Islamic Economics and Secularism

Islamic Economics and Secularism Secularism is the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs. In other words, secular system is based on the materialistic and individualistic views with less socio economic justice and only concern to the worldly matters. Meanwhile, Islamic economics is a system that identifies and promotes an economic order that conforms to Islamic scripture and traditions. Thus, the above statement of differentiation between Islamic economics and secularism by only certain characteristics is untrue as both of them are mutually exclusive. The Islamic economics differs from secular system not by prohibition of interest, gambling and other unjust transaction only, but it is more than that. Islam is a way of life, and since economy is also a part of mans life, thus, the Islamic principles is absorbed and fully utilized into the economic transaction and practices. Therefore, the statement of Islamic economics as a discipline is nothing more than the secular system without interest, gambling and other unjust transactions where value creation is of the halal kind is not valid; and the justification will be discussed here. The justification To emphasize the difference, the following points underline the key difference between Islam and this secular system, in particular, and other social and political systems, in general are highlighted. The first point is, Islam differs from secularisms theories and perspectives in its ideological and doctrinal bases. Islam is a Divine Message with a special conception of the universe, life and man. It basically disagrees with secular views, which have their roots in their materialistic vision that has no religious base, nor any belief in Allah. Capitalism is merely concepts on devoid of spiritual and moral values. The difference between it and Islam is obviously great. Islam has an all-embracing ideological and legislative make-up. In it, no barriers are to be found between morals, laws, worships, concepts and existence. There are significant differences among them in terms of emphasis they place on material or spiritual goals and the role of moral values and government intention in ordering human affairs. While material goals concentrate primarily on goods and services that contribute to physical comfort and well-being, spiritual goals include nearness to God, peace of mind, inner happiness, honesty, justice, mutual care and cooperation, family and social harmony, and the absence of crime and anomie. These may not be quantifiable, but are, nevertheless, crucial for realizing human well-being may lead to a neglect of spiritual ingredients. The greater the difference in emphasis, the greater may be the difference in the economic disciplines of these societies. Besides, in its aims and objectives, Islam is distinguished from secularism on the basis of contents and the legal organization of life. It treats related subjects in separate ways with specific points. The ultimate goal of Islam is to worship and seek the pleasure of Allah. In implementing the divine law and adhering to the divine order, a Muslim demonstrates he is a worshipper. His objective is to seek the reward and pleasure of Allah, the Exalted. Even in the context of economy activity, men should obey the guideline of ethical behavior so called Akhlaq which emphasizes on the real spirit of Islam over and above legal limits. Contrarily, the human objective in capitalist society is purely a materialistic one, expressed in terms of materialistic gain regardless of the cost and fall out on society. Even though there is a sort of analogy between Islam and other systems in certain respects, Islam has its own way and method of implementing its economic concepts and objectives. For example, Islam believes in social justice and so it adopts just principles in distribution and production growth. Capitalism attempts to call for similar concepts, which can be seen as generally logical and which man, by no means, can shun. But in trying to develop the conceptions and implement them, we will find the difference between Islam and secular systems in both method and way. In capitalism, freedom knows no boundaries. In theory, individuals can do what they desire to. In doing so, it believes that the non-existence of limits or restrictions results in economic freedom, in competition and the increase of production. But to achieve a suitable and satisfactory economic level is for all people, makeshift and inexorable laws have to be enforced, based upon such theories as the laws of wages, supply and demand etc. Unlike this, Islam adopts its own methods. It never opens the gates for individual selfishness to flourish like in capitalism. Islam believes in individual ownership, community ownership and state ownership, as it is expounded in the books of fiqh, traditions and in the Holy Quran. In case selfishness and urges of greed prevail, and to prevent exploitation and economic injustice from sweeping over the community, Islam has laid down lawful and moral restrictions related to ownership, investment and consumption in defense of manipulation and deprivation. Besides, Islamic economic takes great emphasize on the role of the market, families, society and government in determining a success in economy. The market is not the only institution where people interact in human society. They also interact in the family, the society, and the government, and their interaction in all these institutions is closely interrelated. There is no doubt that the serving of self interest does help raise efficiency in the market place. However, if self-interest is overemphasized and there are no moral restraints on individual behavior, other institution may not work effectively family may disintegrate, the society may be uncaring, and the government may be corrupt, partisan, and self-centered. Example if both the parents try to serve just their own self-interest and not willing to make sacrifices for the sake of proper care and upbringing of children demands, this family may disintegrate and children not get enough love from them. Lack of willingness to make such sacrifice can lead to a decline in the quality of the human input of all other institutions, including the market, the society and the government. It may also lead to a fall in fertility rates below the replacement level, making it difficult for the society not only to sustain its development but also its social security system. Furthermore, while secular economics generally considers the behavior, tastes and preferences of individuals as given, Islamic economics does not do so. It places great emphasis on individual and social reform through moral uplift. Moral uplift aims at the change in human behavior, tastes and preferences and, thereby, it complements the price mechanism in promoting general well-being. Before even entering the market place and being exposed to the price filter, the consumers are expected to pass their claims through the moral filter. This will help filter out conspicuous consumption and all wasteful and unnecessary claims on resources. The price mechanism can then takes over and reduce the claims on resources even further to lead to the market equilibrium. The two filters can together make it possible to have optimum economy in the use of resources, which is necessary to satisfy the material as well as spiritual needs of all human beings, to reduce the concentration of wealth in a few hands, and to raise savings, which are needed to promote greater investment and employment. Without complementing the market system with morally-based value judgments, we may end up perpetuating inequities in spite of our good intentions through inaction, non-choice and drifting. The other distinction that differentiate between these two is Islamic economic emphasize on the importance of the Hereafter. This is where the concepts of the innate goodness of human beings and of the Hereafter come in concepts which conventional economics ignores but on which Islam places a great deal of emphasis. Because of their innate goodness, human beings do not necessarily always try to serve their self-interest. They are also altruistic and are willing to make sacrifices for the well-being of others. In addition, the concept of the Hereafter does not confine self-interest to just this world. It rather extends it beyond this world to life after death. We may be able to serve our self-interest in this world by being selfish, dishonest, uncaring, and negligent of our obligations towards our families, other human beings, animals, and the environment. However, we cannot serve our self-interest in the Hereafter except by fulfilling all these obligations. This serves to provide a motivating mechanism for sacrifice for the well-being of others that conventional economics fails to provide. The innate goodness of human beings along with the long-run perspective given to self-interest has the potential of inducing a person to be not only efficient but also equitable and caring. Therefore, as a guideline, Shariah is designed as a set of rules and regulations that aims of protecting public interest and the welfare of the people in this life and hereafter. The objective of the Shari`ah is to promote the well-being of all mankind, which lies in safeguarding their faith (din), their human self (nafs), their intellect (`aql), their posterity (nasl) and their wealth (mal). Whatever ensures the safeguard of these five serves public interest and is desirable. The guideline of Islamic economics is in the discipline of muamalat, which presents a framework for conduct in the civil arena. It deals in part with economic functions in an Islamic society but not comprehensively with factors impacting upon economic behavior since it is concerned solely with legal relationships between members of the society. In fact, the goals of the Islamic economics include fulfillment of the basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education for all humans, ensuring equal ity of opportunity to all preventing concentration of wealth and reducing inequality in the distribution of income and wealth so as, among other things, wealth does not become a means of domination of man by man, ensuring to all the freedom to pursue moral excellence, and ensuring stability and economic growth to an extent necessary for realization of the above-mentioned goals. Conclusion Islam is a way of life. Being a Muslim means one will absorb the whole philosophies of Islam in everything he does in life. So do economics. The difference between Islamic economics compared to secular ideology is not just on prohibition of interest, gambling and other unjust transactions where value creation is of the halal kind. The unique principles that make Islamic economics differs lies on its ideological and doctrinal bases, the, basis of contents and the legal organization of life, the way Islam implements its economic concepts and objectives, the emphasize on the role of the market, families, society and government, the value on individual and social reform through moral uplift, and the importance of the Hereafter. Question No. (2) Introduction Worldview can be defines as a set of implicit or explicit assumptions about the origin of the universe and the nature of human life. Meanwhile, from Islamic point of view, worldview is a metaphysical survey of visible as well as the invisible worlds including the perspective of life as a whole, is not a worldview that is formed merely by the gathering together of various cultural objects, values and phenomena into artificial coherence, or can be considered as vision of reality and truth. Islamic worldview is in fact a dual worldview, this world of action and accountability for the actions in the next, while the secular worldview is focusing on worldly rather than spiritual. The core elements of Islamic and Secular worldviews: A comparison. There are a few similarities between Islamic and Secular worldview in general, even though there will be differences if we look in depth. Both are concern on the allocation and distribution of resources and both emphasize the fulfillment of material needs, even though in Islamic economics there is an equal emphasis on the fulfillment of spiritual needs. Besides, both recognize