The role of a project manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The role of a project manager - Essay Example roject manager is an individual who has the general responsibility for the successful planning, initiation, execution as well as closure of a project. A project manager is a person who is responsible for carrying out all the tasks and operations that are included in project management. Thus, the project success as well as failure centralizes on the project manager’s shoulders (Haughey, 2009). This paper presents a detailed analysis of roles and responsibilities that a project manager carries out. The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of project manager’s performance on a project. This paper will also outline some examples of bad project management. Project management is a systematic way to scheduling and managing project activities and resources from beginning to end. Additionally, these project activities are divided into five phases, first phase is initiation, second is planning, third phase is executing, fourth is controlling, and last phase is completion or termination of the project. In addition, these phases of project management can be used in approximately any kind of project, since their purpose is to organize the different processes of project development (TechTarget, 2008).The fundamental reason for starting a project is to achieve particular objectives. In other words, the purpose for managing the processes as a project is to put attention on the jobs and control for the accomplishment of the objectives on small group or an individual. Additionally, a project is normally a temporary endeavor encompassing a lot of interconnected operations or processes, assigned a considerable cost, and continuing for few weeks or, months, or years. However, the management of a project is a complex and challenging task and the roles of project managers vary with the project requirements (Turban et al., 2005, p.309; Meredith & Mantel, 2006, p.13). The role of a project manager changes with the nature projects. Since, every project has unique nature,

Culture Competency Essay Example for Free

Culture Competency Essay In the aspect of interacting with the global community, it is important for an individual to understand the cultural aspect of the subject society and relate to this factor in terms of their interactive business. As the aspect of culture manifest to be a significant part in the characteristics and qualities of each individual and collective society, understanding this identity factor is indeed important in the pursuit of establishing an effective interaction with the different people in the global community. In particular to the healthcare profession, the aspect of culture competency manifests to be an important concern in healthcare education as having the ability for interacting, understanding and relating to different cultures can effectively enhance the services rendered by healthcare professional. Indeed, the general concern of the healthcare profession is to render effective healthcare assistance and services to people of different culture thus, the global community is the main subject in this mission. In part though, cultural background resembles an important part in the personal identity of each person or patient thus, the healthcare profession must incorporate this in his or her pursuit of relating effectively the said matter for the benefit of the patient. In the actual practice of the healthcare profession, the concept of culture competency manifest particularly in the personal interaction between the healthcare professional and the patient. In this scenario, the two parties are often with different cultural background yet, in best effort, the health professional must overcome this difference in the process or realizing his or her responsibilities. For example, some of the common barriers are the language factor, the cultural awareness and acceptability, perception and understanding, and others. At some point, the healthcare professional must incorporate the cultural factor in the profile identity of the subject thus, adjusting his or her pursuit and interaction based on this element. Forwarding the healthcare service and assistance through relating it with the cultural background of the patient can effectively influence the understanding and acceptance of the subject in this pursuit. For example, acknowledging the cultural limitations and the preferences of the subject in his treatment and medication can indeed influence his acceptance towards the process. Through this approach, the healthcare practitioner can effectively motivate active participation and encourage interest from the patient towards the success of the treatment and the healthcare program. Due to the importance of culture competency, healthcare practitioner must assess and realize in themselves their individual strengths and weaknesses in this aspect and develop their flexibility towards the different cultures in the global community. In this aspect, the author of this paper realizes certain weaknesses in terms of cultural awareness due to the social limitations he has experienced in his upbringing. Raising from a rural town with a small community and having only experienced interacting with people from different culture during only college years, culture competency has developed late in this author as such it is important to focus much attention towards developing this skill. However, continuing the effort of developing social relationship with people from other cultures and building up academic information from researches and reading can indeed contribute in developing culture competency. With this effort, one can effectively develop awareness and understanding of various cultures and undermine cultural difference towards the mission of providing quality healthcare service towards the global community from different races and cultural society. Bibliography Zwell, Michael (2000). Creating a Culture of Competence. Wiley Publication. 1st Edition. ISBN-10: 0471350745.

The Anti-Trust Case Against Microsoft :: Business Technology

The Anti-Trust Case Against Microsoft Since 1990, a battle has raged in United States courts between the United States government and the Microsoft Corporation out of Redmond, Washington, headed by Bill Gates. What is at stake is money. The federal government maintains that Microsoft's monopolistic practices are harmful to United States citizens, creating higher prices and potentially downgrading software quality, and should therefore be stopped, while Microsoft and its supporters claim that they are not breaking any laws, and are just doing good business. Microsoft's antitrust problems began for them in the early months of 1990(Check 1), when the Federal Trade Commission began investigating them for possible violations of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts,(Maldoom 1) which are designed to stop the formation of monopolies. The investigation continued on for the next three years without resolve, until Novell, maker of DR-DOS, a competitor of Microsoft's MS-DOS, filed a complaint with the Competition Directorate of the European Commission in June of 1993. (Maldoom 1) Doing this stalled the investigations even more, until finally in August of 1993, (Check 1)the Federal Trade Commission decided to hand the case over to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice moved quickly, with Anne K. Bingaman, head of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ, leading the way.(Check 1) The case was finally ended on July 15, 1994, with Microsoft signing a consent settlement.(Check 1) The settlement focused on Microsoft's selling practices with computer manufacturers. Up until now, Microsoft would sell MS-DOS and Microsoft's other operating systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) at a 60% discount if that OEM agreed to pay a royalty to Microsoft for every single computer that they sold (Check 2) regardless if it had a Microsoft operating system installed on it or not. After the settlement, Microsoft would be forced to sell their operating systems according to the number of computers shipped with a Microsoft operating system installed, and not for computers that ran other operating systems. (Check 2) Another practice that the Justice Department accused Microsoft of was that Microsoft would specify a minimum number of minimum number of operating systems that the retailer had to buy, thus eliminating any chance for another operating system vendor to get their system installed until the retailer had installed all of the Microsoft operating systems that it had installed.(Maldoom 2) In addition to specifying a minimum number of operating systems that a vendor had to buy, Microsoft also would sign contracts with the vendors for long periods of time

