When Colors Are Caught in a Whirlwind The True Meaning behind the Color Cast in Vertigo

Annotated Bibliography for Dummies or Step-by-Step Directions to Get Armed for the Scientific Paper Reference

Annotated Bibliography for Dummies or Step-by-Step Directions to Get Armed for the Scientific Paper Reference Having to write an annotated bibliography for the first time can be intimidating and working on it usually raises a lot of questions: Where to begin? What can I do? What can’t I do? A lot of students do not have a clear idea of how this works, so we have put together an â€Å"annotated bibliography for dummies† guide that will help you start. First of all, let’s shed some light on what an annotated bibliography really is and how it is different from other types of bibliography. An annotated bibliography is different from the straightforward one because it comes with concise annotations added to the reference list. An annotation is a short text, which offers a brief overview on the purpose of the cited text, what the central ideas of the material are and how the author approached them. If you immediately thought of it like being the abstract you can find at the beginning of an academic article, you are almost right, but an annotation is usually more than a descriptive summary. While you can write a purely descriptive annotation, it helps a lot if you add your critical personal view, as it shows that you have truly researched your thesis or essay and have put thought into it. The two main types of annotations are descriptive and evaluative. Here are the key elements for each: Citation details (write them as you would do for a simple bibliography; you can use APA, MLA or Harvard citations styles, depending on the requirements); Present the main purpose of the work in one short statement (You can start with â€Å"In this article the author presents† or â€Å"The author’s research focuses on†, etc.); Write a summary of the main ideas, and how the author has approached them (used an academic style; kept the sentences clear and concise or used transition words such as therefore, moreover, however etc.). So far, these are the elements of a descriptive annotation. To write an evaluative annotation you have to add some personal impressions and comments. Present a few personal points of view on how strong the research is, what its limitations or strong points are. Connect the author’s work to your research: how helpful it is and how you plan to include it in your own research. Common mistakes while writing an annotated bibliography are directly related to drifting from its definition. Adding up irrelevant pieces of information or omitting the required one might provide you with a negative review, so make sure all the references have correct annotations. Do not include the title of the cited work in the annotation, as you have already mentioned it in the citation. It might give the impression that you have no idea what to write about and you have not researched enough. Do not cross references in your annotation. You should focus on how the author approached the main ideas of his work. While he might cross other authors’ references to make a point, your annotation should not go into these details, but keep the information to the cited article or book. And keep in mind that you can avoid any mistakes with the help of our automated Free Citation Generator.

The effects of the 2008 financial crisis on the investment in the Gulf Essay - 1

The effects of the 2008 financial crisis on the investment in the Gulf area specially on Qatar - Essay Example Delayed implications of the crises were seen in the non-oil producing countries. The Middle East Gross domestic product in 2008 was 6%. By 2009, it had fallen to as low as 3.1% due to the impact of the crises. The global economic recession had a great impact to the economic growths of many economies in the world, with great intensity in Middle East countries. However, most countries did experience slow economic growth rather than total absolute decline. The slow growth in the oil producing countries resulted to a decision made by oil producing countries board. They made a decision to reduce the oil output, leading to a reduction in the value of the Arab oil exports, hence a direct implication to the Gross Domestic Product. In Middle East, oil sector did suffer a whopping 5.2% decline in year 2009 (Allen, 2008). The impacts with relation to the unemployment rates and poverty levels were also massive. The repercussions were severe in some countries. According to International Labor Organization Statistics, there was an estimation unemployment rate of 25%. The tourism and manufacturing industries had been affected to great heights leading to poverty in most households. There was a massive decrease in the real estate construction and the industrial activity forcing the immigrants to resume back to their homes. Per capital income per day declined to levels of 1.25 dollars. Those in a position to earn such an amount were also very few (Reinhart & Rogoff, 2009). Despite the commencing of the rapid economic stimulus programs, it took a long time before the final picking up of the economy. There was continuous economic stagnation. The government also did start some anti-poverty campaigns to decrease the high levels of poverty. The declining oil prices had detrimental impacts to the Gulf Corporation Council Countries. The production of oil was also declining and taking a negative