the important role of market mechanism in the allocation and distribution of resources, but in addition, Islamic economics argues that the market may not by itself be able to fulfill even the material needs of all human beings. This is because it can promote excessive use of scarce resources by the rich at the expense of the poor if there is undue emphasis on the serving of self-interest. Instead of some similarities, there are a lot of differences between these two worldviews, and we will be discussing through it here. Firstly, the secular and materialist worldviews attach maximum importance to the material aspect of human well-being and tend generally to ignore the importance of the spiritual aspect. In contrast with this, Islamic worldviews give attention to both the material as well as the spiritual aspects of human well-being. Islam sees both these aspects material and spiritual of human existence as unitary wherein the material and the moral considerations as well as the here (Now) and Hereafter of human life are inextricably entangled. Apart from that, the secular worldview looks at happenings in the world from a rationalistic viewpoint, while excludes religious or ethical considerations. It promotes pursuit of self-interest as guiding human behavior and saw no conflict between individual and social interests. Besides, it makes a distinction between reason and revelation as the source of knowledge. It considers reason alone as its source, including economics. The secular worldview is conditioned by science alone i.e. any subject that goes beyond the limits of human reason is not acceptable. Furthermore, and more fundamentally, the secular man-made worldview can change infinitely at the discretion of man as his external stimuli and attitude change. However, Islamic view does not necessarily reject the role of reason in human development. They, however, recognize the limitations of reason and wish to complement it by revelation. Islamic worldview is based on the Quran and the Sunnah it is has a moral code of conduct. It grants freedom of action within the Shariah boundaries. It also emphasizes on justice and moderation as well as gives priority to social interest if it is in clash with individual interest. Islam invites people to observe and think but within the framework of Shariah. Thus, the Shariah, although flexible in certain areas is not replaceable and therefore, cannot be influenced by any human whim, while, at the same time; it promotes change and aims to influence human intentions, conduct and behavior towards the Straight Path. In addition, the Islamic worldview values reason as a source of knowledge, but in addition it assigns a role to sapience and revelation as inalienable sources. It is not a product of human tho ught resulting from any scientific inquiry: it is a divine direction leading to a unique way of life. It links the life in this world with life in the Hereafter. Thus, the Islamic worldview, although it respects the rational mind, is not confined to the limits of human reason or to observable scientific investigations (reality): it contemplates both, the observables and the non- observables. In other words, material science is the ultimate word under the Secular worldview, whereas under the Islamic worldview it is not. Furthermore, secularism often argue that maximum material well-being can be best realized if individuals are given unhindered freedom to pursue their self-interest and to maximize their want satisfaction in keeping with their own tastes and preferences. In their extreme form they do not recognize any role for Divine guidance in human life and place full trust in the ability of human beings to chalk out a proper strategy with the help of their reason. In such a worldview there is little role for values or government intervention in the efficient and equitable allocation and distribution of resources. When asked about how social interest would be served when everyone has unlimited freedom to pursue his/her self-interest, the reply is that market forces will themselves ensure this because competition will keep self-interest under check. Differently, for Islamic worldview, they do not totally reject the need for individual freedom or the role that the serving of self-interest can play in human development They, however, emphasize that both freedom and the pursuit of self-interest need to be toned down by moral values and good governance to ensure that everyones well-being is realized and that social harmony and family integrity are not hurt in the process of everyone serving his/her self-interest. Looking from the economic point of view, the secular economics claims to be value free, which in fact it is not because not to have a value is itself a value. Conversely, Islamic economics has moral and ethical values of which it cannot brook any violation. In Islam freedom to choose values is restricted, yet it had already been properly aligned in the Holy Quran and the prophets Sunnah. While pursuit of self-interest is the invisible hand that regulates economies in secular economy, Islamic economists mostly reject this view out of hand and equate it with selfishness. This does not seem valid. Islam approves the pursuit of self-interest because it is instinctive with human beings. Muslims perform their religious obligations in their own interest. It need not equal selfishness, especially if Shariah norms were observed. In addition, secular economist claimed that if available resources are scarce they must avoid waste and maximize production. As a consumer they should attempt to derive maximum satisfaction from their limited incomes. Islam is not opposed to maximization per se. however, maximization is value-neutral; what is maximized, how and to serve what ends are the deciding factors. While the profit maximization is the main intention in doing business in secular economy, Islam is aiming towards primacy of justice and social welfare. Besides, while conventional or secular economics generally considers the behavior and tastes and preferences of individuals as given, Islamic economics does not do so. It places great emphasis on individual and social reform through moral uplift. Moral uplift aims at the change in human behavior, tastes and preferences and, thereby, it complements the price mechanism in promoting general well-being. Conclusion In sum, the concept of worldview that guides and regulates an economy is visionary, contextual, and flexible within limits. The basic differences between the secular (capitalistic) and the Islamic economic worldviews center on the issues concerning the foundation and ideology in the system, reason-revelation interface, the sort of values entertained and promoted, as well as how it differ in economic contextual. Question No. (3) Overview The economic problem is one of the fundamental economic theories in the operation of any economy. It asserts that there is scarcity, or there are finite resources available that are insufficient to satisfy all human wants. The problem then becomes how to determine what is to be produced and how the factors of production (such as capital and labor) are to be allocated. In short, the economic problem is the choice one must make, arising out of limited means and unlimited wants. The economic problem is most simply explained by the question how do we satisfy unlimited wants with limited resources? The premise of the economic problem model is that human wants are constant and infinite due to constantly changing demands (often closely related to changing demographics) of the population. However, resources in the world to satisfy human wants are always limited to the amount of natural or human resources available. The economic problem, and methods to curb it, revolves around the idea of choice in prioritizing which wants can be fulfilled. Concepts of Economic problems There are three concepts that associated with the economic problems discussed above: (1) needs, (2) wants, and (3) choice. Human needs are material items that people need for survival, such as food, clothing and some form of housing. In Islamic point of view, needs comprehend five foundations, namely (a) Religion, (b) Physical self, (c) Intellect or Knowledge, (d) Offspring, and (e) Wealth. Until the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of the worlds population struggled for access to basic human needs While the basic needs of human survival are important in the function of the economy, human wants are the driving force which stimulates demand for goods and services. In order to curb the economic problem, economists must classify the nature and different wants of consumers, as well as prioritize wants and organize production to satisfy as many wants as possible. One assumption often made in mainstream neoclassical economics is that humans inherently pursue their self-interest and the market mechanism best satisfies the various wants different individuals might have. These wants are often classified into individual wants, which depend on the individuals preferences and purchasing power parity, and collective wants, those of entire groups of people. Things such as food and clothing can be classified as either wants or needs, depending on what type and how often a good is asked for. Wants are effective desires for a particular product, or something which can only be obtained by working for it. The economic problem fundamentally revolves around the idea of choice, which ultimately must answer the problem. Due to the limited resources available, businesses must determine what to produce first to satisfy demand. Consumers are considered the biggest influences of this choice, and the goods which they want must also fit within their budgets and purchasing power parity. Solving the economic problems from Islamic perspective. The first point is about the concept of ownership of wealth in Islam. It states that all wealth belongs to God, and human beings hold them as trustees of God. It is up to the individual to decide how much of this excess he should give back for the cause of God. In other word, after earning wealth through fair and lawful means, one should satisfying their personal genuine and legitimate needs in a moderate and prudent way. After doing so, they should spend it for the cause of Allah; example is for the welfare of the poor and less fortunate people. Besides, payment of zakat that is obliged to each Muslim gives the same function here. Thus, helping others in such ways would at least fulfill the basic human needs; our first economic problem discussed above. Furthermore, because of Islam differentiates between the basic needs and luxuries, thus, there exists no concept of relative scarcity of resources in Islam. The resources available on earth are sufficient to secure the basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) of fifty billion human beings. Such a misunderstanding has concealed the reality that starvation, poverty, and economic backwardness, result from misdistribution exasperated by man-made laws and systems. Proper distribution of resources will be sufficient enough to satisfy the basic needs of human, yet, Islam teach the followers to be grateful on what he has or own. In Islam, public revenue from oil and natural resources would be used to secure the needs of the whole Muslim ummah. The Khilafah would provide public and vital resources without charge to cover the needs of every individual and family, and monopolies that multinational corporations maintain to dictate the lives of the people would dissipate. Its contribution in developing the Islamic societies Implementing those principles discussed above can contribute in development of Islamic societies, as well as for the nation as a whole. When every Muslims contribute with the intention to help others, let say the contribution is gathered by the state, thus, with sufficient funds, the state would be able to provide for basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare to every citizen at a reasonable standard. The state would also discharge all of its duties of state welfare and would set up all big projects for economic development. Indirectly, it would provide employment to all those who are jobless. Besides, the state can performs such welfare activities like