essay Example Informal networks tend to be personal, voluntary, and have fluid boundaries. Participation in informal networks is not formally governed or officially recognized. Informal personal and social network activities are with organizational members who share, for instance, common social interests and are often used as a means to socialize among colleagues and to participate in activities they enjoy. Organizational issues are often discussed unofficially. (Ibarra, 2003, 58) Both engagement in formal and informal networking activities and career satisfaction can be expected to be dependent on the availability of time. Being scarce of time may diminish the amount of time that employees interact with their coworkers and this can be reflected in their network characteristics. Individually, a network whether it is an acquaintance, business partnerships and the likes is an advantage on the person who has it against a person who has no network at all. A certain network could be utilized for advancement of an individual in dealing instances such as selling of goods, interaction with others and promoting one's self. Knowing these premises, it is very important to build networks.

Outline Muslim teachings on wealth and poverty Essay Example for Free

Outline Muslim teachings on wealth and poverty Essay Poverty: a state of being poor the status of having no money to take care of yourself and the basic needs of life such as, food, clothing and housing. Muslims believes poverty to be as a test to mankind form god. There are different types of evil and suffering which cause poverty such as: ? Moral evil ? actions done by humans which cause suffering. ?Natural evil ? things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with humans e.g. earthquakes. (I will explain it in the following paragraphs) When god created the earth he also made a being called Adam (pbuh) to take care of it, Allah order the angles to bow down to Adam (pbuh) (humans are superior to the angles as they have free will-which is why they can be vice-regents- but they are inferior because their free will means they can sin) means they can sin) all Angels except one ignorant Satan (iblis) refused to follow Allahs commands to bow down to Adam so Allah rejected him and throw him out of the heavens. However Allah allowed Satan to do mischief and disrupt mankind form worshiping Allah until the last day then Satan shall be sent to hell and those who were tempted by his evil shall follow him into the fire. Muslims believe that suffering is a test from god. But if there faith stays strong and they lead a good and devote themselves to Allah they shall rewarded with eternity paradise. be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits of your toil, but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere calamity, to god we belong and to him shall we return Muslims believe that the way to succeed and pass the test is to help those who suffer such as the floods in Bangladesh through Muslim charities such as Muslim hands, Islamic relief e.c.t. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has said: Poverty can lead to Kuffar (ungratefulness). This is because a deprived human being may feel that his Lord is being unjust on him, but a human being cannot understand that this life is a test from Allah and the real life is the life hereafter. What does Islam say about Zakat Charity Wealth in the English dictionary is defined as, having huge sum of money or possession, riches, state of being well off. In Islam whatever wealth you posses is regarded as a trust from Allah (God). You are not free to do what you want with your wealth, as you will be accounted for how you release it. Islam teaches that wealth is something given by god for the benefit of humanity and there for it should be shared. Then (on the day of judgement) you will certainly be questioned about all the favours you enjoyed. (102:8) According to Islam, the wealth you posses does not show your superiority, neither or nor does it give you distinction or make you a part of honoured class. The one who posses the riches of Faith is the one who is wealthiest in the sight of Allah, not the one who posses material riches. Islam says that there is nothing wrong to posses wealth, as long as you earn it in the right (halal/lawful) way and discharge it in the right (halal/lawful) way. Islam has given guideline for the ways of life which mainly concentrates on the earning and use of wealth. Earning and spending is essential for living, but we do not live only for this. We have a greater purpose in life. Everything in Islam is for the benefit of mankind. The main principle of Islam aim to establishing a just society wherein everybody will behave responsibly and honestly, and not as cunning people who fight for as big share of something as possible without regard for honesty, truth and responsibility. Islam has given rules for earning wealth which all Muslims should abide by. Muslims must follow the Quran and the Sunnah: 1) Any earnings from the production, sale and distribution of alcoholic drinks are unlawful, as are earnings from gambling, lotteries and from interest (riba) transactions (5:90-91, 2:275). 2) Earning by falsehood, deceit, fraud, theft, robbery and burglary is unlawful. Deceitful acquisition of orphans property has been particularly banned ( 2;188, 4:2, 6:152, 7:85, 83:1-5). 3) Smuggling and the artificial creation of shortages are unlawful (3:180, 9:34-35) 4) Earning from brothels and from such other practises which are harmful to society are also unlawful. Islam strikes to the root of evil and wants to establish a just and fair society. A Muslim must earn his living in halal ways and he should always bear in mind that what ever he does, it is known to Allah. He will be accountable for his actions on the day of judgement. He cannot hide anything from Almighty Allah. Unlawful outgoings are also not allowed in Islam. It does not at all benefit a Muslim to spend money irresponsibly. Over-spending and waste are strongly discouraged (7:31, 17:26, 19:27, 25:68) What is Zakat Zakah (welfare contribution) is the third pillar of Islam. The Arabic word Zakah means to purify or cleanse. Zakah is to be paid once a year on savings at the rate of two and a half percent. This rate applies to cash, bank savings, gold and silver and silver jewellery. The rate for cattle and agricultural produce is different. Payment of Zakah is a means of keeping our wealth clear of greed and selfishness. SCHEDULE OF ZAKAH Wealth on which zakah is payable Amount which determines the payment of zakah (nisab) Rate of zakah 1 Agricultural produce 5 Awsuq (653 kg) per harvest * 5 per cent produce in case of irrigated land; 10 per cent of produce from rain-fed land. 2 Gold, silver, ornaments of gold and silver of gold and silver 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver * 2.5 per cent of value 3 Cash in hand or at the Bank Value of 595 grams of silver * 2.5 per cent of amount 4 Trading goods Value of 595 grams of silver * 2.5 per cent value of goods 5 Cows and buffaloes 30 in numbers For every 30, one- year old; for every 40, one 2- year old 6 Goats and sheep 40 in number One for first 40; two for 120; there for 300; one more for every 100 7 Produce of mines Any quantities Per cent of value of produce 8 Camels 5 in number A up to 24, one sheep or goat for each five camels B 25-35, one 1-year-old she-camel C 36-45, one 2-year-oldshe-camel D 46-60, one 3-year-oldshe-camel E 61-75, 4-year-old she-camel F 76-90, two 2-year-old she-camel G 91-120, two 3-year-old she-camel H 121 or more, one 2-year-old she-camel for each additional 40, or one 3-year-old she-camel for each additional 50 * Fiqhuz zakah It also encourages us to be honest in our dealings, earnings and outgoings (spending money). Zakah is a compulsory act in Islam it is not charity or tax. Charity is optional and taxes are used by states for any purpose, but zakah is only allowed to be spent in certain places such as helping the poor, even for needy or travellers in need and for the cause of Allah. Zakah is a form of ibadah. Ibadah (Arabic) the word meaning worship or obedience. It can be done in any activity in life, if they it is done to please Allah and Allah alone. We all so pay zakah to gain Allahs favour. Zakah is a way of contributing our excess wealth with those who are less fortunate then our selves. Truly we our selves do not own the wealth it belongs to Allah. He is the real owner of the wealth and mankind, we have to fulfil Allahs commands by paying zakah as an