Terrorist organizations Essay Example for Free

Terrorist organizations Essay Most of the terrorist organizations that have hit the headlines have religious connotations mostly leaning towards Islam. The al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbolla all tend to lean towards Islam although this does not mean that Islam condones terrorism. Some of these organizations also fuse their religious motivations to address political grievances. Islamic martyrdom has become prevalent to an extent that most people draw parallelism between the two. Perpetrators of suicide terrorism do so in the belief that it is a ticket to heaven. This is done in the spirit of Jihad which is the advocated method of spreading Islam to infidels. This however has been widely refuted by Muslims. This is despite the indications in the polls carried out in the Middle East showing huge support for suicide terrorism. Suicide terrorism for political reasons is widely discredited but majority support such attacks if they are seen to eradiate enemies of Islam. This would explain the reason why most terror organizations invoke religion in their activities in the bid to draw support from the masses as well as to justify their actions. Muslim scholars have put up a spirited fight however against this discreditation of Islam by linking it to terrorism. Particularly they note the existing differences between martyrdom and terrorism. Latest attacks on the United States and in London were discredited as mere terrorist’s acts with no link whatsoever to spreading Islam. Other suicide terrorists are driven by ethno-nationalistic motivations. This is an argument that has been forwarded mostly by scholars that dispute the role of religion in terrorism. As afore mentioned, these scholars see religion as a mere excuse and justification. One of the key factors that are being seen as driving to suicide terrorism is foreign occupation. According to studies conducted on the subject, â€Å"resentment of Islamic nationals against occupation by the foreign forces, particularly Russia and the United States is contributing to the overall motivation of terrorism. † (Clarke Newman, 2006, 241) An analyzed case in point is the occupation of Palestine by Israel. Numerous scholarly papers have been written on the motivation of suicide bombers in Palestine. One motivation that has been refuted is religion with majority believing that such attacks have no basis in religion. They can however be traced to Israeli’s occupation and its perceived psychological impact to Palestinians. The young suicide bombers are not in any way suicidal but have come to be indoctrinated into a culture that is open to suicide terrorism. Suicide terrorism is advocated for in Palestine as Tore B (2005, 8) notes, â€Å"in Palestinian society and culture, these actions have a completely different meaning; they are acts of self sacrifice. † Palestine has been singled out as one place where nationalism has been a real motivation of suicide terrorism. Israel has had a heavy presence in the west bank and Palestinians have decrying lack of political sovereignty. This occupation according to scholars â€Å"has caused general despair and frustration among the Palestinians† (Tore B 8). Youngsters are being brought up with the knowledge that the Israelis are the source of country the various problems that they experience today. Such indoctrination produces elements that are ready to die in the process of freeing their territory from the yokes of Israel occupation. Where military resistance did not seem to bear any fruits, Palestinians turned to suicide terrorism in the bid to shake the Israelis military powers and demoralize them at home. Islamic scholarly articles have particularly hailed this seeing it as the final resort to Palestinians; this is despite its Western condemnation. Whatever the motivations behind suicide terrorism maybe, it is important to note that its wide usage is driven by a logic which in this case is coercion. All terror activities in general are but attempts to compel the existing regime and authority to concede to the laid down demands. This is done by inflicting pain and causing suffering to such a regime’s interests. A close observation of suicide terrorism reveals that it targets those that stand dialectically opposite to the terrorist’s mission or their sympathizers. Such acts are not carried out in isolation rather they are carried out together with intensified agitation and use of propaganda. The intention is to cause panic and discredit the existing regime. It is important to note here that suicide terrorism is characterized by the fact that the attacker is the weaker element and cannot survive conventional combat. The general feeling is that the perpetrators have exhausted all the existing avenues to air their grievances. Violence however is not the end; the end is to compel the opposers to come around to their line of thinking. As has been mentioned, suicide terrorism is more gruesome and result go huge fatalities in comparison to other forms. The logic behind this is to instill fear and draw huge media attention. They target the civilians to cause a feeling of insecurity and loss of confidence in the government. Target on military bases or personnel are to indicate that they have the capability of striking the core of the states security system. The use of suicide terrorism also makes it easier for the terrorist organizations to link their cause to religious foundations by labeling the attackers as martyrs. It makes the objectives and motivations of the attack look more plausible in the publics’ eyes. The determination to a point of death can in itself arouse sympathy and paint a picture of hard conviction as â€Å"the element of suicide itself helps increase the credibility of future attacks, because it suggests that the attackers cannot be deterred. † (Russell et al, 2006, 5). It is apparent that from the 1990s, terrorism has been on the increase. Security agencies have been put on high alert and Special Forces have been formed to fend off terrorism. Terrorists have stepped up their acts and are matching this increased vigilance with ingenuity moves. Suicide terrorism began taking shape in the 1980s but is in the 1990s that it began to be extensively applied. Like other modes of terrorism it is driven by various motivations which vary from economics, religion and ethno- nationalism. It has become a preferred tactic due to its mystic nature that denotes a high level of determination and invincibility. References Oscar Vilarroya, Francesc Forn I. Argimon 2007. Social Brain Matters: Stances on the Neurobiology of Social Cognition. Rodopi. Robert A. Pape. August 2003. The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism. The University of Chicago. American Political Science Review APSR. cls. Vol. 97, No. 3. Retrieved October 03, 2008 from http://www.danieldrezner.com/research/guest/Pape1.pdf