maintains social services, wages Jihad against the foreign aggression, maintains facilities like railways, road, waterways, bridges, as well as provides protection to the individual in respect of his life, honour and property. So whatever remains with a person after satisfaction of his needs in a moderate way, he would hand over this surplus to the state. Furthermore, because of Islam differentiates between the basic needs and luxuries, thus, teach the Muslim to fulfill the basic needs, and in the same time, must moderate in luxuries. Wealth is a test by God, and Muslims should strive to pass this test by not becoming worshipers of hoarded wealth. By passing this test, will increase ones faith and godliness. In addition, the affectivity with which the Islamic economic systems correctly defines economic problem and secures the needs of every individual, and eliminates all forms of economic and social corruption, would enable fuel for Islamic policy of the state that would enable the Khilafah to easily spread Islam ideologically throughout the world. Conclusion The economic problems that basically arise from scarcity are faced by all humans in this world. Human, by his nature, always has unlimited wants, yet own limited resources to fulfill his needs and wants. Choices must be made in accordance to his own preferences and priorities. However, Islam, as a unique religion, found some ways to control, if not totally solve this economic problems by its principles and guidelines to be practiced by Muslims as a way of life. Cooperation and implementation by the governing bodies such as state can help in the development of Islamic societies. Question No. ( 5 ) What is poverty? Generally, poverty can be defined through two distinct concepts: the absolute and the relative poverty concepts. The absolute poverty is usually associated with some income level required to sustain a minimum standard of living. That income level, defined as poverty line income is often used to determine whether an individual is poor or otherwise. The individual is considered poor if his income is below poverty line income. Meanwhile, the relative poverty concept is associated with the existence of an income gap between the poor and the non-poor. As long as there is a difference in income levels of any two individuals or groups, those with a lower income are considered poor. However, in Islamic point of view, one is considered poor if he does not possess sufficient necessities to fulfill his basic needs in each of the five foundations for good individual and social life, namely: (a) Religion, (b) Physical self, (c) Intellect or Knowledge, (d) Offspring, and (e) Wealth. All the five foundations or needs must be fulfilled, and if only one of the needs is not fulfilled, then one is still considered poor. In addition, poverty is also associated with the concept of nisab, which is one of the two prerequisites for a Muslim to pay the zakah. Using Below Poverty Line (BPL), this method functions as the basis of ownership of nisab, which limit makes one eligible for the payment of zakat. Anyone with wealth on or over the nisab is responsible for the payment of zakat. Thus, for those who wealth is below nisab are zakat recipients and they are treated as poor. Causes of Poverty. Several causes that may lead to poverty are considered, as follows: Exploitation of Economy Economic exploitation can be defined as the act of using another persons labor without offering them an adequate compensation. Thus, when the compensation received is inadequate to support life, one is unable to fulfill one or more of basic needs, and this can lead to poverty. Political Poverty can happen when one major party, usually politician or region that have authority or power on decision-making through out the country that often causes development problems. For example, in these situations politicians make decisions about places that they are unfamiliar with, or lacking sufficient knowledge about the context to design effective and appropriate policies and programs, leads to political instability. Interest/Riba/Corruption Unreasonable rate of interest due to loan made can burden borrower. Example is when International Monetary Fund (IMF) donors keep the exchange rates in their favor, it often means that the poor nations remain poor, or get even poorer. Meanwhile, corruption inhibits development when leaders help themselves to money that would otherwise be used for development projects. As a result, poverty can exists when people lives in scarcity due to not getting development that supposedly enjoyed by them. Warfare The material and human destruction that caused by warfare is a major development problem. Drop in average income due to strike in the well-being of the average Iraqi citizen in the aftermath of the war, leads to damages to the infrastructure and social services, such as health care and access to clean water. Agricultural Cycles People who rely on fruits and vegetables that they produce for household food consumption (subsistence farmers) often go through cycles of relative abundance and scarcity. For many families that rely on subsistence production for survival, the period immediately prior to harvest is a hungry period. During these periods of scarcity, many families lack sufficient resources to meet their minimal nutritional needs. Natural Disasters Immediate destruction caused by natural events such as hurricanes, droughts, earthquake, flooding as well as environmental forces often cause acute periods of crisis by destroying crops and animals. Thus, people may loss their homes and properties, and lack of resources even to fulfill their basic needs of living. Developing countries often much more suffer at the hands of natural disasters, because limited resources inhibit the construction of adequate housing, infrastructure, and mechanisms for responding to crises. Prohibited industries Prohibition industries such as gambling, alcohol and tobacco can encourage one to waste their money for these unlawful activities. Worsen situation, one may borrow money in order to satisfy this bad habits, and this can lead to poverty. Role of Citizen in Alleviating Poverty from Islamic Perspective. Being Muslim every citizen has some responsibilities; Muslims in the world are some of the richest. If this wealth is used as per the direction of Allah we can alleviate poverty. Islam as system and way of life is based on collective responsibility of society, ethics and principles. If  we follow it we will be able remove the poverty from the society. Some of the citizens roles in alleviating poverty are as follows: 1.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Zakah- Zakah is the fourth of five pillars of Islam and hence is obligatory on every Muslim, who fulfills the stipulated conditions, to pay. Being a pillar of Islam, it has to be paid and collected whether the destitute and the poor exist in society or not. As such it is indeed a permanent source of revenue for the alleviation of the destitute and the poor. 2.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Sadaqa Sadaqat is a very wide term and is used in the Quran to cover all kinds of charity. It is as simplest as when one gives smile, acts of loving kindness, utters a kindly word to others or even greeting

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Essay

Quantitative research involves collecting numerical data though content analysis, performance tests, personality measures, questionnaires, etc. Quantitative research allows for experimental and non-experimental research. Experimental research tests cause and effect, while non-experimental research, such as, correlation research, relates variables, and survey research describes trends. There are three basic types of quantitative research questions: descriptive research questions, correlational research questions, and causal research questions. However, research involves collecting word data though interviews, open-ended questionnaires, observations, content analysis, focus groups, etc. Qualitative research can explore common experience (Grounded Theory Research), shared culture (Ethnography), an environment (Case Study), or an individual (Narrative Research). Both type of research ask research questions, focus on type of data, and have variables. Research Questions Research Questions are clear, concise, and arguable questions. A qualitative research question â€Å"explores a central concept or phenomenon† (Schreiber 2012). An example of a qualitative research question is how do African American male elementary students read popular fiction written by Caucasian female authors? This is an ethnographic research question that will explore hared culture of a group of people. Differently, a quantitative research question â€Å"relates attributes or characteristics of individuals or organizations† (Schreiber 2012). There are three basic types of quantitative research questions: descriptive research questions, correlational research questions, and causal research questions. Descriptive research questions describe variables being studied. An example of descriptive research question is does reading popular fiction increase test scores in elementary students? This research question is an experimental research question that tests the cause and effect. Another research question is the correlational research question, which relates variables. An example of correlational research question is do elementary students who read popular fiction has a higher test scores than those who do not read popular fiction? This is also a correlation research that relate variables. The final basic type of  quantitative research question is the causal research question. Causal research questions test for a cause and effect relationship between variables. An example of causal research questions is all other factors being equal, do elementary students reading popular fiction achieve better test scores than students reading curriculum-required fiction? This is also an experimental research question that tests the cause and effect. Variables Quantitative research and qualitative research have variables; a variable is any measured characteristic or attribute that differs for different subjects (Lane 2006). Variable can be either independent (IV), or dependent (DV). An independent variable is a variable that remain the same, but the researcher manipulates a dependent variable. Additionally, there are covariate (CoV) relates variable, is related to the DV, and is also a predictor value. In the example of a qualitative research question is how do African American male elementary students read assigned popular fiction written by Caucasian female authors? the IV is gender, age, and ethnicity, the DV is the assigned popular fiction, and the CoV is socioeconomic status. In the example of a quantitative research question is does reading assigned popular fiction increase test scores in elementary students? the IV is the age, gender, and ethnicity, the DV is assigned popular fiction, and the CoV is socioeconomic status. An example of the quantitative research question is do elementary students who read assigned popular fiction has a higher test scores than those who do not read popular fiction? the IV is age, gender, and ethnicity, the DV is assigned popular fiction, and the CoV is socioeconomic status. The final example of a quantitative research question is do elementary students reading assigned popular fiction achieve better test scores than students reading curriculum-required fiction? the IV is age, ethnicity, and gender, the DV is assigned popular fiction and curriculum-required fiction, and the CoV is socio-economic status. Type of Data Quantitative research uses Ordinal, Ratio, or Interval Scale, while  qualitativew research uses Nominal Scale. Both nominal and ordinal data are categorical, but interval and ratio data are continuous. In the example of a qualitative research question is how do African American male elementary students read assigned popular fiction written by Caucasian female authors? That data is nominal. Nominal data is categorical. Nominal data is consists of assigning items to groups or categories that cannot be related to each other (StatSoft 2010). The nominal data is African American and male, a well as