One Thousand And One Nights Essay Example for Free

One Thousand And One Nights Essay Authors Note: I will confess that sucked-into-video-game styled stories have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. My only complaint is that they always tend to follow the same formula. With that in mind, I am going to try and switch things up a bit with this story. I hope you enjoy it, and regardless of the feedback being good or bad, I would love to hear your thoughts. PROLOGUE By the time you are nine-years-old, you are already considered a woman. In my mothers country, you could already be married off at that age. You could live in a house with your husbands family, you could bare children, and you can consumate your marriage even before you are of a mature age. Alas, I am not nine, I am not married, and in many respects, Im not yet a woman. At least, Ive never felt that way. To be perfectly honest, Ive always felt like a child. My family may have disciplined me into being quiet and intelligent, to pray five times a day to Allah, to read the Quran and wear the hijab, and always to get good grades, but Ive always felt this longing for adventure. They wanted me to grow up quickly so I would have a future that was every bit as special and important as the ones promised to other American children. But during my studies, my mind would always wander to imaginary worlds of castles, dragons, fairies, and of knights and princesses that banded together to save the day. And that feeling would build in my chest: warm and comforting, so light that it can almost lift you off your feet, whispering promises of laughter and happiness to come. It isnt easy being a Muslim in a sixth grade class full of conservative Christians, girls with gothic make up, or boys with their pants worn so low that their underwear shows. Despite how different they all are from each other, all of them were the same in their treatment towards me. At the very least, my imagination would offer feelings of companionship. Close friends who would accept me for who I was and not for what I wore or how many times I had to stop and pray throughout the day. At least, when I had finished my homework and had the time to write and draw in my notebooks, I could return to that imaginary place of peace and happiness. And sometimes, as childish as it may sound, I would pretend that such a place existed. Then I was killed. At least, thats what I think happened. The nicest aspect of imagination is that, in your own world, there are no Islamophobes. There are no people who want you dead simply because you are Muslim. You dont have to worry about stepping into the mosque and some scary man driving a van full of explosives into the building. He wanted to take out as many Muslims as he could, and one of them was me. Everything happened so suddenly that its hard to recall exactly how it happened. I remember hearing glass shattering. The doors leading into the mosque were made of glass, so I assume that was where the van drove into the building. There was the sound of doors being broken down, or wood snapping, and then the blast. I was the closest to the wall where the explosion went off. I remember feeling something smash against the side of my head and I briefly remember the heat that followed. There was nothingness for awhile: I could not see, think, or hear anything that was happening around me. I could not feel anything anymore. The best way I can accurately describe it would be a black out. Because it happened so quickly, I did not have time to register whether or not I was dead. I reached that conclusion when I woke up here. The Quran describes paradise as a place of large trees, sweet water, and pure soil of musk. The dwellers of heaven would not feel the excessive heat of the sun, nor the excessive cold of the moon. It is a realm of magnificence. This afterlife did not fit that exact description. There were trees larger than any I have seen in this life. There was water, beautiful and sweet, with the ability to heal me if I were hurt, or provide me with energy when I was weary. There was soil so pure that flowers and plants of all kinds could grow. It was indeed a realm of magnificence, but also a realm of both wonder and ruin. There were times that were heartbreaking. There were moments where I was sure I was going to die a second death. There were moments where we would walk and walk and walk with no chance of knowing if we would ever truly reach our destination. But there were moments of happiness and laughter. There were moments where we could laugh about the hardships we had just overcome. And there was that feeling of acceptance. I had found people who did not hate me for what I wore or what I worshipped. Before I continue with my story, I should introduce myself: My name is Nasira. I was twelve-years-old when I died and woke up on the Mist Continent.

fahrenheit 9/11 :: essays research papers

1. Although most journalists would state that their main objective in reporting on a story is to maintain impartial, this with the onset of cable news stations as well as the internet has become increasingly rare. Cable news stations such as CNN and FOX news are increasingly influenced by the politicians and corporations which control most of their funding. As Michael Moore states in his documentary â€Å" Fahrenheit 9/11†, which ironically is another good example of bias in the media, the man in charge of Fox News’ decision desk on election night was none other then George Bush’s first cousin. I would seem impartially may be compromised in this situation. To say that the media worked together with the media to promote the Iraq war may be an exaggeration, however the media in know way held the government responsible for the fraud that they committed in invading Iraq. The media, whether knowingly or not, promoted the Bush Administrations agenda in Iraq by arousin g overwhelming feelings of nationalism in the American people. It then became unpopular, or un-american to oppose the war. In the case of the Iraq war the media failed to properly fulfill its responsibility of maintaining accountability in government as well as most importantly reporting in an impartial style. Saddam Hussein was a dictator, who through intimidation and force maintained his grasp on power. These are tactics used by many governments throughout the world, ironically including the Amercian government. Saddam had a history of human rights violations and corruption, although compared to other international leaders his transgressions can be considered moderate. For example, in countries such as Rwanda and Sudan far more extreme measures have been taken by leaders, while the international community did little. The Iraq war is based far more upon oil and power then it is freedom. Seemingly, the Bush Administration and their corporate allies saw an opportunity to control the world’s second largest supply of oil and thus, like any savvy businessman would do, exploited it.