Abortion :: essays papers

Abortion Effects of RU-486 Women who become pregnant and do not wish to have the child now have a new option, RU-486. When the abortion pill is taken, it has some effects on the female body, the main one being the end of the pregency, and some women have negative physical aspects, and finally some psychological ones also. RU-486 (abortion pill) is suppose to end the pregnecy and this is how it works. The first pill when taken works by blocking the progesterone, the female hormone made by the ovary. Progesterone is required to maintain life for the fetus. When they are blocked, the developing baby dies. Next pill prostaglandin that causes uterine contractions pushes the baby out (Giovanna 191-197). Although the pill may sound like a good idea, it does have some bad effects as well. Some of the dangers of RU-486 are severe bleeding, cramps, and diarrhea. The main effect that causes the most damage to the female body is severe bleeding. It has been noted that the average bleeding for most women is ten days. In some instances the patient had to be given a blood transfusion. In rare situations there have been two heart attacks and one death (RU 486 DANGERS AND RISKS 1-2). The abortion pill is not perfect. Sometimes it doesn’t work and if the unborn child is carried to term it can be born with severe disabilities. Therefore women who received RU-486 and it did not work have to have the surgical abortion (RU-486: A DEADLY DRUG 1-3). The psychological effects of RU-486 can be hard on women also. At first when the pill came around to Europe in 1991 women who received the people were sent home to deliver their dead fetus. Can you imagine what this could do to a woman? I asked one woman, what she thought about it and she said, â€Å"It would have torn me apart and that’s gross† (Masters, Amanda, interview, 7 November 2000). Most women are reluctant to get an abortion anyway and to be put though such emotional turmoil. Maybe this is why only six-percent of women in England use this method of abortion. The RU-486 abortion pill is now an option that pregnant women have.

