US Economic Policy Essay Example for Free

US Economic Policy Essay The United States of America is one of the richest nations of the world, with nearly a fifth of the world’s Gross Domestic Product emerging in the country. The US has the highest level of output in the world. The total GDP in the country in 2006 was 13. 2 trillion dollars. With a population now reaching 300 million people, the per capita income in the US now is nearly 45000 dollars per annum. In the last three years however, there have been concerns voiced about the health of the economy. The chief concerns have been in the housing market, which many feel has been overvalued. The savings rate has been coming down and therefore impacting the growth rate negatively. Also the US budget has now seen a deficit on the current account as revenue expenditure has been growing faster than revenue growth. The deficit might get worse later in 2007 as the economy weakens further. Wage costs have traditionally been high, and in a tight situation have increased even more causing some amounts of inflation. The Economic Intelligence Unit of the Economist has highlighted these problems faced by the US economy in recent times and also pointed to the falling exchange rate of the dollar with respect to the Euro as an indicator of the weakening American economy. The special report of the EIU released in August 2007 points out to the fact that the emergence of the European and Asian economies in the past have led to a fall in the pivotal importance the US economy had in the world economy. The report points to the recession in the US economy leading to a likely fall in growth rates in the country in 2008 and onwards. It is in this context that it becomes important to look at the state of the economy in the US in the past three years. In the past, the US economy had been doing well, despite the slowdowns seen in the rest of the developed world. With low interest rates, high employment levels and a strong construction sector, the economy had seen balanced economic growth with a robust export performance in the decade of the nineties. Right at the outset it will be important to underline the role played by the free market operating in a democratic context. The US has remained wedded to the concept of a free market economy governed under unwavering democratic principles. This has allowed a strong civil rights movement to flourish, consumer lobbies to argue strongly for anti monopolistic practices and a competition regulatory mechanism in place. It is indeed this fundamental strength that allows the US to remain the world’s most powerful economy in the democratic framework it works on and the political freedom the constitution guarantees. It is political freedom that enables the optimal use of resources in any country. Interest groups exert pressure on governments and ensure widespread and sustainable growth. Free market based economies like the US work on the principles of rule of law, property rights and enforcement of contracts. This way growth is robust and is not vulnerable to shocks that are inherent in a globalized world. Lipset (1959) and Sen (1999) have argued that it is democracy that fosters economic growth across the world. Foreign trade and exchange rates After joining NAFTA, in its 1994 version and now with the revised agreement, the US economy is now increasingly integrated with the North American economy. As a result any slowdown in the US economy have been balanced out by the growth seen in Canada and in Mexico. The economic policy in recent times is characterized by a relatively stable prime interest rate, the exchange rate falling gradually and a healthy foreign exchange reserve. With healthy increase in exports of more than 11% last year, US external trade is critical to the economy and that is the most important reason for the monetary policy aimed at keeping the dollar a floating currency. A free float enables a currency to absorb shock. And countries that are so clearly exposed to external shocks need to be able to cushion external changes. Historically, the US’ monetary policy as regards the currency rate has been one where the state intervened in currency transactions and the central bank monitored the exchange rate. However this has now changed and the exchange rate regime follows a true floating mechanism that would change with the market situation as regards imports and exports. In the year 2006 past, the trade deficit in trade in goods and merchandise has reached US$838bn in 2006. This is primarily on account of the huge trade deficit with China, and this could give rise to some protectionism in the US economy. The cheaper local currency that is being seen now will encourage exports and discourage imports taking the trade deficit towards a positive value. Monetary policy Monetary policy is often a toll that is defined and determined by the inflation rate. In democratic countries, price rise is often politically unacceptable especially with frequent elections. Hence the central bank and the treasury tend to keep a close watch on the inflation and on the customer price index. On this front, the US economy has performed well with modest inflation helped by an interest rate that is stable. The low inflation rate might have an impact on domestic demand, as the aggregate supply curve would tend to flatten given stable prices. Also with a low unemployment rate and stable salary levels the demand curve too would be flat. Therefore growth would be restricted to growth in external trade helped by a favorable exchange rate that is what the US economy is witnessing. As a result, the major factor that would impact the economy now is the business cycle. In economic theory, business cycles show growth in initial phases, then a stability followed by a decline. These are periodic swings that most economies pass through. During these cycles production and supplies go up due to price and demand increases and then as demand stabilizes, so do prices. Producer surplus comes down, and investment levels stabilize. Then when the curve starts sliding down, prices reduce, demand levels fall and till the supply reaches a new equilibrium the economy goes downhill resulting in unemployment and retarded growth. Each country goes through such alternating phases of growth and stagnation, though the length of the cycle is very often uncertain and unpredictable. Economic expansion is the phase where the real GDP rises steadily and recession is the stage where the real GDP falls. This is followed by a phase of economic recovery. The US business cycles have not been any different from the rest of the world. A globalized economy is prone to expansion and recession in the rest of the world. The first big recession was seen in 1929. However the economy stabilized soon after thanks to some tight monetary policies and a harsh fiscal policy, where the government taxed its citizens at high rates to keep the public sector functional and to provide social security to those hurt by slowdowns. Each slowdown affects jobs, growth and economic prosperity adversely. In the post war period, the economy has been relatively stable and has only passed through two serious recessions. Since then, the US has seen a period of healthy economic expansion and prosperity, despite a slowdown in services trade and the internet bust that pushed the US into a recession at the turn of the century. Fiscal policy Fiscal policy is a tool the state uses to ensure that public expenditure is met through revenue mobilization using various taxes, levies and fees. Historically, it the monetary and the fiscal policy have been used by governments to run their economies and handle various pressures on expenditure, investment, unemployment rates and inflation. Fiscal Policy is the tool that governments use to ensure an addition or reduction in expenditure and revenue levels so the economy can be steered in a particular direction. While fiscal policy focuses on changes in the governmnet level of expenditure and revenue mobilisation, monetary policy concentrates on the money supply in the economy and by giving incentives to the citizen, governemnts encourage or discourage the velocity of money flow in an economic system. The US tax structure has been criticized for charging high taxes on business. However, over the years tax rates have been cut and now the federal corporate income tax rate is down. However, while US personal income tax rates are lower compared to most developed economies, corporate taxes, because of the various tiers of taxation are still comparatively higher. With the increase in government spending on welfare and old age pension plans, these tax rates are unlikely to reduce. The fiscal policy reflects the concerns of the political leadership in seeking to increase government revenue and expenditure. The health system is huge and needs constant doses of capital to sustain itself. In addition to the health sector, the social security system and the education system too is largely subsidized and calls for higher tax rates. Increasing tax rates tend to dampen demand and slow down the growth rate as higher taxes lead to a slowdown in supply, which also gets affected by higher unemployment. However government revenue goes up and government expenditure can increase as a result of higher tax collections. The business cycle then goes into a recessionary phase. But with increased government expenditure, public utilities get benefited. Therefore fiscal policies need to be well balanced and not cause an irreversible slowdown of the economy leading to spiraling inflation rates. In globalizing economies, the threat of borrowing slowdowns is as serious a concern as the opportunities that come through foreign expansionary phases in global business cycles. Fiscal measures tend to shore up the domestic economy in the face of external pressures. The US fiscal policy in that sense has prudently tried to balance growth with