Cba 300 Ch 1 Notes

CBA 300—Section 01 ? Dr. Sam Min CBA353 ? Office Hours: Friday 8:00am – 10:00am ? Read your text book first, come & take notes, and read newspapers ? Tests are straightforward, text, weakly reading, and lectures TEST 1 September 14 Chapters 1, 2, 3 TEST 2 October 5 Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7 TEST 3 October 26 Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11 TEST 4 November 16 Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15 FINAL Final Week Chapters 16, 17, 18 Assignments & in-class activities Total (50 points) (50 points) (50 points) (50 points) (50 points) (30 points) 280 points CBA 300—Section 01 †¢ The grading system will be as follows: Total points Possible: 280 252 and more = A 224 to 251 = B 196 to 223 = C 168 to 195 = D Less than 167 = F 2 3 ASSIGNMENTS 1-5 Please read any article of your interest, which is related to International Business and (1) summarize the article (1/2 page) and (2) discuss what you learned from reading the article (1/2 page). †¢ Do not write more than 1 page. †¢ Use 12 font size, 1. 5 spaced, 1-inch margins, and Times New Roman. This assignment is worth maximum 4 points. Due is on each testing date! 4 Chapter 1 – The Challenging World of International Business International Business 13e by Ball, Geringer, McNett, and Minor 5 Why you need global business perspective? †¢ â€Å"Having a foreign perspective gives you an advantage not only for doing business outside U. S. but domestically, where we have the most diverse society in the world. † – Carlos Gutierrez, the CEO of Kellogg & US 35th Secretary of Commerce 6CEOs of Fortune’s larges American corporations strongly believe: (1) An international orientation should be an important part of college business education (2) International business skills and knowledge were important not merely for promotion to senior executive positions, but also for appointment to entry-level positions, and across a broad array of functional as well as cross-functional areas (3) The above two p oints are even more important for those anticipating international activities increase in the next five years. 7 My suggestions 1) Take IB course(s) (2) Consider going overseas (exchange program, intern, English teacher, volunteer, mission, etc. ) (3) Learn foreign language 8 Topics †¢ What is international business? †¢ IB Concepts and seven dimensions for globalizing a business †¢ What is different about international business? †¢ Growth of international firms and IB †¢ What is globalization? †¢ The drivers of globalization 9 What is International Business? †¢ International Business (IB): any business transaction across national borders – Trade in goods – Cross-border services ? consulting, advertising, egal, financial, accounting ? tourism, banking, communications/media, construction management, etc. †¢ Company activity inputs may involve IB activity even if outputs do not – Firm’s revenues may come entirely from the home country – Key raw materials, knowledge, processes may come partially or entirely from other countries Concepts of International Companies A Multidomestic Company has multi-country affiliates, each of which formulates its own business strategy based on perceived market difference A Global Company attempts to standardize and integrate operations worldwide in all functional areas. 1 The 7 Dimensions for Globalizing a Business 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1-12 Product Markets Promotion Where value is added Competitive strategy Use of non-home-country personnel Extent of global ownership in firm What is Different about International Business? International Business †¢ deals with 3 environmental forces: 1. Domestic 2. Foreign 3. International Domestic Business †¢ deals with the domestic market †¢ But†¦may face foreign competition in domestic market 1-13 Why is International Business Different? : Forces in the Environment ?Environmental forces can be classified as external or internal. †¢ External forces are uncontrollable, but perhaps can be influenced by mgmt. †¢ Internal forces are controllable by mgmt, but not completely. 