obligatory it is a part of ibadah. Zakah is a basic principle of Islam, based on social welfare and the fair distribution of wealth. In addition to zakah, Muslim are encouraged in the Quran to make voluntary contributions to help the poor and needy, and for other social purposes. These voluntary contributions are called Sadaqa (charity). Through zakah, rich share their wealth with the poor. Zakaah al-Fitr Zakaah al-Fitr is the name given to charity, which is distributed at the end of the fast of Ramadan. Zakaah al-Fitr is a duty, which is Waajib on every Muslim, whether male or female, minor or adult as long as he/she has the means to do so. Ibn `Umar reported, that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) made Zakaah al-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` of dried dates or one Saa` of barely. The head of the household may pay the required amount for the other members. The significant role played by Zakaah in the circulation of wealth within the Islamic society is also played by the Zakaah al-Fitr. However, in the case of Zakaah al-Fitr, each individual is required to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity. Thus, Zakaah al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do not have. The main purpose of Zakaah al-Fitr is to provide those who fasted with the means of making up for their errors during the month of fasting. Zakaah al-Fitr also provides the poor with a means with which they can celebrate the festival of breaking the fast (`Eid al-Fitr) along with the rest of the Muslims. Ibn Abbaas reported, The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) made Zakaah al-Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadaan) and so that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before Salaah will have it accepted as Zakaah, while he who gives it after the Salaah has given Sadaqah. The goal of Zakaah al-Fitr is to make Believers more aware of Allah. By making them give up some of their wealth, through this the believers are taught the higher moral characteristics of generosity, compassion (sympathy for the unfortunate), gratitude to God and the righteousness. But, since Islaam does not neglect mans material need, part of the goal of Zakaah al-Fitr is the economic well-being of the poorer members of society. Zakaah al-Fitr is only Waajib for a particular period of time. If one misses the time period without a good reason, he has sinned and can not make it up. This form of charity becomes obligatory from sunset on the last day of fasting and remains obligatory until the beginning of Salaah al-Eid (i.e. shortly after sunrise on the following day). However, it can be paid prior to the above mentioned period, as many of the Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) used to pay Zakaah al-Fitr a couple days before the `Eid. Naafi reported, That the Prophets companion Ibn `Umar used to give it to those who would accept it and the people used to give it a day or two before the `Eid. Ibn `Umar reported, that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) order that it (Zakaah al-Fitr) be given before people go to make the Salaah (al-Eid). And Ibn `Abbaas reported, That the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, Whoever gives it before the Salaah will have it accepted as Zakaah, while he who gives it after the Salaah (will not, for it will only be considered as) ordinary charity. Therefore, one who forgets to pay this Zakaah al-Fitr on time should do so as soon as possible even though it will not be counted as Zakaah al-Fitr. The amount of Zakaah is the same for everyone regardless of their different income brackets. The minimum amount is one Saa` (two handfuls) of food, grain or dried fruit for each member of the family. This calculation is based on Ibn `Umars report, that the Prophet(sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) made Zakaah al-Fitr compulsory and payable by a Saa` of dried dates or a Saa` of barley. The Sahaabee, Abu SA`eed al-Khudree said, In the Prophets time, we used to give it (Zakaah al-Fitr) as a Saa` of food, dried dates, barley, raisins or dried cheese. Aqiqah The word Aqeeqah means the the hair of the forehead. It also means the animal that is sacrificed after the birth of a child. Some people call it Nusukiyah or Dhabihah. The purpose of Aqiqah is to give thanks to Allah, to express happiness on the birth of a child, and to announce the birth so that people know to whom the child belongs. Aqiqah is a highly recommended Sunnah (scholars). According to other scholars it is wajib (mandatory). The proper time for Aqiqah is the 7th day (or after), counting from the day of the birth of the child. Parents or grandparents should perform Aqiqah for their children or grandchildren. In some traditions it is said that one should sacrifice two lambs for a boy and one for a girl. But it is not required. One can sacrifice even one for the boy. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him sacrificed one lamb for Hasan and for Husain. The meat of the animal should be divided like the sacrificial meat at Eidul Adha, one third for the poor, one third for friends and one third for the family. One can also give all the meat to the poor and needy people. Children are Allahs gift. We should be thankful to Him and we should take good care of them. From the beginning we should pay attention to their Islamic upbringing and education. Parents should be a good role model for their children and they should also make sure that their children are learning right values, have right teachers and good friends. Someone rightly said that children are like sponges. They absorb whatever they see. It is very important that we give them the right message. We should also be careful about what they watch on TV and Internet. In Arabic the word Aqiq is also used for a precious stone. One can also say that Aqiqah is a ceremony that helps us realize the preciousness of our children. Salman bin AamirAd-Dabbi narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said, Aqiqah is to be offered for a newly born boy, so slaughter (an animal) for him, and relieve him of his suffering. It is Sunnah to slaughter 2 (or 1) animals for a boy, and 1 for a girl. This meat is then to be shared with all the people in the community. At the time of the prophet meat was scarce. So eating and distributing meat became a special way of celebrating the birth of a baby. Giving something of the wealth over which Allah has given us temporary custody is a critical part of our deen. The Prophet (sas) said: Man yatasaddaqa bi idli tamratin min kasbin tayyibin wa laa yaqbalu Allahu illa at-tayyib fa inna Allaha yaqbaluhaa bi yameenihi thumma yurbeehaa li saahibihaa kamaa yurbiy ahadukum falwahu hattaa takoona mithla al-jabali. Whoever gives in charity the value of a single date from pure earnings and Allah accepts nothing but the pure verily Allah receives it with his right hand then he makes it grow like the way one of you causes a dowry to grow until it becomes like a mountain.(Translation) Muslim Bukhari Sadaqa The meaning of sadaqa is the giving of wealth to another as an act of worship and seeking to come closer to Allah Most High. It is an effective barrier between the giver and evil. It repels trials and hardships and prevents an awful death. All of this is only by the permission of Allah and the giving of sadaqa is the cause which Allah has attached to these benefits. It is also used allegorically to refer to all acts of giving and kindness other than those involving wealth such as giving the greeting, smiling in your brothers face, seeking to solve a problem between two others for no gain to yourself, being attentive to your spouse in your bed and other actions. As the hadith says, giving of your wealth to another while physically between you and another human is an action received directly by Allah Most High. This has also been mentioned in the Quran: A lam talamoo anna Allaha huwa yaqbalu at-taubata an ibaadihi wa yakhudhu as-sadaqaati wa anna Allaha huwa at-tawaabu ar-raheem. Did you not know that Allah is the One who accepts repentence from his slaves and takes their charities and that Allah is the ever-Forgiving, the Merciful. (Translation) At-Tauba:104 Generally, the best way to give sadaqa is in secret, although it can also be done publicly. Sometimes it is actually better to give publicly if that will encourage others to follow suit and increase the amount of giving among the Muslims. Because the Prophet (sas) said: Whoever starts a good practice will get its