Japanese culture Essay

1. Briefly discuss the Japanese business practices. Business traditions and practices are greatly influenced by the culture in which they function. The values of a culture help to define the underlying structure and philosophy of business. Many traditions and practices within a culture are often integrated into the country’s businesses.   Japanese culture greatly affects its business practice on all levels. It is a unique country with many distinct cultural traditions. As a result, cultural traditions tend to be uniform and community is central to daily life. Culturally, the Japanese are rather introverted in their ways, focusing on their own culture and traditions. A strong sense of community, family, and being part of a larger group and business family are central to the Japanese culture. The ritualistic traditions that are characteristic of the home environment typically spread to the social and work sphere of life. The Japanese culture maintains a very formal style of interactions. Even introducing oneself in Japan is formal in nature. Exchange of business cards is an obligatory custom at business meetings. The exchange of gifts is an accepted custom in Japan.   The Japanese bow is part of Japanese culture that expresses honor and greetings to a guest. Thus Japanese are well behaved in their business practices and try to do a lot of good stuffs which can influence the international relations. They believe in a business where trust exists. The do their level best to be recognized as nice people in the business market. 2. What is the appeal of the Japanese market for world business? The Japanese government and business leader’s marks deep changes in their market from closed to open while acknowledging its competitive nature (Shetty and Kim, 1995). They argue that all firms should understand their market and do provide the quality products and services demanded by the consumers. Large firms should offer lifetime employment, and employees may be reluctant to accept employment with foreign firms that do not. Furthermore, the firms must consider employment with a foreign company less desirable than employment with a domestic firm. It suggests that long-term relationships and mutual commitments in the market will encourage practices such as bidding and close parent company-supplier ties. â€Å"Japan appeals that the three factors to compete successfully in the world market is quality, followed by the ability to hire qualified employees and the attitudes of top corporate management.† (Shetty and Kim, 1995) Japanese focus on quality of products and services, keeping good personnel, hiring local staff, strong corporate head office with limited interference, reputation of the business, brand image, latest technology and strengthening value chain. These are some of the major deciding factors that help a firm to gain profits in the market. Besides, Japanese, have understanding of respect, they are persistent, they have perseverance and ability to develop strong global network. To increase the world business, the market should value advanced technology and innovation and should willing to try new products or technologies. Finally, establishing manufacturing and distribution facilities is a visible sign of a firm’s commitment. So the market must take care of it. But the main theme is that the market should value personal, harmonious, and long-term relationships with distributors, customers, suppliers, and employees. 3. Briefly discuss the major business trends and opportunities in Japan’s economy. Japan is the worlds second-largest and Asia’s largest economy. United States is the largest economy.   This is the only member of G8 from Asia. It is also a member of the UN Security Council on a temporary basis. In Japan the wages are highest in the world. From 1960s to1980s, there was a swift economic growth with a growth rate of 10%, 5% and 4%. The economy of Japan was in the state of turbulence in the late 1980s. The reason was falling stock and real estate prices.   By 1989 the situation turned worst. The Tokyo Stock Exchange crashed. During 1990s the country’s economic growth remained slow. The economy trend of Japan is a slightly uneven but it is continuously focusing on increasing the GDP. Japan has lot of business opportunities and it supports business activities. Eco-towns are being promoted in order to build a resource recycling-type economic society, which limits waste while encouraging recycling. Japan has developed a robust way of dealing with the pollution and completely self-sustainable industrial parks with zero emissions (JETRO). â€Å"The Kawasaki Foundation for Promotion of Industry (Kawasaki Small and Medium-Sized Business Support Centre) and KSP (Kanagawa Science Park) are providing various types of venture support, including assistance for businesses, help in establishing new enterprises, and educational research.† (JETRO)   Government is providing assistance from operations management consultation to assistance with publicity. 4.  Briefly discuss the different modes of entry to Japanese market. These are some common modes of entry in the Japanese market. A) It is possible to directly go to Japan and establish a firm. B) Local distributer and partners for the companies.   These are good way of entering to the market at the early stage of the business. c) Specialized business consultant can be hired. The market is matured. This forces the marketer to focus more on keeping the cost low and at the same time performance and features should be maintained. The quick increase in revenue is not possible in the Japanese market. Understanding of Consumer behavior is very important.   In approach ‘A’ one need to justify the stagnant revenue to the investors. After some years of experience in Japanese market, the revenue may grow with steady rate. Plan ‘B’ is a convenient way to enter the market. The reason is that here one is utilizing Japanese resources. However success largely depends on finding right distributor and partners, with good market connections, commitment on financial and operations. 5.  Ã‚  Compare and contrast the Japanese and the American commercials. The difference of American and Japanese advertisements appears to be in the degree and not in kind. The advertisement appeals of these two different countries are different. It is based on general employment of the traditional and respect of elders in Japan. Japanese appeal is based on moral values. The general usage of status is different. American advertisements have consumer based appeal. American advertisement is based on western values. The product merit appeals are higher in American advertisements as compared to the Japanese advertisements. The difference also exists in use of youthful or modernity appeals. Japanese advertisement is based on relationship model. 6.  Briefly discuss the Japanese way of product development The Japanese approach to product development emphasizes continuous technological improvement. It is also aimed at making a successful product and providing better solutions for the consumer needs. They have clear competitive vision of product development. They know what types of investments are required to maintain their market positions. Japanese manufacturers invest their resources into technology development, product development, productivity improvement and quality control and thus making the international market becomes more competitive. They focus on high-quality, high-performance products which are relatively inexpensive against those of the same level offered by European and American competitors and thus their products can be easily available to common man in the market. Japanese identify customer needs and develop new products and roadmaps for technological development on the basis of the same. They use modern technologies for keeping the cost low. They hire trained and skil led people and invest in technology and development of human resources. They emphasize on quality and minimization of the production cost.