Caucasian and female. Moreover, in the example of a quantitative research question is does reading assigned popular fiction increase test scores in elementary students? that data is interval. Interval data rank order, but also quantify and compare the sizes of differences between them (StatSoft 2010). Interval data is continuous. The interval data is the test scores, because they can be higher or lower, but it is not known how much higher. An example of the quantitative research question is do elementary students who read assigned popular fiction has a higher test scores than those who do not read popular fiction? that data is ratio data. Ratio data is continuous. Ratio data rank order, but also quantify and compare the sizes of differences between them. Ratio data has an absolute zero and allows for how many times greater. The research can find out how many times greater are the test scores of elementary student who read popular fiction than those who did not. The final example of a quantitative research question is do elementary students reading popular fiction achieve better test scores than students reading curriculum-required fiction? that data is ratio data. Like the question above, the research can discover how many times greater are the test scores of elementary student wh o read popular fiction than those who did not. Conclusion Both type of research ask research questions, focus on type of data, and have variables. Quantitative research uses an objective/unbiased approach to collecting numerical data from participants and analyzes these numbers using statistics in order to answer a specific, narrow research question. On the other hand, qualitative research uses a subjective/biased approach to collecting words from participants and analyzes/describes these words in  order to answer a broad, general research question. Bibliography †¢Lane, D.M. (2006, June). Glossary. Rice Virtual Lab in Statistics Retrieved January 31, 2014, from http://davidmlane.com/hyperstat/glossary.html †¢Research Methods ** Available in the Presentations section. †¢Schreiber, Deborah Ph.D. 2012 Research Methods in Education †¢StatSoft, Inc. (2010). Electronic Statistics Textbook. Elementary Concepts. Retrieved January 31, 2014, from http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/elementary-concepts-in-statistics/?button=1

The Evolution of American Isolationism

â€Å"Isolationism† is a government policy or doctrine of taking no role in the affairs of other nations. A government’s policy of isolationism, which that government may or may not officially acknowledge, is characterized by a reluctance or refusal to enter into treaties, alliances, trade commitments, or other international agreements. Supporters of isolationism, known as â€Å"isolationists,† argue that it allows the nation to devote all of its resources and efforts to its own advancement by remaining at peace and avoiding binding responsibilities to other nations. American Isolationism While it has been practiced to some degree in U.S. foreign policy since before the War for Independence, isolationism in the United States has never been about a total avoidance of the rest of the world. Only a handful of American isolationists advocated the complete removal of the nation from the world stage. Instead, most American isolationists have pushed for the avoidance of the nation’s involvement in what Thomas Jefferson called â€Å"entangling alliances.† Instead, U.S. isolationists have held that America could and should use its wide-ranging influence and economic strength to encourage the ideals of freedom and democracy in other nations by means of negotiation rather than warfare. Isolationism refers to Americas longstanding reluctance to become involved in European alliances and wars. Isolationists held the view that Americas perspective on the world was different from that of European societies and that America could advance the cause of freedom and democracy by means other than war. American Isolationism Born in the Colonial Period Isolationist feelings in America dates back to the colonial period. The last thing many American colonists wanted was any continued involvement with the European governments that had denied them religious and economic freedom and kept them enmeshed in wars. Indeed, they took comfort in the fact that they were now effectively â€Å"isolated† from Europe by the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. Despite an eventual alliance with France during the War for Independence, the basis of American isolationism can is found in Thomas Paine’s famed paper Common Sense, published in 1776. Paine’s impassioned arguments against foreign alliances drove the delegates to the Continental Congress to oppose the alliance with France until it became obvious that the revolution would be lost without it.   Twenty years and an independent nation later, President George Washington memorably spelled out the intent of American isolationism in his Farewell Address: â€Å"The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.† Washington’s opinions of isolationism were widely accepted. As a result of his Neutrality Proclamation of 1793, the U.S. dissolved its alliance with France. And in 1801, the nation’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, in his inaugural address, summed up American isolationism as a doctrine of peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   The 19th Century: The Decline of US Isolationism Through the first half of the 19th century, America managed to maintain its political isolation despite its rapid industrial and economic growth and status as a world power. Historians again suggest that the nation’s geographical isolation from Europe continued to allow the U.S. to avoid the â€Å"entangling alliances† feared by the Founding Fathers. Without abandoning its policy of limited isolationism, the United States expanded its own borders from coast-to-coast and began creating territorial empires in the Pacific and the  Caribbean during the 1800s. Without forming binding alliances with Europe or any of the nations involved, the U.S. fought three wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Spanish-American War. In 1823, the Monroe Doctrine boldly declared that the United States would consider the colonization of any independent nation in North or South America by a European nation to be an act of war. In delivering the historic decree, President James Monroe voiced the isolationist view, stating, â€Å"In the wars of the European powers, in matters relating to themselves, we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policy, so to do.† But by the mid-1800s, a combination of world events began to test the resolve of American isolationists: The expansion of the German and Japanese military industrial empires that would eventually immerse the United States in two world wars had begun.Though short-lived, the occupation of the Philippines by the United States during the Spanish-American war had inserted American interests into the Western Pacific islands — an area generally considered to be part of Japan’s sphere of influence.Steamships, undersea communications cables, and radio enhanced America’s stature in world trade, but at the same time, brought her closer to her potential enemies. Within the United States itself, as industrialized mega-cities grew, small-town rural America — long the source of isolationist feelings — shrank. The 20th Century: The End of US Isolationism   World War I (1914 to 1919) Though actual battle never touched her shores, America’s participation in World War I marked the nation’s first departure from its historic isolationist policy. During the conflict, the United States entered into binding alliances with the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, and Serbia to oppose the Central Powers of Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. However, after the war, the United States returned to its isolationist roots by immediately ending all of its war-related European commitments. Against the recommendation of President Woodrow Wilson, the U.S. Senate rejected the war-ending Treaty of Versailles, because it would have required the U.S. to join the League of Nations. As America struggled through the Great Depression from 1929 to 1941, the nation’s foreign affairs took a back seat to economic survival. To protect U.S. manufacturers from foreign competition, the government imposed high tariffs on imported goods. World War I also brought an end to America’s historically open attitude toward immigration. Between the pre-war years of 1900 and 1920, the nation had admitted over 14.5 million immigrants. After the passage of the Immigration Act of 1917, fewer than 150,000 new immigrants had been allowed to enter the U.S. by 1929. The law restricted the immigration of â€Å"undesirables† from other countries, including â€Å"idiots, imbeciles, epileptics, alcoholics, poor, criminals, beggars, any person suffering attacks of insanity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  World War II (1939 to 1945) While avoiding the conflict until 1941, World War II marked a turning point for American isolationism. As Germany and Italy swept through Europe and North Africa, and Japan began taking over Eastern Asia, many Americans started to fear that the Axis powers might invade the Western Hemisphere next. By the end of 1940, American public opinion had started to shift in favor of using U.S. military forces to help defeat the Axis.   Still, nearly one million Americans supported the America First Committee, organized in 1940 to oppose the nation’s involvement in the war. Despite pressure from isolationists, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proceeded with his administration’s plans to assist the nations targeted by the Axis in ways not requiring direct military intervention. Even in the face of Axis successes, a majority of Americans continued to oppose actual U.S. military intervention. That all changed on the morning of December 7, 1941, when naval forces of Japan launched a sneak attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On December 8, 1941, America declared war on Japan. Two days later, the America First Committee disbanded.   After World War II, the United States helped establish and became a charter member of the United Nations in October 1945. At the same time, the emerging threat posed by Russia under Joseph Stalin and the specter of communism that would soon result in the Cold War effectively lowered the curtain on the golden age of American isolationism. War on Terror: A Rebirth of Isolationism? While the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001, initially spawned a spirit of nationalism unseen in America since World War II, the ensuing War on Terror may have resulted in the return  of American isolationism. Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq claimed thousands of American lives. At home, Americans fretted through a slow and fragile recovery from a Great Recession many economists compared to the Great Depression of 1929. Suffering from war abroad and a failing economy at home, America found itself in a situation very much like that of the late  1940s when isolationist feelings prevailed. Now as the threat of another war in Syria looms, a growing number of Americans, including some policymakers, are questioning the wisdom of further U.S. involvement. â€Å"We are not the world’s policeman, nor its judge and jury,† stated U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Florida) joining a bipartisan group of lawmakers arguing against U.S. military intervention in Syria. â€Å"Our own needs in America are great, and they come first.† In his first major speech after winning the 2016 presidential election, President-Elect Donald Trump expressed the isolationist ideology that became one of his campaign slogans — â€Å"America first.† â€Å"There is no global anthem, no global currency, no certificate of global citizenship,† Mr. Trump  said on December 1, 2016. â€Å"We pledge allegiance to one flag, and that flag is the American flag. From now on, its going to be America first. In their words, Rep. Grayson, a progressive Democrat, and President-Elect Trump, a conservative Republican, may have announced the rebirth of American isolationism.