reward and the reward of all those who do it after him without that decreasing his reward in the least and whoever starts a bad practice will get its sin and the sin of all those who do it after him without that diminishing their sin in the least. Allah said: In tubdoo as-sadaqaati ta niimmaa hiya wa in tukhfoohaa wa tutoohaa al-fuqaraaa fa huwa khairun lakum wa yukaffiru ankum min sayyiaatikum wa Allahu bimaa tamaloona khabeerun. If you show your charitibal giving that is just fine and if you conceal it and give it to the needy that is better for you and it will expiate for you some of your bad deeds and Allah is fully aware of all that you do. Al-Baqara:271 While giving may seem like a growing of ones wealth and putting it in a savings account or lending it out for interest may seem like an increase in ones wealth, the really it is quite the opposite. Allah said: Yamhaqu Allahu ar-ribaa wa yurbiy as-sadaqaati wa Allahu laa yuhibbu kulla kaffaarin atheemin. Allah obliterates interest and causes charity to grow and Allah does not love every one of those extreme in disbelief and extreme in sin. Al-Baqara:276 Sadaqa, to be acceptable must be an act done for the sake of Allah with consciousness that what is being given is not truly yours or something you have earned or deserved. Rather, it is the sustenance (rizq) of Allah and His favor upon you and something which Allah has simply made you the temporary custodian (mustakhlaf) over. It was possessed by others before you and will be possessed by others after you. When one has this consciousness, then they will realize that the receiver is actually giving them a great gift and a great help by allowing them to worship and come close to Allah in this way and not the other way around. So Muslims of understanding will never humiliate or belittle those to whom they give nor feel that they have done them a favor or that the receivers owe them anything like the ignorant and disbelieving do. If one does these things, it shows that their sadaqa is not genuine and it is invalidated and does them no good with Allah no matter how big and generous it may be. Allah said: Yaa ayyuhaa alladhina aamanoo laa tubtiloo sadaqaatikum bi al-manni wa al-adhaa ka alladhiy yunfiqu maalahu riaaa an-naasi wa laa yuminu bi Allahi wa al-yaumi al-aakhiri. O, you who believe do not invalidate your charities with claims of generosity and harmfulness like the one who spends his wealth for the people to see but doesnt believe in Allah and in the Last Day. Al-Baqara:264 Islam encourages the giving of charity, but does not encourage the taking of charity let alone asking for it. Since there are always among us those who need assistance, this means that it is obligatory upon those with the means to look for places to put their sadaqa such those in need never need to ask and seek their help. The Prophet (sas) said: Al-yadu al-ulyaa khairun min al-yadi as-suflaa wa ibda bi man taoolu wa khairu as-sadaqa maa kaana an dhahri ghinaa wa man yastafif yaiffuhu Allahu wa man yastighni yughnihi Allahu. The upper hand is superior to the lower hand. Start with those for whom you are responsible. The best charity is the one which leaves you free of need. Whoever abstains, Allah will dignify them and whoever maintains self-sufficiency, Allah will make them self-sufficient. Al-Bukhari Sadaqa is one of the seven things which will get you shade in the Throne of Allah on the terrifying day of al-mahshar when there is no shade except for the shade of Allah. In the hadith: Sabaatun yudhilluhum Allahu fiy dhillihi yauma laa dhilla illa dhilluhu wa rajulun tasaddaqa bi sadaqatin fa ikhfaahaa hattaa laa talamu shimaaluhu maa tunfiqu yameenuhu Seven who Allahu will shade in His shade on the day when there is no shade except His shade and a man who gave something in charity secretly such that his left hand did not know what his right hand had given. Muslim Bukhari Before you think that your property is little or that you need to receive and not give, remember your standing before Allah. If two Muslims have a little and cling to it thinking I have only a little, then they will get no good deed from their wealth with which to face Allah. If the same two people give something of their minor wealth and, because Muslims are giving they also receive, they may end up with the same or more sustenance but also have a good deed with which to face Allah Most High. Giving is win-win situation! On that day, we will need everything possible to help us. Do not neglect any opportunity to send something forward for that day. Even a tiny act of giving could be the critical item which determines your fate in the eternal hereafter. The Prophet (sas) said: Maa minkum min ahadin illa sayukallimuhu Allahu laisa bainahu wa bainahu turjumaan. Fa yandhuru aimana minhu falaa yaraa illa maa qaddama wa yandhuru ashama minhu falaa yaraa illa maa qaddam wa yandhuru baina yadaihi falaa yaraa illa an-naara tilqaaa wajhihi fa ittaqoo an-naara wa lau bi shiqqi tamratin. There is not one single one of you but that Allah will speak to him with no interpreter between them. He will look to his right and see nothing but what he has sent forth. He will look to his left and see nothing but what he has sent forth. He will look in front of him and see nothing but the fire facing him. So beware of the fire even if with just half a date. Muslim Bukhari Sadaqh e jariyah To spend in the path of Allah Taala by way of helping the Deen of Allah is highly creditable and rewarding. Reward gained through sadaqh e jariyah attains continues reward even after our death. Indeed fortunate are those who have gained such tremendous benefits and Insha Allah will succeed in the hereafter. Some of the common contributions made in this respect are: donations towards the Masjid, building of Madrassahs, printing of Namaz, Yaseen Shareef, Durood and Salaam booklets etc. Undoubtedly these projects are required and should be encouraged because it benefits Islam. Hazrath Abu Hurairah (RadiAllahAnho) has reported the messenger of Allah has said, Among the actions and good deeds for which a believer will continue to receive reward, after his death, are knowledge which he taught and spread, a good son whom he left behind, or a copy of the Quran which he left as a legacy, or a mosque which he erected, or a house which he built for the traveller, or a stream which he caused to flow, or a Sadaqah which he gave from his property when he was alive and well, for which he will continue to receive reward after his death. The above hadith indicates various ways to attain the reward of Sadaqa e Jariyah, and building a House of Allah Taala is indeed one of the best form of Sadaqa-e-Jariyah. Riba/intrest Riba (Usury and Interest): According to Quran and Sunnah Riba (Usury) is of two major kinds: Riba An-Nasia Interest on lent money Riba Al-Fadl Taking a superior thing of the same kind of goods by giving more of the same kind of goods of inferior quality, eg, dates of superior quality for dates of inferior quality in great amounts. The definition of Interest, the literal meaning of interest or Al-Riba as it is used in the Arabic language means to excess or increase. In the Islamic terminology interest means effortless profit or that profit which comes free from compensation or that extra earning obtained that is free of exchange. Riba has been described as a loan with the condition that the borrower will return to the lender more than and better than the quantity borrowed. Due to the trend of interest money is going from the poor to the rich, whereas the rich are supposed to give money to the poor. Consequently, the rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer. Islam completely prohibits interest as it clearly states in the Quran: O you who believe, do not take interest, doubling and quadrupling, and keep your duty to Allah, so that you may proper. Conclusion Overall, I feel that it is a fact of life that poverty exists and no being can deny this fact and say that there is no poverty in the world. As Allah has created poverty he has also created enough wealth to support the poor, and needy. Allah has gave wealth to some people and poverty to some both are a test from god, the one who is likely to succeed is the one who gives his extra wealth to the needy if he is wealthy or the one who is patient and keeps faith in god if he is poor. The system of usury has been introduced in to the world but Islam says whoever restrains from usury and earns and spends his wealth loyally to Islam and pays zakah will indeed succeed in the next life.