inflation, and increase government expenditure whenever unemployment threatens to increase. Also, tax revenue has enabled the setting up of a health and education system that supplies most of the skilled labour force that works in the large service sector. When there is fall in money supply, this causes a decline in demand and hence a fall in prices. However, what could very well result is a slowdown or a stagnation of the economy that could give rise to job losses and high unemployment. However, with inflation in check, the fiscal policy too has not been as drastic as it could have possible been. Conclusion The US requires a stable financial system that is able to meet the expectations of depositors, investors and the government. The democratic system and economic structure, which is heavily dependent on the world economy and the success of the WTO, presents many challenges to the formulation of its monetary and fiscal policy. It is important that the fiscal policy takes into consideration the key issues of public and government expenditures. The monetary policy should be formulated accordingly so as to bring down the threat of fiscal deficits. Taking the need for institutional changes into consideration, there should be potential improvements in the economy in order to provide the right directions to the policymakers. It is felt that the quality of expenditures at federal and provincial levels has been deteriorating over the period of time; therefore it is very important for the government to have a rational approach towards these expenditures. Expenditure restructuring must accompany expenditure control. Privatization combined with increased competition, plays a major role in reducing the fiscal deficits. Tax rates have to be brought down as the economy looks for increased investment. It is not feasible to have high tax rates in a world competing for global investments. Interest rates cannot be kept high for a long time and must compete with the interest rate mechanism in the rest of the world. Aggregate supply and aggregate demand in the US is intrinsically tied up with supply and demand in the household sector, and apart from the construction sector, all other sectors of the economy now closely follow the business cycle that is predictable. The integration of the world economy impacts North America considerably, especially by way of rising oil prices, which have a way of impacting almost all sectors of the economy. A monetary policy that ensures a stable exchange rate, low levels of inflation and higher levels of employment along with a fiscal policy that tends not to dampen GDP growth, is what the future would demand. References 1. Lipset S. M. (1959) Some Social Requisites of Democracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy. American Political Science Review. 2. Mansfield, E. (1982). MicroEconomics – Theory and Applications. 4th Ed. W. W. Norton and Company. 3. Ohmae, K. (1999) The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Interlinked Economy. New York: Harper Business. 4. Sen, A, (1999) Democracy as Freedom. Oxford University Press. 5. EIU, (2007). Heading for the rocks: Will financial turmoil sink the world economy? EIU Special Report, London.

Principles and Characteristics of Good Governance

Principles and Characteristics of Good Governance Introduction In general, good governance is perceived as a normative principle of administrative law, which obliges the State to perform its functions in a manner that promotes the values of efficiency, no corruptibility, and responsiveness to civil society. It is therefore a principle that is largely associated with statecraft. While the government is not obliged to substantively deliver any public goods, it must ensure that the processes for the identification and delivery of such goods are concrete in terms of i) being responsive to public demands; ii) being transparent in the allocation of resources and; iii) being equitable in the distribution of goods. The principle of good governance has also been espoused in the context of the internal operations of private sector organizations. In this way, corporate decision-making strategies integrate the principle of good governance and ensure that shareholder interests (i.e. public limited companies) and employees are taken into account. The legal meaning of the principle of good governance The concept of good governance as developed by the World Bank is essentially a touchstone upon which the prevailing administrative structure of a given country can be measured. Consequently, it provides ample evidence of the robustness of the structural suitability of donors as efficient vehicles of multilateral aid investment to developing countries. Good governance is therefore chiefly envisaged as a set of procedural tools to guarantee the efficacious improvement of the donor identified subject. Politically, however, the principle of good governance has not been very well received. For instance, governments may be reluctant to be held accountable to donor agencies, and they may sometimes display widespread hostility against such agencies (or other bodies) that is construed to be interfering in their (sovereign) domestic affairs. The real or imagined fears have stemmed mainly from the fact that the term good governance has largely been identified with liberalism and laissez-faire p olicies common in most developed countries. Further, the usage of the term good derives primarily from subjective interpretations especially in the context of large multicultural and diverse economies that characterize the developing world. The characteristics of good governance Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society. 1. Participation Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good governance. Participation could be either direct or through legitimate intermediate institutions or representatives. It is important to point out that representative democracy does not necessarily mean that the concerns of the most vulnerable in society would be taken into consideration in decision making. Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil society on the other hand. 2. Rule of law Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force. 3. Transparency Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media. 4. Responsiveness Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe. 5. Consensus oriented There are several actors and as many view points in a given society. Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved. It also requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such development. This can only result from an understanding of the historical, cultural and social contexts of a given society or community. 6. Equity and inclusiveness A societys well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain their well being. 7. Effectiveness and efficiency Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment. 8. Accountability Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to whom varies depending on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organization or institution. In general an organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law. How to achieve good governance Good governance, to be effective and sustainable, must be anchored in a vigorous working democracy which respects the rule of law, a free press, energetic civil society organizations and effective and independent public bodies such as the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance, Prevention of Corruption Bureau and the Fair Trade Commission. The Commission is important in ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights, but also in ensuring both transparency and accountability on the part of the government. Good governance requires transparency and efficiency also in different government agencies. At the political level democratic practices, including transparency in policy making and administration, are important aspects of good governance. This is signified by a pluralistic political system that allows the existence of diversity in political and ideological opinions. No wonder that good governance is said to be more easily achieved and guaranteed in a multi-party system than in a mono-party system. It also means the holding of regular elections applying the principle of universal franchise. In order to qualify as democratic, elections must be free and fair. Good governance deals with the nature and limits of state power. The doctrine of the separation of powers is therefore relevant in the establishment of whether or not a country has a political system that is responsive to good governance. The doctrine of the separation of powers is based on the acceptance that there are three main categories of government functions: legislative, executive, and judicial. Corresponding to these are the three main organs of government in a state the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The doctrine insists that these three powers and functions of government in a free democracy must be kept separate and exercised by separate organs of the state. Conclusion From the above discussion it should be clear that good governance is an ideal which is difficult to achieve in its totality. Very few countries and societies have come close to achieving good governance in its totality. However, to ensure sustainable human development, actions must be taken to work towards this ideal with the aim of making it a reality. References Macdonald, B. (1998), Good governance and Pacific island states, in Larmour, P. (Ed.), Governance and Reform in the South Pacific, National Centre for Development Studies Australian National University, Canberra, pp. 21-53. Woods, N. (1999) Good Governance in International Organizations, Global Governance 5, 39-61. Burnell, Peter. Good Government and Democratization: A Sideways Look at Aid and Political Conditionality, Democratization, vol.1, no.3, pp.485-503.