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Article Review - Essay Example Importance of forensic accounting is unquestionable because whenever the company suspects any form of fraud or misuse of fund, they rely on forensic accounting for conduction investigation and to find out the root cause behind the problem. So forensic accounting is one of the most relied tools that help in determining and also in controlling the problem. Forensic accounting follows certain well planed procedure to carryout the whole process of detection. At first the business structure has to be identified, and then an in-depth analysis has to be conducted for all companys date records. Such scrutinizing provides clues through with prevailing fraud and misconduct can be identified. This procedure also identifies any kind of irregularity related to assets and hence indicates fraud. The procedure of forensic accounting is efficient in conserving companys precious time and time and money. This technique it often used by strategists in identifying and preventing fraud or misuse of compan ys fund which may hamper the business. Many researchers have argued that the technique of fraud accounting is highly efficient in managing civil dispute that includes: Forensic accounting can provide assistance in probate cases, this technique is efficient in handling dispute that arise due to cases of over valuation or the cases of property division in between estates heirs. Forensic accountants are the experts which deal in disputes related to legal property problems. These experts are equipped with knowledge in the field of accountancy, auditing, evidence gathering, interviews, financial reporting system, and all other developments which are taking place in national as well international accounting sector. The forensic accountants are well trained for legal procedures and other court formalities. Forensic accounting is often used to get the true and Article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1 Article review - Essay Example Shah notes in the article that the global financial crisis started in 2007; Shah also notes that the global financial crisis led to the closure of many financial institutions around the world (Shah, 2013). According to this article, following the global financial crisis, various governments had to bail out various financial institutions that were on the verge of collapse. Shah, however, notes that, although various governments bailed out various financial institutions that were at risk of closure, the problem of global financial crisis was mainly caused by the very financial institutions that sought bail out from the government. A critical view of this point by Shah shows that the financial institutions were indeed mainly to blame for the global financial crisis. This is because the lax lending standards of many financial institutions made many people unable to access loans and mortgages, leading to serious financial crisis. Fratianni and Marchionne support this view in their article â€Å"The Role of Banks in the Subprime Financial Crisis†. According to the two authors, it is the exorbitant lending rates of many financial institutions that mainly caused the global financial cr ises, besides the imbalances in international trade (Ratianni $ Marchionne, 2009). In this article, Shah claims that the global financial crisis did not affect the financial institutions only or only the rich nations, but it affected all individuals of every nation. This is because, according to Shah, the effects of global financial crisis trickle down to all people and affect individual’s livelihood. One of the main arguments advanced in this article is that, the financial crisis could have been avoided if financial institutions had adopted the current economic models. According to Shah, the global financial crisis has been caused by people’s negligence, especially the government failure to effectively control financial institutions. Shah argues in the article that states have

Describe to me the basic differences between Scientific Method and Essay

Describe to me the basic differences between Scientific Method and Scientific Process - Essay Example This is basically the process through which science actually takes place. It takes place in a series of steps which involve making hypotheses, deriving predictions and performing experiments in line with those predictions to determine whether the initial hypotheses were indeed correct. This basically entails the steps that are taken in performing a scientific method. The scientific process is contained in the scientific method. Science is in itself the study of processes through scientific methods. The scientific process has inputs and desired outcomes which in tern influence the Scientific methods It is clear from the discussion above that there are certain basic differences between scientific method and scientific process. What is clear, however, is that the two are so much dependent on each other. The scientific method investigates what is known based on measurable evidence while scientific process is all the steps that the scientific method applies in achieving its

The Use And Abuse Of Technology Media Essay

