Oedipus Rex By Sophocles I (c. 496 - 406 B.C.) Essays -

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles I (c. 496 - 406 B.C.) Oedipus Rex by Sophocles I (c. 496 - 406 B.C.) Type of Work: Tragic, poetic Greek drama Setting Thebes, a city of ancient Greece Principal Characters Oedipus, King of Thebes Jocasta, his mother ... and finally his wife Teiresias, a blind prophet Creon, Oedipus' brother-in-law A Chorus Play Overveiw [The original 5th-century B.C. Greek audience was assumed to be familiar with the background of the play.] Laius and Jocasta were King and Queen of the Great City of Thebes. But it had been prophesied that their son would grow up to kill Laius, his own father, and then marry Jocasta, his own mother. Fearing the divination's fulfillment, Laius and Jocasta delivered Oedipus, their infant son, to a servant, with orders that he be killed. The servant bore the babe into the wilderness, but couldn't bring himself to carry out the command. Instead, he turned the child over to a Corinthian herdsman, who in turn passed the little boy on to Polybus, King of Corinth - who adopted him as his own. Oedipus was thus raised to believe that he was the natural son of Polybus. But Oedipus' life began to unravel the day he overheard an oracle repeat to him the unthinkable prophecy: he would someday kill his father and marry his mother. Supposing that Polybus was his real father, Oedipus determined to leave Corinth so as not to remain anywhere near Polybus. In his travels, Oedipus came to a place where three roads converged. There he became caught up in a violent argument with a band of travelers. He managed to kill all but one of his attackers, but remained oblivious to the tragic irony of this triumph: among the men he had slain was Laius, his true father. Later, the oracular prophecies completed their awful and ironic cycle of fulfil lm,nt when Oedipus undertook a mission to save Thebes, still acknowledged as his native city, from the predations of a dire female monster, the Sphinx. Of all the unlucky heroes to make the attempt, Oedipus alone was able to answer the riddle that was posed mockingly to all travelers along the Theban roadside by the winged lion-woman: "What goes first on four legs, then on two, and then on three?" The Sphynx had ravenously devoured all those brave and foolhardy souls who regaled her with exotic answers; but Oedipus, with the simple rejoinder "Man," gained the power to final] destroy her. The grateful populace of the city quickly acclaimed him as King, and in time, he met, fell in love with, and married his own mother, Jocasta. Of course Jocasta had no idea that her new young husband was the son she had sent off to be killed as an infant; nor did Oedipus realize that the loathsome prophecy had now at last been fulfilled. [As the play begins, the story of how Oedipus discovers his "crimes" unfolds.] In Thebes, a dreadful plague had struck. The citizens assembled to appeal to King Oedipus to curb the disease, and Oedipus reassured them that Creon, Jocasta's brother, had gone to Delphi to ask the great Apollo how the plague might be ended. When Creon finally returned, he brought startling news: Apollo had declared that the scourge had come upon the city because the very man who had murdered King Laius years before was now a resident of Thebes. Apollo further swore that the plague would endure until the murderer was exposed and exiled from the city. Oedipus, wholly unaware that he himself was the one who had struck down Laius, vowed to discover the identity of the murderer at all costs: ... Now I reign, holding the power which he had held before me, having the selfsame wife and marriage bed - and if his seed had not met barren fortune, we should be linked by offspring from one mother; but as it was, fate leapt upon his Head, [and I shall search] to seize the hand which shed that blood. Oedipus' first step was to call in Teiresias, a blind soothsayer of renowned wisdom. When the King questioned Teiresias as to the identity of Laius' murderer, the prophet first claimed that he did know the man's name, but then hesitated: "I shall never reveal ... I will not hurt you or me." Still Oedipus pressed, and Teiresias finally relented. "You are the slayer whom you seek," he sadly disclosed; "And dreaded foot shall drive you from this land. You who now see straight shall then be blind." Oedipus, furious at the suggestion of his guilt, berated the prophet, who retorted by insisting that Oedipus was yet blind to the truth