Fidel Castro Hero Or Villain - 1323 Words

Fidel Castro a Hero or Villain The time of the Cuban Revolution was a great deal of turmoil, not just in Cuba but in almost every corner of the world. It was 1945, shortly after the end of World War Two, the Cold War was taking off between the United States and the Soviet Union. Cuba, in the middle of its own war, was caught up in the international politics of the Cold War. The interaction between international and domestic politics played a major role in the outcome of the revolution. The result of the revolution paved the way for the era of Fidel Castro. Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 16th, 1926, in Mayari, Cuba. Castro was the illegitimate son of à ngel Castro y Argiz, a wealthy farmer and landowner. Castro reached his full†¦show more content†¦In 1967, he also formed the Latin American Solidarity Organisation to foster revolution in select Latin American countries (OSPAAAL. National Museums). In the 1970s, Castro continued to promote himself as the leading spokesperson for Third World countries by providing military support to pro Soviet forces in Angola, Ethiopia and Yemen. Though Cuba was still heavily subsidised by the Soviet government during this period, those expeditions ultimately proved unsuccessful and put a strain on the Cuban economy. Castro s regime has been credited with opening 10,000 new schools and increasing literacy to 98 percent.(Cuba Headlines 2009). Cubans enjoy a universal health care system, which has decreased infant mortality to 11 deaths in 1,000(Vanguard News 2016). But at the same time, civil liberties were whittled away, as labour unions lost the right to strike, independent newspapers were shut down and religious institutions were harassed. Castro removed opposition to his rule though executions and imprisonments, as well as through forced emigration. 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Outline and Discuss in Detail the Various Theories Used by...

The following essay will outline and discuss the various theories used by psychologists to explain criminal behaviour. According to White and Haines 2008 crime was seen as the result of externally caused biological problems or internal psychological factors that were treatable. They believe the criminal was made, not born. Psychological theories tend to focus on how characteristics of an individual lead to criminal behaviour, however these theories may also be irrelevant, challenge existing thinking and make people and institutions think. The Oxford Dictionary 2003 defines psychology as ‘the study of the nature, functions and phenomena of behaviour and mental experience.’ More specifically, it is the study of people and Williams†¦show more content†¦The main division in learning theories is between behavioural theorists and cognitive theorists. Behaviourists claim that people learn by trial and error through associating stimuli with responses whereas cognit ive theorists believe people learn through associating memories and ideas as part of a problem-solving process (Jones 2006:411). There are three main accounts as to how individuals learn by way of association. Pavlov (1927) described the simplest method of classical conditioning. He argued that learning can take place by association in circumstances where the subjects are purely passive and simply learn from the environment. Skinner (1938) associated himself with operant learning and his writing had major impact on the development of behavioural psychology. He believes operant learning is a more useful device than classical conditioning as the subject is active and, by the use of rewards and punishments, has to learn how to obtain what it wants from the environment. Neither of the above two learning theories are dependent on subjects having any understanding of the process in which they are engaged in. The final explanation of learning by association, the social learning th eory, combines operant learning with aspects of cognitive psychology. It claims that behaviour is reinforced not only by rewards and punishments, but also by observing the behaviour of others. One of the leading advocates of the social learning theory is AlbertShow MoreRelatedApproaches to Organisation and Management19498 Words   |  78 PagesAPPROACHES  TO  ORGANISATION  AND MANAGEMENT Organisational  behaviour  is  a  discursive  subject  and  much has  been  written  about  it.  The  study  of  organisations  and management  has  therefore  to  proceed  on  a  broad  front.  It  is the  comparative  study  of  the  different  approaches  that  will  yield benefits  to  the  manager.  The  study  of  organisations,  their  structure and  management  is  important  for  the  manager.  Identification  of major  trends  in  management  and  organisational  behaviour,  and the  work  of  leading  writers,  provide  a  perspective  on  concepts Read MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesmechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations

Zoe’s Tale PART III PROLOGUE Free Essays

I lifted up my dad’s PDA and counted off the seconds with the two thousand other people in the room. â€Å"Five! Four! Three! Two! One!† And then there was no noise, because everyone’s attention – and I mean everyone’s – was glued to the monitors peppered around the Magellan’s common area. The screens, which had held starry skies in them, were blank and black, and everyone was holding their breath, waiting for what came next. We will write a custom essay sample on Zoe’s Tale PART III PROLOGUE or any similar topic only for you Order Now A world appeared, green and blue. And we all went insane. Because it was our world. It was Roanoke, our new home. We would be the first people to land there, the first people to settle there, the first people to live our lives there. And we celebrated seeing it for that first time, we two thousand settlers of Roanoke, all crammed into that common area, hugging and kissing and singing â€Å"Auld Lang Syne,† because, well, what else do you sing when you come to a new world? A new world, new beginnings, a new year, a new life. New everything. I hugged my best friend Gretchen and we hollered into the microphone I had been using to count down the seconds, and hopped up and down like idiots. When we stopped hopping, a whisper in my ear. â€Å"So beautiful,† Enzo said. I turned to look at him, at this gorgeous, beautiful boy who I was seriously considering making my boyfriend. He was a perfect combination: heart-flutteringly pretty and apparently entirely ignorant of the fact, because he’d been spending the last week trying to charm me with his words, of all things. Words! Like he didn’t get the teenage boy manual on how to be completely inarticulate around girls. I appreciated the effort. And I appreciated the fact that when he whispered his words, he was looking at me and not the planet. I glanced over at my parents about six meters away, kissing to celebrate the arrival. That seemed like a good idea. I reached my hand behind Enzo’s head to draw him to me and planted one right on his lips. Our first kiss. New world, new life, new boyfriend. What can I say. I was caught up in the moment. Enzo didn’t complain. â€Å"‘O brave new world, that has such people in it,'† he said, after I let him breathe again. I smiled at him, my arms still around his neck. â€Å"You’ve been saving that up,† I said. â€Å"Maybe,† he admitted. â€Å"I wanted you to have a quality first kiss moment.† See. Most sixteen-year-old boys would have used a kiss as an excuse to dive straight for the boobs. He used it as an excuse for Shakespeare. A girl could do worse. â€Å"You’re adorable,† I said, kissed him again, then gave him a playful push and launched myself into my parents, breaking up their canoodling and demanding their attention. The two of them were our colony’s leaders, and soon enough they would barely have time to breathe. It was best I get in some quality time while I could. We hugged and laughed and then Gretchen yanked me back toward her. â€Å"Look what I have,† she said, and thrust her PDA in my face. It showed a vidcap of me and Enzo kissing. â€Å"You evil little thing,† I said. â€Å"It’s amazing,† Gretchen said. â€Å"It actually looks like you’re trying to swallow his entire face.† â€Å"Stop it,† I said. â€Å"See? Look,† Gretchen tapped a button, and the vidcap played in slow motion. â€Å"Right there. You’re mauling him. Like his lips were made of chocolate.† I was trying very hard not to laugh, because she was actually right about that. â€Å"Wench,† I said. â€Å"Give me that.† I snatched the PDA from her with one hand, erased the file, and handed it back. â€Å"There. Thank you.† â€Å"Oh, no,† Gretchen said, mildly, taking the PDA. â€Å"Learned your lesson about violating the privacy of others?† I said. â€Å"Oh, yes,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"Of course, you already forwarded it to everyone we know before you showed it to me, didn’t you?