The Use And Abuse Of Technology Media Essay Technology can be defined as science applied to practical purposes. It is more than hardware and silicon chips. In propelling change and altering our belief systems and culture, technology has joined religion, tradition, and family in the scope of its influence. Its enhancements of human muscle and human mind are self-evident. But technology is also a social amplifier. It stretches the range, volume, and speed of communications. It inflates appetites for consumer goods and creature comforts. It tends to concentrate wealth and power, and to increase the disparity of rich and poor. In the competition for scarce resources, it breeds conflicts. In social-psychological terms, it alters our perceptions of space. Events anywhere on the globe now have immediate repercussions everywhere, with a portfolio of tragedies that ignite feelings of helplessness. Technology has also skewed our perception of time, nourishing a desire for speed and instant gratification and ignoring long-term impacts. Nowadays, when the rapidness of development and research is so impressive, it is easy to think about the advantages of modern technology. Nevertheless some people argue that science can destroy mankind. Im quite agreeing with them, and I believe that modern technology is destroying the values of our Islamic society somehow. Computers, Cellophanes and the World Wide Web are examples of the modern technology; which are used widely nowadays, and they affect our moralities and manners badly, not because they are useless, but because we used to get the negative aspects out of every thing around us. Therefore, the most frequently asked question is: Does technology go the right way and will it save or ruin our Islamic civilization? In this project I wish to set out some of the benefits, the drawbacks and an Islamic view of one of those modern technologies which called The Internet, the influence of it on the Islamic world and the internet from an Islamic respective. As starting point for the Muslims contribution in dialogue with other sectors of society, especially other religious groups, concerning the development and use of this amazing technological mechanism. The Internet is being put to many good uses now, with the promise of many more, but much harm also can be done by its improper use. Which it will be, good or harm, is largely a matter of choice-a choice to whose making the Muslim society brings two elements of great importance: its commitment to the dignity of the human person and its long tradition of moral wisdom. WHAT IS THE INTERNET? Ten years ago, the Internet was practically unheard of by most people. Today, the Internet is one of the most powerful tools throughout the world. The Internet is a collection of various services and resources. The Internet or the World Wide Web is indeed a wonderful and amazing addition in our lives. The Internet can be known as a kind of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service available on the computer, through which everything under the sun is now at the fingertips of anyone who has access to the Internet. A human brain to our eyes appears approximately six inches in size only but inside this little bowl hidden an ocean of ideas and thoughts. Internet is not that little word as is generally understood but actually it is the name of whole computer worlds universe which is carrying with it sea of knowledge and information that deals with each and every topic that exists on the face of the earth. Today Internet is providing eve ryone peculiar knowledge and information that one needs. There is no department left about which information are not available on the Internet. In Tokyo, the city of Japan, an exhibition of Information Technology was held in which it was announced that any one who would tell a department name about which no information are given on the Internet would be awarded a prize of one million $ US. However, no one could win the prize at the end of the exhibition. Thus nobody could point out the topic. The internet has allowed our world to become a globally connected network that advances knowledge everyday. A few years ago the internet was changed forever with the creation of Napster. Napster was the first program that allowed internet users to download music and files with a click of the mouse. However, Napster was a company that was said to be profiting from the website, so musicians took a stand and shut Napster down. By that time millions of people had already become used to the idea of free downloads and wanted more. THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL CONNECTION: The last few years in the society have seen incredible changes technologically and culturally. Life has become increasingly easier as machines designed to improve living standards proliferated. Communications and travel capabilities have advanced dramatically, with long distance phone calls soon to be a thing of the past. Computers have brought so much information home that many students do all their research from the comfort of their desktop. Socially the changes have been just as great, though perhaps not always for the better. Children have massacred one another on school grounds. The income inequality gap has steadily risen. Overall, people are feeling less connected to one another than ever before. Many sociologists subscribe to the belief that the internet, in-home computer usage and widespread availability of virtual access, are transforming modern social and economic life. Problematic to these issues, however, is whether the changes have been beneficial or detrimental. The paper shows that some argue that the internet is causing social isolation and forcing a break from genuine social relationships, while others argue that the internet leads better social relationships by freeing people from mundane restraints of geography, isolationism or