Apocalypse :: essays research papers

Apocalypse FOLLOWING IS AN IMPORTANT REVELATION BEING MADE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME YOU WILL BE CONTACTED. Disclaimer: The following information contains predictions of the future. This has been written for people who want to know what is on the horizon for humanity, and most importantly, WHAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. Please understand that if you read this material, you will be doing it by your own choice. If your reaction causes you to want to report me to AOL for sending unsolicited email, it could result in my account being closed. I don't ask that anyone believe what I say just because I say it. I do ask that if you choose to read this material, please suspend your judgment of it until enough time passes for its validity to be proven or disproven. Please don't let your personal beliefs cause you to want to deprive others of receiving this. Written October 20, 1996 NOTE: This document is quite lengthy, so it might be best to either print it or copy it to your word processor so it may be read off-line. Dear Friend,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The choice of whether or not to read this message all the way through may have important consequences for you as the events of our immediate future unfold. This is being done solely for the benefit of others so that people may understand what to do about the times now approaching humanity. What I'm about to explain will strike many people as ridiculous, because this kind of thing has been predicted over and over again and people are not inclined to take things like this seriously. I am not your average tabloid psychic. In fact, I'm not a psychic at all. I am what could be called a modern day seer, but I prefer to be thought of as just a human being with an important message.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have studied prophecy and the techniques used to produce it for many years now. Through a combination of my own findings, the prophecies of Nostradamus, the prophecies given by Jesus and the prophet Daniel, I have figured out the future of humanity. As stated above in the disclaimer, the reader's belief in what I say is not necessary at this point.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This message has been written over and over again since I first set out to do this. In previous versions, I have tried to describe what will cause the rough times to come... but everyone is pretty much aware of the world's problems and they don't really need to have it all pointed out to them. Besides, it makes the message unnecessarily long.

Euthanasia Essay

Thesis: Euthanasia, and a common form of euthanasia, assisted suicide, should be legal processes through which aterminally ill individual may voluntarily end his or her own life. Summary: As of 2009, assisted suicide was legal in only three states: Oregon, Washington, and Montana. Since itsinception in those states, assisted suicide has proven to be an effective, but rarely employed means of allowing a terminallyill person to end his or her life in a dignified manner. Though the United States federal government has opposed measures toenact federal legislation that would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide, the time has come for the federal governmentand the remainder of the states to recognize that, inherent in the right to live freely is the right to decide when to humanelyend one’s life. Introduction To understand the debate surrounding euthanasia, one must first understand euthanasia and its related variations. Theterm euthanasia, taken from the Greek word for â€Å"easy death,† refers to the process by which a physician prescribes andadministers a fatal dose of drugs to a terminally ill individual in a controlled medical environment, thus causing their death ina quick and painless manner. Euthanasia is commonly referred to as physician-assisted suicide. Assisted suicide, a relatedform of euthanasia, describes the process by which a physician or pharmacist only prescribes the fatal drugs, leaving theterminally ill individual to ingest the drugs on their own, at a time of their choosing. As of 2009, physician-assisted suicidewas not legal in any state in America, while assisted suicide was legal in three states. The Federal Government & the Courts A quartet of United States Supreme Court cases (Washington v. Glucksberg, Vacco v. Quill, Gonzales v. Oregon, and Cruzanv. Director, Missouri Department of Health) have helped to shape the legal landscape in the debate over euthanasia and anindividual’s right to refuse medical treatment. In Glucksberg and Vacco, companion cases decided in 1997, the SupremeCourt ruled that states have the authority to prohibit assisted suicide and against the notion that the right to die isguaranteed in the Constitution. More recently, in the 2006 Gonzales case, the Court held in a 6-3 opinion that the UnitedStates attorney general could not enforce a drug law, the Controlled Substances Act, against physicians   and pharmacists as ameans of punishing them for prescribing fatal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients. Finally, in the Cruzan case, theSupreme Court upheld the right of competent persons to refuse medical treatment, but ruled that clear and convincingevidence must exist of that person’s desire to limit the life-saving measures to be performed on them. The practical impact of these rulings is that, because the federal government cannot prosecute physicians and pharmacistswho prescribe drugs to terminally ill patients, the debate over euthanasia and assisted suicide in the US has primarily takenplace on the state level. Furthermore, while individuals have the constitutional right to prevent physicians from taking life-saving measures in the event of their incapacitation, they must make clear their desire, usually through a living will or a donot resuscitate order. Success at the State Level In 1994, Oregon became the first state to pass an assisted suicide law. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act has served as amodel statute in other states’ attempts to pass assisted suicide legislation. The act has several important provisions that, readtogether, provide safeguards for the terminally ill, the physicians that diagnose their terminal illnesses, and the pharmaciststhat prescribe lethal drugs. The act requires first, that a patient be diagnosed by a physician as having a terminal illness thatwill end the patient’s life within six months. Then, upon the patient’s request, a physician or pharmacist that has no moral orprofessional objection to assisted suicide will prescribe a lethal dose of drugs that the patient can ingest at a time of theirchoosing. Notably, the act has several safeguards, among them a requirement that the patient’s initial request for aprescription be witnessed by two people; that a second physician concur in the initial diagnos is of a terminal illness givingthe patient no more than six months to live; a conclusion that the patient is of sound mind; and a waiting period underwhich the patient must wait fifteen days before making a second, and final, oral request for the lethal prescription. These rules and safeguards ensure that only those who are both terminally ill and of a sound mind are able to obtain a lethaldose of drugs after having made a voluntary and informed decision. Additionally, and importantly, the act does not requirethose physicians or pharmacists opposed to assisted suicide to participate in, sanction, or play any role in bringing about thedeath of a term  inally ill person. The Washington Initiative 1000, passed by voters in 2008, was based on the Oregon act and, consequently, wassubstantially similar in its provisions and safeguards. Most recently, in December, 2008, a Montana trial court judge ruled thatcompetent, terminally ill patients have the right to self-administer lethal doses of drugs prescribed by a physician, thoughthat decision has been appealed to the Montana Supreme Court. Because assisted suicide in Washington and Montana is relatively new, Oregon is the only state in which data concerning theuse of lethal drugs by the terminally ill has been compiled. In the eight-year period from 1998 to 2006, 455 lethalprescriptions were written for terminally ill individuals, and 292 of those individuals used that prescription to commit suicide. Analysis of this data indicates that only around thirty-five terminally ill individuals die each year in Oregon as a result of theassisted suicide law. This data further suggests that physicians are carefully screening applicants, issuing on average onlyfifty-seven prescriptions per year. Finally, it is also clear that applicants carefully weigh the decision to use the prescription,judging by the fact that 35 percent of prescriptions issued to terminally ill patients—who have satisfied the numerousrequirements under Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act—went unused. International Law Oregon, Washington, and Montana are not the only jurisdictions in the world in which forms of euthanasia are legal.Notably, assisted suicide, in some form, is legal in both Belgium and the Netherlands, the latter of which has also legalizedphysician assisted suicide. Additionally, Germany has no law legalizing assisted suicide, but has not traditionally penalizedthose who have helped to end the life of a terminally ill person. As researchers have noted, however, death and suicide havedifferent stigmas attached to them depending on, among other factors, where one lives and the culture in which one wasraised. Consequently, it is not surprising that assisted suicide has been legalized in certain parts of the world, while it remainsa crime elsewhere. In the United States, however, where an individual has always in been control of their mind, body, souland destiny, death and suicide do not have as negative a cultural connotation as they may have in other parts of the world. The