Historic Centres of Melaka and Penang Social

Historic Centres of Melaka and Penang Social and Cultural History I. Introduction Today if one were to look down from an aerial view over the cities of Melaka (used to be spelt as Malacca) and Penang on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia, one would be able to discern a colourful mosaic of artifacts and people, characteristic of the living cultures of both the historic cities.Melaka which is about 600 years old from its founding and Penang or â€Å"Pearl of the Orient† which is 215 years after being taken over by the British, have a very strong semblance in their multi-cultural characteristics which developed over the years through the processes of history. For these living cultures, Melaka and Penang deserve to be considered as World Heritage Cities. Melaka is situated 2 degrees north of the equator and very well known in the local legend as a fortunate land for, â€Å"even the pelandok (mouse deer) was full of courage. It went through the age of glory for slightly more th an 100 years under the rule of the Malay sultanate, when it became one of the greatest ports in Asia, if not the world. However, it fell into European hands for more than 400 years after that: the Portuguese ruled for 130 years, the Dutch for 160 years and the British for 133 years. In 1948 it became part of the Federation of Malaya and gained her independence with the rest of the peninsula in 1957.The other proposed heritage city is Penang which became a British possession in 1786 when Francis Light, a British country trader, was able to conclude a treaty with the Sultan of Kedah for the East India Company. Penang became the first leg for the British to set themselves into peninsular Malaysia, and was intended to be a British naval base and a trading centre. Situated at the northern end of the Straits of Melaka, it could challenge the Dutch in the south. Light was very hopeful of Penang as he had earlier indicated in his letter to his company, Jourdain, Sulivan and De Souza,  "†¦European ships can easily stop there.There is plenty of wood, water and provisions; there they may be supplied with tin, pepper, beetle-nut, rattans, birds-nests; . and the Macao ships will be glad to stop there, and all other vessels passing through the streights may be as easily supplied as at Malacca [by the Dutch]†¦Ã¢â‚¬ [1] Indeed it soon became a metropolitan city when people from all over the world were allowed to settle in and trade with Penang. In the earlier stage it was ruled by the British as a Presidency from Bengal under the East India Company, and became part of the Straits Settlements since 1826 together with Melaka and Singapore.As in Melaka, Penang was made part of the Federation of Malaya in 1948 which gained its independence in 1957 II. The Foundation of Heritage Cities Melaka and Penang have left behind historical legacies that deserve to be recognised by the World Heritage Convention. Melaka fits criteria 24(a)(iv) indicating the depth of layers o f history in Melaka dating back from the 14th century to the present, and Georgetown in Penang fits in criteria (v) which acknowledges the breadth of typical traditional urban fabric and vital traditional activities that still remains.However, it is the multi-cultural population of both the cities of Melaka and Penang today, that make them unique. They are the result of hundreds of years of history. III. Melaka â€Å"The Historical City† (paragraph 27(ii)) Today Melaka is officially known as The Historical City (Bandar Bersejarah) because the histories of the Malays are said to have started from here. Founded at the end of the 14th century by Parameswara, a prince from the declining Srivijaya empire in Sumatra, it became one of the largest entrepot in Southeast Asia by the beginning of the 15th century.Being strategically placed at one of the narrowest spots on the Straits of Melaka and geographically blessed as the area where the northeast and southwest monsoons met, it beca me a favourite port of call by traders from India, the Middle East, China, the mainland Southeast Asian states and the surrounding Malay archipelago. From the 15th century onwards Europeans also began to ply the Melaka Straits. It provided them with fresh water and the harbour was situated such that it could easily be defended from any attacks.The deep harbour also served as the door to export goods from the rich hinterland, such as gold from Pahang and tin from neighbouring districts. Melaka had a well administered government and had enjoyed comparatively long periods of peace. Its economic success was based on the roles of international traders. A strong tradition was then set during this period. The famous Melaka Maritime Laws were introduced to ensure the rights of ships’ captains and their crew.There were four different ports, each headed by a harbour master or Syahbandar. The most important was the one in charge of ships from Gujarat, followed by the one in charge of th ose from other parts of India, Burma and north Sumatra. The third was in charge of ships from islands Southeast Asia, and the last but not least was in charge of ships from China and Indo-China. People from different lands had to stay even if only for a few months while waiting for the respective monsoons to bring them home.Thus various ethnic groups from the Chinese, Indian, the Malay archipelago, Siamese, Burmese, Indo-Chinese, Arab communities were gathered in this port city germinating the existence of a multi-cultural society that today becomes one of the outstanding features of the general Malaysian population. It was said that at the height of the Melaka period more than 80 different languages were spoken on the streets of Melaka. Melaka trade dealt with spices from the islands of Moluku and Banda, textiles from Gujarat, Coromandel, Malabar and Bengal in India.These were exchanged for aromatics, corals, pearls, gold, silver and other exotic goods from the East and West, such as Chinese porcelain and silk or perfumes from the Red Sea. About 2 000 ships were reported to anchor at Melaka at any one time. The prosperity of Melaka was enhanced by her relationship with the Ming Dynasty whose patronage was well-sought after by most rulers in island Southeast Asia. Official visits were exchanged annually by both parties, led by the newly installed sultans from Melaka or officials of the Chinese court. Two of the most famous of the latter were Yin Ch’ing and the outward looking Moslem Commander, Cheng Ho.Melaka also became the centre of Islam especially after the sultans became converted. Since then this religion became synonymous with the Malays themselves. The religion spread through conversions, marriages, conquests and trade. The Arabic script, being the script of the Quran, was adopted as the official script for the Malay language which had long been the lingua franca of the region. The Melaka Canon or Hukum Kanun Melaka, the first written laws and o rder of the state and written in this script, became the basis of state laws of other Malay states in the peninsula.Malay traditions, especially on the religion, language, administration and customs were born in Melaka. Some remnants of the Malay period still exist in an old Malay burial ground In Jalan Masjid Tanah, just outside Trendak Camp. This burial ground was said to date back to the 15th century. An imposing grave that remains was said to belong to one of the legendary Malay warriors, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi or Hang Lekiu. Two and a half miles outside Melaka and situated at Kampong Duyong is another artefact connected with another renown Malay legend of the 15th century, the Hang Tuah’ well, which is near one of the oldest mosques in Melaka.Another place with a legend behind it is Bukit China or China Hill. Bukit China was said to be presented to the retinue of the Chinese princess Hong Lim Poh who became one of Sultan Mansur’s consorts. At the foot of the hil l is a well dug for the Raja, hence the name, the Raja’s Well or Perigi Raja. The Chinese called it Sam Po’s Well after the name of Admiral Cheng Ho who was also known as Sam Po. They believed the water became purer after the visit of the famous admiral. Because of the water which never dried up, the Dutch walled it up for protection and preservation. 