Core Beliefs and Practices of Islam

Core Beliefs and Practices of Islam Introduction In the context of Muslim world, globalization generally refers to the global spread of ideas, cultures, institutions and attitudes, which are normally perceived to have originated from the west. With this regard, globalization is normally perceived as being equivalent to westernization in the context of Islam core beliefs and practices. As a result of this, globalization is perceived as a form of external threat to the Islamic religion (Mazrui 56).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Core Beliefs and Practices of Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The anti-globalization in Islam can be significantly attributed to the fact that cultural identity is an important aspect of Islamic religion, and therefore any occurrence that attempts to integrate the universal culture serves to undermine the doctrines of the religion (Tarabichi 78). This implies that the cultural exchange aspect associated with glob alization is one of the core reasons why Muslims view globalization as having a negative influence on their core beliefs and practices of the Islam (Tarabichi 100). There are different conflicting views regarding the effects that globalization impose on the Islamic beliefs and practices, making the subject a contentious that is yet to determine whether Muslims are actually against globalization as a whole or some certain aspects of globalization that have imposed negative influence on the aspect of cultural identity, which is a core characteristic of Islamic religion. Some of argue that globalization has helped in the strengthening of Islamic fundamentalism. This paper discusses the relationship between Islam and globalization, with a principal focus on the ways through which globalization are perceived to undermine the Islamic beliefs and practices. This essay strongly suggests that globalization is a challenge towards the Islamic core beliefs and practices that are determined by t he Islamic cultural identity. This is because globalization has accelerated the aspect of western homogeny in the Muslim world. As a result, it can be perceived as a threat to the Islamic values and principles (Mazrui 102). Despite this potential threat, it is arguably evident that globalization cannot be avoided; as a result, the Muslim community can grab the opportunity presented by globalization to spread the Islamic beliefs, practices and cultural identity at the global level. Globalization The aspect of globalization is broad and covers various aspects that are aimed at integration of the world such as social, economic, cultural and political systems. The principal focus of this paper is to assess the cultural integration aspect of globalization and its relationship to the Islamic beliefs and practices.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Culture is consid ered to be an inherent aspect that is the core of the whole globalization process (Tarabichi 140). This implies that an assessment of cultural globalization is vital in order to have an in depth understanding of the reactions of the Muslim community towards globalization. It is also important to take into account the fact that globalization is an ongoing process that results to the unification of the social relations across the global divide (Mazrui 125). The aspect of social process implies that globalization supersedes any forms of cultural, geographical and political constraints in order to ensure global integration of the core aspects of globalization (Tarabichi 152). The potential outcome of cultural globalization is that it will impose a single global culture, implying that cultural diversity and individual choice are likely to be a thing of the past if the various cultural and religious units are not keen enough to resist cultural globalization in order to preserve the values , principles, beliefs and practices associated with their religion and culture (Mazrui 130). Mazrui defines globalization as the sum of cumulative processes that result to a preservation of the cultural traits of the dominant group, whereas the cultural traits of the less dominant groups are assimilated into the dominant culture (Mazrui 145). The Islamic religion presently comprises of approximately 20 percent of the global culture, and at the same time, the western culture is the dominant culture at the global level. The visible consequence of globalization is the spread of cultural aspects of a particular culture at the global level, resulting to absorption of the local cultures in a given region, implying that the dominant culture is likely to be transformed into the global culture. In the current context of globalization, it is arguably evident that the western culture, sometimes perceived as the American culture is gradually being distributed to other parts of the globe, implyi ng that local cultural identity and religious beliefs are likely to be absorbed by the western culture (Tarabichi). In addition, cultural globalization normally imposes changes regarding the daily routine lives, interpretations concerning the meaning of life and provides alternative approaches towards the daily life. The cultural identity of the Islamic religion Culture can be defined as behavior and ideas that are common to a particular group, which are socially acquired (Tarabichi 100). Culture exhibits some form of specificity owing to the fact that they are not similar. The culture of a particular group normally defines their social life, thoughts and individual behavior, which in turn influence the principles, values, beliefs, practices and the manner in which the group interacts with individuals of another cultural grouping.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Core Beliefs and Practices of Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cultural identity on the other hand can be described as an essential part of a person’s psyche that serves to identify with one’s own culture, and is usually an outcome of cultural interaction (Tarabichi 102). It is important to note that cultural identity is subject to changes when a person is exposed to different cultural environments. Some of the components that make the cultural identity include religion, beliefs, practices, rituals, language and so on (Tarabichi 105). Islam is usually perceived as a social religion because it lays emphasis on the group life instead of basing on an individualistic approach; this has played a significant role in shaping the Islamic cultural identity, which is supposed to be observed by the entire Muslim community (Mazrui 145). A core aspect of the Muslim culture is that it entails a vibrant aspect of moderation, implying that it attempts to harmonize both the spiritual and material aspects of the individual p ersonality. The Muslim culture is does not just impose sheer limitations on their beliefs and practices. The cultural identity of the Muslim can be argued to be based on a dynamic pattern, which in most cases is misunderstood by the secular population and sometimes the Muslim community itself (Mazrui 150). The significant difference that exists between the secular western culture and the Islamic culture is the emphasis on the devotion to one God. It is arguably evident that Islamic faith is applicable to all aspects of life of its believers such as spiritual beliefs and practices, law, governance and way of life. Despite the fact that Muslims across the global divide have different cultural traits, it is evident that they share some universal cultural identity, beliefs and practices owing to the fact that they are all Muslims (Mazrui 163). For example, the cultural characteristics of the Muslim community in Malaysia are not similar to the cultural characteristics of the Muslim commu nity of Saudi Arabia. Irrespective of this, they are both guided by the universal principle and values in accordance with Islamic religion. The Islamic cultural identity has core foundations on faith, emphasis on constructive work and humanism, which are used to strengthening the optimism, confidence, and righteousness, appreciation of beauty, flexibility and openness (Tarabichi 136). The relationship between globalization and the cultural identity of the Islam religion Globalization serves to accelerate the domination of western culture across the globe. In fact, globalization is one of the direct outcomes of the spreading out of the concept of westernization as evident through economic dominance, colonization and cultural retribution (Mazrui 158).Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, the western culture is gradually being integrated into the Muslim world, implying the meaning and the significance attached to the Islam cultural identity is bound to be lost during the process of globalization. The basic implication from this is that globalization poses a significant challenge to the integrity of minority cultures (Tarabichi 180). The Islam cultural distinctiveness has faced some significant cultural pressures from the western culture. Because of globalization, the cultural uniqueness of the Islam religion has been faced with two conflicting alien cultures, which mainly comprises of the secularized pop culture that has been accelerated by the media, and the American (western) culture, which has been imposed by increasing modernization that is bound to integrate the values of the western culture into the Islamic culture. Globalization has resulted into an inclination of nons of this include the global brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nike, Adidas and ma ny more. These global brands are founded on the values of the western culture, with their premise focusing on a world culture that embraces materialism and strives towards the achievement of greater wealth (Tarabichi 175). The implication here is that the culture of the west is characterized by a hegemonic power, which results to an increase in the domination of the culture in the rest of the rest of the globe as it is becoming assimilated by people. The Muslim community is not an exception to hegemonic nature of the culture, beliefs and practices of the west. The culture of the west is considered to be a value-free culture, sometimes referred to as an open culture that embraces all the other cultural variables on an easy access platform (Tarabichi 201). As a result, there are minimal or complete restrictions concerning the display of pornographic content. This is widely evident as the numerous television broadcasters. Movies, books, websites and magazines are promoting and commerci alizing pornographic content. The young generations are usually the prey of such a rotted culture. The worldwide media is under the control of the west because they are the key determinants of what is published, watched and learned. The Muslim community on the other hand lacks a powerful media that can help in influencing and competing with the global media moguls (Mazrui 200). Because of this, there is a likely hood that the aspect of western media hegemony is likely to continue, which can result to a replacement of the Islamic cultural identity, values, practices and beliefs. In this era of globalization, the media is an important factor that shapes the way of life ranging from eating, dressing, behavior patterns, family matters (Mazrui 201). The international media and the increasing popularity of the culture of the west have played a significant role in spreading the western values. An observation of the current trends reveals that the there is cultural identity crisis, which is likely to affect cultural groups that are more conservative such Islam cultural identity. For instance, the introduction of the TV show named American Idol resulted to an introduction of the same in Malaysia, which was called the Malaysian Idol. In addition, the recent ignorance of the aspect of female covering, referred to as ‘awrah’, which is one of the most serious violations of the Islamic values and principles (Tarabichi 214). Despite the fact that globalization has some additional benefits to some of the elements of the core Islamic beliefs and practices; regarding culture, aspects of education and information, globalization is arguably a challenge, and in most cases not compatible with the general Islamic aspects of human life, patterns of behavior, values and cultural principles (Mazrui 200). This is because through the concept of globalization, the western culture gets to spread throughout the world and undermine the Islamic values and principles. An overview of the global pattern for exchange of information reveals that most of the information contests are under the control of the westerners. An outcome of this is that the core aspects of Islamic religious values and principles do not have any adequate presentation in the media. Instead, the Muslim and Islamic culture is presented negatively in the theatres, movies and some television broadcasting channels. The most common form of presentation of the Muslim culture is associating Islamic religion as a whole with the terrorism and people who are backward in their undertakings. The implication from these findings is that the Islamic values and principles are being challenged by the concept of globalization, resulting to a dreadful portrayal of the Islamic values, beliefs and principles (Tarabichi 220). In the current context of a world characterized by globalization, most of the members of the Muslim community have disregarded their authentic cultural identity as most of them are influenc ed by the hegemony of the western culture through aspects such as music, lifestyle and dressing. Some of the western pop culture entails heavy metal music, obscene music and rap music. In addition, the traditional Arabic songs are gradually adopting the musical aspects of the western culture such as sexual contents (Tarabichi 236). The underlying reason for prohibiting heavy metal music in Islamic culture is that it usually derails the mind from remembering the cultural values and principles of the Islam religion, which means that they result to lack of celebration of Allah, which in turn results to profanity (Mazrui 230). The eclipse of other cultures, especially the Islamic principles, beliefs and practices can be attributed to the onset of the western way of life because the Islamic youth are gradually lured to the generational change initiated the concept of cultural globalization. Symbols associated with the western culture are found almost everywhere in the world, implying tha t people around the globe have embraced the western way of life. For instance, most of the young populations across the global divide are always listening to music from pop artists such as Michal Jackson, living their lifestyle in accordance with the western celebrities and so on (Tarabichi 258). An inference that can be made from this observation is that cultural globalization is simply accelerating the process of domination of the western culture. An outcome of this is that cultures are bound to be westernized in almost every aspect of life, and the Islamic cultural identity is the most susceptible to this westernization of cultures across the globe. Owing to the fact that the larger Muslim community is against this aspect of cultural globalization, the Islamic culture as a whole, beliefs and practices are negatively affected and in most cases looked down upon as being behind the changing times. The Muslim community is gradually being assimilated to the western culture. Therefore, it can be inferred that globalization is a challenge to the Islamic cultural identity, values, principles, beliefs and practices (Mazrui 238). One of the core aspects of culture that is facing a challenge by the concept of globalization is language. Currently, English is perceived as the global language, which in most cases takes an American form and is constantly trying to serve as a replacement for other authentic languages in the globe. English is basically used for global communication as evident in the electronic media, print media, educational institutions and most of the avenues through which global affairs are communicated. However, according to the Islamic practices and beliefs as in the Holy Quran, Arabic language is mainly for people to have an understanding of the Quran and other important aspects of the Islamic culture (Mazrui 241). Arabic also requires a similar accord