† â€Å"Maybe,† Gretchen said, and put her hand to her mouth, eyes wide. â€Å"Evil,† I said, admiringly. â€Å"Thank you,† Gretchen said, and curtsied. â€Å"Just remember I know where you live,† I said. â€Å"For the rest of our lives,† Gretchen said, and then we did embarrassingly girly squeals and had another hug. Living the rest of your life with the same two thousand people ran the risk of being dead-bang boring, but not with Gretchen around. We unhugged and then I looked around to see who else I wanted to celebrate with. Enzo was hovering in the background, but he was smart enough to know that I’d get back to him. I looked over and saw Savitri Guntupalli, my parents’ assistant, conferring with my dad very seriously about something. Savitri: She was smart and capable and could be wicked funny, but she was always working. I got between her and Dad and demanded a hug. Yes, I was all about the hugs. But, you know, look: You only get to see your new world for the first time once. â€Å"Zoe,† Dad said, â€Å"can I have my PDA back?† I had taken Dad’s PDA because he’d set the exact time the Magellan would skip from the Phoenix system to Roanoke, and used it to count off the last few minutes before the jump. I had my own PDA, of course; it was in my pocket. No doubt the vid-cap of me smooching Enzo was waiting for me in my in-box, just like it was in the in-boxes of all our friends. I made a note to myself to plot revenge against Gretchen. Sweet, merciless revenge. Involving witnesses. And farm animals. But for now I gave Dad back his PDA, gave him a peck on his cheek, and found my way back to Enzo. â€Å"So,† Enzo said, and smiled. God, he was even charming when monosyllabic. The rational part of my brain was lecturing me about how infatuation makes everything seem better than it is; the irrational part (meaning, most of me) was telling the rational part to get well and truly stuffed. â€Å"So,† I said back, not nearly as charmingly, but Enzo didn’t seem to notice. â€Å"I was talking to Magdy,† Enzo said. â€Å"Uh-oh,† I said. â€Å"Magdy’s not so bad,† Enzo said. â€Å"Sure, for certain values of ‘not so bad,’ meaning ‘bad,'† I said. â€Å"And he said that he was talking to some of the Magellan crew,† Enzo said, forging along (charmingly). â€Å"They told him about an observation lounge on the crew level that’s usually empty. He says we could get a great view of the planet there.† I glanced over Enzo’s shoulder, where Magdy was talking animatedly to Gretchen (or at her, depending on one’s point of view). â€Å"I don’t think the planet is what he’s hoping to view,† I said. Enzo glanced back. â€Å"Maybe not,† he said. â€Å"Although to be fair to Magdy, certain people aren’t exactly trying hard not to be viewed.† I crooked an eyebrow at that; it was true enough, although I knew Gretchen was more into the flirting than anything else. â€Å"And what about you?† I said. â€Å"What are you hoping to see?† Enzo smiled and held up his hands, disarmingly. â€Å"Zoe,† he said. â€Å"I just got to kiss you. I think I want to work on that a little more before moving on to anything else.† â€Å"Ooh, nicely said,† I said. â€Å"Do these lines work on all the girls?† â€Å"You’re the first girl I’ve tried them on,† Enzo said. â€Å"So you’ll have to let me know.† I actually blushed, and gave him a hug. â€Å"So far, so good,† I said. â€Å"Good,† Enzo said. â€Å"Also, you know. I’ve seen your bodyguards. I don’t think I want them to use me for target practice.† â€Å"What?† I said, mock-shocked. â€Å"You’re not frightened of Hickory and Dickory, are you? They’re not even here.† Actually, Enzo has a perfectly good reason to be utterly terrified of Hickory and Dickory, who were already vaguely suspicious of him and would happily cycle him out an airlock if he did anything stupid with me. But there was no reason to let him know that yet. Good rule of thumb: When your relationship is minutes old, don’t freak out the new squeeze. And anyway, Hickory and Dickory were sitting out this celebration. They were aware they made most of the humans nervous. â€Å"I was actually thinking of your parents,† Enzo said. â€Å"Although they seem to be missing, too.† Enzo motioned with his head to where John and Jane had been standing a few minutes before; now neither of them were there. I saw Savitri leaving the common area as well, as if she suddenly had someplace to be. â€Å"I wonder where they went,† I said, mostly to myself. â€Å"They’re the colony leaders,† Enzo said. â€Å"Maybe now they have to start working.† â€Å"Maybe,† I said. It was unusual for either John or Jane to disappear without telling me where they were going; it was just a common courtesy. I fought back the urge to message them on my PDA. â€Å"So, the observation lounge,† Enzo said, getting himself back to the topic at hand. â€Å"You want to check it out?† â€Å"It’s on the crew deck,† I said. â€Å"You think we might get in trouble?† â€Å"Maybe,† Enzo said. â€Å"But what can they do? Make us walk the plank? At worst they’ll just tell us to get lost. And until then we’ll have a heck of a view.† â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"But if Magdy turns into all tentacles, I’m leaving. There are some things I don’t need to see.† Enzo laughed. â€Å"Fair enough,† he said, and I snuggled into him a little. This new boyfriend thing was turning out just fine. We spent some more time celebrating with our friends and their families. Then, after things had settled down enough, we followed Magdy and Gretchen through the Magellan and toward the crew observation lounge. I thought sneaking into the crew area might be a problem; not only was it easy, but a crew member coming out of an entrance held it open for us. â€Å"Security is not a huge issue here on the Magellan,† Gretchen said, back to me and Enzo, then looked down at our clasped hands and smiled at me. She was evil, sure, but she was also happy for me. The observation lounge was where it was advertised to be, but alas for Magdy’s nefarious plans, it was not empty as promised; four Magellan crew members sat at a table, intent in a conversation. I glanced over to Magdy, who looked like he had just swallowed a fork. I found this rather amusing myself. Poor, poor Magdy. Frustration became him. â€Å"Look,† Enzo said, and still holding my hand, guided me to a huge observation window. Roanoke filled the view, gorgeously green, fully illuminated with her sun behind us, more breathtaking in person than she was on the monitors. Seeing something with your own eyes makes a difference. It was the most beautiful thing I think I’d ever seen. Roanoke. Our world. â€Å"Wrong place,† I heard, barely, from the conversation at the table to the left of me. I glanced over at the table. The four Magellan crew there were so engaged in their conversation and so closed in to each other that it looked like most of their bodies were actually on the table rather than in their seats. One of the crew was sitting with his back to me, but I could see the other three, two men and a woman. The expression on their faces was grim. I have a habit of listening in to other people’s conversations. It’s not a bad habit unless you get caught. The way not to get caught is to make sure it looks like your attention is somewhere else. I dropped my hand from Enzo’s and took a step toward the observation lounge window. This got me closer to the table while at the same time keeping Enzo from whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I kept myself visually intent on Roanoke. â€Å"You don’t just miss,† one of the crew members was saying. â€Å"And the captain sure as hell doesn’t. He could put the Magellan in orbit around a pebble if he wanted to.† The crew member with his back to me said something low, which I couldn’t hear. â€Å"That’s crap,† said the first crew member. â€Å"How many ships have actually gone missing in the last twenty years? In the last fifty? No one gets lost anymore.† â€Å"What are you thinking?† I jumped, which made Enzo jump. â€Å"Sorry,† he said, as I turned to give him an exasperated look. I put a finger to my lips to shush him, and then motioned with my eyes at the table now behind me. Enzo glanced behind me and saw the table. What? he mouthed. I shook my head a tiny bit to tell him he shouldn’t distract me anymore. He gave me a strange look. I took his hand again to let him know I wasn’t upset with him, but then focused my attention back to the table. † – calm. We don’t know anything yet,† said another voice, this one belonging (I think) to the woman. â€Å"Who else knows about this?† Another mutter from the crew member facing away from me. â€Å"Good. We need to keep it that way,† she said. â€Å"I’ll clamp down on things in my department if I hear anything, but it only works if we all do it.