Social, Et hical, Medical & Economic Reasons Assisted suicide places the individual in control of his or her future, allowing the individual to decide how, when, and wherethey die. While an issue of self-determination, there are practical concerns that face the dying. Often, a terminally ill personwatches their savings account plummet while his or her medical costs and insurance premiums—assuming they are fortunateenough to have medical insurance—skyrocket. If they do not have insurance, it is unlikely they are able to afford even the most basic medications to controltheir pain or reduce their symptoms. Though their disease is incurable, in the later stages of their illness, they often take up a hospital bed and medicalresources, as well as the time of doctors, nurses and other hospital staff—time and health care dollars that could be expended on a person who can successfullybe treated and released. Friends and relatives watch their loved one suffer without remedy, knowing that the illness is fatal, but unable to do anything besideswait. Assisted suicide provides a quick and painless death, in contrast to the expected months of suffering a terminally ill patient must endure under normalcircumstances. The decision to end life on their own terms saves precious medical resources, ensures that the patient’s family will not financially sufferunnecessarily as a result of the illness, and allows the patient, and their family and friends, to say goodbye on their own terms in a quick and painless way.Notably, these arguments apply with equal force to physician-assisted suicide, wherein a physician not only monitors the patient to be sure they remaincompetent, but also administers the drugs at a time of the patient’s choosing, thus helping to ensure that the patient’s death is quick and painless. Opposition to Euthanasia Opposition to euthanasia comes in part from religious and social organizations that generally oppose measures that result in the death of an individual. Suchfeelings are indeed understandable, and it is difficult to change a person’s moral convictions. These organizations are free to petition their elected officials andto champion their causes—that right is fundamental to a democratic system. They also must, however, recognize the decisions made through a democraticprocess, as those initiatives in Oregon and Washington, where the majority of voters approved assisted suicide. (It is worth noting that some of these sameorganizations support the imposition of the death penalty for certain crimes,  citing the biblical passage â€Å"an eye for an eye.† In other words, some of thesegroups support the death of an individual when society has deemed it acceptable, but not when the individual himself seeks to end his life.) Other opponents include some doctors and physic ians, who have, as a condition of their license to practice medicine or dispense prescription medication, takena Hippocratic Oath requiring that they do no harm to patients. Importantly, however, the assisted suicide laws that have passed in Washington and Oregon donot by any means require the participation of physicians or pharmacists. Consequently, those physicians or pharmacists with a moral, professional, or religiousopposition to assisted suicide need not participate in any way in the assisted suicide of a patient. The same holds true for physician-assisted suicide which, inthe countries where it is legal, is practiced voluntarily. Finally, some in the medical field express concern over whether the terminally ill are of sound mind whenconsenting to suicide. While this is a valid and serious concern, the laws passed in Oregon and Washington, requiring multiple examinations, medicallyconsistent diagnoses, a waiting period, and a conclusion that the patient is of sound mind, serve to dramatically lessen any possibility that an incompetentpatient could be prescribed a fatal dose of drugs. Choosing for Others, but not for Oneself The death penalty is an authorized form of punishment in the federal criminal justice system, and also exists in well over half of the states. Through participationin the jury system and by electing officials into office who are charged with enforcing the death penalty, citizens have a role in determining which individualsare eligible for the death penalty and, more fundamentally, whether the death penalty as a form of punishment should persist, or should be repealed. Similarly,the United States Supreme Court has ruled that pregnant women have the right to choose—in many circumstances—whether to terminate their pregnancy. These examples demonstrate the contradiction that exists in forty-seven of the United States, under which average citizens are capable of playing a vital role indeciding whether other individuals live or die. These same citizens, though, are not entrusted with the same authority to make that decision when it comes totheir own lives in the extreme case of an incurable, terminal illness. Such a contradiction cannot stand. To preserve the dignity of human life, it is imperativethat the remaining states and the federal government legalize   euthanasia, whether in the form of physician-assisted suicide or assisted suicide, to provide asafe and dignified way for terminally individuals to end their suffering. With the advent of drugs that can both prolong and terminate life, as well as medical technology that can keep patients technically alive even in comatose or vegetative states, many questions have been raised about the quality of life each person deserves and identifying the fine line that demarcates the end of life. In addition, in the United States—a country marked from its inception by the hallmarks of individuality and personal responsibility—citizens and lawmakers alike are wrestling with issues regarding the degree to which an individual or family member should be empowered to make personal, private decisions about whether to continue medical care or choose the time, place and manner of death. Activists on both sides of the euthanasia debate have lobbied lawmakers to enact legislation in support of their views. The right to die movement is gaining support as a humane alternative to a poor quality of life maintained solely through continuous medical intervention. U nderstanding the Discussion Euthanasia: The practice of ending a person’s life either through an intentional act or by withholding medical care. The action is performed without malice, but with the intention of alleviating suffering or ending the pain of a terminal illness or poor quality of life. Hospice: An alternative program of care for patients in the final stages of life, in which efforts are not designed to treat the patient’s underlying illness but rather to provide pain management, symptom control, and family support. Informed consent: A patient’s expression of knowledge and acceptance of the risks, benefits, and alternative treatment options of a medical procedure and subsequent permission to a physician to perform the procedure. Physician-assisted suicide: A procedure in which a physician deliberately and knowingly provides lethal drugs at the individual’s request for the purpose of self-administration. Right to die: A belief that individuals should have the authority to c hoose the time, place and manner of their death. Terminal illness: A medical condition that is so advanced that treatment options are no longer available. History Although modern medical advancements and increased patient autonomy have renewed public interest in the right to die, the practice of euthanasia has been in existence for centuries. Numerous Greek and Roman writings have revealed a belief that death, even if initiated by self or another person, was preferable to prolonged suffering. However, this belief was not universal. The Hippocratic Oath, which medical practitioners in the United States have traditionally recited or agreed to uphold as a basic tenet of their practice, is believed to have been penned about 400 BCE by the Greek physician Hippocrates, known as the â€Å"Father of Medicine.† The oath includes promises not to provide deadly medicine to any one if asked or even suggest such a course of action, and to never cause any patient harm. In the US, prohibitions against intentionally aiding in the death of another date back to the country’s formation. Early American statutes outlawed both suicide and assisted sui cide. In the early 1900s, a physician’s grim decision brought euthanasia to the forefront of public debate. On November 12, 1915, a badly deformed child was born to Anna Bollinger. Her doctor conferred with the hospital’s chief of staff, Dr. Harry J. Haiselden, who advised against performing surgery to save the child. Five days later, the baby girl died, and the case and Dr. Haiselden’s decision were widely debated. During the 1930s, widespread distress caused by the Great Depression and its accompanying economic turbulence led to a spike in suicide rates and discussions of euthanasia and a right to self-determination over end-of-life matters. Public opinion polls revealed a growing belief that euthanasia was acceptable under certain circumstances. While it seemed that public support for legalizing euthanasia was coalescing, World War II broke out and the world recoiled in horror as news of Nazi death camps and the calculated mass extermination of vulnerable members of society made international headlines. Such atrocities dampened support for any form of legalized assistance in initiating another’s death. For several decades, discussions of euthanasia simmered largely in the background. In 1976, the tragic case of twenty-one year old Karen Ann Quinlan once again moved the euthanasia debate to national headlines. After consuming alcohol and prescription drugs at a party, Quinlan lost consciousness and ceased breathing. Quinlan was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared that she was in a â€Å"persistent  vegetative state,† with full recovery unlikely. Her adoptive parents fought a year-long