since it is an important aspect of the language culture of the Islamic religion that should not be o verlooked. Furthermore, most of the educational curriculums deployed in most parts of the globe are based on English and the western form of education. This curriculum is not compatible with the Islamic cultural identity because it incorporates aspects such as secular values of the western culture, which are in contrary with the spiritual and divine principles and values of the Islamic culture (Mazrui 201). Most of the Muslim scholars have argues that fast food chains such as Mc Donald’s have played a significant role in facilitating cultural imperialism. Constant eating at the fast food outlets usually develop individualist behavior among individuals, which is not in concurrence with the Islamic values, principles, beliefs and practices. For instance, the speedy lifestyle means that members in a family cannot find enough time take their meals together. The fast food culture is affecting mostly the young generations, and it servers to undermine the family values of taking mea ls together. The consequence of the speedy lifestyle is not always visible in the Islamic culture; it has significant effects through the creation of a society that is individualistic, and devoid of social bonding at the family level (Tarabichi 239). It is arguably evident that cultural globalization is a significant challenge to the larger Islamic values, principles, patterns of behavior, beliefs, practices and the way of life. As noted above, globalization serves to accelerate the hegemony of the western culture that perceives the Islamic values, principles, beliefs and practices as being backward, and therefore, the Islamic cultural aspects are significantly looked upon. In addition, cultural globalization facilitates the spread of societal culture that is devoid of moral values, which are mostly strange and incompatible with the Islamic cultural identity (Tarabichi 258). Irrespective of the negative influences of the cultural globalization on the Islamic cultural values, beliefs and practices, some scholars have stated that the cultural globalization has significant benefits at the individual and national level. The cultural globalization process has resulted to positive influence at the cultural identity of a person. Most of them argue that the positive influences of globalization outweigh the negative influences of globalization. For instance, they propose that cultural hegemony is beneficial owing to that fact that it results to cultural integration and elimination of cultural barriers, which is essential in fostering brotherhood among the human population (Tarabichi 248). The proposition that cultural globalization serves to reformulate the Islamic cultural identity in the sense that Islam is not only perceived as a religion, rather a complete way of life, which is mostly referred to as ‘one religion, one culture’ in the context of Islamic discourse. Furthermore, cultural globalization also tends to enhance individual freedom and helps in the revitalization of cultural aspects and beliefs (Tarabichi 157). However, the basis of this essay is that despite the healthy cultural exchange associated with cultural globalization; most of the instances have negative influences on the values, principle, beliefs and practices of the Islamic religion. Cultural globalization is perceived as the process through which the western cultural values are distributed across the globe (Tarabichi 263). The basic argument is the globalization is one of the contributing factors that accelerate the process of westernization across the global divide, which results to the domination and the strengthening of the western cultural aspects compared to cultures that are less dominant at the global context such as the Islamic cultural identity and their associated religious beliefs, values and practices. For instance, the aspect of female covering is widely considered as backwardness in the context of the western culture, while at the same time mingl ing with people of opposite sex freely is considered a cultural practice that is superior. This is a perfect example of the dilution of the Islamic cultural values and identity. In addition, this serves to compromise the Islamic religion culture, and poses as a threat to the core Islamic practices and beliefs (Mazrui 270). Furthermore, cultural globalization fosters the creation of a secular society that is devoid of the religion, implying that the there is a possibility of the role of Islam religion being subject to diminish, which is likely completely destroy the Islamic culture. The recurring fact from this is that the aspect of cultural globalization is a challenge that the Muslim community must face in order to preserve the cultural identity of the Islamic religion. As a result, the Muslim community across the global divide has to re-evaluate the western culture, and be satisfied with the spiritual guidelines, beliefs, principles and practices that are outlined in the Holy Qura n. Additionally, negative aspects of a specific culture should be removed before being assimilated into the Islamic way of life. Revitalization of the cultural identity of the Islamic religion It is arguably evident that the cultural identity of the Islamic religion is facing a crisis in this current era of globalization. The Muslim community needs to re-examine the approaches regarding the aspect of negative influences of cultural globalization on their religious beliefs, values and practices. In this era of globalization, it is important for Muslims to stick strictly to the teachings of Islam as outlined in the Holy Quran, which is the only effective way of maintaining the cultural identity (Mazrui 258). The cultural aspect of acquiring knowledge is required in Islamic discourse in this current era of globalization. It is arguably evident that this is the most significant crisis that the Muslim community is currently facing. Because of the moral and social connotations associated with knowledge, the Prophet suggests that knowledge acquisition is mandatory for every Muslim individual (Tarabichi 256). The increasing levels of development that are witnessed in the west can be related back to the focus towards knowledge acquisition an effective manner. The significant limitation to this approach is that most of the Muslim countries are still functioning under the old traditional methodologies in most of the educational curriculum and syllabus, with limited interest concerning research. This implies that it is essential for the Muslim community to develop a new curriculum that integrates both rational knowledge and revealed knowledge, which will in turn encourage the larger Muslim community towards research. It is arguably evident that a partial lack of critical thinking is one of the contributing factors that resulted to the cultural identity crisis that the Muslim community is currently facing (Tarabichi 235). Muslims in this current era of globalization tend t o disregard their Islamic cultural practices and beliefs and follow the western culture without taking into consideration the negative consequences of the western culture. In addition, the paper has proved that a majority of the aspects of western culture are not compatible and appropriate with the values, beliefs and practices of the Islam religion; as a result, they are not appropriate for emulation by the Muslims. The Muslim community should aim at following cultural traits that conform to the teachings of Islam and their ideologies of religion as outlined in the Quran and Allah’s prescriptions. The Muslims should also evaluate every cultural traits, beliefs and practices basing on the divine guidance outlined in the Quran and Sunnah, which will play an important role in increasing their ability to handle the increasing pressures of cultural globalization on the entire Islamic cultural values and redirect it towards appropriate direction. With these in practice, cultural g lobalization can have positive impacts through influencing universal unity of the human race, in combination with a cultural exchange that is healthy and prosperous. However, the Muslims must clearly and rationally evaluate the cultural aspects that are being embraced at the global arena. Cultural globalization is an inevitable force in the present times, and this has played a significant role in integrating all the aspects of human life such as behavioral patterns, governance, lifestyle and social relations (Tarabichi 270). As a result, this is a perfect opportunity for the Muslim community to propagate its Islamic cultural traits, values, beliefs and practices to a global level. Spreading the Islamic culture is in concurrence with the teachings of Islam, with the main objective of influencing the world using the various aspects of Muslim culture. It is for this reason that the Muslim community needs to adhere strictly to their cultural identity in all aspects of human life. Basica lly, Muslims need to be vigilant concerning emerging cultural trends that are bound to have a negative effect on the Islamic religious values, principles, beliefs and practices (Tarabichi 280). Presently, the Muslim community comprises of different sects and groupings, which are mostly due to selfish reasons and personal interests. This means that the larger Muslim community should attempt at establishing a supreme Ummatic cultural identity and focus on brotherhood with the principal objective undertaking the task as ‘Khalifah’ during the human life on earth. Their main duty is to achieve the pleasure of Allah by use of commitment and dedication, which are one of the core Islamic principles. As a result, all elements that attempt to enhance individualism among the members of the Muslim community should be eliminated at all costs. Media is one of the principle facilitators of culture transmission across the globe; basing on this, the Muslim community is required to have many media houses that are dominant and influential within the global context in order to facilitate competition with the dominant world cultures such as the western culture. For instance, Iran has undertaken initiatives to develop movies that have portray the values, beliefs and practices of the Islamic religion. A development of a strong and influential media is one of the most effective initiatives that the Muslim can use to influence the global culture and spread its values, beliefs and practices to the global level (Tarabichi 254). The development of a strong moral trait by the members of the Muslim community helps in protecting them from the influences of the immoral cultural traits. Morality and value-based Islamic culture that integrates with all the aspects of life is integral in ensuring that the Islamic values and principles are strictly followed by the Muslim community, since it will help in the rejection of other cultures that serve to undermine the Islamic values and b eliefs during this era of globalization (Mazrui 258). The family set up is an important element of the Islamic cultural identity that should be relied on fostering positive moral values and teachings of Islam. In addition, it is a potential method that can be used for enhancing social bonding, which is important in upholding the Islamic values. In the context of Islamic discourse, the family is perceived as a unique institution that can be used for transmitting the Islamic social values, principles, beliefs and practices, language and influencing individual patterns of behavior. The significant limitation witnessed in the present Muslim world is that increasing tendency of the family set up to be broken down in many of the Muslim nations, which has negative influences on the young generation of the Muslim community. The basic argument is that members of the Muslim community have the responsibility of strengthening the ties within the family set up in order to enhance the Islamic cul tural identity (Mazrui 287). Proper dressing codes for both the Muslim males and females are required and should be followed strictly among the Muslim community. In essence, clothing is not supposed to be closely fitting in order to eliminate the potent of unwanted attention because of the revealing of the body curves. The marriage institutions are also regulated in accordance to the values and principles of Islamic culture, and the instances associated with the breaking of the family set up and weakening of the family ties should be eliminated at all costs. This means that the purity of marriage requires adequate protection. This entails prohibition of same sex marriages and controlling the aspect of sexual liberalization. It is also important that Muslim women should not be limited only to the family life because they need to benefit from the aspect of freedom of choice and work in accordance to the limitations imposed by the Shari’ah law by upholding decency and humility ( Mazrui 258). Muslim reactions to the onset of globalization There are diverse reactions of the Muslim society towards globalization; with a general consensus being that the Muslims reactions towards globalization is defensive, with the principal reason for this rejection being the penetration of the western culture into the Islamic cultural values, institutions and customs. This means that globalization is perceived as a form of surrendering to a dominant standpoint that lacks authenticity as expected in Islamic beliefs and practices (Tarabichi 257). Islam is a religion that functions under its own set of laws that are vital in shaping the way of life of the Muslim community. The rejection towards globalization by the Islamic religion based on the viewpoint that most of the elements of the concept of globalization are not concurring with the Islamic law, resulting to an Islamic community that is constantly defensive towards the perceived influences that globalization, or rather west ernization is likely to have on the Muslim beliefs and practices. Conclusion This paper analyzed the impacts associated with cultural globalization in the context of Muslim world. The analysis identified two potential influences of cultural globalization, with the first perspective being that cultural globalization has positive impacts because it helps in the development of cultural exchange and integration that is health. The second standpoint identified is that cultural globalization has negative influences on the Islamic cultural values, beliefs and practices, because they are constantly degrading the religious values of Islam (Tarabichi 236). This paper stands for the latter viewpoint that cultural globalization is detrimental to the Islamic values, beliefs and principles. It is evident that cultural globalization serves to accelerate the spread of western culture across the globe, which serves to replace the traditional Islamic cultural identity, values, beliefs and practices w ith a post modern culture that undermine the Islamic way of life (Mazrui 258). In addition, the western culture brings secular values into the Islamic culture, resulting to a diluted Islamic culture that is different from the authentic Islam culture that is value-based. The aspect of western culture hegemony in the Muslim world has been driven by media, which are based on the secular values and principles of the west. The basic argument is that the core beliefs, principles, values and practices of the Islamic cultural is being conceded into the western culture, meaning that there is an increasing need for the Muslim community to revitalize the cultural identity of Islam. Therefore, globalization is a challenge towards the Islamic core beliefs and practices that are determined by the Islamic cultural identity. This is because globalization has accelerated the aspect of western homogeny in the Muslim world. As a result, it can be perceived as a threat to the Islamic values and princip les. Despite this potential threat, it is arguably evident that globalization cannot be avoided; as a result, the Muslim community can grab the opportunity presented by globalization to spread the Islamic beliefs, practices and cultural identity at the global level. Mazrui, Ali. Globalization from the Islamic perspective. London: Westminister university, 2000. Print. Tarabichi, George. From Araba renaissance to apostacy: Arab Culture and its discontents in the age of globalization. Beirut: Saqi Books, 2000. Print.