Teaching Listening Skills In The Classroom English Language Essay

Teaching Listening Skills In The Classroom English Language Essay Introduction Because of requiring quality for teaching students, especially teaching listening skills in the classroom, assorted schools, colleges, and universities have tried to look for good strategies (Teaching listening skills), for this area is the most complicated to teach students, and then this issue has developed into a good subject for teachers and those institutions to be concerned about. On the other hand, these concerns are dealt with many books and journal articles with new strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom these days. In online publication date: 29 July 2010 article written by Dorothy R. and Sid T. states Most teachers are aware that students listening skills are not what they once were. Our classrooms are filled with students who either do not listen or listen with their ears but not with their brains. (Dorothy R. Sid T. (2010, july 29). 56, 310-311). Instead, many more authors or writers in numerous books and journal articles can respond to this issue with out any hesitation. In order to answer this issue, authors and other teachers assert that copious strategies in abundant books and articles are much better than only one.Penny contends that in principle, the objective of listening comprehension in the classroom is that students should learn to function successfully in real-life listening is(Penny 1996, p 105).Moreover, a statement states that there is no one way of doing a listening skills lesson- it depends on such factors as the aim, the text type, the level of the students, etc.(Roger, Diane, Steve 1983, p89). Hence, studies of the strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom according to various references- both books and journal articles- embrace a variety of techniques and strategies. I, however, now extract one of those to outline this. Depending on the journal article written by Dorothy R. and Sid T., it reveals that there are several ways of teaching listening skills in the classroom effectively (Dorothy R. Sid T. (2010, july 29). 56, 310-311). First, Call attention to careful listening will heighten childrens awareness of the importance of the skill. An oral check of student responses will call immediate attention to errors and eliminate paper checking for the teachers. Second, Taped selections can be played to students, followed by questions about their content. Questions that encourage beneficial listening skills include those that ask about cause and effect, sequence, main ideas, terminology, drawing conclusion, and the names of the main characters. In addition, Mrs. King a third-grade teacher in the Huntsville, Texas public school system starts the school year by telling the students that her very quiet voice is her teaching voice. She does not yell, and she insists on politeness speaking only with permission and not talking when others are speaking. As a result of this and other techniques, the noise level in her classroom is always low. Finally, exercises in careful listening habits are being learned by our television- oriented young people (Dorothy R. King (2010, july 29). 56, 310-311). These diverse approaches have been applied to peruse good strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom, and how much the students understand those. This proof is shown that most of the students in listening class demand many strategies for improving their listening skills. Only studies, nevertheless, of Dorothy R. Sid T. are not sufficient for teaching listening skills in the classroom, for one skill requires a variety of strategies or techniques in order that instructors are convenient to impart knowledge to students effectively. Therefore, Roger, Diane, and Steve state that there is no one way of doing a listening skills lesson it depends on such factors as the aim, the text type, and the level of the students, etc.( Roger, Diane, and Steve 1983). Besides, the shortage of searching more information related to the strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom is deplorable because it is advantageous to our skills (Teaching as career). Not only do you believe in one authors documents, but you also try to search the work of arts of others in order to have new ideas or techniques to teach the students both effectively and successfully. In conclusion, this study attempted to donate the knowledge base related to teaching listening skills by probing as many strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom as possible to make sure that students are contented to accept those effectively. In order to apprehend this research clearly, you are asked a few questions as follows: 1. What are the strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom? 2. With what benefits do they provide you? 3. How do these strategies respond to the students in the classroom and the real world? Annotated Bibliography 1. Æ’ËÅ" King, D. R Womack, S. T. (2010, july 29). Strategies for Teaching Listening Skills. The Clearing House: A Journal Of Education Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 56, 310- 311. Dorothy R and Sid T., in this journal article, show off teachers difficulty in teaching students listening skills because theirs are not what they once were, and the classrooms are filled with the students who do not pay attention to teachers explanation (Teaching listening skills). When listening, they use only their ears but not the brains. Therefore, the purpose of this article is focused on several strategies which can help teachers teach listening skills in the classroom successfully. Even though this article is not the most perfect one, it can provide good methods for dealing with this issue and my research, especially the strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom, and then this tool is used to conduct the next one in general classes. Finally it is also able to help me to apply all the strategies in my study in order to improve the skills as teacher of English in the future. 2.Æ’ËÅ" Scrivener, J. (1994). Tearning Teaching. Great Britain: Macmillan Jim, in this book, offers several procedures and strategies that can help students improve their listening skills, such as task-based listening, the task feedback circle, how we listen, and listening ideas, which are effective to upgrade students listening skills in the classroom; also, it is really significant to the study because this research (Teaching listening skills in the classroom) is applied to the real world. This book also provides a great deal of information related to teaching listening skills for research, particularly the key points. Moreover these strategies can help many researchers and learners create more methods to conduct next research effectively. Last of all, they do assist me to use the key concepts of these strategies in my study successfully, and I also have a good opportunity to upgrade my knowledge teaching as career. 3.Æ’ËÅ" Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based Language Learning and Teaching. China: Oxford University Press. In this book (tasks, listening comprehension SLA), Rod shows that this chapter based on listening tasks has contributed to theory (as it concerns both listening and language acquisition), research methodology, and language pedagogy. These three key terms are really crucial to the research related to teaching listening skills; for example, Academic listening task research has shown that when learners lack relevant schemata their ability to take notes and comprehend a lecture suffers. Thus Rod offers a promising tool for investigating the micro processes involved in comprehending and language acquisition. These strategies are very much valuable for the study since it not only focuses on the classroom teaching but also concentrates on learners in general, and this task too is very useful to my study because it is the guideline to achieve either the next new research or the teaching listening skills in the classroom. 4. Æ’ËÅ" Ur, P. (1996). A Course in Language Teaching. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press Penny, in this book (Chapter 8: Teaching listening, Unit one), teaches about Real-life listening in the classroom. In the unit, he indicates three main steps to teach listening skills, such as Guidelines, Practical classroom application, and Implementing the guidelines: some specific practical implications. These key points are very essential, for they can make teaching listening in the classroom effective and beneficial. Furthermore it is able to provide a lot of information and new strategies to my study, which relates to the teaching listening research. Therefore this research can be applied not only in my classroom but also in the real world. 