factors outside normal controls (e.g., illness, schedules). This group argues that the internet allows people to become socially involved on the basis of common interest rather than the vicariousness of convenience. If people were to use the Internet primarily for entertainment and information, the Internets social effects might resemble those of television. However, research has shown that interpersonal communication is the dominant use of the Internet at home. That people use the Internet mainly for interpersonal communication, however, does not imply that their social interactions and relationships on the Internet are the same as their traditional social interactions and relationships, or that their social uses of the Internet will have effects comparable to traditional social means of communication ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET: In fact, the advantages are out weigh the disadvantages. The most common thing the Internet is used for is research. Children and students are among the top people who use the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students use the Internet for research. Thirty percent of teachers give assignments requiring research from the Internet. In the classroom, sixty-six percent of teachers use the Internet to teach. The Internet has become one of the biggest sources for research. Almost everyday, research on medical issues becomes easier to locate. Web sites have become available for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites. Another popular thing to do on the Internet is to check out the news. Almost all local news can be obtained through the Internet. Using the Internet to get the weather allows people to view weather all over the world. Live radar all over the country and local forecasts are just to name a few of the things that may be obtained for weather information on the Internet. Shopping online has also become a huge success and is considered a great advantage of the Internet. No matter what people are shopping for, it can be found on the Internet. People do not even have to leave their homes. A few companies have collected millions of dollars using the Internet for selling. Clothing is probably one of the most bought items online. Almost every major clothing store has its on Web site. Just one click of the mouse on the items they want to purchase and the items are delivered to their front door. DISADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET: Despite all of these advantages of the Internet, there are numerous disadvantages. Many fear the Internet because of its disadvantages. They claim to not use the Internet because they are afraid of the possible consequences or are simply not interested. People who have yet connected to the Internet claim they are not missing anything. Today technological society must realize, it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet Children using the Internet have become a big concern. When children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. When children talk to others online, they do not realize they could actually be talking to a harmful person. There are a number of tools available today that may help keep the Internet environment safer for children. Some companies, such as America Online, try to monitor everything that is said and done on their online service; however, because thousands of chat rooms are available, it is simply impossible for everything to be monitored. In other words, children want to explore things; however, there are people on the Internet that are just too believable. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children log onto the Internet. Prophet Mohammad SAW Said: كلكÙ†¦ Ø ±ÃƒËœÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹ Ùˆ كلكÙ†¦ Ù†¦ÃƒËœÃ‚ ³ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ Ø ¹Ãƒâ „¢Ã¢â‚¬   Ø ±ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  ÃƒËœÃ‚ ªÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¡) (, thus parents should be aware of what their children are doing or seeing .. It is the duty of parents to raise their children upon the teachings of Islam by using all possible good means. In fact, the Internet can help parents in this regard if it is used correctly. However, parents should guide their children to the ways of using it in a positive way and protect them against misusing this service. The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Imam of Calgary Mosque, Alberta, Canada, and Former Professor at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, States: There are many ways of protecting both children and ourselves from the haram (unlawful) as follows: 1. By creating a barrier between us and sins. 2.By providing alternatives to take us away from the haram. Parents need to establish firm and healthy channels of communication with their children and explain to them the Islamic position concerning these issues and how to deal with them. The best way to achieve this is to be a good role model for their children, for if they see their parents as a good example, they will learn the good from them as well. Parents are supposed to introduce alternatives to them. There are many good Islamic websites that they can visit and learn from. They can be given tasks to do on each website, and then can receive prizes for that. Most importantly we must teach our kids how to choose the right friends, who are aware of Islamic teachings and can protect them from learning about haram.. One of the Islamic rules is the