legal battle for rights to make the final decision to remove her respirator, thereby likely ensuring the end of her life. Although the New Jersey Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the Quinlan family, Karen continued breathing naturally after her respirator was removed for nearly a decade, until she finally succumbed to complications from pneumonia. In 1980, right to die advocate Derek Humphry formed the Hemlock Society, a grassroots organization that has worked to advance euthanasia legislation. In addition, growing consensus for patients’ rights, including the right to refuse medical care—and even life-sustaining care—refocused attention on the right to die m ovement. Over the next several decades, public support for autonomy in end of life decision making has increased, with several states enacting legislation that recognizes living wills, or a legal document in which a person expresses his or her wishes regarding life prolonging medical treatments, including the withdrawal or refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment. Euthanasia Today The history of euthanasia in the US has been marked by several significant cases. The Quinlan case, although decided by a state supreme court, led to the advent of formal ethics committees in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices that provide support in complying with a patient’s advanced health care directives, or written instructions to family members and health care professionals about end of life care. In 1990, the US Supreme Court first ruled on the right to die movement in Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health. A car accident left Nancy Cruzan permanently unconscious and her parents requested that her feeding tube be withdrawn. After years of continuous care, most of the costs for Cruzan’s hospitalization were being paid by the State of Missouri. Although a Missouri district court granted the Cruzan family’s request to remove the tube, the director of the Missouri Department of Health took the case on appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court, arguin g for clear proof of Nancy Cruzan’s end of life wishes. The case went before the US Supreme Court, which ruled that a competent person has a constitutionally protected right to refuse any medical treatment, although states have a right to insist on clear and convincing evidence as to a patient’s wishes. In this case, there

Banco de Compartamos

Any company that decides to go into the stock exchange must exude extra caution before making the bold step to go public. Initial public Offer (IPO) of a company mostly can tell how that company is going to do in the stock markets depending on the number of subscriptions received. It is worthy to note that stock prices keep fluctuating and that the price of a company’s share represents the financial position of the company. Companies with a higher share price in the stock exchange are taken by the public and other stake holders to be doing well.In addition to that, the company's affairs become public as they are now prone to analyst reports and public shareholders criticism. In this study, Banco de Compartamos, a micro finance bank offers its shares in the Mexico Stock Exchange which arouses a lot of controversies among major shareholders. Can Compartamos still perform their duties to the poor? Is it possible for them to combine these two without deviating from the purpose for which the bank was originally established? Can they handle the pressures presenting themselves to it as a public company?This is a thorough review and analysis of Compartamos' decision to make the bank a public entity and how it has affected their performance. Banco Compartamos IPO Going public for a micro finance company and in particular Compartamos may prove to be a good thing as well as a bad thing. In the eyes of the public, it may seem like Compartamos is getting too business oriented and that it may lose its focus on helping the low income group that it has been serving. Going public is also a risky endevour because it exposes the business to a lot of external forces.The bank's performance must now be published and analyst's comments go far into exposing the company's weak points which the competitors may take advantage of. Every quarter shareholders, analysts, fund managers and competitors will be waiting to see the financial outcome of the period. This means that the compa ny must work extra hard to maintain positive image or otherwise cause their own downfall. Another note is that Compartamos was doing quite well financially with return on equity (ROE) increasing from 47. 7% to 56. 1% between 2004 and 2006 as compared to others who were averaging at 21.2% in 2006. In fact, Daniel confirmed that from the operational point of view there was no need to sell the shares. They were only doing it as a secondary offering. Compartamos IPO on the other hand proves to be a good venture from the look of its performance in the stock exchange. As a matter of fact, interest by investors was so high that there had to be several revisions of the share price up to P$40 per share. Compartamos market capitalization was $1. 56 billion dollars which is so much to go for hence my agreement that it was the right choice for them to go public.Most impressive was the high interest investors had in the bank which saw them register thirteen times over subscription. From my point of view, a private sale would have been even worse in terms of catering to the customers' needs. This is because the buyers may not have the welfare of the low income group at heart which was the largest target for the bank. The choice was also better than taking debts being offered to them by non-financial debtor which were being offered at the investor's rates.The other thing is that activities of the bank are not going to change as it will continue providing services to the Popular Financial Sector (PFS) which was the main purpose of its introduction back in 1990. Serving the poor and the capital markets demand. It seems like Banco Compartamos has deviated from its objective of serving the poor by getting into the stock exchange. This is according to several stakeholders and analysts such as Richardson of World Council of Credit unions and Chuck Waterfield who thinks the decision is untimely.The question however lies on Compartamos. Can they manage both serving the poor and meet ing the capital market demands? So far, Compartamos has been doing very well in the stock market with its the book value of shares rising to $126 million in 2006 from $6 million at the time of the IPO and an internal rate of return of over 100% in only eight years! Most analysts recommended it because of its prospects for growth and high profitability. The co-CEO of Compartamos seems concerned about the clients.They discuss how they can offer better services and hence improve their lives. Apart from GDI (Generadora de Ingresos) or ‘the income generator loan', they are considering coming up with new products for the people. This means that Compartamos is still committed in its duties improve the lives of the poor. According to ACCION international, Compartamos IPO sent a message that service to the poor can go hand in hand with profits. â€Å"The two Carlos† Strategic options for the future The future of Compartamos looks bright but challenges are never ending in the wor ld of business.The strategies put forth by the â€Å"two Carlos† will have to be met by the end of the year. Client base must be increased to one million, they have to preserve the social mission and at the same time cope with the daily pressures of becoming a public company. The Charlies surely have a great role ahead of them. In order to attain new markets to increase their client base and defend their leading position in the sector coordinated planning is essential. First of all they should lay a good strategy and make plans on how they are going to accomplish their goals.I particularly like that they have set a time limit. This acts as a goal by itself and a motivating factor. With the high rise in competition due to many entrants in the micro finance sector, their strategy should include expanding by coming up with new products that are unique to compliment GDI. A new product will always appeal to customers especially if it comes with an attractive package. Maybe they sh ould consider lowering their interest rates so as to attract new clients and keep the current ones.This would also mean they are helping the poor socially because now they can take cheaper loans hence develop themselves. Compartamos has no market penetration in Mexico as much as it has wide branch coverage. New products will definitely help it in overcoming this challenge. As long as you are a public company, there will always be politics and attacks mostly aimed at breaking the company by presenting a bad name about it. The Charlies know that their bank has not deviated from their original mission. What remains as the challenge is proving it to the public.This can be done by constantly reminding people that they are still committed to serving them while at the same time showing it through action. The best thing for the Charlies is to increase their efforts of serving the poor so that the bad image portrayed by the attackers can be dissolved in the face of the good work that they ar e doing. It’s about playing with the psychology of the shareholders and its clients to avoid the negative effect that would otherwise result. Before deciding to set up new branches, it should consider the viability of the area and whether the market is promising.Areas outside the country especially if micro finance is not well established in the market are a good opportunity though care should be taken to properly establish expected risks and returns. This can be done through conducting researches before investing there. Mergers and acquisitions should also be performed with extra caution to maintain the quality of services offered. The