SB2C Helldiver - Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

SB2C Helldiver - Curtiss SB2C Helldiver SB2C Helldiver - Specifications: General Length: 36 ft. 9 in. Wingspan: 49 ft. 9 in. Height: 14 ft. 9 in. Wing Area: 422 sq. ft. Empty Weight: 10,114 lbs. Loaded Weight: 13,674 lbs. Crew: 2 Number Built: 7,140 Performance Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Wright R-2600 radial engine, 1,900 hp Range: 1,200 miles Max Speed: 294 mph Ceiling: 25,000 ft Armament Guns: 2 Ãâ€" 20 mm (.79 in) cannon in the wings, 2 Ãâ€" 0.30 in M1919 Browning machine guns in rear cockpit Bombs/Torpedo: Internal bay - 2,000 lbs. of bombs or 1 Mark 13 torpedo, Underwing Hard Points - 2 x 500 lb. bombs SB2C Helldiver - Design Development: In 1938, the US Navys Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) circulated a request for proposals for a for a next-generation dive bomber to replace the new SBD Dauntless. Though the SBD had yet to enter service, BuAer sought an aircraft with greater speed, range, and payload. In addition, it was to be powered by the new Wright R-2600 Cyclone engine, possess an internal bomb bay, and be of a size that two of the aircraft could fit on a carriers elevator. While six companies submitted entries, BuAer selected Curtiss design as the winner in May 1939. Designated the SB2C Helldiver, the design immediately began showing problems. Early wind tunnel testing in February 1940 found the SB2C to have an excessive stall speed and poor longitudinal stability. While efforts to fix the stall speed included increasing the size of the wings, the latter issue presented greater problems and was a result of BuAers request that two aircraft be able to fit on an elevator. This limited the length of the aircraft despite the fact it was to have more power and a greater internal volume than its predecessor. The result of these increases, without an increase in length, was instability. As the aircraft could not be lengthened, the only solution was to enlarge its vertical tail, which was done twice during development. One prototype was constructed and first flew on December 18, 1940. Built in a conventional fashion, the aircraft possessed a semi-monocoque fuselage and two-spar, four-section wings. The initial armament consisted of two .50 cal. machine guns mounted in the cowling as well as one in each wing. This was supplemented by twin .30 cal. machine guns on a flexible mounting for the radio operator. The internal bomb bay could carry a single 1,000 lb. bomb, two 500 lb. bombs, or a torpedo. SB2C Helldiver - Problems Persist: Following the initial flight, problems remained with the design as bugs were found in the Cyclone engines and the SB2C showed instability at high speed. After a crash in February, flight testing continued through the fall until December 21 when the right wing and stabilizer gave out during a dive test. The crash effectively grounded the type for six months as the problems were addressed and the first production aircraft built. When the first SB2C-1 flew on June 30, 1942, it incorporated a variety of changes which increased its weight by nearly 3,000 lbs. and reduced its speed by 40 mph. SB2C Helldiver - Production Nightmares: Though unhappy with this drop in performance, BuAer was too committed to the program to pull out and was forced to push ahead. This was partly due to an earlier insistence that the aircraft be mass-produced to anticipate wartime needs. As a result, Curtiss had received orders for 4,000 aircraft before the first production type flew. With the first production aircraft emerging from their Columbus, OH plant, Curtiss found a series of problems with the SB2C. These generated so many fixes that a second assembly line was built to immediately modify newly built aircraft to the latest standard. Moving through three modification schemes, Curtiss was not able to incorporate all of the changes into the main assembly line until 600 SB2Cs were built. In addition to the fixes, other alterations to the SB2C series included the removal of the .50 machine guns in the wings (the cowl guns had been removed earlier) and replacing them with 20mm cannon. Production of the -1 series ended in spring 1944 with the switch to the -3. The Helldiver was built in variants through -5 with key changes being the use of a more powerful engine, four-bladed propeller, and the addition of wing racks for eight 5 in. rockets. SB2C Helldiver - Operational History: The reputation of the SB2C was well known before the type began arriving in late 1943. As a result, many front-line units actively resisted giving up their SBDs for the new aircraft. Due to its reputation and appearance, the Helldiver quickly earned the nicknames Son of a Bitch 2nd Class, Big-Tailed Beast, and just Beast. Among the issues put forward by crews in regard to the SB2C-1 was that it was underpowered, poorly built, possessed a faulty electrical system, and required extensive maintenance. First deployed with VB-17 aboard USS Bunker Hill, the type entered combat on November 11, 1943 during raids on Rabaul. It was not until spring 1944 that the Helldiver began to arrive in larger numbers. Seeing combat during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the type had a mixed showing as many were forced to ditch during the long return flight after dark. Despite this loss of aircraft, it sped the arrival of improved SB2C-3s. Becoming the US Navys principal dive bomber, the SB2C saw action during the remainder of the conflicts battles in the Pacific including Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Helldivers also took part in attacks on the Japanese mainland. As later variants of the aircraft improved, many pilots came to have a grudging respect for the SB2C citing its ability to sustain heavy damage and remain aloft, its large payload, and longer range. Despite its early problems, the SB2C proved an effective combat aircraft and may have been the best dive bomber flown by the US Navy. The type was also the last designed for the US Navy as actions late in the war increasingly showed that fighters equipped with bombs and rockets were as effective as dedicated dive bombers and did not require air superiority. In the years after World War II, the Helldiver was retained as the US Navys prime attack aircraft and inherited the torpedo bombing role previously filled by the Grumman TBF Avenger. The type continued to fly until it was finally replaced by the Douglas A-1 Skyraider in 1949. SB2C Helldiver - Other Users: Watching the success of the German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka during the early days of World War II, the US Army Air Corps began looking for a dive bomber. Rather than seek a new design, the USAAC turned to existing types then in use with the US Navy. Ordering a quantity of SBDs under the designation A-24 Banshee, they also made plans to purchase a large number of modified SB2C-1s under the name A-25 Shrike. Between late 1942 and early 1944 900 Shrikes were built. Having re-assessed their needs based on combat in Europe, the US Army Air Forces found these aircraft were not needed and turned many back to the US Marine Corps while some were retained for secondary roles. The Helldiver was also flown by the Royal Navy, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Australia, and Thailand. French and Thai SB2Cs saw action against the Viet Minh during the First Indochina War while Greek Helldivers were used to attack Communist insurgents in the late 1940s. The last nation to use the aircraft was Italy which retired their Helldivers in 1959. Selected Sources Ace Pilot: SB2C HelldiverMilitary Factory: SB2C Helldiver Warbird Alley: SB2C Helldiver

Effect of Social Media on Childrens Academic Performance Essay

Effect of Social Media on Childrens Academic Performance - Essay Example Technological advances at this day and age have brought about a lot of changes in the way children and teens communicate socially by the use of social communication platforms such as Facebook, Blogging, Internet TV, Skype, Twitters, YouTube and MySpace and so on. Younger children are also indulged in social networking heavily. This is according to a study conducted where websites such as ClubPenguin, Poptropica, Habbo, Neopets and Stardoll have managed to register millions of users who mostly are younger children (â€Å"Your Children and the Internet: Social Networking Sites†). According to the study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (2010, January), more than eight in ten, that is 84%, of young people now have fast Internet access at home, this has increased from a record of 74% in 2004 and 47% in 1999. As a result, they spend more time online when they are at the comfort of their homes. Computer usage has also sky rocketed where many homes now own a computer, so as to get access to the Internet. Seven in ten 8- to 18-year-olds go online; this can be translated to about 70%. Where home use if around 57% whereas going online at school, in the library, community centre is about 20%. These networking tools have brought about a lot of time focus by the children and they lose focus of their studies and education which is quite important too. At this point internet being easily affordable and readily available and the occurrence of smart phones, tablets and other internet enabled gadgets; children are prone to be subjected to all they would want to access at just a click away. i. Vulnerability of children’s level of development According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2001), "Children are influenced by media–they learn by observing, imitating, and making behaviors their own". The continuous access to the internet by children has caused them to be vulnerable to a lot of things. For instance, children development has been hindered to a capacity that is quite alarming. Children are influenced by what they see on the television, magazines and the likes to a point they can be able to depict exactly what they see others doing. This also makes them vulnerable in the fact that social media such as the internet, texting and networking can lead to reduced concentration and academic performance. This has definitely led to reduced grades and progressive dependence on social media has shown that the same children who spend more time on TV than physical activities tend to be slower at grasping facts. In addition to that, exposure to unrated adult t elevision has been noticed to lead to increased exposure to violence or sexual content and this in turn lead to aggressive behavior and thoughts respectively and other factors such as fear and less helping in house chores (â€Å"Anti-Social Networking: How do texting and social media affect our children? A panel by CSC clinicians at the Nightingale Bamford School†). Renee Hobbs, an advocate for media literacy education commented on that issue stating, â€Å"Just because our students can use media and technology doesn't mean they are effective at critically analyzing and evaluating the messages they receive. Students need a set of skills to ask important questions about what they watch, see, listen to and read. Often called media literacy, these skills include the ability to critically

Synthesis and analysis paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Synthesis and analysis paper - Assignment Example The major similarity amongst all these three rumor theories is that everything about a rumor is psychological and hence the reason why many tend to believe it to be true. They are a creation of the mind and hence can only be stopped by the mind once an individual or group loses their psychological perspective. The other similarity is that all the three authors agree that it is easier to spread than stop a rumor, once it is created it only grows and spreads even wider. Despite their similarities, the three rumor theories have their own differences. Knapp’s theory for example explains that rumor are caused and driven by an emotion humans may be having. These emotions are wish, fear as well as hostility (Behrens & Rosen 360). When an individual encounters any of the above emotions, he is bound to react through coming up with a rumor and spreading it to further protect and mask his true emotions. Unless the emotion behind the rumor is addressed, the rumors will keep on coming. DiFonzo however seems to differ about the source and cause of rumors. He explains that rumors are a creation of society to serve either personal or social purpose. Once this purpose is served, then the rumor ceases until the next personal or social need occurs. The extent of the rumor and its magnitude depends on the personal or social level. This is the same across groups as well not only individuals. Sunstein believes that rumors work in a cascading manner where the more it is spreading, the more people it is pulling in and the faster it continues to spread. They originate small but continue to spread and increase to the level of people starting to believe them to be true despite the half-truths it holds most of the time. He further indicates that this rumor can be used to effect positivity into humans in fields such as politics (Behrens & Rosen 390). There was a wide spread rumor a few years back through some of it