Bombast Definition and Examples of Bombast

A pejorative term for pompous and inflated speech or writing. Adjective: bombastic. Unlike eloquence, a favorable term for forceful and persuasive discourse, bombast generally refers to empty rhetoric or a windy grandeur of language (Eric Partridge). Dickensian Bombast My dear Copperfield, a man who labors under the pressure of pecuniary embarrassments, is, with the generality of people, at a disadvantage. That disadvantage is not diminished, when that pressure necessitates the drawing of stipendiary emoluments before those emoluments are strictly due and payable. All I can say is, that my friend Heep has responded to appeals to which I need not more particularly refer, in a manner calculated to redound equally to the honor of his head and of his heart.(Wilkins Micawber in David Copperfield by Charles Dickens) Shakespearean Bombast Full thirty times hath Phoebus cart gone roundNeptunes salt wash, and Tellus orbed ground;And thirty dozen moons, with borrowd sheen,About the world have times twelve thirties been;Since love our hearts, and Hymen did our hands,Unite communal in most sacred bands.(Player King in the play within a play in William Shakespeares Hamlet, Act III, scene two) Bombast and Hyperbole Bombast and hyperbole . . . are not interchangeable terms. Hyperbole is a figure of thought and one of the devices used to achieve bombast. Bombast is a stylistic mode, a manner of speaking and writing characterized by turgid and inflated language. The Elizabethans seem to have understood bombast to be more of an acoustic and an almost renegade quality of language, in contrast to rhetoric which was generally organized into a system. . . . Hyperbole shares with bombast the force of exaggeration, but not necessarily its lexical limitlessness and inelegance.​(Goran Stanivukovic, Shakespeares Style in the 1590s. The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeares Poetry,  ed. by Jonathan Post. Oxford University Press, 2013) Alexis de Tocqueville on American Bombast I have often noted that Americans, who generally conduct business in clear, incisive language devoid of all ornament and often vulgar in its extreme simplicity, are likely to go in for bombast when they attempt a poetic style. In speeches their pomposity is apparent from beginning to end and, seeing how lavish they are with images at every turn, one might think they never said anything simply. ​(Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835) The Lighter Side of Platitudinous Ponderosity The following remarks on style appeared anonymously in dozens of late-19th-century and early-20th-century periodicals, ranging from Cornhill Magazine and the Practical Druggist to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Monthly Journal. Decide for yourself whether the advice is still appropriate. In promulgating your esoteric cogitations, or articulating your superficial sentimentalities, and amicable, philosophical or psychological observations, beware of platitudinous ponderosity.Let your conversational communications possess a clarified conciseness, a compacted comprehensiveness, coalescent consistency, and a concatenated cogency.Eschew all conglomerations of flatulent garrulity, jejune babblement and asinine affectation.Let your extemporaneous descantings and unpremeditated expatiations have intelligibility and veracious vivacity, without rhodomontade or thrasonical bombast.Sedulously avoid all polysyllabic profundity, pompous prolixity, psittaceous vacuity, ventriloquial verbosity, and vaniloquent vapidity.Shun double entendres, prurient jocosity, and pestiferous profanity, obscurant or apparent.In other words, talk plainly, briefly, naturally, sensibly, truthfully, purely. Keep from slang; dont put on airs; say what you mean; mean what you say; and dont use big words! (Anonymous, The Basket: The Journal of the Basket Fraternity, July 1904) Honey, dont let the blonde hair fool you. Although  bombastic  forms of  circumlocution  should be generally avoided, one mustnt shy away from big words in the right  context.(Aphrodite in Punch Lines.  Xena: Warrior Princess, 2000) Etymology:From Medieval Latin, cotton padding Also Known As: grandiloquence