5. Æ’ËÅ" Pearse, E. Davies, P. (2000). Success in English Teaching. New York, Hong Kong: Oxford University Press. In this book, Paul and Eric provide the strategies for teaching listening skills; that is, the strategies generally recommended are: pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening, which are absolutely useful to draw students attention on teaching listening class effectively. In addition this book classifies listening text in terms of learner control and some more activities that can help both teachers and learners achieve the objectives during their processes. All the strategies can be applied to all teaching listening classrooms not only one class as they are absolutely practical to all learners, in particular they are very crucial to my research study, for my topic is related to this area, and it can assist me to apply the strategies in the real classroom teaching. 6. Æ’ËÅ" Gower, R., Phillips, D., Walters, S. (1983). Teaching Practice Handbook. China: Macmillian,Heinemann. Roger, Diane, and Steve, in this book, raise good strategies related to the skills how to improve students listening skills, which help the students find it easier to embrace this area. In addition they say that there is no one way of doing listening skills lesson it depends on such factors as the aim, the text type, and the level of the students, etc. and they also give the example involving in guidelines on one way of conducting a listening skills lesson which is divided into three sections before listening, first listening, and second listening; i.e. all these are included with its feedback too. These strategies are applied to implement classroom teaching, in particular these key points used to do the survey on students understanding of listening skills effectively. They will also help me to conduct the authentic research on my field- teaching as career successfully. 7. Æ’ËÅ" Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. China: Oxford University Press. In this book, Tricia tells a lot about the strategies related to teaching listening skills in the classroom. First he talks about the role of listening in the ELT curriculum, such as pre-listening task and listening note taking, which can be assumed that listening ability will develop automatically through exposure to the language and through practice of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Next he shows what we know about listening process bottom-up processes and top-down processes in listening, which can be applied with real knowledge of learners. Furthermore he also indicates the purpose of listening; i.e. it refers to conversation of a personal kind in which the listening is reciprocal or participatory and so on, especially designing listening activities for the classroom, which is really vital to the academic course because I need this for my teaching listening classroom. All these key strategies will make my research study more and more advanced as teacher of English. 8. Æ’ËÅ" Peterson, P. W. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. (M. C. Murcia, Ed.) the USA. Pat W., in this book, indicates a few prompts related to the strategies for listening skills. First he shows the types of strategies specific to listening comprehension, such as categories of metacognitive, cognitive, and socioaffective strategies, which are very important to the study because each has a various function in teaching listening methods. Next, he spots a development view of listening skills. In this section he focuses on profile of the beginning, intermediate, and advanced-level student in listening good strategies which can be segregated for teaching in each class. Moreover he sets the goals for them Bottom-up and Top-down processing, Goals and exercise types, and beginning, Intermediate, advanced-level learners which can make teachers easy to teach them successfully. All these strategies are valuable to the study, for they are classified differently. I hope that these will not only help me teach my students in the class but also be helpful to my MA research program . 9. Æ’ËÅ" Hadfiekd, Jill Charles. (2008). introduction to teaching English. Portugal: Oxford University Press. In this book, Jill and Charles show the explanation to the stages of a listening lesson set up as follows: First he talks about before a listening Lead-in method engages learners interest, introduce the topic and context, activate learners background knowledge, help the learners to predict what the speakers might say, and introduce some key words and expression; also, Language focus introduces some key vocabulary, and other words. Second it is about during a listening lesson; that is, Tasks show that you should aim to repeat the listening several times with a series of listening tasks. Finally it is about after a listening lesson; i.e. Language focus concentrates on some of the language in the text, such as new vocabulary, and Transfer uses the listening and the language work as the basis for work in a different skill. These strategies are really practical to the study. Even though they are not the perfect ones, they show off good advantages to teachers in order to implement these t echniques in the classroom successfully. Also they will be useful to me because I become a teacher of English and I have to use these as my teaching tools. 10. Æ’ËÅ" Fernandez-Toro, M. (2005). The role of paired Listening in L2 listening instruction. Language Learning Journal, 31, 3-8. Maria, in this journal article, mentions much of the difficulty related to the fact that listening processes cannot be easily observed and shown because they all take place inside t he listeners mind. She, however, indicates that paired listening offers a number of potential benefits, both as a diagnostic tool and as a valid learning exercise in itself. Moreover, this research is also profitable for the study, for the writer shows not only the problem to the skills but also the good methods applied to deal with its issues. Thus, this article is really useful to my research because I can use these strategies to operationalize all good points in my own study.

Just In Time :: essays research papers

Collaborate or Perish! The just-in-time supply model—an absolute requirement for e-commerce fulfillment—calls for closer collaboration with suppliers and partners than ever Today's corporations do not rely simply on brand loyalty. The sale now goes to companies that can implement a â€Å"just-in-time† business practice by quickly providing customized products. To do so, your organization can no longer be hierarchical. Instead, it must have an open-minded management team that can channel the necessary resources to meet demand. Consumer demand for customized products and services delivered quickly has forced retail outlets into a â€Å"We won't make it until you order it† mentality. What's more important, retailers are telling their suppliers, â€Å"We won't ask you to make it until our customers order it.† Consequently, recognizing and responding to customer demand must be instantaneous. Both vendors and suppliers require the ability to transfer information at fiber-optic speed across their distribution channel. However, speed is just one factor. Successful product management and distribution requires synchronization with suppliers at the fastest speed possible, creating a collaborative relationship with all suppliers down the chain. Your organization can no longer afford an â€Å"us vs. them† mentality with your suppliers—it must be â€Å"we.† Previously, the business model assumed that inventory existed or was in the manufacturing process, that is, â€Å"available to promise† (ATP). Today, executing the just-in-time model requires a â€Å"capable to promise† (CTP) value stream. In this article, I'll examine how your business can implement a CTP value stream and how doing so will affect relationships with suppliers. I'll also discuss the technology that is necessary to implement the just-in-time model internally as well as with multiple suppliers across the supply chain. Capable to Promise The ATP and CTP dates are extremely important, in that companies want to tell customers when they will receive their products. ATP is based on the premise that your company has a finished-goods inventory that contains fairly standard products. Companies build an inventory of products to sell, and perform an ATP calculation, providing the date for product delivery. A finished-goods inventory ensures that when the customer calls and says, â€Å"I'm looking to buy a car battery,† you have a standard supply of batteries ready for delivery. ATP also applies to goods that are in the production process. For example, your company may be in a situation where it does not immediately have the product in the finished-goods inventory, but is near enough to completion that it can guarantee delivery within a well-defined timeframe.