† â€Å"It won’t stop the crew from talking,† said someone else. â€Å"No, but it’ll slow down the rumors, and that’s good enough until we know what’s really happened,† the woman said. Yet another mutter. â€Å"Well, if it’s true, then we have bigger problems, don’t we?† said the woman, and all the strain she was experiencing was suddenly clear in her voice. I shuddered a little; Enzo felt it through my hand and looked at me, concerned. I gave him a serious hug. It meant losing the rest of the conversational thread, but at the moment, it’s what I wanted. Priorities change. There was the sound of chairs pushing back. I turned and the crew members – it was pretty clear they were actually officers – were already heading toward the door. I broke away from Enzo to get the attention of the one closest to me, the one who had had his back to me earlier. I tapped him on the shoulder; he turned and seemed very surprised to see me. â€Å"Who are you?† he said. â€Å"Has something happened to the Magellan?† I asked. The best way to learn stuff is not to get distracted, for example, by questions relating to one’s identity. The man actually scowled, which is something I’d read about but had never actually seen someone do, until now. â€Å"You were listening to our conversation.† â€Å"Is the ship lost?† I asked. â€Å"Do we know where we are? Is something wrong with the ship?† He took a step back, like the questions were actually hitting him. I should have taken a step forward and pressed him. I didn’t. He regained his footing and looked past me to Enzo and Gretchen and Magdy, who were all looking at us. Then he realized who we were, and straightened up. â€Å"You kids aren’t supposed to be here. Get out, or I’ll have ship’s security throw you out. Get back to your families.† He turned to go. I reached toward him again. â€Å"Sir, wait,† I said. He ignored me and walked out of the lounge. â€Å"What’s going on?† Magdy asked me, from across the room. â€Å"I don’t want to get in trouble because you’ve pissed off some random crew member.† I shot Magdy a look, and turned to look out the window again. Roanoke still hung there, blue and green. But suddenly not as beautiful. Suddenly unfamiliar. Suddenly threatening. Enzo put his hand on my shoulder. â€Å"What is it, Zoe?† he said. I kept staring out the window. â€Å"I think we’re lost,† I said. â€Å"Why?† Gretchen asked. She had come up beside me. â€Å"What were they talking about?† â€Å"I couldn’t hear it all,† I said. â€Å"But it sounded like they were saying we’re not where we’re supposed to be.† I pointed to the planet. â€Å"That this isn’t Roanoke.† â€Å"That’s crazy,† Magdy said. â€Å"Of course it’s crazy,† I said. â€Å"Doesn’t mean it might not be true.† I pulled out my PDA from my pocket and tried to connect with Dad. No answer. I tried connecting to Mom. No answer. â€Å"Gretchen,† I said. â€Å"Would you try calling your dad?† Gretchen’s dad was on the colonial council my parents headed up. â€Å"He’s not answering,† she said, after a minute. â€Å"It doesn’t mean anything bad,† Enzo said. â€Å"We did just skip to a new planet. Maybe they’re busy with that.† â€Å"Maybe they’re still celebrating,† Magdy said. Gretchen smacked him upside the head. â€Å"You really are childish, Magdy,† she said. Magdy rubbed the side of his head and shut up. This evening was not going anything like he had planned. Gretchen turned to me. â€Å"What do you think we should do?† â€Å"I don’t know,† I said. â€Å"They were talking about keeping the crew from talking. It means some of them might know what’s going on. It won’t take long to get to the colonists.† â€Å"It’s already gotten to the colonists,† Enzo said. â€Å"We’re colonists.† â€Å"We might want to tell someone,† Gretchen said. â€Å"I think your parents and my dad need to know, at least.† I glanced down at her PDA. â€Å"I think they might know already,† I said. â€Å"We should make sure,† she said. So we left the observation lounge and went looking for our parents. We didn’t find them; they were in a council meeting. I did find Hickory and Dickory, or rather, they found me. â€Å"I think I should go,† Enzo said, after they’d stared at him, unblinking, for a minute. It wasn’t meant as intimidation; they don’t blink at all. I gave him a peck on the cheek. He and Magdy left. â€Å"I’m going to listen around,† Gretchen said. â€Å"See what people are saying.† â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"Me too.† I held up my PDA. â€Å"Let me know what you hear.† She left. I turned to Hickory and Dickory. â€Å"You two,† I said. â€Å"You were in your room earlier.† â€Å"We came looking for you,† Hickory said. It was the talker of the two. Dickory could talk, but it was always a surprise when it happened. â€Å"Why?† I said. â€Å"I was perfectly safe before. I’ve been perfectly safe since we left Phoenix Station. The Magellan is entirely threat-free. The only thing you’ve been good for this entire trip is scaring the crap out of Enzo. Why are you looking for me now?† â€Å"Things have changed,† Hickory said. â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked, but then my PDA vibrated. It was Gretchen. â€Å"That was fast,† I said. â€Å"I just ran into Mika,† she said. â€Å"You won’t believe what she said a crew member just told her brother.† The adult colonists may have been either clueless or tight-lipped, but the Roanoke teenage rumor mill was in full swing. In the next hour, this is what we â€Å"learned†: That during the skip to Roanoke, the Magellan had wandered too close to a star and had been thrown out of the galaxy. That there was a mutiny and the first officer had relieved Captain Zane of command because of incompetence. That Captain Zane shot his own traitorous first officer right there on the bridge and said he’d shoot anyone who tried to help him. That the computer systems had failed just before the skip, and we didn’t know where we were. That aliens had attacked the ship and were floating out there, deciding whether to finish us off. That Roanoke was poisonous to human life and if we landed there we’d die. That there was a core breach in the engine room, whatever that meant, and that the Magellan was this close to blowing up. That ecoterrorists had hacked into the Magellan’s computer systems and sent us off in another direction so that we couldn’t ruin another planet. No, wait, it was wildcat colonists-turned-pirates who hacked in, and they were planning to steal our colony supplies because their own were running low. No, wait, it was mutinous crew members who were going to steal our supplies and leave us stranded on the planet. No, wait, it wasn’t thieving crew, wildcat pirates or ecoterrorists, it was just some idiot programmer who messed up the code, and now we don’t know where we are. No, wait, nothing’s wrong, this is just the standard operating procedure. There’s not a thing wrong, now stop bothering the crew and let us work, damn it. I want to be clear about something: We knew most of this was crap and nonsense. But what was underneath all the crap and nonsense was just as important: Confusion and unease had spread through the crew of the Magellan, and from them, to us. It moved fast. It told any number of lies – not to lie but to try to make sense of something. Something that happened. Something that shouldn’t have happened. Through all of this, nothing from Mom or Dad, or Gretchen’s dad, or any of the colony council, all the members of which had suddenly found themselves called into a meeting. The common room, previously deserted after the new world celebrations, began to fill up again. This time people weren’t celebrating. They looked confused, and concerned and tense, and some of them were beginning to look angry. â€Å"This isn’t going to turn out well,† Gretchen said to me when we reunited. â€Å"How are you doing?† I said. She shrugged. â€Å"Something’s happening, that’s for sure. Everyone’s on edge. It’s putting me on edge.† â€Å"Don’t go crazy on me,† I said. â€Å"Then there won’t be anyone to hold me back when I lose it.† â€Å"Oh, well, for your sake then,† Gretchen said, and rolled her eyes dramatically. â€Å"Well. At least now I’m not having to fight off Magdy.† â€Å"I like how you can see the bright side of any situation,† I said. â€Å"Thanks,† she said. â€Å"How are you?† â€Å"Honestly?† I asked. She nodded. â€Å"Scared as hell.† â€Å"Thank God,† she said. â€Å"It’s not only me.† She held up her thumb and finger and marked the tiny space between them. â€Å"For the last half hour I’ve been this close to peeing myself.† I took a step back. Gretchen laughed. The ship’s intercom kicked on. â€Å"This is Captain Zane,† a man’s voice said. â€Å"This is a general message for passengers and crew. All crew will assemble in their respective department conference rooms in ten minutes, 2330 ship time. All passengers will assemble in the passenger common area in ten minutes, 2330 ship time. Passengers, this is a mandatory assembly. You will be addressed by your colony leaders.