2] IV. Melaka and Portuguese Legacy (paragraph 29 (iv)) Melaka’s glory under the Malay sultans ended in 1511, when the Portuguese captured the the ‘fabulous eastern empire’, under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque. The new conquerors had already heard about the wealth of Melaka and how its control could also make Portugal a new power to be reckoned with in Europe. About Melaka a Portuguese had once said, â€Å"Whosoever holds Malacca, had his hands on the throat of Venice†. [3] The Portuguese then quickly built A Famosa, the fort that surrounded the present St.Paul’s Hill. Hundreds of workmen, slaves and captives were said to have been used to build the fortress made of stones from broken down mosques and tombs of nobles. Within the walls were the Governor’s palace, the Bishop’s palace, the Government’s Council chambers, several churches, two hospitals, a monastery and a prison. The fortress had successfully defended Melaka from enemy attacks until it fell into Dutch hands in1641. Catholicism was introduced to the locals during the Portuguese rule. A famous French Jesuit St. Francis Xavier â€Å"Apostle of the Indies†, started St.Paul’s College in Melaka in 1548. On another hill opposite China Hill, the Portuguese also built a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and the hill was thus named after him, St. John’s Hill, or Bukit Senjuang (the corrupted Malay name for the hill). The date of the construction is not known. Celebrations commemorating St. John is carried out here on 23rd June every year with much gaiety an d music. V. Melaka and Dutch Legacy (paragraph 29 (iv)) In 1641 the Dutch took Melaka from the Portuguese after a five-month siege.Many of the buildings within the fort were damaged or destroyed and the suburbs were in ruins. The Dutch quickly restored A Famosa which was then renamed Porta de Santiago. On it was engraved the coat of arms of the United East India Company and the date 1670. Between 1760s and 1770s the Dutch built another fort on St. John’s Hill. [4] It used to be armed with eight cannons. Under the Dutch, Melaka ceased to be the emporium that it was before, because the new conquerors gave more importance to Batavia (Jakarta) as the capital of the Dutch empire in the East.But trade at Melaka continued, and here the Dutch spread their Protestant missionary works and established Christ Church on Jalan Gereja in 1753, the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia. It was built of red bricks especially imported from Holland. It had tall slender windows with arched heads, massive walls and heavy wooden ceiling beams. Today devotees still use the original wooden pews during Sunday prayers. Although the Catholics were persecuted by the Dutch, a Catholic St. Peter’s Church, was allowed to be built in 1710 on a piece of land given by the government to a Dutch convert.It is situated at the present Jalan Bendahara in the Bunga Raya district. The church bell dated 1608 was apparently taken from a church which was destroyed by the Dutch during the early period of their rule. This became the oldest Catholic church in Malaysia built on a mixture of oriental and western architecture. St. Paul’s College which was founded by St. Francis Xavier during the Portuguese, however, was not spared. The Dutch used it as part of the fort and later as a burial ground for high ranking Dutch personalities.The former Governor’s residence was converted into the red terracotta Stadthuys (Government House) in 1650 and was made the home of the Dutch Governor and his retinue. It had a beautiful balcony that faced Christ Church. It contained large rooms, one of which had a beautifully carved ceiling. The upper floor was once used as the Court of Justice, and the lower floor partly for the fire service and partly for the main military guard. At the back was an attractive patio that might have led to the Bishop’s palace of the Portuguese period. Today it becomes the Melaka Historical Museum. VI. Melaka and British Legacy (paragraph 29 (iv))The Dutch ruled Melaka until 1795 when it was handed over to the British during the Napoleanic wars when the Dutch king had to take refuge in England. It was agreed, however, that it would be returned to the Dutch when the wars were over, which was in 1818. It was during this interim period that the fortification in Melaka was destroyed. The Melaka British Resident William Farquhar, under the instruction of the Penang Council, started to effectively level down â€Å".. the whole of the fortificati ons, arsenals, store houses and public buildings of all denominations in Melaka except Bukit China and St.John’s Hill. †[5] Penang which at this time was beginning to expand as a trading centre did not want Melaka to rival it when the Dutch returned after the Napoleanic wars. Thus the famous local writer, Abdullah Abdul Kadir Munsyi, noted sadly in his journal, â€Å"The Fort was the pride of Melaka, and after its destruction the place lost its glory like a woman bereaved of her husband, the lustre gone from her face†¦ The old order is destroyed, a new world is created, and all around us is changed. † [6] The only part that remained of A Famosa and Porta de Santiago was the gate which now still stands.Further destruction was stopped by the agent of the East India Company, Thomas Stamford Raffles, who happened to be visiting Melaka at this time. His report on Melaka to the East India Company that, â€Å"†¦Its name carries more weight to a Malay ear than any new settlement could,†[7] and indeed, â€Å"†¦with the assistance of Malacca, the whole of the Malay rajahs in the Straits and to the Eastward might be rendered not only subservient but if necessary tributary†,[8] was almost prophetic in relation to later expansion of British influence in the Malay States.A significant landmark that the British left in Melaka before the Dutch took it back was the establishment of Anglo Chinese College in 1818. It was the brain-child of Robert Morrison, the first Protestant missionary to China, who had failed to make any headway in that imperial country, but used Melaka â€Å"for the diffusion of Christianity† and also for â€Å" the reciprocal cultivation of Chinese and European culture. †[9] Most of the students were children from Melaka-born Chinese, as well as Indian and Malay.The college which stood on a piece of land given to the London Missionary Society was just outside the Trankerah gate. Although the con tribution of the college in education was unquestionable, in 1843 the London Missionary Society sold it for private purposes because it decided to move its activities to Hong Kong. In the same decade, however, a twin-towered Gothic Church dedicated to St. Francis Xavier by the French Father P. Fabre, was built on part of the Portuguese ruins to continue with the Christian missionary works. VII. The Melaka People – The Living HeritageAlthough the population of Melaka had been multi cultural since the Sultanate period, new communal groups that emerged as the result of cultural and social metamorphosis make them unique. They were the Peranakan Chinese or Baba, the Chitty and the Portuguese Peranakan. The Baba community practised a culture which is a syncretism of Chinese and Malay culture. It was not the result of inter-marriages for they segregated strictly among themselves. [10] They spoke Baba Malay, and the women wore Malay costume and jewellery. The majority were Buddhists but some became Christians.They dominated the Tranquerah district and Jalan Tan Cheng Lock. Today they lean more towards the Chinese culture. The Chitty were the Melaka born Indians who might have immigrated in the 16th century as traders and inter-married with the local women. They spoke Malay but remained staunch Hindu. They built Hindu temples and shrines. [11] The last group is the descendents of Portuguese settlers who came during the Portuguese rule. They had inter-married with local women but remained staunch Catholics. They spoke an archaic and highly localised Portuguese called Cristao.In 1933 an 11-hectare land was allotted for this community at Ujong Pasir where the people could preserve their traditions and customs which they continue to celebrate, such as the Natal or Christmas, singing the carols and dancing the branyo. [12] Festa de San Pedro a celebration honouring St. Peter, the patron of the fishermen, most of whose members are from this community, is held on 29th June every year. On this day their boats are well decorated and are blessed by the local priests. Easter is always celebrated at St. Peter’s Church on Jalan Bendahara.Here, too, the Palm Sunday and Good Friday are celebrated by a life-sized statue of Christ being borne in a procession around the church. As in other parts of Malaysia, the Malays are synonymous with Islam and identified with their mosques. Although Islam already existed in Melaka in the 14th century, one of the oldest mosques that still remains is the Tranquerah Mosque which might have been built in the early 1820s. It is in the grounds of this mosque that Sultan Hussein, who signed the cession of Singapore to the British in 1819, was buried.The mosque which is strongly influenced by Achehnese style of the period, has pyramid roofs and Islamic designs and motifs. Another mosque that denotes Melaka’s rich cultural heritage is the Kampung Keling Mosque at Jalan Tukang Emas. Also built in Sumatran style, it has pyramid roof and pagoda-like minaret, white glazed Portuguese tiles and Victorian chandelier. One of the significant landmarks of the Chinese community in Melaka is the Cheng Hoon Teng temple (the Abode of the Green Merciful Clouds), which could be the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia.Situated in Temple Street in the heart of Melaka, was founded by Li Wei King or Li Kup at the beginning of the Dutch period. He was a Chinese refugee who escaped from the Manchus and was the first Kapitan China in Melaka. The temple has undergone renovations and expansion by different Chinese community leaders at different times. Today it also houses Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, and several other deities. The building is based on intricate Chinese architecture, whose roof ridges and eaves are decorated with exquisite Chinese mythical figures, animals, birds and flowers of coloured glass or porcelain. 