consideration of the other rights. The accessibility and freedom of copyrighting is also one of the disadvantages of the Internet. E.g. Musicians are one of those who are worried because of that. They are upset because the Internet provides their music online at no charge to customers. File-sharing services, such as Napster, provide copyrighted songs to all Internet users. The main concern is the music is free! Musicians feel they are not getting paid for their work. Because of Napster, it is almost impossible to close down all file-sharing services; there are too many of them to count. Legal cases have developed across the country with copyright owners declaring that their music is being plagiarized by people on the Internet. Another major disadvantage of the Internet is privacy. Electronic messages sent over the Internet can be easily snooped and tracked, revealing who is talking to whom and what they are talking about. People should become aware that the collection, selling, or sharing of the information they provide online increases the chances that their information will fall into the wrong hands. Consequently, they will become a victim of identity theft, one of the worst privacy violations with potentially devastating financial consequences. When giving personal information on the Internet, people should make sure the Web site is protected with a recognizable security symbol. On the other hand, this does not mean they are fully protected because anyone may obtain user information. Today, not only are humans getting viruses, but computers are also. Computers are mainly getting these viruses from the Internet; yet, viruses may also be transmitted through floppy disks. However, people should mainly be concerned about receiving viruses from the Internet. Some of these dangerous viruses destroy the computer entire hard drive, meaning that the user can no longer access the computer. Virus protection is highly recommended. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET ON THE ISALMIC WORLD: Although there has been a tremendous amount of discussion in the popular press about how the Internet is changing all facets of Islamic social life, research on the impact of the Internet is only beginning to emerge. A review of the studies reported in this issue suggests that the Internet may have had less impact on many aspects of social life than is frequently supposed. In many cases, the Internet seems to have created a new way of doing old things, rather than being a technology that changes the manner in which people live their lives. As a consequence, the policy implications of increasing Internet use may be less than is often believed. PRIOR STUDY: (The Internet and Youth Subculture in Kuwait) Abstract Young people in Kuwait constitute both the highest concentration of Internet users (estimated to be approximately 63% of all Internet users in Kuwait) and the largest sector of Kuwaiti society. Moreover, as argued in this article, young peoples Internet practices are likely to stimulate the most significant changes in Kuwaiti society. This article scrutinizes a handful of descriptions by young Kuwaiti of the importance and implication of the Internet in their lives. Survey Research on Kuwaiti Youths and the Internet, 1996-2001: This was the first professional conference to consider the development and impact of the Internet in Kuwait, and the Islamic World in general, ever held in the Gulf. The papers presented that independently came to the same conclusions: 1- Kuwaiti youths seem to be the most deeply effected by the transformations in communicative practices enabled by the Internet. They focused on the ways in which the Internet was detrimental to face-to-face social ties between peers and among family members. They argued that customarily, young (and old) Kuwaiti men had gathered in the late afternoon and evenings to drink tea and eat sweets together. Women had done the same. With the introduction of the Internet, young people argue that they find it more enjoyable to surf the net in the evenings instead of participating in traditional social rituals. A recent regional survey found that 55% of Internet use takes place between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., the hours when tea and home visits, or visits to the diwaniyya (male social clubs) are most likely to occur(  [1]  ). 2- young people are unlikely to use the Internet along with other family members (just over 10% did), which means that family ties are potentially jeopardized by Internet use. Instead, youths share their ideas and positive energies in cyberspace with people they dont know personally. While such interactions foster a positive sense of being one with the world. Only 7.8% of the students surveyed by Mazeedi and Ismail were taught to use the Internet by a family member. Thus the authors conclude that families dont set the rules of standards on how to use the Internet ethically and academically. Moreover, since students often use the Internet to meet with the opposite sex (more than 30% admitted to this as a regular practice) Islamic sanctions against interactions with the opposite sex outside of relatives and marriage are transgressed(  [2]  ). 