advantage of mergers is that they add to a company's competitiveness. If not well calculated though it may lead to the downfall of an otherwise good businesses.The future of micro finance industry. The IPO will undoubtedly attract more players into the micro finance sector and probably other market-led approaches to poverty. For now, Compartam os remains the lead among them all. There is a possibility of new models coming up that may pose a challenge to Compartamos. Compartamos should be the future of the micro finance sector. This is because most junior micro finance organizations will want to emulate its success and in doing so they may consider copying some of its policies.In the past, most micro finance organizations in Mexico have only concentrated on giving soft loans to regular customers as their only business. Compartamos is more advanced giving insurance policies and also engaging in normal bank business activities. The structure of the market however is that it is always dynamic and one can never tell what tomorrow may bring. Mergers may be forged leading to bigger organizations that would overtake Compartamos. Conclusion and Recommendations Banco de Compartamos has led by example.In the hands of Carlos Labarthe and Carlos Danel, it is bound to spring even higher in the micro finance sector after going public. D uring the IPO shareholders presented the organization with a cheap source of finance that is barely available to other companies of its nature therefore placing them at an absolute advantage. It becomes one of the largest companies in the Mexican Stock Exchange with over $2 billion in market capitalization. I do believe that their bold step into going public has a lot in the benefit package which if used well could see the bank grow outside its boundaries.On the side of helping the poor, they have not failed in that area yet. As a matter of fact, it is a case of logic to see that by they use the obtained finance to expand their business activities and to offer more loans. It is like giving the financially stable a chance to be owners of the bank an in return making them bring their billions to the poor. Furthermore, if more loans are given out, development of the poor is enhanced. Now that Compartamos have entered the league of companies listed in the stock exchange, a lot is expect ed to change which calls for extra caution.We have already seen them suffering their first challenge with attacks from various shareholders about their decision to enter the stock exchange. However, should their shares in the stock exchange do well; the good public image will work to ensure they always do well financially. It is worthwhile to note that the visibility of the IPO will showcase the superior financial performance of the micro finance sector. This is bound to cause an increase in competition in Mexico. Challenges are more forthcoming now but they should not treat them as problems but as stepping stones to higher grounds.Since Compartamos is confident that it can serve both their clients and the financial sector as well, they should come up with well defined policies to make sure that they do not deviate from their course. It is quite normal for businesses to concentrate more on what is bringing in the most cash but they should always remember the sole objective for which they were set up; to help the poor grow financially. Word Count (1887) References Cuellar, R. G. & Chu, M. (2008) Banco Compartamos: Life after the IPO. Harvard: Harvard Business School

Case Study for Banyan Tree Hotel and Resort

Case Study for Banyan Tree Hotel and Resort Executive Summary The hotel industry has been on an economic rise for the previous decade because of several factors such as better marketing strategies, well trained personnel, excellent communication skills among the industry stakeholders, tailor made packages for various tourists, together with global increase in the rate of tourism.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study for Banyan Tree Hotel and Resort specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Banyan Holdings limited was a noble idea born out of the need for tourists to relax within an environmentally friendly hotel, customer centered, culture sensitive, together with a green conscious habitat. The Banyan is a fig tree that epitomizes peace according to ancient mandarin culture because of its evergreen leaves that create a relaxing shade upon which one can soothe his senses. It was out of this that Mr. Ho Kwon Ping and Ms Claire Ching established a single Ho tel in Thailand. With proper marketing skills, he built a brand. The brand has grown to become one of the leading hotels of choice for international tourists visiting Asia together with local tourists longing to experience a romantic, friendly and serene holiday either as individuals or as group. For tourists wishing to stay at a luxurious yet affordable hotel, Banyan Hotels have been the place of choice due to its strong brand name. The product has now become global with branches in Seychelles and Europe. With tenets based on a green economy, the world is now a global village with interests that assure the world citizenship of businesses that are environmental conscious together with customer friendly. Banyan Hotels have this in their procedures and merchandise. Introduction Ho Kwon Ping established the Banyan entity in 1994. This is with the Banyan Tree as its brand. A gap that existed in the hotel industry triggered its establishment. The target market was clients who needed priv acy and intimate accommodation at affordable costs (Wirtz Lovelock, 2009). Today, it is ranked as one of the best luxury resort in Asia with 15 resorts and hotels, 35 spas, and 38 retail shops in more than 40 locations in 20 countries, a feat that even the big hotels took years to establish (Wirtz Lovelock, 2009).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The success of this resort firm is linked to its brand and the extension made to the brand, the swift marketing strategy, communal participation and incorporation of the world marketing programs. This addresses diverse concerns such as The factors that contributed to accomplishment Evaluation of Banyan Tree’s brand marketing procedures Brand and product portfolio What are the main factors that contributed to Banyan Tree’s success? The success of Banyan Tree arises from a good plan and presentation in its marketing programs. The marketing programs were both interior and peripheral. The internal marketing programs focused on the need for a friendly communal and monetary working area where external marketing strategies focused on tapping into the affluent class that needed a green conscious environment that was as reasonably priced as other resorts but quite exceptional in their delicate tastes. Market Target Before its establishment, there existed a gap in the hotel industry between the giant chain international hotels like Hilton and other luxury resorts like the Shangri-La. The big difference in the accommodation costs created an invented market. Ho provided affordable individual villas, well-designed romantic escapade for guests, tailor made customer packages as well as a skilled personnel that would influence upon the visitors (Wirtz Lovelock, 2009). Marketing Strategy The choice of the brand name was well tailored by the international advertizing agency. The logo plan of t he Banyan Tree and the marketing phrase â€Å"Sanctuary for the Senses† promoted the merchandise and procedures of the resort (Kapferer, 1997). Focus was not on luxurious accommodation but on romantic experiences that was valued by its clients. This anchored well with the need for international tourists seeking such services. The design and delivery of the products and services Some of the merchandise and procedures offered were unique for example the Banyan Tree Spa that offered aromatic oil for face together with body massage. The services tailored by employees were dynamic and according to the natives’ culture and traditions complying with the brand that focused on relations and closeness. Dinner could be offered in a Thai boat accompanied by Thai musicians, wedding packages that Buddhists officiated and even wedding ceremonies conducted under water in the corals. These are some of the unique services in a natural setting. The services aimed not only at customer s atisfaction but also the business reaped maximum profits from the customers. Aggressive internal marketing The locals got employment from the resort from which they earned a living and retained the special heritage. The employees were trained fundamentals to good service delivery with some accorded the â€Å"Banyan Tree Experience† to build the brand in them (Kapferer, 1997). Lucrative welfare policies motivated the employees to consistent good performance.