† The intercom went dead. â€Å"Come on,† I said to Gretchen, and pointed to the platform where, earlier in the evening, she and I counted down the seconds until we were at our new world. â€Å"We should get a good place.† â€Å"It’s going to get crowded in here,† she said. I pointed to Hickory and Dickory. â€Å"They’ll be with us. You know how everyone gives them all the space they want.† Gretchen looked up at the two of them, and I realized that she wasn’t terribly fond of them either. Minutes later the council came streaming in from one of the common area side doors and made their way to the platform. Gretchen and I stood in the front, Hickory and Dickory behind us, and at least five feet on every side. Alien bodyguards create their own buffer zone. A whisper in my ear. â€Å"Hey,† Enzo said. I looked over to him and smiled. â€Å"I wondered if you were going to be here,† I said. â€Å"It’s an all-colonist meeting,† he said. â€Å"Not here, in general,† I said. â€Å"Here.† â€Å"Oh,† Enzo said. â€Å"I took a chance that your bodyguards wouldn’t stab me.† â€Å"I’m glad you did,† I said. I took his hand. On the platform, John Perry, the colony leader, my dad, came forward and picked up the microphone that still lay there from earlier in the evening. His eyes met mine as he reached down to pick it up. Here’s the thing to know about my dad. He’s smart, he’s good at what he does, and almost all the time, his eyes look like he’s about to start laughing. He finds most things funny. He makes most things funny. When he looked at me as he picked up the microphone, his eyes were dark, and heavy, and as serious as I had ever seen them. When I saw them I was reminded, no matter how young he looked, how old he really was. For as much as he could make light of things, he was a man who had seen trouble more than once in his life. And he was seeing it again. Now, with us. For all of us. Everyone else would know it as soon as he opened his mouth to tell them, but right then was when I knew – when I saw the truth of our situation. We were lost. How to cite Zoe’s Tale PART III PROLOGUE, Essay examples

Managing A PC Essay Example For Students

Managing A PC Essay Managing A Personal Computer1.1 The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is one of files which loads every time the computer is booted. It contains command lines and procedures to run programs and load settings for the systems hardware and software configuration. It also may contain command lines procedures to run programs which may clean your systems hard drive of temporary files and viruses. An example of this file is shown below:@ECHO OFFPROMPT $P$GSET PATH=C:DOSLH C:SBCDDRVMSCDEX.EXE /S /D:MSCD001 /M:8 /VSET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4SET SOUND=C:SBPROC:MOUSEMMOUSE.COMThe first line of this batch file, @ECHO OFF, is programming command which hides all the command lines procedures from the user. The second line is also a programming command that configures the CUI command prompt. The parameters after PROMPT tell the CUI what to show. The $P stands for current drive and path and $G stands for the greater than sign (). Apart from those two parameters, a user can add any characters after PROMPT and itll be s hown as the command prompt. The next command configures the CUI to search for files in that directory first before looking in its current location. The SET and PATH command procedures, even though different commands, are used in conjunction to configure CUI environment variables and the parameters displayed after that are what the CUI will search in first. The next command is loading DOSs CD-Rom drive letter allocater (The CD-Rom driver must be loaded first in the CONFIG.SYS). The parameters after the executable file inform the CUI to allocate a particular drive letter for the CD-Rom and also may inform the CUI to allocate extended memory or how to read the CD-Rom in terms of speed and sectors. The LH configures the CUI to load this command procedure in high or extended memory. The next command procedure allocates the Interrupt and Drive Memory allocation for the systems sound card as well as informing the CUI of the sound cards input/output range. The next command procedure informs the CUI to look for all the drivers for the sound card in its parameters which will be a directory on the hard disk. The last command loads the driver for the mouse. This command procedure doesnt need any parameters and is just a single command procedure telling the CUI to load that executable file. 1.2 A Batch File Which Asks For User Input:@echo offclsIF %1==C GOTO DRIVEIF %1==D GOTO DRIVEif %1==c goto driveif %1==d goto driveecho Please type INSTALL X (Replace X with your hard drive letter)echo eg. INSTALL Cgoto :quitinstall:DRIVEecho Welcome to the Batch Input Demo written by Leon Douglas. echo. echo Do You wish to continue?choice /n Yes or Noclsecho offmd %1:minstallcd %1:minstallecho offcopy a:inst2.batinst2:quitinstallWithout going into excessive detail of this batch program, what it is accomplishing is a drive letter to install a program into as well as a yes or no instruction to continue. The first part of the batch file which is in bold is the piece of programming that requires a drive letter to be typed as a parameter to the batch file. It will only recognise C or D as drive letters, whether it be as uppercase or lowercase. If the user does not type a parameter or types a different drive letter other than C or D, the batch file will display a message that states a drive letter is required before continuing. In the second piece of programming which is in italics is what the user will see if they type C or D as a parameter next to the batch files name as the command procedure. This part of the programming asks the user whether to continue with the installation or not. I f the user types anything apart from yes,no,y or n the program will not proceed until the correct parameter is typed. If the user enters the correct parameter the program will proceed to the next step which is shown above in bold and Italics. This part of the batch program makes a directory on the given drive and then copies another batch file from the same location as itself to the directory it created. From here, this batch file terminates after the command procedure is given to start the other batch file.1.3 Macros That Automate Procedures Within A GUI (Windows) Within Windows 95 there are several ways that procedures can be automatically loaded without the input of a user. The two most common methods are by placing command line procedures as icons within the Startup folder of Windows or by placing the command line procedures in the LOAD= line of the WIN.INI. Another method is by placing the command line procedure within the Windows Registry but that is the most complex method. T o automate procedures via the Startup folder is a very easy task. Simply make a new icon or shortcut within the folder and browse for the executable file you would like to load. Simply save the icon and next time windows is loaded, that executable will be loaded at the start up as well. To add command line procedures into the WIN.INI file is just as easy, here is an example: windows spooler=yes load=c:scenesscenes.exe navpopup.exe There are two executables as you can see, navpopup.exe and scenes.exe, and these are loaded at the startup as well. The space between the two is all that is needed for Windows to differentiate between the two programs but parameters can also be placed in as well. As you can also see, navpopup.exe doesnt have a directory path so the file must be within the SET PATH command line procedure in the AUTOEXEC.BAT. 1.4 To produce single keystroke operations for various tasks, also known as Hot Keys, is very simple. For an example, within Windows 95, a hot key can be assigned to open a particular executable. This is done by opening the properties of the executable icon and adding a letter in the Shortcut Key box. 2.1 Installing or Upgrading a software package within a CUI is a very easy task. An example would be to install a game that doesnt have any sub-directories. The game will be on a floppy disk and we will have to make a directory on the hard disk. It would go as follows:C: {Enter} MD GAME{Enter} CD GAME {Enter}COPY A:{Enter} The game no can be played by simply typing the executable file name under the directory GAME. Communication And Race Essay3.3 Installing anti-virus software is the easiest part. The hardest part is finding the right package for you which will perform all the tasks you need it to. When I look for an anti-virus package, it MUST be able to do a surface scan of my computer each day apon booting in the CUI by loading the AUTOEXEC.BAT. The other crucial task it should be able to do is sit resident in the background of my GUI, scanning everything I open and automatically disinfects or informs me of any virus it finds. Category: Technology