3- Throughout my fieldwork, I met people who had fallen in love, or attempted to, via the Internet. One person I interviewed explained that her brother and sister-in-law had fallen in love via the computer. They met in a chatroom. Over time they developed a regular cyber-relationship. One day, several months into the relationship, they decided to meet in person. When they went to pay for their Internet subscriptions at the Ministry of Communication building, they decided to wait for each other near the entrance. It was love at first sight and they decided ultimately to marry. There were some problems, however, because he was Shii and she was Sunni, and her parents refused to bless the engagement. Ultimately love won out, and their wedding cake was shaped like a computer, a symbol of the amazing tool that brought them together, enabling the transgression of sectarian lines which divide Kuwaitis and interrupting the ritual of arranged or semi-arranged marriages(  [3]  ). 4- 73.4% of students who use the Internet felt that it was being used in socially abusive and ethically unreliable ways. Similarly, 61.1% of those surveyed felt that the morals and behavior of the students have been affected negatively by the Internet(  [4]  ). 5- Students continue to misuse the Internet. Many of them sneak into Internet cafes to freely browse through sites linked with immoral activities without check(  [5]  ). 6- Cyber-relations could in fact help young men and women in Kuwait to understand the other gender in a way that might improve communication between the sexes in marriage and the family. Moreover, the Internet might give young people more sovereignty over the choice of a spouse. Often family members choose a spouse for their child based upon standards related to what might improve or protect the social status of the family as a whole(  [6]  ). 7- While some Kuwaiti students are critical of the ways in which the Internet enables them to violate the norms they are raised to hold, others are taking full advantage of the Internet as a vehicle for challenging Kuwaiti societys increasingly conservative view of proper public interaction between the sexes. Students increasingly find cyberspace an attractive place in which to experiment with unfamiliar or endangered forms of social interaction. To a degree, students cyber-relations reveal that the Internet supports decentralization, individual empowerment, resilience and self-sufficiency. practices which coincide with the design principles of the technology. The fact that many Kuwaiti youths remain critical of such practices illustrates how Muslim values help to filter and buffer the meanings and implications of such experiences. Local cultural and social frameworks both shape what is revolutionary about the use of a new tool, and in addition, influence the pace of change(  [7]  ). A research project about the effects of the Internet on the social Arab world (  [8]  ): Dr. Albrecht Hofheinz(  [9]  ) put the cyber world into the context of social behavior in order to identify more clearly whether any possible effects of virtual changes are becoming apparent in the real world. As for if people are dealing with religious and political questions, and how do transnational and local publics connect and interact with one another? He commented: In the 1990s, Internet enthusiasts had a vision: all you need is a modem, a PC, and an Internet connection to have the world at your fingertips. This gave rise to the hypothesis that the entire structure of the way in which public opinions are formed would be transformed by significantly facilitating access to publication opportunities for a large number of people. It was felt that public debates would spread around the world, thereby bringing about a radical change in the formation of opinions in Arab-Islamic countries. The theory was that the emancipator effect of this development would be twofold: larger sections of society would become more involved in the formation of opinions and this, in turn, would result in greater participation in decision-making processes. In other words, the Internet would spread democracy. The aim of his research project was to test the theory that more people would get involved in the opinion formation process and would have more to contribute to this process as a result of the Internet. Implicitly, this would pose a threat to the hegemony of traditional hierarchies and authorities in terms of shaping opinions: The theory was that it would soon become second nature to Internet users to form their own opinions and not simply to refer to a single authoritative source and blindly follow the opinions presented there. The fact that users would themselves be able to comment on material published by others and discuss solutions in a non-hierarchical manner would result in the development of a social dynamism that would inherently help accelerate the democratization of decision-making processes. That was the theory on which this research project was based. About the developed of the use of the Internet in Arab countries he claimed: We cant generalize. The state reaction to the Internet phenomenon differs from country to country in the Arab world. None of these countries now completely rejects the Internet. However, some treat the occurrence more restrictively than others. The first countries to open up to the Internet in the early days were traditional, liberal economic, pro-Western states like Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. As for the free access to the Internet in the Arabic world he commented: A comparison of the countries in the Arab world reveals that some allow completely free access to the Internet while others channel all Internet traffic through a filter. This central filter allows them to block access to specific sites. But anyone with technical know-how can