Cloud Database Essay Example for Free

Cloud Database Essay Introduction: The cloud computing is the next generation of the computing, its advantages, advancements and research are a plenty. In recent years, the term â€Å"cloud computing† has been critical in the world of IT. Cloud computing, or the use of internet-based technologies to conduct business, is recognized as an important area for IT innovation and investment (Armbrust et al. , 2010; Goscinski and Brock, 2010; Tuncay, 2010). Cloud computing has spread out through the main areas related to information systems (IS) and technologies, such as operating systems, application software, and technological solutions for firms (Armbrust et al., 2010). The promise of cloud computing is to deliver all the functionality of existing information technology services even as it dramatically reduces the upfront costs of computing that deter many organizations from deploying many cutting-edge IT services (J.Staten, 2009). Cloud computing represents a convergence of two major trends in information technology — (a) IT efficiency, whereby the power of modern computers is utilized more efficiently through highly scalable hardware and software resources and (b) business agility, whereby IT can be used as a competitive tool through rapid deployment, parallel batch processing, use of compute-intensive business analytics and mobile interactive applications that respond in real time to user requirements (W.Kim, 2009). The impetus for change right now is seen predominantly from a costs perspective, as organizations increasingly discover that their substantial capital investments in information technology are often grossly underutilized (Sean Marston et al., 2010). Although there have been many recent publications that discuss various features, opportunities and issues related to Cloud services ([Jane Anderson et al., 2010], [Sam Goundar et al., 2011]), but only few scholars have attempted to explain the factors for adoption of cloud database ([Chinyao Low et al., 2011]). Related studies have looked at Strategic research model for Enterprise Information Planning adoption with Technology, Organization and Environment as moderators (Liu hongjun et al., 2010). The gap in this research is that both TOE and TAM model are not being looked as one model explaining Cloud database adoption. This study investigates the cloud database acceptance by combining the work done by (Chinyao Low et al., 2011) pertaining to Understanding the determinants of cloud computing adoption and (Liu hongjun et al., 2010) pertaining to Strategy Research of Enterprise Information Planning based on TOE-TAM model. Also this study discusses about the key advantages and challenges faced by implementing Cloud database. As the cloud services are increasingly expanding through research and development. This study will be constructive to the cloud service development and growth. Literature Review: Nevertheless, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) provides one of the most parsimonious, yet robust, models in explaining Information and Communication Technology characteristics and their effects on consumer adoption/use of new ICTs (Kenneth C.C. Yang, 2005). Internet is a product of Information Technology; as such Internet Cloud services should be explained as a part of Technology Acceptance Model (Davis 1989; Davis et al. 1989). TAM is a parsimonious and theoretically justified model intended to explain information technology adoption (van der Heijden, 2003). TAM has two main keywords which are user’s adoption intention and actual usage. The user adoption intention is called as â€Å"Perceived usefulness†, which is defined as â€Å"the degree to which a person believes using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance† (van der Heijden, 2003). The actual usage is called as â€Å"perceived-ease-of-use†, which is defined as â€Å"the degree of to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effort† (van der Heijden, 2003). TAM theorizes that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness affect the consumer adoption decisions (Venkatesh and Davis, 2000). Organization will have influence on new technology acceptance from three aspects: T (tech), O (organization) and E (environment). The tech includes existing technology of an enterprise and technology which has not been introduced on the market. Organization generally refers to the scope and scale of an enterprise, including management structure characteristics, and human resource status. Environment is also called regulation on industry and transactions with partners, competitors and government. TOE model is highly systematic, widely used to analyze influence factors of information technology adoption in different fields in recent years. Several studies (Chau and Tam, 1997; Chong and Ooi, 2008; Kuan and Chau, 2001; Lin and Lin, 2008; Oliveira and Martins, 2010; Pan and Jang, 2008; Shirish and Teo, 2010; Zhu et al., 2004) have been credited with proposing the TOE framework, developed by Tornatzky and Fleischer (1990), to analyse IT adoption by firms. The TOE framework identifies three context groups: technological, organizational, and environmental. The technological context refers to internal and external technologies applicable to the firm. Organisational context refers to several indexes regarding the origination, such as firm size and scope, centralisation, formalization, and complexity of managerial structure and the quality of human resources. Environmental context refers to a firm’s industry, competitors and government policy or intention. The TOE framework is consistent with Rogers’ (1983) theory of innovation diffusion (Pan and Jang, 2008; Shirish and Teo, 2010; Wang et al., 2010), which recognizes the following five technological characteristics as precedents for any adoption decision: relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, observability, and trial ability. Therefore, the TOE framework explains the adoption of innovation and a considerable number of empirical studies have focused on various IS doma ins. Swanson (1995) contended that adoption of complex IT innovations requires an advantageous technology portfolio, organizational structure, and environmental strategy. Chau and Tam(1997) adopted the TOE framework and explained three factors that affect the adoption of open systems. These factors are the characteristics of the innovation, organizational technology, and external environment. Kuan and Chau (2001) confirmed the utility of the TOE framework adopting complex IS innovations. Several studies are grounded in the TOE framework for assessing the value of e-business at the firm level (Lin and Lin, 2008; Oliveira and Martins, 2010; Zhu et al., 2004). They found that technological readiness (the significant factor), financial resources, global scope, and regulatory environment contribute strongly to e-business value. Hong and Zhu (2006) considered the TOE framework in the adoption of e-commerce and the identification of new factors that fit the characteristics of type III innovation. Shirish and Teo (2010) demonstrated the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on the TOE framework and suggested that policy makers should consider measures to enhance development of e-government and e-business collectively. Pan and Jang (2008) examined the factors within the TOE framework that affect the decision to adopt ERP in Taiwan’s communications industry. Chong and Ooi (2008) utilised the TOE model empirically to examine the factors that affect the adoption of the RosettaNet standard. Conceptual Model: The foundation of theoretical model consists of TAM and TOE model. During the last two decades, Technology Acceptance Model (Davis 1989; Davis et al. 1989) has emerged as a powerful explanation to account for the influence of technology acceptance behaviors in a wide variety of IT. This study focuses on positive effect of Technology, Organization and Environment on the Technology Acceptance Model among high-tech Industries. Few previous studies, if any, have focused on the adoption and acceptance of cloud database. Nor did previous studies examine the effect of TOE and TAM for the acceptance of cloud database. Research Model: Based on our theoretical proposition that relates TOE (Technology, Organization and Environment and Technology) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) a research model (Figure 2) has been developed and propose six hypotheses grounded in the cloud database context. Technology Acceptance Model and Cloud Database: A cloud database is a part of Information Technology; as such the intention to use the cloud database should be explained in part of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). This model has been used in number of research and numerous empirical results show that TAM is a parsimonious and robust model (Gefen and Straub, 2000). According to TAM, the intention to use a new technology is affected by 1.Perceived usefulness (PU) and 2.Perceived ease of use (PEOU). PU is defined as a belief that using a technology will enhance a person’s job performance, while PEOU is defined as the degree to which a person believes that using an IT will be free of effort. TAM has been discussed in great detail by (Gefen and Straub 2000; Venkatesh and Davis 2000). As shown in previous research (Gefen et al. 2000), this study hypothesize that paths predicted by TAM apply also to internet cloud service usage. As in previous TAM studies, the underlying logic are users react rationally when select an Information Technology to work on. The more useful and easy to use is the internet Cloud service in enabling the users to accomplish their tasks, the more it will be used: H1: PEOU will positively affect PU of an internet Cloud service. H2: PU will positively affect intended use of an internet Cloud service. H3: PEOU will positively affect intended use of an internet Cloud service.

My Metamorphosis :: Pyschology, Informative

My Metamorphosis For many years I thought that extroverts were selfish. That they deliberately sought attention in order for people to think well of them. I have slowly come to the realization that this is a case of sour grapes on the part of we introverts. In fact we are the selfish ones. Introverts hold themselves back from social interaction out of a fear of negative reaction. We feel that if we become visible to a group then we will somehow look foolish and therefore feel totally embarrassed. It is our belief that until proven otherwise, we are potentially perfect in the eyes of all strangers. If we can therefore navigate the perceptions of other people well enough, they will continue to believe we are perfect. And with any luck they will come to feel positively towards us. This is such a joke on so many levels. The obvious fallacy is that even if people do form a friendship or some other relationship with us, it will not be our true self that they are seeing. This is the reason we feel so unworthy of the love that people offer us. In the back of our minds we know we have been conning them and do not deserve their love. Extroverts on the other hand, seek to amuse and educate others by their own actions and words. They are not usually concerned with how good they will look but how happy or entertained those around them are. They are not self-conscious and are therefore more likely to show their