13] The Indians, most of whom are Hindus, are also identified by the house of worship. Their o ldest temple is Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi which was built in the late 18th century. The temple which stands at Jalan Tukang Emas, have deities which are invoked by devotees for their aids before starting new businesses, occupying a new house, performing marriages or funerals. VIII. The Living Cultures of the City of Penang (Georgetown) A local writer in 1986 wrote a piece of poetry which describes the people of Penang, thus:Notes On My Native Land To this corner of the world came People from China and India From Indonesia and Europe Some of the people Adopted local ways They spoke Malay Dressed Malay But still kept their customs Others stuck to their ways While firmly planting A foot on Malaysian soil The alchemy worked And today we have a nation That is a kaleidoscope Of many things and many people We all belong to this fabric Having each lent a stitch To make up a whole Now we invite the world To see this tapestry.David Lazarus, 1986. This poetry which is printed on a board i n the vestibule of the Penang Museum is the first thing that one sees as soon as one enters the main building indicating the main theme of the museum display. This also sums up what the people of Penang are. Penang began to attract traders from all over the world. As it was accorded the status of a free port it grew steadily and within a few years its trade and population increased. True to Light’s prediction, it was able to outgrow the position of Melaka.And as in Melaka, people from all over the world, from India, China, the Middle East, Europe, island and mainland Southeast Asia, and the Malay archipelago thronged the city. The core area of Georgetown nominated to be placed as a Heritage City covers 108. 97 ha. (269. 27 ac). Here Penang’s history and its character are displayed by the historic buldings as well as by the real daily routines of its people. It has outstanding universal values that fit in with the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the Wor ld Heritage Convention relating to historic urban areas as stated in paragraphs 27(ii) and 29(iv).Paragraph 27(ii) is, â€Å"historic towns which are still inhabited and which, by their very nature, have developed and will continue to develop under the influence of socio-economic and cultural change, a situation that renders the assessment of the authenticity more difficult and any conservation policy more problematic. † Under 29(iv) it states â€Å" Sectors, areas, or isolated units which, even in the residual state in which they have survived, provide coherent evidence of the character of a historic town which has disappeared.In such cases surviving areas and buildings should bear sufficient testimony to the former whole. IX. The Penangites (Heritage Convention paragraph 27(ii)) The living cultures of the people in Penang today bear testimony of the living cultures of the past generations. In 1998 the Penang Town and Country Planning Department Director, Mohamed Jamil Ahma d strongly acknowledged the living cultures of Penang as having, â€Å"†¦ multicultural influences. It is a unique melting pot of Indian, British, Armenian, Chinese, Malay, Acehnese, Thai, Burmese and Arab. It is an old trading port that contains one of the largest ensemble of multicultural buildings and landmarks in the world. †[14] These zones consist of early suburban residential townhouses, known for their ecclectic architecture, commercial centres, the waterfront, religious and clan houses. More than 100 years earlier an avid British traveler and writer, Isabella Bird, had given an almost identical description of Penang â€Å"As one lands on Pinang one is impressed even before reaching the shore by the blaze of colour in the costumes of the crowds which throng the jetty. About the people she said, â€Å" The sight of the Asiatics who have crowded into Georgetown is a wonderful one, Chinese, Burmese, Javanese, Arabs, Malays, Sikhs, Madrassees, Klings, Chuliahs, and Parsees, and still they come in junks and steamers and strange Arabian craft, and all get a living, depend slavishly on no one, never lapse into pauperism, retain their own dress, customs and religion, and are orderly. [15]This description does not seem to defer from the observation of Sir George Leith, the Lieutenant Governor of Penang in the early 1800’s, who succinctly described the situation, â€Å"There is not, probably, any part of the world, where, in so small a space, so many different people are assembled together, or so a great a variety of languages spoken. †[16] X. The Relics (paragraphs 27(ii) and 29(iv)) Perhaps the easiest way to appreciate Penang’s wealth of cultures and historical sites is by following its historical trail.As soon as Francis Light occupied Penang in 1786, he built a fort at Tanjung Penaga that faces the sea front of the Esplanade. It took him 5 years to complete it and named it Fort Cornwallis after the Governor of the East Ind ia Company. Originally the fort was made of gabions (cylindrical baskets filled with earth) then with nibong trunks supported by bulwarks and mounted with canons, the most famous is the Seri Rambai. Next to it Light, who was later appointed by the East India Company as the Superintendent of the island, built a low bungalow and a kitchen meant for his use.All these were later combined to form the fort which underwent several constructions. Impressive renovations were done in early 1800s especially by the chief engineer and surveyor, Captain Thomas Robertson, under the auspices of Governor Norman Macalister. In 1820 granite was heaped on the seaward side to prevent erosion, but today it has a frontal road, Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah. In the early period the expansion of Penang seemed to have emanated from here. XI. West Meets East (the Living Tradition) At the back of the Fort is Light Street, the first street in Penang named after Francis Light.Several other streets were opened to accommodate Penang’s expansion, especially for the British officials and traders who were here. As indicated by the names of streets close by, the Christians began to set up churches. Bishop Street was named after the French priest, Arnold Garnault, who first set up the Assumption Church in 1787. He was then the Bishop of Bangkok. This church was built on Farquhar Street (named after one of the Lieutenant Governors of Penang) which is on the western end of Light Street. It was in Bishop Street that Francis Light then built a large house for the Bishop, hence the name.Only in 1860 was the Assumption Church built on the present basilica layout. In 1817 an Anglican church, the St. George Church, was then built at the junction of Pitt Street (named after the then Prime Minister of Britain) and Farquhar Street by the East India Company chaplain, Rev. Robert Sparke Hutchings. Pitt Street runs from north to south at right angle with Light Street and parallel with Farquhar Street. Th is church which was completed a year later, was based on classical colonial style with a Greek style porch. Its dignified facade and graceful columns â€Å"speak to the eye of the artist. [17] Just as the Christian missionaries were keen to spread their religion through the churches, they were also bent to educate the varied local population with western education. The English schools that they set up slowly attracted local families, especially the established ones, such as the Straits Chinese, better known as the Babas or Peranakan. [18] The children were sent to such schools, spoke very good English, some became government officers and other professionals. They showed strong tendencies to adopt the Malaysian homeland.One of the first missionaries responsible for introducing English schools, was the same Rev. Robert Sparke Hutchings. He had initiated the building for the Penang Free School which