Ultimate Pets: How an Independent Pet Shop Competes with Giant Pet Stor

This essay explains how I intend to open an independent pet store, Ultimate Pets. Although there are already several pet stores in my community which are owned and operated by the giant pet super-store chains, I will position Ultimate Pets in the market so that it can successfully compete with the established pet super-store chains. As a business in the pet industry, an exotic pet shop offers many products that a large corporation would, but differentiates in a way with the wide range of animals it actually carries in stock. Our store does not carry just any products for the care of your exotic pet. Here at Ultimate Pets we only feature the top brands and products for optimal care. With a helpful and knowledgeable staff to assist you with every question you have about animal care, they will point you in the direction of what is needed to solve your problem. There are many advantages of shopping with us. Most importantly, we will not sell you something that is not needed for optimal care, or sell you an animal that could possibly be sick. All of our pets are quarantined for multiple days before they are put out for sale. This is to prevent transmitting diseases, relieve stress, or mites to other animals they can be displayed with. We also make sure all animals are eating on their own before they are sold. Unlike large corporations, we do not buy from just any ordinary Joe selling animals in large quantities. All of our animals are either bred in store, or are from a private breeder. This decreases the chance of stress and disease. The benefits of shopping with Ultimate Pets, is that you will never leave disappointed or unsure. To ensure customers know what it takes to care for their animals, each de... ...n amount of base and live rock that is recommended for that size. Sometimes this is a more appropriate tactic. We will also this for reptile/amphibian as well as bird cages and products. Many of our customers, want all the essentials right away, this is our way of doing so. References Miller, Gilson. 2012. 10 Ways Retailers Can Leverage Bundling of Products to Drive Sales. Retrieved from: http://upstreamcommerce.com/blog/2012/04/03/10-ways-retailers-leverage-bundling-products-drive-sales Ehmke, Cole. Fulton, Joan. Lusk, Jayson. 2014. Marketing’s Four P’s: First Steps for New Entrepeneurs. Retrieved from: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/EC/EC-730.pdf Rodriguez, John. 2014. Owner of Pet Super Center Segrestfarms.com Royalpetsupplies.com Industry. 2009. Pet Shops. Retrieved from: http://www.immediate.com/images/Pet%20Shops.pdf

Contribution in Religious Essay

ShÄ h WalÄ «ullÄ h was born in 1703, four years before the death of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. His genealogy can be traced back to the family of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. He received a structured education and spiritual instruction at the madrasa (religious school) established by his father, Shah ‘Abd al-Rahim, at Delhi. Along with the Qur’an, he studied Arabic and Persian grammar and literature and the higher philosophical, theological, metaphysical, mystical and juridical texts. He graduated from the school when he was barely fifteen years old; in the same year, his father initiated him into the famous Naqshbandi order. He began his career as a teacher at the Madrasa-e-Rahimia under the tutelage of his father; after the death of the latter in 1719, Shah Waliullah became the head of the madrasa, teaching all the current sciences at the school for about twelve years. During the same period he continued his own studies, growing in stature as a teacher and attracting students to his circle. In 1731 he went to the Hijaz on a pilgrimage (Hajj) and stayed there for fourteen months studying Hadith and Fiqh under such distinguished scholars as Abu Tahir al-Kurdi al-Madani, Wafd Allah al-Makki, and Taj al-Din al-Qali. During this period he came into contact with people from all parts of the Muslim world and, thus, obtained first-hand information about the conditions then prevailing in the various Muslim countries. During this time, he also saw the forty-seven spiritual visions which form the subject matter of his famous mystical work Fuyud al-haramayn (Emanations or Spiritual Visions of Mecca and Medina). He returned to Delhi in 1733, where he spent the rest of his life in producing numerous works till his death in 1763 during the reign of Shah Alam II. The most important of Shah Waliullah’s works is his á ¸ ¤ujjat AllÄ h al-BÄ ligha in which he made an attempt to present the teachings of Islam in a spirit of scientific objectivity. The range of his works include: economic, political, social, meta-physical, as well as purely theological aspects. Shah Waliullah married twice in his lifetime, first when he was 14 years old. He had a son and a daughter from his first marriage. He concluded the second marriage sometime after his return to India. He had four sons and a daughter from his second marriage. His historically significant contribution is that, when Marathas were expanding their area of control towards the Northwest of India, Shah Waliullah and some other Muslim leaders of India kept writing letters to Ahmad Shah Durrani,the Muslim ruler of Afghanistan, to keep him inf ormed of the developments in India. Ahmad Shah Durrani was finally persuaded to return to India to confront the Marathas. Consequently, in 1761, in the decisive Battle of Panipat, Marathas were defeated by Ahmad Shah Durrani and his allied forces. Al-Irshad ila-Muhimmat-I-Ilm-al-Isnad (Arabic)- is about the scholars of Hejaz who taught Shah Waliullah. Izalat al-Khafa ‘an Khilafat al- Khulfa (Persian) Al-Fauzul Kabir Fi Usoolu-Tafseer (Arabics) Atayyab al-naghm fi Madh-I-Saiyid al- Arab wal-Ajam (Arabic)- A collection of odes eulogizing the holy Prophet which speak of Shah’s poetic talent and love towards Prophet. Altaf al-Quds (Persian) – Deals with esoteric principles of mysticism. Al-Imdad-o-fi Ma’athir al-Ajdad (Persian)- A brochure giving Shah Waliullah’s genealogical table and containing brief notices about some of his ancestors. Al-Intibah-o-fi Salasil-il-Aulia Allah (Persian)- Gives the history and brief introduction of different mystic orders. Insan al-ain fi Mashikh al-Haeamyn (Persian) Al insaf-o-fi Bayan-I-Asbab al-Ikhtalaf (Arabic) Anfas aal Arifin (Persian) Al-Budur al-Bazigha (Arabic)- This work on theology employs philosophical terminology in discussing human nature and social behavior. Bawariq al-Wilayah (Persian)- The tract forms part of the Anfas al-Arifin in which the Shah has described the life and spiritual attainments of his father Shah Abdur Rahim. Tawil al-ahadith (Arabic)- It recount the stories of different prophets mentioned in the Quran in order to draw out lessons and rules of Shariah from the Quranic describtion. Tuhfatul Muwahhidin- It is a Persian tract explaining the creed of tauhid. Tarajim-o-Abwab al-Bukhari (Arabic)- It expounds the principles which would be found helpful in understanding certain difficult portions of the Bukhari. At-Tafhimat al-Ilahiyah (Arabic and Persian)- It’s a mystical work, partly in Arabic and partly in Persian, giving the mystical experiences of Shah. Al-Juz al-Latif fi- Tarjumata al-Abd al- Dhayif(Persian) Hujjat Allah al-Baligha (Arabic)- The magnum opus of Shah has been