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study for Banyan Tree Hotel and Resort specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Incorporation of the local communities and the interest of the public The villas were developed from indigenous material provided by the locals. The local artisans were engaged in the manufacture of local art and handicrafts. This merchandise encompasses garments, jewellery, clannish art compounded with spa frills like incense candles. The merchandise was availed for sale at the â€Å"Banyan Tree Gallery† (Kapferer, 1997). By incorporating the local artisans in the drawing and assembly projects, the locals identified with the brand as a means of earning an income (Kapferer, 1997). Environmental practices The villas were totally from indigenous material in the remote areas. The merchandise used in the resorts, as toiletries were recyclable. The resort initiated â€Å"The Green Imperative Fund† that supported community-based programs like building schools, promoting crafts of the locals and restoring devastated coral reefs (Kapferer, 1997). The fund also set up a marine conservation office to oversee current and potential areas susceptible to degradation. Can Banyan Tree maintain unique position in the overcrowded resort market? Setting Most of the resorts are initiated in isolated areas that expose the clients to quiet environment. Its aim of preserving the environment grants it a uniqueness that lack s in most resorts. The luxurious resorts are expensive and sport oriented while Banyan Tree is less expensive and romantic (Kapferer, 1997). Promotions Activities that involve the community help in promoting merchandise and procedures of the resort. Its activities and products are eco friendly. The wastes products are recyclable, indigenous materials used to produce goods sold in the gallery. Sustainability The resorts contributed to the local economy by offering employment to the locals as well as benefiting the environment. The guests who visited the resorts voluntarily contributed to the â€Å"Green Imperative Fund† (Kapferer, 1997). A feedback on the success of their contributions was often given that motivated them. The experiences that the clients had in these resorts appealed to their senses. The services offered at Banyana Tree satisfied the clients. Discuss the brand and product portfolio of Banyan Tree, Angsana and the color of Angsana of beach resort and city h otels, spas, galleries and museum shops fit as a family The main idea of Banyan Tree is the delight in romance when travelling and the wonders present in dissimilar sections in the world. Marketing programs and public relations were the ways through which the firm used to create awareness about its brand. Globally, â€Å"Banyan Tree became a member of Small Luxury Hotels† and the foremost hotels in the world (Kapferer, 1997). The target consumers for Banyan Tree were well-off customers. To achieve this, it decided to use agents who specialized in exclusive luxury holidays. Angsana was introduced after the lavish resorts were stable. This brand was more reasonably priced and fashionable than the Banyan Tree. It ran as a stand-alone spa business in other hotels. The colors of Agsana, a merchandise line of Agsana, were to enter the tourism trade.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A fine way of marketing is positioning. It refers to finding strategic ways of creating awareness about your brand in ways that will place it different from the competitive entities. A sturdy brand means a better image quality for a firm thereby keeping the competitors at bay (Kapferer, 1997). For effectual administration of a brand, the characteristic aspect of the brand ought to be managed. This refers to the real characteristics like the merchandise, pricing, and wrapping among many others. The elusive aspects refer to procedures that generate emotions about the merchandise or service. Brand positioning aims at detailed consumers for the merchandise or procedures introduced. Activities involved in the brand must have a fundamental aim. Therefore, it must be exclusive and dissimilar from the competitors. Its sustainability, significance to the market, and appropriateness must be ensured. Firms should also profit from brand positioning. Brand positioning should realize support and financial goals for the entity. Brand identity plays an essential role in marketing the merchandise and procedures of an entity. It reflects what the audience easily identifies because of the logo, color, and symbols. It creates a clear difference in the mind of the audience from other competitors. It gives a full impression of activities of a firm. Brand equity relates to the value a firm receives from the brand (Kapferer, 1997). Conclusion The Banyan Hotels and resort have established an unrivaled niche in Asia in the Hotel trade. Presently, the prime Hotel chains in the globe such as the Hilton fail to rival it in Asia. The founder of the Holding, Mr. Ho Kwon together with the Co-founder Ms. Claire Ching had a lucid and defined vision that has seen them accomplish enormous strides in the trade (Wirtz Lovelock, 2009). They typify how a clear vision undergoes successful marketing to reap the benefits of their dream. With a skilled marketing team, Banyan Holdings transformed this g rand idea into a brand name, which experiences universal acclamation. This is because it has collected tributes from the UN. A brand is a special feature that is associated with either a merchandise or procedure. If the service is quality, the brand sells, if the product is quality, the brand disposes itself. References Kapferer, J., (1997). Strategic brand management: creating and sustaining brand equity long-term, 2nd Edtn. London, UK: Kogan Page Wirtz, J. Lovelock, C. (2009). Services Marketing in Asia, A case Study. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.

Tit-for-Tat

Tit-for-Tat Tit-for-Tat Tit-for-Tat By Maeve Maddox An ESL reader has a question about the expression â€Å"tit for tat†: If Tit is something we all commonly understand then is Tat the male counterpart of Tit? What does Tit and Tat mean in this idiom? The impulse to attach a gendered meaning to the words in this idiom illustrates how folk etymologies are invented. In fact, â€Å"tit for tat† is an altered spelling of the expression â€Å"tip for tap.† In the context of the original idiom, both tip and tap refer to a slight blow. Tip retains this meaning in the context of baseball. A pitch at which the batter swings and makes slight contact is called a tip. A â€Å"foul tip†- a tipped ball caught by the catcher- counts as a strike. Tap, in the context of lightly striking something, is in general use as both noun and verb: Stopped at the traffic lights, he heard a tap on the window. (noun) If a person has had multiple untreated concussions, could a simple tap to the head be harmful? (noun) She paused, leaned over, and tapped him on the chin. (verb) Woman in Court Fakes Hurt After Being Tapped on Head (verb) â€Å"To give one tip for tap† was â€Å"to return blow for blow.† The figurative meaning was â€Å"to retaliate.† When the pronunciation and spelling changed, the original meaning remained attached to the altered form. Here are examples of recent usage of â€Å"tit for tat†: For the rest of the game, each  team  matched the other  tit for tat. Three men  have  been arrested after a series of violent  tit-for-tat  attacks  Ã‚   [G]iven the way Netanyahu has treated Rivlin, one cannot help wondering if there will be tit for tat following the March elections.   In the world of education, and most likely everywhere else, there is the pervasive presence of tit-for-tat. If I walked a mile to school in the snow, so can you. If I had to work hours and shed blood, sweat and tears, so can you. â€Å"To give tit for tat† is not always used with the meaning â€Å"to return an injury with an injury.† Some speakers use it to convey the idea of cooperation or reciprocation: Gifts should not be  tit for tat, period.   When we hear the following expressions, we know the Law of Reciprocity is at work: â€Å"Quid pro quo†; â€Å"Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours†; â€Å"Tit-for-tat†; and â€Å"Give and take.† In Cockney rhyming slang, â€Å"tit for tat† translates as â€Å"hat.† Note: Rhyming slang uses a phrase to stand for a word that rhymes with the last word in the phrase. The phrases are then shortened to the beginning word or words. For example, the sentence â€Å"Me trouble bought ‘erself a new tit-fa† translates as â€Å"My wife bought herself a new hat.† (â€Å"trouble and strife†=wife). Here are some more words and expressions that convey the sense of â€Å"to give tit for tat†: fight back hit back respond react reciprocate counterattack return like for like get back at someone get even get one’s own back pay someone back give someone a taste of their own medicine take revenge be revenged avenge oneself Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Based in" and "based out of"Anyone vs. EveryoneThe 7 Types of Possessive Case

How do external definitions of good and bad mothers and fathers impact Essay

How do external definitions of good and bad mothers and fathers impact on the actual experience of parenthood - Essay Example Also, good and bad have been defined by the respective culture and identity of mother and father rests in the context of their society. However, actual experience moves beyond these stereotypes. Kath Woodward (2002) in her book on Understanding Identity brings up the conflict between self identity and the society created images of the self and the ideal. Though identity is a matter of the individual, it is never free of social stigma and external definitions. She redefines ‘identity’ to encapsulate â€Å"the way of thinking about the links between the personal and the social† (2002). This psycho-social definition of identity offers another perspective of the stereotyping of mothers and fathers Vs actual experience of parenting. She discusses on the relative nature of the reality of parenting. The latter might be the identity they create for themselves, but however hard they strive, the identity cannot be free of the social context and definitions. Kath’s sociological definition of identity is not new, but could be traced back to Adam Smith’s Wealth of the Nations. The concept of individualized self is a modern invention, though. Kath, in th e modern context, reinvents the older concept. Kath also analyses the identity of motherhood with respect to the bodies and selves. She says that the first thing a woman could relate to in her role as a mother is her body. This could be symbols and evidence of patriarchal control of female body. However, the child evokes tenderness in her as against the anger toward the male body. This conflict is discussed by Rich. Any role is not subjective and is always relative to the others involved. For example, parent is relative to the child and the vice versa; the role of the teacher is relative to the role of the student. So roles are modified and moulded according to their relative positions and the feedback from the related roles. In addition, it is dependent on the expectations