was to educate boys from all creed or class. The school which started temporarily at L ove Lane was moved to a permanent building on a piece of land adjoining St. George’s Church at Church Square at Farquhar Street. It was built by Captain R. Smith of the Royal Engineers and was opened in 1821. It was based on a classic Renaissance architecture which has symmetrical arches, debased columns, pilasters and twin decorative domes on the roof.This school was responsible for producing some of the most prominent local personalities. [19] During the war it was bombed and only half of the original building remains. It has been renovated and now houses the Penang State Museum. Some 30 years later, in 1852, a convent was set up at Light Street by Rev. Mother St. Mathilde. It was the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus School, popularly known as the Convent Light Street. [20] The main building which was acquired from the Government House has corniced reception rooms and broad arcades that faced the sea.It served as a boarding house, an orphanage and a school. Both boy and gir l orphans were taken in, until the boys reached 11 years when they left to join the nearby St. Xavier’s Free School as full boarders. [21] Slowly the school began to add an elegant Gothic chapel with stained glass windows specially commissioned from France. Then new wings for classrooms were added as the demand to educate girls increased. Today it still serves as one of the most progressive schools for girls in the state. In 1852, too, another boys’ school was set up at Bishop Street, just across the Light Street Convent.The St. Xavier’s Free School, today known as the St. Xavier Institution (SXI), was founded by the Paris Foreign Mission Society Superior Father V. M. Beurel. It was their first mission school in the Far East. Although its main aim was initially to provide education for the poor, children from established local families were also sent there. In 1889 the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Sir Cecil Clementi, introduced a Queen’s Scholarsh ip to the best students who excelled at the Senior Cambridge School Certificate examination. Fourteen of these awards were won by students from this school. 22] The recipients were sent to the best universities in the United Kingdom to further their studies. Many became successful professionals and leaders. Today the SXI remains as one of the most prominent schools in the country. Obviously English education was becoming more popular. Some 30 years later after the SXI was opened, another girl school was established. It was initiated by Mrs. Biggs, the wife of another chaplain, Rev. L. Courtier Biggs. This was the St. George’s Girls School which was situated on the northern beach at Farquhar Street and was officiated in 1885.It was a double-storey bungalow based on Malay-colonial style surrounded by airy verandahs and stables on the side. [23] Classes were conducted on the ground floor while the second floor was occupied by the principal and some boarders. In 1920 the school w as moved to another bigger premise at Northam Road (today’s Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah) as the number of girls receiving education here increased. The original bungalow was maintained as a boarding house. Today it houses the State Welfare Office. XII. Entrenching the Traditions Christianity and western education were not the only culture introduced in Penang.The Chinese population which had begun to grow had their own practices. A large number of them was at first brought in by Francis Light as masons and bricklayers. They settled around the site that was then named China Street which is parallel to Church Street. Besides masons and bricklayers, other Chinese traders and merchants also began to settle near here, for example in Pitt Street. In 1800 a large group of the Hokkien and Cantonese communities who settled here built a temple of their own, called the Kwan Yin Temple (The Goddess of Mercy Temple).It was also sponsored by Chinese from Melaka and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. [24] Its massive roof was guarded by two guardian dragons while the front was guarded by two lion figures. Inside was a 40- feet square hall which housed the Kwan Yin, the Patroness of Virgins associated with rites of fertility, peace and good fortune. Even today it is invoked daily but especially celebrated on the 19th day of the 2nd, 6th and 9th months of the Chinese lunar calendar. Devotees offer food, flowers, oil and burn incense or joss sticks to seek consolation for various illnesses.In contrast with the Christian churches, this temple was decorated with ancient Chinese artwork and architecture. The Indians who also came in large numbers to Penang in 1780s, were first imported as labourers, shipbuilders, and deckhands who worked at the waterfront. Soon they were joined by traders, merchants and chettiars. The Hindu followers which had numbered about 1,000 at this time, felt that they had to build a temple for their daily worship. In 1801, a piece of land was granted by the g overnment to one, Bette Lingam Chetty, to build the Arulmigu Mahamariamman. 25] This temple had undergone several renovations and expansion, the major one was made in 1933. It is a temple which was built in accordance with the Saiva agamas with an ante chamber (Artha Mandapam), a hall (mahamandapam), circumambient (pragaram), dome (vimanam), surrounding walls, and entrance tower (Rajagopuram). This is situated at Queen Street, which is on the east of and parallel to Pitt Street. It is from this temple, that the celebration of the Thaipusam starts every year. This is a celebration when good overcomes evil, when goodness symbolised by the goddess Mariamman, is brought out from the temple on a chariot that roceeds through Queen Street, Church Street and King Street to the Esplanade near Fort Cornwallis, where a priest shoots an arrow into the air to symbolise the killing of the demon. The chariot then returns to Queen Street through Penang Street and Market Street. Thousands of devotee s follow the procession and give her offerings. [26] Every year the procession becomes bigger and longer as this day is declared a public holiday in Penang, and the number of devotees has also increased. To the south of Queen Street is Chulia Street.Majority of the people who lived here were Indian Muslims from the Coromandel Coast in India. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Chulias were the second most dominant population in Penang, after the Malays. In 1820 there were 9,000, and this number increased to 11,000 in 1830. Although many of them were merchants and owners of property, there were others who were hack carriage runners and gharry drivers as well as boatmen and coolies. During her Penang visit in 1880s, Isabella Bird was impressed by Chulia Street which she said was entirely composed of Chulia and Kling bazaars. Each side walk is a rude arcade, entered by passing through heavy curtains, when you find yourself in a narrow, crowded passage, with deep or shallow recess es on one side, in which the handsome, brightly-dressed Klings sit on the floor, surrounded by their bright-hued goods; and over one’s head and all down the narrow, thronged passage, noisy with business, are hung Malay bandanas, red turban cloths, red sarongs in silk and cotton, and white and gold sprinkled muslin, the whole length of the very long bazaar, blazing with colour, and picturesque beyond description with beautiful costume. [27] Today, 200 years later, the scene changes little. Amidst the sound of Indian music, the scents of perfumes mixed with the smell of curry and spices whiff through Chulia Street. Interspersed between the stores that sell colourful sarees, and other clothings, as well as carpets from India, Pakistan, the Middle East and China, there are also stores of famed Indian jewelers and money-changers.There are also the famous nasi kandar stores where one can buy rice topped with more than a dozen gourmet of one’s choice, to be eaten with ais ban dung (iced water with syrup and milk), or teh tarik (milked tea that is poured from a mug to another at a space of about three to four feet). The British had correctly nicknamed this area as â€Å"Little Madras†. [28] But Chulia Street does not merely house economic activities of the Indian community alone. Several mosques were also built here. They were Masjid Bahudi Bohra and Masjid Jamek Alimshah.Some Chinese associations, such as the United Association of Cantonese Districts, also built their imposing headquarters here. So, too, were the Nam Hooi Kam Association, the Teowchoo Merchant Association, and the Teowchoo kongsi. Not far from Chulia Street, and at Pitt Street, is where the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy stands. Now this street is renamed Jalan