discussed in the seventh section of this work. Husn al- Aqidah (Arabic)- The fundamental creed of Islam as accepted by the Ahli-I-Sunnat sect, has been expounded in this work in the light of Quran and Hadith. Al-Khair al-Kathir(Arabic)- This work on philosophy of religion elucidates the concept of m’arifat and wisdom of Divine Names, revelation etc. Ad-durrus Thamain fi-Mubashshiratil Nabi al-Amin (Arabic)- It is a collection of glad tidings the Shah and his ancestors had had from the holy Prophet. Diwan-o-Ashar (Arabic)- A collection of the Arabic verses of the Shah. Risalah- was written in reply to certain mystical issues raised by Shaikh ‘Abdullah bin Abdul Baqi. Risalah Danishmandi (Persian) – A valuable tract containing detailed directions in regard to methodology of teaching. Zahrawayn- A commentary on the Surat-ul-Baqarah and Imran. Surur al- Mahzun (Persia)- It is a concise Persian rendering of the Kitab Nur al-Uyun il-Amin al-Mamun a well-known biography of the holy Prophet. Sharh-o-Tarajim-I-Abwab-I-Sahih al-Bukhari (Arabic)- is an annotation on certain chapters of the Sahih of Bukhari. Shifa al-Qulub (Persian)- is a tract of mysticism. Shawariq al-Marifat (Persian)- a biography of the Shah’s Uncle Shaikh Abdul Raza. Al-Atiyatus Samadiyah Fi Anfas Al-Muhammadiyah (Persian)- this small brochure contains a biographical sketch of the Shah’s maternal grandfather Shaikh Muhammad Phulti. Iqd Al-Jid Fi-Aakham Al-Ijtihad Wat-Tajdid (Arabic) Fath-ur-Rahman (Persian)-a translation of the Quran. Fath-al-Kabir (Arabic)- A glossary of the intricate words of the Quran. In the 18th century, Islam in the Sub-continent was faced with menacing problems. Sectarian conflict, low moral tone of the society, poor understanding of the Holy Quran, and general ignorance of Islam were just some of the issues which gave rise to fear that political collapse would be accompanied by religious disintegration. This did not happen; rather an era of religious regeneration was inaugurated, which was due more than anything else to the activities of one man, Shah Wali Ullah. Early ages of Shah wali Ullah Shah Waliullah was born in the 21st of February. 1703 CE, in the town of Phulat in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. His father, Shah Abdur Rahman was a great scholar and a mystic. he named his boy Qutubuddin Ahmad. The name Shah Waliullah is given to him by people because Waliulla means â€Å"close to God†. So his complete name was Shah Waliullah Qutubuddin Ahmad. Education & Training His father took special pain in the education and the training of his son. Shah Waliullah was introduced to Islamic education at the age of five and completed the recitation of the Qura’an by the age of sevenAt the special age of 15, Hazrat Shah Waliullah had completed his education and then became a disciple (mureed) of his father who gave him spiritual training. When he was 17, his father died, for 12 years he taught in the fashion of his father. Pilgrimage to Makkah In 1143 H.E. the 23 year old Shah Waliullah decided to perform the pilgrimage to Makkah. Despite the perils(Dangerous Journey) that lay on the journey; he reached the Mecca on 14 Dhul Qadha 1143 H.E. and performed the Hajj and then proceeded to Medina. There, he attended the discourses on Sahih Al Bukhari from Sheikh Abu Tahir Muhammad Bin Ibraheem Kurdi Madani. The Sheikh directed him in the study of the six Sahihs (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Nasa’ai, Ibn Ma’ajah), He returned to Makkah, performed the hajj again and learned the Muwatta Imam Maalik from Sheikh Wafadullah Maliki Makki, attended the discourses on Sahih Al Bukhari from Sheikh Tajuddin Hanafi Qalaei Makki for a few days and learned the six Sahihs from him. He was granted permission to teach all the books of hadith by Sheikh Tajuddin. After 14 months of stay in Arabia, two hajj pilgrimages and learning the books of hadith from the scholars of the holy cities, Shah Waliullah finally returned to India in early 1145 H.E. the journey home lasted six months and he reached Delhi on Friday 14 Rajab 1145 H.E. on reaching home, he started teaching again and writing until his death three decades later. OR Twice he performed the Hajj pilgrimage. He attained a certificate of Proficiency in Hadith from the famous scholar, Shaikh Abu Tahir Bin Ibrahim of Madina, when he was in Arabia, the marhatta turmoid was at its height and his friends advised Hazrat Shah Waliullah to stay in Arabia. As such he left Arabia in 1145 AH and reached Delhi on 14 Rajab 1145 AH. Work of Shah Wali Ullah On reaching Delhi, he devoted most of his time in writing books and to preaching in public meetings. The teaching activity was limited to the lessons of Hadith. The political and the moral degeneration of the Muslims had tremendous effects on the sensitive thinking mind of Hazrat Shah Waliullah. His famous book â€Å"Al-Tafheematul llahia† minutely pen points all the various defects, shortcomings and vices, which had taken roots in various sections of the Muslims. His aim, metaphorically speaking, was to destroy the rotten moral buildings and to reconstruct a new mansion over it. He bluntly wrote in one of his writings â€Å"I have arrived to destroy every old in region at present. Quran Translation into PersiAN LANGUAGE The most monumental task he performed was to translate the Quran from Arabic to Persian which was the language spoken by the Muslims at that time in India. His aim was that educated Muslims may have access to the Quran without depending on the scholars who had opposed his reformatory measures. The short sighted ullama gathered and wanted to kill him for his sin of translating the Quran from Arabic to Persian but he continued with his task till he completed it. This task was appreciated by Allah so much so that the Quran is translated to many languages. Hujatul Baligdh (Popular Book) Apart from the Holy Quran, Shah Waliullah also wrote authentic books on Hadith, the principles of Hadith, Tafseer and on mystical subjects. But the most popular book of â€Å"Hujatul Baligdh†. This book explains how Islam was found suitable for all races, cultures and people of the world and how successfully it solves social, moral, economic and political problems of human beings. Al Fauzul Kabeer Fee Usool .Al Fauzul Kabeer Fee Usool at Tafseer, a booklet in Persian that follows his Persian translation of the Qur’an. It contains the nucleus of the Qur’an, the rules for interpretation, and interpretations of the Qur’an by other famous scholars Analyzing his political thought, Iqbal states: â€Å"The Prophetic method of teaching, according to Shah Waliullah is that, generally speaking, the law revealed by a prophet takes especial notice of the habits, ways and peculiarities of the people to whom he is specifically sent. The Prophet who aims at all-embracing principles, however, can neither reveal different peoples nor leave them to work out their own rules of conduct. His method is to train one particular people and to use it as a nucleus for the build up of a universal `Shariah’. In doing so, he accentuates the principles underlying the social life of all mankind and applies them to concrete cases in the light of the specific habits of the people immediately before him.† (â€Å"Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam†) Letters By Shah Wali Ullah He wrote open letters to:  · Mughal rulers, to give up their corrupt and inefficient practices.  · Soldiers, for forgetting to inculcate within themselves the spirit of Jihad.  · Artisans, workers and peasants, reminded them that on their labors the economic prosperity of the state depends.  · The Emperor, to teach a lesson to the Jats threatening the Mughal Empire and also wrote to him not to give jagirs to mansabdars, who were not loyal to the state.  · Masses, to be conscious of their duties and not to indulge in the accumulation of wealth. He wrote to Ahmad Shah Abdali to give up the life of ease, draw the sword and not to sheath it till the distinction is established between true faith and infidelity. His efforts resulted in Maratha debacle at the hands of Ahmad Shah Abdali and Najibud Daula in the third battle of Panipat in 1761 A.D. The times of Shah Waliullah Shah Waliullah lived during the times that can best be described as disastrous for the mughal dynasty in India. The descendants of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb are alleged to have squandered the wealth amassed by their forefathers on entertainment, dance, music and wasteful constructions. The Shiites exercised significant influence on the court. The kingdom was reeling under the severe spells of droughts, poverty, hunger, hopelessness and purported indifference and cruelty at the hands of their rulers. The character of the people were alleged to have fallen to the lowest levels of â€Å"civilised† behavior. According to Hazrath Salman Nadwi: The sway of the Moghal Empire was only namesake, Muslims were engulfed in wrongful and unnecessary traditions, frauds and scoundrels had kidnapped the graves of the pious and became their custodians, the seminaries were disputing on the topics of philosophy and wisdom, religious edicts were being literally interpreted by jurists. Leave alone the common men; even scholars were ignorant of the meanings and teachings of the Qura’an, hadith and theology Service to Mankind After returning from Mecca and Medina, the miserable condition of Indian Muslims inspired him to improve their character, buck up their morale, inculcate the feeling of selflessness and love for their fellows. He overhauled the existing education system, separated the faith from unlawful invented traditions (bidaat), unnecessary and unwanted suspicions regarding Islam and its holy books. He presented what he considered pure and pristine Islam to the people Death of Shah Sahab He died in Delhi on the year 1176 AH corresponding to 1762 AD, behind the central jail. There is a vast ground and a graveyard known popularly as â€Å"Mehindin Kakhitta† which contains in it the grave of Shah Waliullah and his progeny His Final Willâ€Å"The final will of this humble servant of Allah is that always hold tightly to the Qura’an and Sunnath in your beliefs and acts. Regularly evaluate yourself against them. Read them regularly and if you can’t, then find someone who can and listen to at least a couple of pages everyday Children of Shah Wali Ullah Shah Abdul Aziz Hazrat Shah Waliullah was fortunate of having children who were great scholars and god-fearing men like himself. His eldest son Shah Abdul Aziz was born in 1159 AH and died in 1238 AH corresponding to 1823 AD. At the age of 17 he had become an accomplished scholar and began teaching like his father. For 60 years, he continued teaching and preaching Islam. The blessing of his knowledge reached every corner of the Indian sub-continent. Because of his versatile genius he was giving the title â€Å"Ayatullah†, a sign of God. Rafi-uddin The second of Shah Waliullah Rafi-uddin. He was born in 1163 AH and died in 1233 AH. His scholarly qualities may well be judged from the fact that when Shah Abdul Aziz had become to teach he passed on his responsibilities to Shah Rafi. Among the work of Shah Rafi his urdu translation of the Holy Quran Shah Abdul Qadir The third son of Shah Sahib was Shah Abdul Qadir who was born in 1162 AH and died in 1230 AH. He was also a big scholar by his nature, he loved solitude, and he spent his whole life in a secluded room of Akbar Badi mosque. He did not much attend to literary writings, however, his urdu translation under the title of â€Å"Mozih ul Quran† was his monumental achievement which is recognised by scholarly circles. Abdul Ghani His fourth son was Abdul Ghani. He was a saintly person. His son Shah Ismail Shaheed was a unique personality who had combined in himself all virtues of scholarly and mystical personalities. Conclusion In short, due to sincere and dedicated efforts of Shah Waliullah and his family the illustrious banner of Islam kept flying over the Indian sub continent despite the decline and fall of the Mughal empire. In Spain, the faith of Islam disappeared with disappearance of the Muslim rule. Many Muslims were killed and many were converted to Christianity. In India however the intention of the British Government did not realize and Muslim India did not convert to the faith of the ruling people despite missionary efforts of the British Government who spent millions of pounds on missionary activities and arranged lectures, debates and seminars to propagate their faith. The failure of the British Government in converting Muslim India was due to the dedicated efforts of Hazrat Shah Waliullah and his noble family. Shah Wali Ullah Biographical Details Shah Wall Ullah was born on 21 February 1703 during reign of Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir. His real name was Qutub-ud-Din, but he later became known Shah Wali Ullah because of his piety. His father was Shah Abdul Rahim, who founded the Madrassa Rahimiya in Delhi. When his father died in 1718 Shah Wali Ullah began teaching at the Madrassa. In 1724 Shah Wali Ullah went to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj and to further his studies. He studied under the famous Sheikh Abu Tahir bin Ibrahim,before returning to Delhi in 1732. Beliefs During his time in Saudi Arabia, Shah Wali Ullah thought deeply about the problems faced by Muslims in the Mughal Empire. The Empire was in decline and Muslims were disunited and vulnerable to attacks on their religion. Shah Wall Ullah realised that reform could not come from the weak leadership in Delhi and that it had to come from within the Muslim community itself. He believed that many of the problems of the Muslims resulted from their incomplete knowledge of Quran and about Islam in general — and that what was needed was for Quranic teachings to become more accessible to the people. A major problem for the Muslim community was the way that it was divided into sectarian groups, such as Sunnis and Shias. Shah Wall Ullah wanted them to concentrate on the fundamental principles of Islam and put aside their differences, believing that this would create a more united community. It was essential to follow the moral and spiritual principles of Islam in order to create a good society. Un-Islamic principles were not acceptable in any area of society, whether politics, economics or just the day-to-day lives of the individual Muslims. Work -Shah Wall Ullah worked hard to ensure that he was a role model for other Muslims. His deep understanding of the Quran, Hadith, Fiqah and Tasawuf made him a highly knowledgeable scholar at an early age. -Since he believed that an emphasis on Quranic teachings was vital to Muslims, he translated the Quran into Persian. Few Muslims spoke Arabic