14 External Forces †¢ Competitive – Kind, number, location †¢ Distributive – For distributing goods and services †¢ Economic – GNP, unit labor cost, personal consumption expenditure †¢ Socioeconomic – Characteristics of human population †¢ Financial – Interest rates, inflation rates, taxation 15 External Forces, cont’d. Legal – Laws governing how international firms must operate †¢ Physical – Topography, climate, and natural resources †¢ Political – Forms of government, and international organizations †¢ Sociocultural – Attitudes, beliefs, and opinions †¢ Labor – Skills, attitudes of labor †¢ Technological – Equipment and skills that affect how resources are converted to produ cts 16 Internal Environmental Forces †¢ Factors of Production – Capital, raw materials, and people †¢ Activities of the organization – Personnel, finance, production, and marketing 17Explosive Growth †¢ Exporting – transportation of any domestic good/service to a destination outside a country or region – The level of world merchandise exports increased from $2 trillion (1980) to $15. 24 trillion (2010). – Service $365 billion (1980) to $3. 7 trillion (2010). 18 Growth in the volume of world merchandise exports and production, 2000-2007 2000-07 World merchandise exports Agricultural products Fuels and mining products Manufactures 5. 5 4. 0 3. 5 6. 5 2005 6. 5 6. 0 3. 5 7. 5 2006 8. 5 6. 0 3. 5 10. 0 2007 6. 0 4. 5 3. 0 7. 5World merchandise production Agriculture Mining Manufacturing World GDP 3. 0 2. 5 1. 5 3. 0 3. 0 3. 0 2. 0 1. 5 4. 0 3. 0 3. 0 1. 5 1. 0 4. 0 3. 5 4. 0 2. 5 0. 0 5. 0 3. 5 Note : See the Metadata for the estimation of world aggregates of merchandise exports, production and GDP. 19 Growth in volume of world merchandise trade and GDP, 2000-11 (Annual % change) Source: WTO 2011a: Figures of 2011 are projections 20 Explosive Growth ? Foreign Direct Investment – Direct investment in equipment, structures, and organizations in a foreign country †¢ level sufficient to obtain significant anagement control – World stock of outward FDI was $19 trillion at the beginning of 2010 (9 times larger than what it was in 1990). 21 Number of International Companies †¢ Keeps expanding and the big get bigger. – ExxonMobil sales for 2011: $486 billion – Wal-Mart sales revenue for 2011: $446 billion 22 Globalization †¢ the process of transformation of local or regional things or phenomena into global ones. – Technological globalization – Political globalization – Economic globalization – Cultural globalization 23 Globalization Economic Globalizati on – is the international integration of goods, technology, labor, and capital. – refers to the implementation of global strategies which link and coordinate a firm’s international activities on a worldwide basis. 24 Drivers of Globalization †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Political Drivers Technological Drivers Market Drivers Cost Drivers Competitive Drivers 1-25 Political – There is a trend toward the unification and socialization of the global community. – NAFTA and the European Union present significant marketing opportunities for companies. the progressive reduction of barriers to trade and foreign investment by most governments. – the privatization of much of the industry in formerly communist nations. 26 Technology – Advancements in computers and communication technology are permitting an increased flow of ideas and information across borders. †¢ The Internet and network computing enable small companies to compete globally. †¢ Business to business commerce is experiencing significant savings by using the Internet for business exchanges. †¢ Foreign outsourcing more and more common 27 Globalization Forces Market – As companies globalize, they also become global customers. †¢ Companies follow customers abroad in order to avoid a competitor stealing the account. – The saturation of the home market also sends companies into foreign markets. – Emergence of global customers 28 Cost – Economies of scale to reduce unit cost are always a management goal. †¢ Globalizing product lines to reduce development, production, and inventory costs can help achieve economies of scale. †¢ Companies can also locate production in countries where production costs are lower. 29Competitive – Competition continues to increase in intensity. – Companies are defending their home markets from competitors by entering the competitors’ home markets to dis tract them. 30 Views On Globalization Arguments Supporting Globalization †¢ Enhances socioeconomic development Concerns with Globalization †¢ Uneven results across nations and people †¢ Promotes more and better jobs †¢ †¢ Deleterious effects on labor and labor standards Decline in environmental and health conditions 1-31 $1. 25 per Euro Crude Oil ($94. 61) Gold ($1,653. 5) Corn ($8. 10 per bushel)