get around these filters. This sort of filter censorship can be found in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Syria. The Saudis, for example, only opened up public access to the Internet in 1999 after a long delay: they waited until the technical requirements for total filtering were fulfilled. Beforehand, the debate had centered on how Saudi society could be protected against damaging influences through the Internet. Dr. Hofheinz commented on the way that Arab countries are dealing with the Internet: Many Muslim thinkers and scholars were very careful and feared that the Internet could lead to an infiltration and wearing down of Muslim social and moral standards. In this context, discussions with Islamic overtones took place. These same discussions had other overtones elsewhere: in Asia, for example, but also in Europe and anywhere people think that the Internet might lead to a homogenization of the cultures. In concrete terms, this means that western or American cultural values and ideas are disseminated under the existing balance of power. This discussion has not become any less powerful to this day. On the other hand, Islamic groups were some of the first to make use of the Internet. At the end Dr. Hofheinz talked about his theory: My initial theory has not proven well-founded in the short term. But that doesnt mean that all opportunities have been wasted. I would say instead that the initial theory was naive in its radicalism. It was quite simply naive to expect the introduction of the Internet to unleash a political tidal wave. One has to examine what socialization process are being promoted on the Internet. The trend is clear: the Internet reinforces the role and the self-confidence of the subject. Even the chatting of young people should not be underestimated. It is easier to talk openly in chat rooms about things that are usually only talked about among friends. I still believe that this will lead to a change in political culture: not necessarily a radical change and not only as a result of the Internet, but the Internet is undoubtedly an important factor. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET FROM AN ISLAMIC PRESPECTIVE: Many researches and scholars consider the internet as the real reason for the flourishing of the so called Islamic Virtual Ummah, what do you think? In so far as virtual today has become virtually identical to cyberspace, this is certainly correct. Further, there is no doubt that the Internet has contributed greatly to a new growth of pan-Islamic feelings among many of its Muslim users. This phenomenon should, however, not be regarded in isolation from its social and historical context. Muslim activists on the Internet have been drawn first and foremost, in the beginnings, in the 1990s, from among these circles, and they have found in the Internet an ideal medium to share reflections on their beliefs, identity, practicies, policies, social life, moral ways, etc. In other words, to think of themselves as a community in new ways that were more self-reflected, and less bound by tradition, than tended to be the case back home. And this new community is often referred to, or thought of as, a virtual ummah. In how far do you think what happens on the Internet has any effect on real life? Especially in the context of the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands: the murderer apparently used texts from the extremist websites in the letter he left on the body of his victim. The Internet is thus less revolutionary than it is often made to appear. Rather, it is the latest incarnation in a long development of media that have helped Muslims (among other people) to imagine their belonging. The Internet is a medium; media, consumed, are part of peoples socialization and can influence their thoughts and acts. To say so much is trivial but it has to be said since some people still question the effect of the net on real life. Exactly how, and to what extent, media influence peoples thoughts and acts is, however, a very different question. After 40 years of research into the effects of television, there is no unanimity among researches about the nature and quality of these effects. And the debate continues on how exactly to measure such effects. Comparatively speaking, Internet research is still in its infancy, but the problems are essentially the same. People are influenced in their thoughts and acts by a great variety of factors, and to posit some simple linear connections between material posted on the net, or peoples online activities, and their acts in real life, is too simplistic. All that can be said with some certainty is that the Internet is likely to play an increasingly important role in peoples socialization, and that therefore the way material, thought, ideas, social relations etc are presented on the net is going to exert a growing influence on real life. With regard to Islam, for example, this means that increasingly, only material easily accessible on the net will be considered by the majority of Muslim Internet users in the construction of what Islam means, and how one should live properly as a Muslim. Do you think that the Internets effect of reducing and simplifying complicated and rich cultural and religious traditions will eventually lead to a loss of Islamic knowledge and traditional authority? And do you think this is necessarily a dangerous or undesirable development? Primarily it is an unavoidable development that should not be lamented so much as is taken as a challenge. And