Mesjid kapitan Kling where the Kapitan Kling Mosque stands. It was built following an Anglo-Indian architecture, with domes and turrets. The interior aisles are formed by series of horseshoe arches, crowned with King Edward ’s plumes.The five-time daily call for prayer by the muazzin from the minarets of this mosque further enlivens the living scenery of this part of the city of Penang. The mosque was built in 1801 by Kader Mydin Marican who was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor as Kapitan Kling or head of the Indian community. [29] As the head of his people, he was assigned the duties to regulate civil and religious ceremonies. Inter-marriages between Indians and Malays were frequent, and the generations produced a community that spoke Malay and followed the Malay culture. They were popularly known as the Jawi Pekan or Jawi Peranakan.Today they have become so absorbed into the Malay culture that they are no longer called Jawi Pekan or Jawi Peranakan but are called Malays, although the Indian physical features of having sharp nose and tanned skin still remain strong. The Kapitan Kling Mosque had undergone several renovations and extensions, but retained its main structures of onion shaped dom es and pitched roof. Major Islamic functions are conducted here, such as the celebration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, the first of Muharram (the Islamic New Year), and the 10th day of Muharram (commemoration of the death of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad).Parallel to and on the west of Chulia Street are Armenian Street and Acheh Street or Acheen Street as it is more popularly known to the locals. At the beginning of the 19th century, the area between these two latter streets were dominated by traders of Arab and Achenese descent. It was the focul point of the first Muslim urban parish and the earliest centre of Achenese spice traders and Malay entrepreneurs in Penang. The leader, Tengku Syed Hussein Al-Aidid who was married to a member of the Achenese royal family, built the first Malay mosque, Masjid Melayu or Masjid Jame’ on Acheen Street.This was distinct from the Kapitan Kling Mosque on Pitt Street. Its minaret was octagonal, which followed the 16th cen tury Moghul architecture common in old mosques in Acheh. It was also influenced by some western style especially in the wooden transoms, the stucco work and the round brick columns in the outer aisles. [30] Next to the mosque he built his tomb which was covered with timber and Islamic caligraphy. The gravestones were intricately carved in Achehnese style. Surrounding the mosque were Malay urban homes of half timber, half brick and terracotta tiles.Some of these homes also served as offices of the Qadi, Jeddah Ticket Agency for Muslim pilgrimage to Mekah and rest houses for the pilgrims. Consonant with the need to spread Islam, the community leaders also set up madrasah Al Quran (Quranic school) on the same street to teach the religion to local children. Armenian Street was also known for the pepper trading among the Arab-Achenese and Chinese. Their relationship was not limited to only trading but also to other social and political activities. It was believed that many of them were a lso members of the Red Flag or Hai San Secret Society, that were based at the Masjid Melayu.One of their leaders was Syed Mohamed Alatas who built the Alatas Mansion at a junction between Acheen Street and Armenian Street. This mid-nineteenth century building of Indo-Malay style was surrounded by a brick wall and two gates that were accessible from both the streets. Its porch was paved with terracota tiles and the gable roof was decorated with Islamic motifs. Today the building which had undergone some renovations is used as the office for the Penang Heritage Centre. Alatas also had another building which became a landmark for pepper traders in Penang.This was his four-storey spice godown and office popularly called Rumah Tinggi (tall house) by the local people because it was the highest building at that time. This building which was also known as Kuan Lau or Small-Tower junction by the Chinese, stands on Beach Street which runs on the east of and at right angle with Armenian Street and Acheen Street. Acheen Street and Armenian Street were typical examples of a multi-cultural section of Georgetown where people of various communities lived side by side and intermarriages were not uncommon.One of Alatas’ wives was one of the daughters of a very wealthy Hokkien pepper trader in Penang and Sumatra. He was Khoo Tiang Poh who had presented his â€Å"Khoo Poh Villa† at the corner of Acheen Street and Carnavon Street to his Muslim son-in-law. Today it houses the Li Teik Seah School. Khoo Tiang Poh also had a bungalow on Acheen Street which later became the premises of Bangkok Hotel. [31] The Cheah kongsi which was founded in the 1820s also had their kongsi house on Armenian Street. The piece of land which was donated by its founder, Cheah Eam, added a temple building of Malay, Chinese, European and Straits’ Chinese styles in 1873.This two-storey temple has an upper porch enclosed by wrought iron grills decorated with wood carvings. The lower porch which was renovated in 1930s was guarded by two lion heads. The wide courtyard in the front provides an airy atmosphere for people who come to perform ancestral worship, and other functions. Also on Armenian Street was built the Tua Pek Kong Temple which was dedicated to the God of Prosperity. It was founded by Khoo Teng Pang in 1844 and was also used as a base for the Tua Pek Kong triad or the Khian Tek Society. It was an important headquarters for the Straits Chinese.After 1890 when secret societies were banned by the government, this triad became a Hokkien kongsi consisting of several clans, such as the Khoo, Cheah, Lim, Tan and Yeoh, which built clan houses close by. Starting from that year and since then annually, they organised a ch’ng panh (decorated stage) procession accompanied by the very colourful chingay featuring towering triangular flags. This procession which took place on the 14th day of the Chinese New Year, carried the Tua Pek Kong and the more than 200-yea r old incense urn from the Armenian Street temple to the Son Pearl Temple in Tanjong Tokong.There were also other clan houses on Armenian Street such as, the Moh Hun Association or the Teowchoo Social club, the Yap kongsi headed by Yeap Chor Ee, and a house which used to be the base for Dr. Sun Yat Sen whenever he was in Penang to plan his political strategies in China. Situated between Armenian and Acheh Streets, at Cannon Square, is the elegant Khoo Kongsi temple. The piece of land where it stands was bought in 1851. The Khoo clan started building the temple in 1894 and completed it in 1902. 32] Other sub-lineages of the Khoo clan built separate temples, such as the grand Boon San Tong Khoo Kongsi at Victoria Street, and the Khoo Si Toon Keng Tong which occupies a shoplot at Beach Street. The main Khoo Kongsi at Cannon Square which was surrounded by over 20 clan dwellings, is very impressive for its intricate architecture. The â€Å"double imperial† roof decorations were co nstructed from shards cut out from colourful ceramic bowls, and the ancestral hall was decorated with woods carved by specialist artisans. Religious and family functions used to be held here for it had a meeting room, a large reception hall and kitchen.Today it holds only three gatherings annually. They are to celebrate the Cheng Beng (Chinese All Souls’Day) or the Hungry Ghosts, when the descendants come to the clan temple to worship their ancestors; a reunion ceremony during the Tang Chi (Winter Solstice); and an awards ceremony usually held to honour Khoos who have graduated from a tertiary education or who have gained public recognition. XIII. The Former Whole (paragraph 29(iv)) The expansion of Georgetown seemed to grow naturally. The waterfront which was the busiest commercially, was constructed with wharves, godowns and offices.Weld Quay was the main street that greeted ships, tongkang, boats and ferries that carried passengers from the mainland. Colonial style two-sto rey brick buildings with arches dominated this area. They housed European companies, such as the Messrs. Behn, Meyer & Co. , German shipping agents, general importers and tin refiners. Parallel to Weld Quay, and on the inner side of the city, is Beach Street which was an extension of the port area. The western part was mainly occupied by Asian (Chinese, Malay and Indian) forwarding agents, traders, market sellers, metalsmiths, cargo handlers and shipyard workers.The buildings were normally smaller. Only Gedung Acheh was four-storey high. The eastern side of the street was more dominated by European companies, and banks, such as the Standard Chartered Bank and the Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN Bank). An adjacent block of buildings that was built later housed the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Adjacent to these latter buildings were the Government offices, first of the East India Company, and later of the Straits Settlements. They were called the â€Å"Government’s Quadrangle† built on King Edward Place. The ground floor used to house the Post Office.Now it houses the State Religious Department on one side, which still retains the original building, and the Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce on the other, which underwent a complete renovation because it was bombed during the Japanese occupation. King Edward Place ends with the Victoria Memorial Clock Tower. This tower now stands on a small round-about that opens to Beach Street on its west, Light Street on its north, Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah on its east and the eastern end of Weld Quay on its south. The Tower was built by a prominent Chinese business man, Cheah Chen Eok, to commemorate the Queen Victoria’s diamond jublee in 1897.Although the Clock Tower is small compared to the buildings at Beach Street, it remains prominent because of its strategic position. It will be one of the first monuments that can be seen by ferry passengers to the island. XIV. Conclusion The cities of Melaka and Georgetown are both very rich in their cultural heritage. The people are the living proof of a unique multicultural population, the consequence of centuries of history, that are shown from the living cultures and abodes, the architecture, the languages, and daily routines.They are thoroughly mixed yet not completely blended, much like the rojak, a popular local mixed fruit salad in sweet, slightly hot thick sauce, where the taste of the different fruits is still maintained, but on the whole becomes different because of the unique condiment that binds all in it. The people of both Melaka and Penang, though dominated by Malays, Indians, Chinese as distinct communities, yet there are also the unique historical offshoots of these communities that do not exist anywhere else (except perhaps in Singapore). They are the Peranakan Chinese, Indian, Portuguese and Arab.The most beautiful result of the historical phenomenon is that they all live together, side by side, doing their ow n things, maintaining their own religions and customs and also enjoying everybody’s cuisine. Bibliography Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir,1969. The Hikayat Abdullah. Annotated and translated by A. H. Hill. Kuala Lumpur, Oxford University Press. Bird, Isabella, 1983 (first published in 1883). The Golden Chersonese. Introduction by Robin Hanbury Tenison. London, Century Publishing. Choong Kwee Kim, â€Å"In Good Hands† The Star, 5. 2. 2001 Clammer, John R. , 1979.The Ambiguity of Identity: Ethnicity Maintenance and Change Among the Straits Chinese Community of Malaysia and Singapore. ISEAS. Occasional Paper No. 54. Clodd, Harold Park, 1948. Malaya’s First British Pioneer: The Life of Francis Light. London, Luzac. Fujimoto, Helen, 1988. The South Indian Community and the Evolution of the Jawi Peranakan in Penang up to 1948. Tokyo, ILCAA, Tokyo Gaokokugo Daigaku. Harrison, Brian, 1985. Holding the Fort: Melaka Under Two Flags, 1795-1845. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Branch of t he Royal Asiatic Society. Monograph No. 14. ___________, 1979.Waiting For China: The Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca, 1818-1843, and Early Nineteenth Century Missions. Hong Kong. Karathigesu, R. , â€Å"Mariamman’s Temple† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 42-44. Khoo Su Nin, â€Å"The Red Belted School† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 3. , 1990, pp. 10-11. __________, â€Å"The Acheen Street Community: A Melting Pot of the Malay World† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 22. __________, â€Å"The Chariot Procession† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 46-48. Leith, George, 1804. A Short Account of the Settlement, Produce and Commerce of the Prince of Wales Island in the Straits of Malacca. London, J. Booth.Malacca, 1986. The Times Travel Library, Singapore. Meerah, N. , â€Å"Old Tamil Place Names† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 1, No. 5, 1989. Pp. 13-15. New Straits Times, 4. 8. 1998. Ong Seng Huat, â€Å"Temple On the Knoll† Pulau Pinang, Jan-Feb. 1989, pp . 24-29. ____________, â€Å"The Khoo Clan† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 1, 1990, pp. 4-16. Pintado, Manuel Joachim, 1980. A Stroll Through Anciet Malacca And A Glimpse At Her Historical Sites. Melaka, Loh Printing Press. Rabeendran, R. , â€Å"Ethno-Racial Marginality in West Malaysia: The Case of Peranakan Hindu Malacca or Malacca Chitty Community† University of Malaya, n. d. Scott-Ross, Marcus, 1971.A Short History of Malacca. Singapore, Chopmen Enterprise. Tan Leh Sah, â€Å"Convent Light Stree† Pulau Pinang, Vol. 1, No. 6, 1989, pp. 24-26. The Star, 24. 6. 1984; 8. 9. 1987. Wurtzburg, C. E. , 1984. Raffles of the Eastern Isles, Singapore, Oxford University Press. ———————– [1] Harold Park Clodd, 1948. Malaya’s First British Pioneer: The Life of Francis Light. London, Luzac. P. 9. [2] Marcus Scott-Ross, 1971, A Short History of Malacca. Singapore, Chopmen Enterprise, p. 94. [3] Qouted from Manuel Joa quim Pintado,1980. A Stroll Through Ancient Malacca And A Glimpse At Her Historical Sites. Melaka, Loh Printing Press, p. 6. [4] M. J. Pintado, op. cit. , p. 76. [5] Brian Harrison, 1985. Holding the Fort: Melaka Under Two Flags, 1795-1845. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Monograph No. 14, p. 62. [6] Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir, 1969. The Hikayat Abdullah, by Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir. Annotated and translated by A. H. Hill, Kuala Lumpur, Oxford University Press, p. 63. [7] C. E. Wurtzburg, 1984. Raffles of the Eastern Isles, Singapore, Oxford University Press, p. 76 [8] Ibid. p. 79. [9] Brian Harrison, 1979. Waiting For China: The Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca, 1818-1843, and Early Nineteenth Century Missions.Hong Kong, pp. 40-44. [10] John R. Clammer, 1979. The Ambiguity of Identity. Ethnicity Maintenance and Change Among the Straits Chinese Community of Malaysia and Singapore. ISEAS. Occasional Paper No. 54. p. 3. [11] R. Rabeendran, â€Å"Ethno-Racia l Marginality in West Malaysia: The Case of Peranakan Hindu Malacca or Malacca Chitty Community† University of Malaya, n. d. , p. 7. [12] Malacca, 1986. The Times Travel Library. Singapore, p. 31. [13] Marcus Scott-Ross, op. cit, p. 111. [14] New Straits Times, August 4, 1998. [15] Isabella Bird, 1983. (First Published in 1883). The Golden Chersonese. Introduction by Robin Hanbury Tenison.London, Century Publishing. pp. 254-255. [16] George Leith, 1804. A Short Account of the Settlement, Produce and Commerce of Prince of Wales Island in the Straits of Malacca. London, J. Booth, p. 14. [17] Quoted from Shukor Rahman, The Star, 24 June 1984. [18] Like the Baba in Melaka, these people were born in the Straits Settlements, including Penang. There were few marriages with the local Malays, but had little ties with China. They were distinct from the Melaka Baba. See, John R. Clammer, 1979. The Ambiguity of Identity, p. 54, pp. 2-3. [19] The first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abd ul Rahman was once educated here.So was Tan Sri Lim Chong Eu, one of the Chief Ministers of Penang. [20] Tan Leh Sah, â€Å"Convent Light Street† in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 1, No. 6, 1989, pp. 24-26. [21] Choong Kwee Kim, â€Å"In Good Hands† The Star, 5 February 2001. [22] The Star, 8 September 1987. [23] Khoo Su Nin, â€Å"The Red Belted School† in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1990, pp. 10-11. [24] Ong Seng Huat, â€Å"Temple on the Knoll† in Pulau Pinang, Jan-Feb 1989, pp. 24-29. [25] R. Karthigesu, â€Å"Mariamman’s Temple† in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, no. 6, 1990, pp. 42-44. [26] Khoo Su Nin, â€Å"The Chariot Procession†, in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, no. , 1990, pp 46-48. [27] Isabella Bird, op. cit. , p. 256. [28] N. Meerah, â€Å"Old Tamil Place Names†, in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 1, No. 5, 1989, pp. 13-15. [29] Helen Fujimoto, 1988. The South Indian Community and the Evolution of the Jawi Peranakan in Penang up to 1948. Tokyo, ILCAA, Tok yo Gaokokugo Daigaku, p. 36. [30] â€Å"The Acheen Street Mosque† in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2 No. 2, 1990, p. 27. [31] Khoo Su Nin, â€Å"The Acheen Street Community: A Melting Pot of the Malay World† Pulau Pinang. Vol. 2, No. 2, 1990, p. 22. [32] Ong Seng Huat, â€Å"The Khoo Clan† in Pulau Pinang, Vol. 2, No. 1, 1990, pp. 4-16.