and so the Quran had not been widely studied previously. Now it could be understood by a larger number of Muslims. The ulema criticised Shah Wall Ullah, but his work proved very popular. Later his two sons, Shah Abdul Qader and Shah Rafi, translated the Quran into Urdu, which meant that many more people could study it. -In addition to translating the Quran, Shah Wall Ullah wrote fifty-one books. He wrote in both Persian and Arabic. Amongst the most famous were Hujjatullah-ul-Baligha and Izalat-Akhfa. He also wrote an account of the first four caliphs of Islam in a way that was acceptable to both Shias and Sunnis. He hoped that this would help to heal the division between them. – His writings brought him great fame and prestige and enabled him to have influence in other areas too. For example, in economics he emphasized the need for social justice and for peasants and craftsmen to be truly valued for their contribution to the economy. -One of Shah Wali Ullah’s most important contributions to the Muslim community was his organisation of opposition to the Marathas, who were threatening to over-run the Mughal Empire from the south. He realised that the Muslims had to unite to deal with this threat, and that of the Sikhs who were attacking in the north. Shah Wall Ullah wrote to all the Muslim nobles calling on them to join together to save the Mughal Empire. It was partly his influence which helped to persuade Ahmed Shah Abdall of Persia to intervene. He joined forces with local Muslim leaders and defeated the Marathas at the Battle of Panipat in 1761. However, despite encouragement from Shah Wall Ullah, the Muslim leaders did not unite to take advantage of the defeat of the Marathas. Perhaps if they had done so, the Muslims would not have soon found themselves under non-Muslim rule. Importance Shah Wall Ullah’s contribution towards Islamic revival was extremely important for a number of reasons: -He was one of the first Muslim thinkers to state that the decline of the Mughal Empire and the vulnerable position of the Muslims were due to neglect of the principles of Islam. He believed that if the decline in the position of the Muslims was to be stopped, there had to be spiritual and moral regeneration. -He showed how this regeneration might take place. The Madrassa Rahimiya continued to play a vital role in teaching Islamic principles and researching Islamic thought. -His writing in Persian made Islamic teaching available to large numbers of Muslims who had not been able to understand Arabic. He believed that Muslims could only prosper if they followed proper Islamic customs and did not indulge in social evils. Shah Wali Ullah provided the inspiration for Muslims to lead a pure life, based on a belief that anti-social attitudes incurred the displeasure of God. -He also showed that a Muslim revival could only take place if there was an acceptance that sectarian division was to stop. Muslims had to concentrate more on the basic principles of Islam, and not allow the differences between them to lead to conflict.He tried to build bridges between the different Muslim sects and to unite the community. He tried to do this by organising opposition to the Marathas and uniting Muslims by emphasising the importance of Jihad against a common enemy. -He trained his sons to continue his work and had such a huge following that his work remained famous for many generations. Like all great reformers, Shah Wali Ullah’s influence continued long after his death. Not only did his writings survive and translated in many languages, but the Madrassa Rahimaya continued to flourish. Many future Islamic leaders were inspired by him to fight for the good of the Muslim community.

Clean Water Crisis

Clean Water Crisis/Scarcity For decades, providing clean water to the masses has been a goal. Even with the â€Å"Millennium Declaration†, a goal proposed by the United Nations to provide clean water sources to everyone in the world by 2020, many people will go without clean water supplies. Can you imagine living in a region where there are struggles to get a glass of clean water. It seems so distant to us living in modern industrialized America, yet this concept is completely taken for granted in everyday life. We simply forget the means as to how we have gotten this necessity of life delivered to our kitchen sink. This is nonetheless relevant in today’s world. Unless you are one of the unfortunate countries or regions in which there is limited supplies of water and the water that is present is stagnant or so contaminated with bacteria and other minerals that it literally makes you sick from dysentery by simply drinking one glass. Letsfirst look at the public water supply in area's with scarce resources. With a population of well over 120 million people less than 30% of Nigeria has access to safe drinking water(Nigeria). Ingestion of unsafe drinking water can result in spreadable disease. In fact, in India, 21% of all spreadable disease is due to a lack of safe water, and diarrhea alone causes more than 1,600 deaths daily(India). Worldwide 1 out of every 4 deaths under the age of 5 is due to a water-related disease (water). The niger river which once flowed freely though Africa has been being used to produce hydro-electric power out of the Akosombodam. According to BBC news, Nigeria is dependent on this river and the river is now facing environmental catastrophe as a result of pollution†. The United States is affected much less than other parts of the world at this time. Although if we do not change something soon we may end up like some of the worlds less fortunate counties. California has been in a drought since 2006. Our own Lexington reservoir is down to less than 5% due construction of a safer dam (Rogers). We may be in trouble; the reservoir will not gain water levels until we come out of this drought. That's because reservoirs and groundwater are already depleted after two years of drought – and because the state's population is much bigger than it was during the last statewide drought in the early 1990s. As the population grows; the demand for water increases. Since 1990 the population has doubled. Yet water usage has increased by 6 times. Many Americans are accustomed to having whatever they want, when they want, at any cost. We need to think about the affects of everything that we do, take a simple shower for example. In a survey taken from 36 people from the ages 15- 55 the average person took 8 showers per week. With an average estimated time of 15 minutes. A low flow shower head can produce as little as about 1. 5 gallons per minute. The legal limit for a company to produce a shower head is 2. 5 gallons per minute, but most companies work around that by having a removable flow restrictor. If this is not put in upon installation a high flow shower head can produce up to 5-7 gallons per minute. So this means of the 36 people surveyed, assuming that they have between the legal limit of 1. 5 and 2. 5 gallons per minute, the total of their usage will be between 336,960 and 561,600 Gallons of water per year. That’s over a half million gallons of water for 36 people per year, to take their showers. According to the US Census Bureau as of June 2007 the population of California was 37,700,000, and is still growing(what). This would mean that in 2007 alone California used an unbelievable 470 billion gallons of water to take showers.