secondly, the simplification of the scholastic canon that is speeded by the Internet (but which in itself is a development that started much earlier, in the 18th century C.E.) is but one side of a larger development which at heart is dialectical. One the one side, the complicated scholastic tradition is reduced to relatively simple truths but on the other hand, these truths get reappropriated by many more people than ever before, and in the process of this appropriation new ways of thinking are engendered, which in turn will lead to a new culture, or rather, new rich cultures, and new traditions, over time. In your opinion, to what extent is Islam represented on the internet? And in compared to other religions? With regard to the first part of the question, it is noticeable that the representation of Islam on the Internet started from the periphery so to speak- from the US- (and European) based on Diaspora. For long, their voices on the Internet were much more prominent than voices from the established centers of Islamic learning in the Muslim heartlands, and that has sent the note, to an extent. What are the most popular Islamic websites on the net? It is not al-Azhar, or the Zaytuna or Deoband. Rather, it is sites like Islam Online, Amr Khaled, Islamweb, al-islam.com, Isalm Todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sites that operate from the sides of the old establishment, if you will (and I include Islamweb from Qatar and al-Islam.com from Sakhr among the sides here). So, the representation of Islam on the Internet clearly has changed from what it was before. And one may also argue that for seasoned users those who know how to find things the plurality of voices has dramatically increased. If one knows how to find, one can find pretty much anything on the net today, including pretty much any of the many representations of Islam. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, today society is in the middle of a technological boom. People can either choose to take advantage of this era, or simply let it pass them by. The Internet is a very powerful tool. It has many advantages; however, people need to be extremely aware of the disadvantages as well. People on the Internet participate in a unique electronic culture. Like all other cultures, the Internet culture has its own norms, standards and expectations for members of the electronic community. A number of resources exist to help people who are new to the Internet learning about its electronic culture. These resources usually address one of two topics: ethics or etiquette. Internet etiquette, which is often called netiquette, is similar to and often overlaps with ethical issues; however, netiquette is less a strict code of conduct and more an understanding of what constitutes good manners and electronic community expectation

Decision-Making Models Essay -- Decision Making

Decision-Making Models Negotiations and decisions are a part of everyday business. In order to make a successful decision, it is necessary to understand how to make rational and sound decisions. Decisions that are rash, made on snap judgments, and past experiences can prove detrimental to a business. A deficit in basic thinking and decision making is felt at all levels of an organization (Gary, 1997). Decisions can have long term and short term impacts on organizations and their world in which they exist (Turner & Dean, 2008). In order to understand the process of making a sound and good decision, it is necessary to define and understand several decision-making models. These models help to make clear the issues to be addressed and the goals that need to be obtained before a final decision is made. This paper will discuss the zero sum game, win-win, satisfying solutions, and the fixed pie models. Zero-sum game can play an important role wherein one entity wants or needs to dominate the other. Of the several decision-making models that can be implemented, the zero sum game is one decision model used in negotiations. In this instance, there is a winner and a loser. There is no give and take or compromise. The zero-sum can be seen in chess – only one player can win. However, in Monopoly, if it is not played with the intention of having one winner, but several players to place, is a non-zero-sum game, also known as a win-win (US department of state, n.d.). The second model is the non-zero, also known as the win-win model. This is used in compromises so that each of the â€Å"players† feels like a winner. The total amount gained is variable; therefore, both players win and lose objectives (Heylighen, 1993). In this model, eac... ...9712C, 15-18. Heylighen, F. (2000). Principia Cybernetica Web, in: Heylighen, F., Joslyn, C. and Turchin, V. (eds): Principia Cybernetica Web. Retrieved November 15, 2010, from http://pcp.lanl.gov/ZESUGAM.html Spangler, B. (2003). Distributive bargaining: Beyond Intractability. Guy Burgess & Heidi Burgess (eds.). Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Retrieved November 16, 2010, from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/distributive_bargaining. Turner & Dean (2008). Testing the effects of prior performance on decision regret: Doubling-down, or all bets are off? Journal of Global Business Issues; 2, 1 13. U.S. Department of State (n.d.). Consulate General of the United States: Zero sum game between russia and the U.S. is gone with the cold war. Retrieved November 15, 2010, from http://www.vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/zerosum.html