Causes Of The French Revolution - 750 Words

A revolution is a drastic change in the way something is done, such as a government or an economy. One such revolution took place in France where the government was changed several times, many different people obtained power, and traditional ideas were questioned. The French Revolution had many social, political, and economic factors that caused it, and it was very impactful on the people of France, and on the areas outside of it. There were many causes of the French Revolution; some were political, some were economic and some were social. The amount of powers that the king held as an absolute monarch was a political cause of the revolution. He was allowed to appoint officials, declare war, levy taxes control the press, and imprison anyone†¦show more content†¦In 1789 â€Å"The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen† was a list of freedoms to be used in a new constitution, and it reformed the relationship between the citizens and the government (doc 5). By allowing the citizens to participate in government, it better aligned the government with the enlightenment. It also made the people happier and temporarily calmed the revolution by guaranteeing them freedoms that they thought were important. The Reign of Terror was also very impactful on the lives of the French citizens. During this time many people were imprisoned and executed by the guillotine for even suspicion of treason, and t his caused the people of France to live in fear (doc 6). Even though the Terror was successful in helping France in foreign wars, it caused people to live in fear, and to not trust anyone; it only took one person to report someone to the government and they would be gone the next day. During the revolution, many reforms were made to the educational system as well. Napoleon made school free as well as making it mandatory, universal and secular (doc 7). These policy changes made it so the French people were much more educated, more able to pursue careers outside of farming, and these policies are still the basis of the French school system. The revolution also had a significant impact outside of France as well. It made revolution less foreign to the rest ofShow MoreRelatedCauses Of The French Revolution1119 Words   |  5 PagesThe French Revolution The French Revolution of 1789 was one of the biggest upheavals in history. You may be wondering what exactly led this to happen, but there were multiple long range causes. Political, social, and economic conditions ultimately led to the discontent of many French people especially those of the third estate. The ideals of the Enlightenment brought new views to government and society. Before the revolution, the majority of France were living in poverty. Peasants were entirelyRead MoreCauses Of The French Revolution896 Words   |  4 Pagesyears, the French Revolution went from women marching to Versailles and demanding bread, to the institution of the Reign of Terror, which killed close to 250,000 people. The late 18th century was a dramatic time of French, political transformation which originally strived to implement equality throughout the nation. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen reflected the ideas of the Enlightenment and presented the idea of equality and liberty. In theory, the French Revolution of 1789Read MoreCauses Of The French Revolution906 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution began with a corrupt monarch, and ended with the death of thousands. In 1789 the bourgeoisie (middle class) and peasants revolted against King Louis XVI and nobility, citing various reasons as cause: including corruption and a poor economy. These p eople, making up 97% of the population, were known as the third estate. The original purpose of the revolution was to create a constitutional monarchy, but this idea quickly became lost in the radical ideas of the revolution. HoweverRead MoreCauses Of The French Revolution911 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution was a major turning point in all of European history. The old regime was destroyed and a new order came to be. We will talk about the causes of the revolution, when it ended, and if it was violent, Napoleon, what happened after his defeat, and some other leaders, and movies I have seen about the Revolution and how they were correct, plus other things I want to learn. The immediate cause of the French Revolution in 1789 was the near collapse of the French budget. On theRead MoreCauses of the French Revolution991 Words   |  4 PagesFor six of the eight causes of revolution, describe two events, actions or beliefs (evidence) during the years before the French Revolution that led to a developing revolutionary situation. Explain how each contributed to the revolutionary situation. Frances failed attempts at economic reform contributed heavily to the developing revolutionary situation. In August 1787, when the parlements refused to implement the Kings proposed changes to the financial system, it became clear that the Kings authorityRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution902 Words   |  4 Pagesthe French Revolution was not caused by one single phenomenon, however it can be said that the events occurring in accordance with the French Revolution were not only terrifying but when looking through our eyes just clearly wrong. The most significant reasons for the French Revolution are the imbalance of equality, power, and rights these reasons are supported by the ideas of liberty and fraternity which developed from the enlightenment era philosophers. In conclusion to the French Revolution theRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution1273 Words   |  6 PagesDuring 1789, the French Revolution broke out against totalitarian rule and extreme poverty suffered by French civilians. France was under the absolute control of Louis XVI who gathered groups of nobles, clergy, and other royal families in certain cities. The corrupt French royal families in those cities were squandering nearly 75% of France’s wealth and in addition to the expense of royal classes, other wealthy classes such as landlords, local government, and churches were not taxed which made taxesRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution1522 Words   |  7 PagesThe French Revolution The French Revolution was arguably one of the most significant and controversial events in European history. It occurred during the years 1789-1799 when many French citizens became enraged with society and demanded political, financial and social change. The French people’s primary goal was to put an end to monarchy and bring reform to many aspects of French life. Inspired and motivated by the famous American Revolution, French citizens were urged to take action in orderRead MoreFrench Revolution Causes1139 Words   |  5 Pages The French Revolution was not an event that happened overnight but rather a series of events that occurred over several years leading up to the overthrow of the monarchy and the implementation of a new government. The Primary cause for the fall of the Ancien regime was its financial instability and inability to improve upon the lives of the French people. The 4 key flaws or events leading to the fall of the regime was; the structure of royal government, the taxation system, the structure of frenchRead MoreCauses of the French Revolution3450 Words   |  14 PagesTHE FRENCH REVOLUTION (1789-1799) The French Revolution was a watershed event that changed Europe irrevocably and ended a century of slowly increasing opposition to absolutism and the supremacy of a decadent aristocracy. The causes of the French Revolution are difficult to pin down. Therefore, we will divide them into long-term and immediate causes. Within long-term causes, we will also define intellectual, political and economic causes. Long-Term Intellectual Causes Before a movement can reach