How Cooking Frees Men †Article Essay

This article explains how the discovery in cooking foods has dramatically changed the way we live, and the amount of time freed up by spending less time chewing. Raw food takes much longer to eat than soft cooked foods. The discovery of cooking changed our social division of labor between men and women. The Hadza tribes are foragers; hunters and gathers, and now that cooking food is possible, the men hunt for meat, while the women forage the land for anything edible. When the men come back to the village, the women hope they have meat or honey to provide, but if they come empty handed, the women have the food they have gathered already prepared for the hungry men. The men and women share their food with one another, their children, and extended family. Even though my family and I are not foragers, this sounds very similar to the same way I was brought up. My father would make the money that paid for the food, while my mother would stay home to raise us children and cook. She always had dinner ready for my father whether he was coming home from work or home after looking for a job. Either way, we always had food on our table. There were even summers that we had to pick fruit with my mother on farmers land so we can have canned fruit stock our pantry. We would forage in the fall walnuts that have fallen off a walnut tree on the side of some road, so she can make banana nut bread. As a child I was put to work on several occasions to help my mother, and that was not the same way my brothers were raised, they would be allowed to go hunting or fishing with my father. Even though my family and I are not foragers we have a lot of similarities with the Hadza tribe and how they divide their labor based upon gender and age. Foragers follow the method of hunter and gatherer, to collect their food. They form small communities of mainly family; immediate and extended family. The men hunt for food while the women and children forage for edible plants. The tribes join occasionally to celebrate things; and they share their food. The Hadza believed if a single man provided the meat for the day, he would divide the food with his family first, and then divide it amongst the rest of the tribesmen. Foraging may have been the way to gather food in the beginning of man (several small tribes still live as foragers, like the Hadza tribe). Today, America and many other countries use intensive agriculture; we use machinery to irrigate and fertilize to increase our surplus. This is necessary because of our population; we are not only a few like the foragers. We are primarily controlled through a government, as apposed to moving about with a village. My first impression of this article was not too great; I felt the writer discussed the difference of chew time within too much detail. I understand the concept of â€Å"less time chewing = more time†. What I found most interesting, and gained insight from, was the knowledge that cooking food to make it soft, freed up the time of man. Without that simple action of cooking our food, man would be very different today. Not just time wise, but that was the start of division of labor within a family. This is still practiced within many American families and tribes that still live off the land. I think a big difference between us and them (which there are a few tribal foragers still today), they live creating little impact on their environment, while we seem to not care so much about the harm we do to ours. I feel because of more time, we not only have the means to relax and socialize, but we also abuse it. We are not as active, and to some people their social part of life is their most important. So because of more time, people are becoming obese, lazy, and gossipy. That pretty much sums up over half of the American population.

American civil war

The South States of the United States dependent upon agriculture as a source of foreign and domestic exchange and therefore held a negative feeling about abolition of slavery. Nevertheless in order to save the image of the constitution as a legal binding document that granted freedom to all Abraham Lincoln together with the support of the Union states felt that liberal source of labour was much more profitable both to the economy and civilization of the United States.The cotton and tobacco producing states felt oppressed by the antislavery tactics of the federal government and promptly seceded since the federal government was acting beyond the provisions of the constitution in abolishing slavery and therefore in response decided to secede from the Union for independence since they considered the Union’s constitution less supreme to individual states’ constitution.Therefore the American civil war was about the issue of different views about free labour against slavery an d the subsequent supremacy of the Union’s constitution over individual states independence. The Union established the 13th amendment act that abolished slavery by allowing all men to be free and at liberty to and in order to preserve the constitution that formerly paradoxically upheld slavery, Abraham Lincoln had support the Union’s war against the pro-slavery south (Cornell University Institute, 2010).The federal government had its quarters at the Washington D. C. while the Confederation has it headquarter at Virginia’s Richmond. The Union’s economy was organized and well established through the promotion of industries and use of immigrants as industrial workers and the general population while the south cotton and tobacco states derived their economic subsistence from agriculture with over five million slaves.The Republican Party believed in democracy and justice regardless of ethnicity as a fundamental right under the auspice of the constitution-conseq uently in order to protect the supreme constitution’s aspirations to promote a coherent and democratic America the Union had to fight the southern militia that were against the Union control and abolition of slavery (Stampp, 1981, 144).Religious, cultural and intellectual freedoms were being undermined in the South against the Union government’s principle of the 13th amendment act and the allowed slavery was denting the image of US in Europe that widely perceived the presence of slavery to as a sign of inability within the Union’s government to act.Economically, the Union benefitted from the Union government economic policies and taxation more than the confederation. Therefore it was a mandatory economic issue that the United States had to be kept together despite the civil war through proper conflict resolution that would see the economic models of the North America spread to the south in order to end the former economic disparities between the two regions.The economic value of the United states in the international market was dependant on the union more than a divided America that would soon enter into worse civil unrest realities and fierce interstate rivalry of ideologies and religious views that would have torn American into pieces as the American enemies projected as a mechanism to further colonize and control the economic power of the vast continent. Lincoln as the president had the right to preserve the Union from disintegration due to diverse political views in order to look in control (Stampp, 1981, 192).Military aggression of the southerners was well advanced to inflict damage in courage and sustainable conquest tactics due to the recently concluded Mexican war experience to use the horse and the gun more effectively. Also, the North as the government knew that they were disadvantaged in military action and therefore the war had to be fought with a common ground that would help in enlisting more soldiers to defeat the south (McW hiney, 1984,170).Therefore the Union was aware that in any case the southern aggression had to be suppressed if the power of the Union government under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln was to be recognized with respect as a legally binding Union. Therefore President Lincoln referred to the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation as the â€Å"last card, and I [Lincoln] will play it and may win the trick.† And therefore â€Å"we must make that proclamation effective by victories over our enemies. † Since â€Å"It's a paper bullet, after all, and of no account, except we can sustain it† (Don, 1862)-thus the president and the union were exercising a crucial and political will by suppressing the southern insurgency that threatened to break apart the United State into meaningless defragmentation that would soon shrivel up in economic and political disparity.The south secede was politically seen as a form of annexation against the United States and Lincoln would have gone down the history as the president who broke the Union. Consequently, the Union had a political right to protect the US from becoming desolate in the face of the determined southerners who believed in offensive wars that â€Å"have many advantages; purely defensive ones will always end with submission† and that â€Å"the greatest minds in the South are coming to the conclusion, that our liberties are to be won by the bayonet.Those regiments or companies that most distinguish themselves in bayonet charges will march on the true road to honor and preferment† (McWhiney, 1984, 144); such propaganda in the general media put the Union government into task of either preventing the escalating confrontation by the Confederation or face imminent alienation. Therefore the preservation of the Union was quite dependant in the military power of the Union over the south as the civil war was already in progress. The south seceded from the war after the election of Abraham Lincoln as the pr esident of the United States.The southern economy was dependant on agriculture. With the large scale growing of cotton, slaves and land conservation was necessary. The slaves were needed since they were a source of cheap labor on the white farms. As opposed to the south, the north’s economy dependent on industrial production of finished goods thus the slaves was not needed in the production. This meant that the southern life was based on the plantation and firm system while the northern life was based in the cities.The southerners who benefited from agriculture were pleased to go to war with the aim of attaining independence as they thought the war would take a short time and they would come out victorious as they were better skilled fighters than the northerners. However, since the war showed no sign of coming to an end while the northern seemed to be taking all the advantages, the northern felt the need to guard and conserve their land against any force especially the north ern thus leading to most abandoning the fighting to and protect their properties at home.( Kelly 2010) The war of states versus federal rights led to the emergence of two camps within the government whereby each wanted to be in control over the other. After the American Revolution, a weak federal government formed by thirteen states called for a strong constitution since problems were on the rise. The frequent problems led to the secret creation of the US constitution by the leaders.Due to the absence of some key leaders like Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry during the constitution making, it was felt the constitution had failed to put in mind the states’ rights of acting independently whereby a state would decide whether to accept or refute federal rights. This led to the idea of nullification that would see the freedom for states to rule the federal act as either unconstitutional or not. The southern states were for the option of each state making its own law instead of t he central government. This was nullification as campaigned for by people such as John C. Calhoun who greatly advocated for the nullification.When nullification failed to succeed, the southern states felt disrespected and uninvolved in the government issues. The southerners then opted for the secession as an option (Kelly2010). Land gained from the Louisiana Purchase and Mexican war saw the Americans posses vast tracks of lands. This led to the big debate as whether the new states acquired could be treated as slaves or Free states. The 1820 Missouri compromise solved the issue by proclaiming that slavery was illegal while other alternates suggested several awareness programs for the slaves as the federal government was to compensate the slave owners.The south was left to rethink its alternatives on the issue of slavery where it picked on benefits versus cost in deciding the fight. (Michael 1996)Another conflict arose as to what would happen to the conquered lands after the war. The 1846 Wilmot Proviso by Wilmot David proposed that the land should be slave free a move strongly opposed in a debate. Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 that caused the freedom to have slaves or not in the two states led to a lot of blood shedding to the states.The wrangles led to the south withdrawal from the government as they felt they were being ignored. The growth of the abolition movements by the northerner’s against slavery while proclaiming the negative impacts of slavery led to the increase in number of anti slavery supporters especially from the outside nations who sympathetically joined in the slavery abolition movement thus favoring the north against the south to the extent of supporting the south in war that eventually saw the south loose over the north. (Kelly 2010).Though the victory of Lincoln in the elections saw the south in the state of South Carolina declare a secession thinking that Lincoln was who was a presidential candidate from the north was elected so as to favor the interests of the anti slavery people from the north thus he could not serve their interests . The southerners further thought that they could lose their land to the northern who were now in control of the whole state thus causing some men in the battle ground feign excuses to get back home and manage their possessions.States like South Carolina stated the reason for secession being constitutional violation under Lincoln to which the Union saw as a form of political annexation against the presidency and the founding fathers view about America (Michael 1996). In conclusion the war that was sparked off by the issue of slavery in order to protect the supremacy of the Union constitution against the literally annexation of the United states by the South was won and the servitude done away with.Remarkably, President Lincoln preserved the Union and established a better platform that allowed the integration of the economic value of the United States as one nation. References: Don E . and Virginia E. Fehrenbacher, editor, Recollected Words of Abraham Lincoln: Letter from Charles Sumner to John Bright. August 5, 1862 McWhiney, G. (1984). Attack and Die: Civil War Military Tactics and the Southern Heritage. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0817302298, 9780817302290 Stampp, K. (1981). The Imperiled Union: Essays on the Background of the Civil War.Oxford University Press US. ISBN 0195029917, 9780195029918 Cornell University Institute. (2010). 13th Amendment. Legal Information Institute. http://topics. law. cornell. edu/constitution/amendmentxiii Michael B. (1996). Lincoln’s election and the south. Retrieved May 8, 2004 from http://www. h-net. org/~south/archives/threads/lincoln. html Kelly M. ( 2010)Top Five Causes of the Civil War Leading up to Secession and the Civil War Retrieved May 8, 2004 from http://americanhistory. about. com/od/civilwarmenu/a/cause_civil_war. htm

Heritage Assessment Essay Example

Heritage Assessment Essay Example Heritage Assessment Essay Heritage Assessment Essay Cultural diversenesss have facilitated challenges within wellness attention. To educate our patients there must be acknowledgment of traditional heritage patterns. The Heritage Assessment Tool has been devised to detect cultural features of persons and households along with communities. This tool allows one to understand and esteem the function of cultural consciousness in wellness and unwellness. There is a model for rating of physical. mental and religious values and beliefs in which outlines wellness care. protection. and Restoration. The difference in values and beliefs has a immense impact on the manner people live their lives in all civilizations. Cultural differences affect patients’ attitudes about medical attention and their ability to understand. manage. and header with the class of an unwellness. the significance of a diagnosing. and the effects of medical intervention. ( Euromed Info. n. d. . parity. 9 ) . By analyzing three different civilizations and cognize how their heritage affects the manner they look at health care. it allows a individual to recognize there are so many different heritages and beliefs within the United States that everyone should be accepting of. First. the Liberian civilization as stated by Raymond Gwenigale perceives themselves as being in reasonably good form overall and cipher fumes. This civilization works really difficult. particularly in the Fieldss and that helps to maintain them in form. and their diet is rather healthy with eating many fruits and veggies along with rice as being the chief basic. Liberians believe in both autochthonal medical specialty such as witchery and medicine work forces. but besides believe in western medical specialty. They do non utilize western medical specialty to forestall illness and decease and make non travel to the physician unless they are really ill. This civilization uses a batch of witchery to forestall illness and de cease. For illustration. many Liberians believe that the enchantresss are evil and prefer male childs. So moms Pierce the ears of babe male childs. or braid their hair because they try to do them look like babe misss so the enchantresss don’t take them. Many Liberians besides wear talismans on their organic structures to guard off liquors. They besides put wooden watchbands on baby’s pess to guard off unwellness so if the kid is traveling to decease. you can catch the watchband and draw the babe back into this universe. Liberians do non have on seat belts or motorcycle helmets so when there are money coach accidents. they are normally reasonably bad. Money coachs are the public coachs which are pick-up trucks with benches in the dorsum. Some of them are covered and some are non. There are normally 14 people in one of these money coachs. catching a drive to the market. When there is an accident many people are injured rather severely. The metropoliss and towns have plumbing but the rural small towns in Liberia do non. One thing they do to assist protect their wellness is to do certain that people are traveling to the bathroom in designated musca volitanss so it does non acquire in with their nutrient and H2O supply. Another belief Liberians have is that work forces do non hold intercourse with adult females that are suckling. They say that this spoils the milk. For Liberians. babes must to be able to eat other nutrient before another babe comes along. Having babes excessively shortly together would intend there was non plenty milk to feed them all. This is considered botching the milk supply for the current babe if a adult female becomes pregnant. Besides. in Liberia the H2O is non good in small towns. Everyone must boil it to acquire the bacteriums out and non everyone does that so it is rather bad to utilize expression because babes get ill from it as it is assorted with bad H2O. Therefore breastfeeding is a great manner to maintain the babes healthy. Raymond stated that Liberians combine Western and autochthonal wellness attention systems reasonably easy. They call Western medical specialty Qui Medicine. They normally try traditional medical specialty before western medical specialty. so often their disease has spread or become really bad when they go into the clinic or infirmary. Most Liberians have no job believing in both biological and supernatural causes for their diseases. They say that their disease is caused by something biological. but at the same clip they ask Why did this happen to me? They so attribute this to something like witchery. the zephyr. a dream they had. the cold. or the evil purposes and ideas of other people. When they are ill they will often state person cursed or witched them. As portion of the mending procedure they spend a batch of clip seeking to calculate out who did this to them and much energy is spent hearing witchery narratives. In the Liberian civilization many times people will be in the infirmary acquiring treated by Western medical specialty and besides holding enchantress physicians visit them to make chalk frictions. They truly use both at the same time because they believe in both. The 2nd civilization to lucubrate on is the Irish civilization in which Stephen Kane was interviewed. Northern Ireland is Protestant and Catholic. The Catholics are reasonably rigorous about things like birth control and abortion is illegal in Ireland even for medically indicated grounds. In this civilization it is considered to be making heavy physical exercising by running one time every few months versus on a day-to-day or hebdomadal footing like in the United States. They do wear seat belts and helmets. but do non hold a great diet due to imbibing and smoke. Because smoke is more acceptable in the European civilization than in the United States. the Irish do smoke much more. A basic to eat is fish and french friess whic h is merely deep fried fish and French french friess. There is a national wellness attention plan in Ireland which is so different than the health care in the United States. Resources are more limited in Northern Ireland and are a little more rationed out. Everyone that needs attention gets attention. In Ireland they do non emphasize out approximately medical measures and cipher goes belly-up or loses a place because of an accident. In this civilization they besides are more likely to acquire aid earlier on because they can afford it as it is portion of a national plan. One thing the Irish are bad about making is following doctor’s orders. In this civilization. people stop making what their physicians tell them to make one time they start experiencing better. which is non a good pattern as they are non leting their organic structures to to the full go healthy once more. Last. the Hmong civilization is by and large rather healthy. Sonja Her provinces that their diets are based mostly on soups. veggies. rice and noodles. Besides. m any people in this community are nurserymans. They tend to hold large gardens and turn their ain nutrients to sell at the farmer’s markets. This besides allows for more exercising and healthy nutrient. The bulk of Hmong people are either Shaman or Christian. Most households have person that know how to utilize herbs to maintain healthy and many make different teas or unctions from herbs they buy at the Hmong markets or turn in their gardens. Families besides try to take attention of basic achings and hurting. colds. grippe and things like arthritis at place. By seeking to handle these types of things at place. many Hmong adult female do spooning or rubbing an country of tegument smartly with a spoon. They besides do cupping. which is using negative suction force per unit area on the tegument with a cup. Most Hmong people follow all the major regulations in the Unites States refering helmets and place belts. They besides extremely believe in talismans and protections strings which are ruddy necklaces with Ag and brass. white fabrics with ruddy or white strings on the cervix. carpuss or weaponries. This civilization believes these accoutrements carry a power and will protect them. Like most Americans. Hmong believe that unwellnesss are caused by things like diseases. accidents. environment and familial factors. They besides believe that the psyche can do some unwellnesss which is believed more so by the older coevals. They feel that when a individual becomes ill it is because they upset the liquors doing them roll off from the organic structure. They feel they become ill at this minute because the liquors are unable to happen their manner back to the organic structure. Sometimes it’s an hurt that causes the spirit to go forth. or experiencing sad. lonely or afraid. They besides believe people can acquire ill after a awful event and the spirit might go forth out of fright. The newer coevals of Hmong does use the tradition of utilizing the herbs. tea. cupping and spooning but by and large prefer to see their physician for any unwellnesss so they are able to be treated suitably and rapidly. By analyzing the differences of these three civilizations. it is really evident that each of them are rather different but this author did happen some similarities with each of them. We all continue to remain in close contact with relations even though they do non populate in close propinquity. We all attended public school. celebrate spiritual vacations. and fix nutrients from our cultural backgrounds. When comparing their wellness traditions to this writer’s. it seems as though we all will see a physician for our wellness attention but by and large do non travel in until it is perfectly necessary. Culture is shaped by values. beliefs. norms. and patterns that are shared by members of the same cultural group and cultural values are alone. single looks of a peculiar civilization that have been accepted as appropriate over time ( Edelman A ; Mandle. 2010. p. 33 ) With this said. it is so improbably of import to be non-stereotypical so it is easier to be accepting of other civilizations and genuinely have the chance to appreciate how they live by their traditions. Mentions Edelman. C. L. . A ; Mandle. C. L. ( 2010 ) . Health Promotion Throughout the Lifespan ( 7th ed. ) . [ Evolve ] . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //pageburstls. elsevier. com/ # /books/9780323056625/pages/49129901 How civilization influences wellness beliefs. ( n. d. ) . Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. euromedinfo. eu/how-culture-influences-health-beliefs. html/

The 5 Tools You Need to Prepare for Your College Interview

The 5 Tools You Need to Prepare for Your College Interview SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you’ve just landed a college interview for the school of your dreams. That’s amazing! Once you finish celebrating, it’s time to start preparing for the big event. But the process of preparing can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together our top five tools for preparing for your college interview. Keep reading to learn more about our expert recommendations for the tools you must have to knock your college interview out of the park! Tool 1: An Interview Prep Book Ask any adult: interviews can be a really stressful experience. Not only are you trying to answer your interviewers’ questions, you’re also trying to make a good first impression and prove that you’re a good fit for...well, whatever you’re interviewing for! The college admissions interview can be even more challenging, since many high schoolers haven’t been on many interviews yet! The good news is that interviewing well is a skill that anyone can learn. It just takes practice...and the right tools, of course. One of the best ways to start prepping for any interview is to read a book or two that walks you through the interview process, breaks down tough questions, and helps streamline the preparation process. We’ve scoured the internet and consulted with the admissions experts at PrepScholar to pick the two interview prep books that give you the most bang for your buck! Book 1: Presence by Amy Cuddy Dr. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and Harvard professor, made a splash in the business world with her 2012 TED Talk about body language. Not only do your non-verbal cues help people make decisions about you- including whether or not to admit you!- they also affect the way you think about yourself. Dr. Cuddy took all of her observations and combined them into her book, Presence, which teaches people how to use their body language to unlock their full potential. While most interview prep books teach you how to answer interview questions and learn more about the company you’re interviewing for, Cuddy takes a different approach: she focuses on how the way you sit, move, and act impacts the way people perceive you. What we love is that her book teaches you how to be confident in the moment (even a super stressful one like your admission interview)! She also gives you practical tips for how to communicate in powerful, non-verbal ways. So while Presence isn’t an interview prep book in the traditional sense, it’s a critical read to make sure you’re making the best impression possible! Book 2: The Art of the Interview by James Storey One of the challenges in preparing for your college interview is fitting the prep time into your busy schedule. That’s why our second book recommendation is all about practicality. James Storey’s book, The Art of the Interview, is designed for people who want to tackle the most challenging part of the interview process: answering the interview questions! In his book, Storey walks you through commonly asked interview questions and teaches you strategies for responding to even the trickiest questions. The goal of the book isn’t to give you all the â€Å"right† answers, but to help you learn to create answers that resonate with interviewers...and help earn you admission into your dream school. Each chapter deals with different questions, answers, and practical strategies, so you’re not going to have to read through fluff to get into the meat-and-potatoes of what you need to know. Even better? Storey includes lists of potential interview questions! As you know from taking the SAT and/or ACT, practice questions are invaluable when it comes to boosting your performance, and working through Storey’s examples will help you have an amazing interview! Tool 2: A Notebook When it comes to preparing for an interview, pen and paper is king. Not only does research show that writing things down helps you retain information better, you won’t be able to use your phone, laptop, or tablet in the interview room. That means you’ll have to prepare for your interview the old-fashioned way! The first step is to work through the interview preparation books we mentioned above. As you read them, we recommend taking notes in a notebook. Not only will that give you a place to collect what you learn, it will also let you jot down answers to potential interview questions that come to mind. Reviewing your answers to help commit your responses to memory will help you be more confident on interview day! You should also capture any other information that might be valuable for your interview, like details about the university and its programs and the research areas that interest you. So what kind of notebook should you use? Our favorite notebook for interview preparation is the Rhodia 4 Color Book. First, it’s great quality, durable, and professional, so you can take it with you into your interview worry-free. But it also splits the notebook into four sections based on the colored page edges. This gives you a way to split your preparation into categories, like reading notes and answer prep, without having to use page flags to keep the information in order! Your notebook will be your guidebook during the college interview, too. That means you’ll also want to bring your notebook with you on the day of your interview. Not only does it have the questions you drafted for your interviewers, you can also flip through your notes to prepare before you’re called into your interview. As an added bonus, you’ll be able to jot down notes as your interviewers ask you questions and explain the next steps in the admissions process. Being ready and prepared to take notes shows that you have initiative, and it will help you remember important points from the interview later. (It’s a pretty stressful process, so it’s always nice to have something to look back on!) Tool 3: A Folder With Extra Documents When it comes to your college interview, it’s always best to be prepared. We recommend that you print off multiple copies of your application packet and have them ready in case your interview committee needs a refresher on your materials. They may even ask you if you have any extras on you as a way to see how thorough and prepared you are! Here’s the thing: you don’t want to pull out your Lisa Frank folder from fifth grade. (Though we love rainbow-colored unicorns, to be honest.) You’ll want to whip out a professional-looking folder that has all of your documents neatly organized. If you have quite a few documents, like additional writing samples, you might consider getting an expanding file organizer instead. It will keep your papers neat and make them easier to find if your interviewers request them. Additionally, if you have a design portfolio you’re planning to share, take the time to arrange it in a professional portfolio presentation book. Not only does it keep your portfolio safe, it makes it much easier for your interviewers to flip through your work! Tool 4: A Professional Wardrobe Look, we get it: suits are something your parents wear. You’ve got your own personal style, after all. When it comes to interviews, your first impression really does matter. Putting effort into looking professional shows that you’re taking the interview process seriously, which is a good sign that you’ll also take your education seriously, too. Remember: schools that have an interview process tend to be competitive, so you need every advantage you can get. Here’s what it boils down to: showing up to your college interview in a ratty t-shirt and your ten-year-old Vans isn’t going to impress anyone. But that doesn’t mean you have to look like you pulled your clothes out of your grandparents’ closet! You can look professional and cool at the same time! Traditionally Chic If you want a worry-free wardrobe option for your college interview, we recommend going with a suit. And guess what? You don’t even have to feel like a penguin! The key is to make sure you’re buying the right style of suit for your frame. If you’re slender, go with a slim-fit. If you have a bigger build, don’t be afraid to choose a jacket with a slightly more relaxed fit around the middle. And regardless of your size, embrace the slim-cut pant! It’s pretty universally flattering, and really ties the look together without feeling stuffy. If you just can’t bring yourself to jump on the suit bandwagonor if suits are just a little out of your price rangea blazer is a great option. You can throw a navy blazer over a white button-down shirt, a pair of khakis, and dress shoes, and you’re good to go. If you prefer women’s wear, you can still find a blazer/shirt/khakis combo that looks great. (The rules we mentioned above for picking a suit that...well...suits your figure still apply!) And don’t forget a pair of awesome shoes! It’s also perfectly acceptable to swap out the pants for a skirt, or throw that blazer over a professional dress. Just Add Sunglasses Seriously. Everyone feels more confident when they’re wearing sunglasses! (Of course, don’t wear them in your interview. Think of them as a fashionable morale booster.) That’s why we think you should top off your outfit with a pair of sunglasses that reflects your personality. We love a good pair of aviators, but you also can’t go wrong with a classic, Ray-Ban adjacent silhouette. And then, of course, there’s the Audrey-Hepburn-in-Breakfast-at-Tiffany’s cat eye! Whatever you choose, wear them like the amazing college applicant you are. (Or, you know, just channel your inner Joe Biden.) Tool 5: A Watch Seriously. Being early to an interview is critical. Not only does it demonstrate that you’re organized and prepared, it shows that you’re excited about attending the school you’re interviewing for! It also gives you a chance to review your notes one last time and take a few deep, centering breaths. Because being on time is so important, so we recommend you wear a watch to your interview. We can already hear you asking: â€Å"But why can’t I just use my phone?† On the day of your interview, you need to have your phone on you but turned to silentor better yet, airplane modeand put away. First, science has shown that smartphones can distract us even when we’re not using them, so it’s best to put them away when you need to focus. Second, it’s too tempting to check Twitter or Instagram instead of reviewing your notes and preparing for the super important task at hand! Second, you’ll want to be able to keep track of your time in the interview...and you won’t be able to look at your phone without coming across as rude and disinterested. It’s perfectly acceptable to occasionally glance a watch to see how much time you have left in your interview, or to subtly time yourself to make sure you’re not rambling. Luckily, there are lots of affordable watch options available, especially if you’re not into wearing watches all the time. We love this Timex Easy Reader watch. (Don’t worry, it also comes in men’s styles, too.) Not only is it classic and classy, the numbers are big enough that you’ll be able to discreetly check the time with a quick glance. It comes in three colors, has a leather band, and is water resistant to 30 meters! Not that you’ll be swimming on the day of your interview...but hey! You never know. This can also be a great opportunity to make a long-term investment, too. After all, you’ll be in college soon, and a smartwatch can help you stay healthy and productive. We’re big fans of the Fitbit Versa Smart Watch. It’s compatible with almost all phone operating systems, displays alerts (like calls, texts, and calendar appointments), lets you play music, and even guides you through workouts! It’s a great tool to help you conquer your first year of college. What’s Next? Before you run out and buy everything on our list, make sure you’re college actually has an interview process! Here’s a complete list of colleges that require entrance interviews. (Keep in mind that some schools require on-campus interviews for things like fellowships and endowed scholarships, so it’s always best to double-check with your university.) As we mentioned earlier, the key to having a good interview is to practice, practice, practice. Our top six tips for preparing for college interviews are a surefire way to help you knock your interview out of the park! One of the best ways to land a college interview at your dream school is to knock your SAT or ACT out of the park. Learn more about what SAT and ACT scores mean for college admissions, then decide which test is right for you. These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.