Description of a Subculture: Gymnastics Competitive Team Essay

Culture is the ways of thinking, acting and the material objects that form a people’s way of life. Within each culture there are many subcultures, which are cultural groups within a larger culture with similar beliefs. Many times, the subculture a person belongs to provide him/her with a sense of identity and belonging. Subcultures are characterized by their origin and the characteristics that define it. While growing up I belonged to many different subcultures, but my main one was my gymnastics competitive team. This was definitely the most influential and time-consuming subculture I was a part of and is considered a special interest subculture. Along with its origin, subcultures also have a set of characteristics that are used systematically and provide one with information. Characteristics include boundary rigidity, language/jargon, values, identifying signs, the degree of attachment and initiation rituals. Boundary rigidity refers to the subcultures’ exclusivity and how one can become a part of it. My gymnastics team was considerably exclusive. The team I was on consisted of about seven or eight people, who all started at the young age of about three or four. As little kids we practiced in hopes of becoming good enough to be part of the competitive team, knowing that it required a certain level of skills and commitment. This fact alone shows the high degree of exclusivity because not just anyone could become a part of this subculture, one had to work hard for it. As a part of the team, I had to be fully committed to giving up the majority of my free time. Most days, if I wasn’t at school I was at the gym practicing. Due to the high degree of exclusivity, I would consider this subculture to be very structured. There was always a schedule to follow: when to be at the gym, what events to practice and for how long, etc. Being a part of the team is significantly exclusive, but leaving is not necessarily as difficult, it was just very rare. After all of the hard work and time that a gymnast invests in the team, they usually don’t give it up easily. Therefore, this subculture has strong boundary rigidity. Another characteristic of a subculture is the language/jargon used by its members. Language can refer to the way its members walk, talk, carry  themselves, the slang words used, etc. Within my gymnastics team there was a lot of language we used that set us apart from other subcultures. The technical terms used in the sport of gymnastics is one of the obvious language barriers because only those who are familiar with the sport understand the terms and their meanings. The way gymnasts carry themselves also sets them apart from others. An example of this is when I was on the track team, a coach pointed out that I ran like a gymnast. Although I was not with my teammates or talking about gymnastics, the way I ran was an indicator of the subculture I was associated with. Values are another characteristic of a subculture. These are the group’s ideas about what is right or wrong, what’s important, how they view other people and so forth. As a part of a competitive gymnastics team, I grew up learning the values my coaches instilled in me time and time again. Things like hard work, dedication and commitment. As a part of the team, we all valued our coaches opinions and demands for what we were expected to do. At a young age we learned to that if you want something, you have to work to get it. We also learned that practicing and being in the gym was what was important, while free time and friends were not. Additionally, identifying signs is another characteristic of a subculture. This can be interpreted as labels, what the members are wearing/listening to/using and inside jokes or nicknames. There are three types of signs: private, public and covert. Private signs are displayed only to the subculture, public signs are shown to everyone and everyone knows what they mean and covert signs are displayed publicly, but are only known by the subculture. Some signs associated with gymnastics is the â€Å"DG† label, which is a brand of gymnastics sports wear. Most people wearing this participate in gymnastics and only those familiar with the sport would know the labels association with gymnastics. Another sign is the â€Å"USA Gymnastics† bumper sticker. This is a public sign that clearly shows association with the subculture. Furthermore, as a team we tend to become very close, so there tends to be a lot of inside jokes and nicknames used. These are covert signs because we would shout the nicknames or talk about the inside jokes publicly, but only we would know their meaning. The degree of attachment is another characteristic of a subculture. This refers to the groups’ importance to its members. As a gymnast, my degree of attachment to my team was very high. Having been involved in the sport for the majority of my childhood, I considered the sport my life. I would eat, sleep and breathe gymnastics; when I wasn’t doing it, I was thinking about it. Being on a competitive team, I would spend a lot of time at the gym, so my team and coaches became like a second family. At this point, it wasn’t just the sport I was attached to, it was the friends I made and the experiences I continued to have. As I grew older, my degree of attachment to the sport heightened. The sport became more demanding and as a result, the degree of attachment continued to rise. Even to this day, although I am not an active member of this subculture, I still consider myself a part of it and I am still very much attached. Once a gymnast, always a gymnast. Initiation rituals are the characteristics of a subculture that lets one know when they are a part of the group. For gymnastics, there was no set initiation ritual. You knew you were a part of the team when you finally achieved the skills required and the head coach asked you to start practicing with the team. Throughout ones’ life, he/she is a part of many different subcultures. For me, the most influential subculture I was a part of was my competitive gymnastics team. This is a special interest subculture with many characteristics that set it apart from other subcultures. It gave me my sense of identity, as well as a sense of belonging. It is where I devoted most of my time and energy and will forever be a part of who I am.

As I sat down and read Keats

As I sat down and read Keats "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" I was very intrigued on how much more difficult it really is to attempt to define what I think the author is really trying to portray in his writing. I find it difficult to gain a mental picture of the authors ideas because I keep seeing something else, not what the author really meant to portray. I will start off this paper with Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn." The first stanza in this poem seems like he is talking to an urn that is sitting on a shelf or over a fireplace. He seem to be asking it questions. In this example Keats states "What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? As I read this line in the poem, it seems that Keats is talking to this urn and asking it what kind of things or the meaning behind all the carvings on the urn. He is asking the urn what legend haunts this urn is it deities or mortals, or could it be both. He is looking for answers to the questions he has about this urn. In the second stanza I get the idea that he is hearing something or trying to listen for something, maybe he is waiting for the urn to speak back to him or even give him a sign. I an getting two kinds of hearing in this stanza, one is the urn hearing sounds of the non world and two human hearing real world hearing. He starts the second stanza by saying "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on. Here he is stating that there are soft pipes playing sweet music on the urn but we cannot hear what is being played, this is why he says heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter. This is where we get the idea of the supernatural and the hearing of the non-world. Again he says "Not to the sensual ear, but, more endeared, Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:" Here he is just painting another picture of the non-w...

De Kleine Blonde Dood Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

De Kleine Blonde Dood Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers De Kleine Blonde Dood Samenvattingen Het onderwerp van de tekst is in het begin de relatie tussen Boudewijn en zijn vader en later zijn zoontje Micky. Ik vind het beide wel interessante onderwerpen, maar als het over zijn vader gaat, vind ik het soms een beetje saai. Dat is vaak hetzelfde. Ik vind dat de schrijver het onderwerp goed uitwerkt. Hij vertelt alles op een manier zodat je helemaal in het verhaal opgaat, omdat hij het vertelt zo als hij het meemaakt. Ik denk wel eens na over de onderwerpen oorlog en het overlijden van een kind, en door dit boek zijn mijn gedachten daarover niet veranderd. Gebeurtenissen. Ik denk dat de belangrijkste gebeurtenissen zijn de woedeaanvallen van Boudewijns vader, dat Boudewijn in een psychiatrisch ziekenhuis komt en later in een gewoon ziekenhuis. En later in het verhaal dat Boudewijn een zoontje krijgt, dat Boudewijns vader overlijdt en dat daarna Boudewijns zoontje overlijdt. De gebeurtenissen zijn allemaal goed gedetailleerd en duidelijk beschreven, heel uitgebreid. De gebeurtenissen worden allemaal door de hoofdpersoon zelf verteld, dus de gedachten en gevoelens van de hoofdpersoon spelen denk ik een even grote rol als de gebeurtenissen want het gaat allemaal over hetzelfde en is dus ook wel even belangrijk. De gebeurtenis die de meeste indruk op mij heeft gemaakt is wanneer Micky overlijdt in het ziekenhuis. Dat vond ik zo zielig, dat Boudewijn zelf moest beslissen of Micky bleef leven of niet, heel ontroerend. De hoofdpersoon van dit verhaal is Boudewijn en andere belangrijke personen zijn vader Rainer (als Boudewijn het over zijn jeugd heeft) en zijn zoontje Micky (als hij het over de tijd vlak voor Mickys dood heeft). Rainer is de vader van Boudewijn, Micky is het zoontje van Boudewijn. De belangrijkste gebeurtenissen zijn in het begin de woedeaanvallen van Boudewijns vader, dat Boudewijn in een psychiatrisch ziekenhuis wordt opgenomen en daarna blindedarmontsteking krijgt. En later dat zijn vader doodgaat en dat Micky van de trap valt en in het ziekenhuis komt en doodgaat. Door deze gebeurtenissen verandert het leven van Boudewijn heel erg. Doordat zijn vader zo verknipt is door de oorlog interesseert Boudewijn zich daar erg voor. En als zijn vader doodgaat en daarna Micky ook, vindt Boudewijn dat heel erg, en is hij heel verdrietig. De gebeurtenissen spelen zich eerst af in het ouderlijk huis van Boudewijn in Wassenaar een paar jaar na de oorlog en later in zijn nieuwe woonplaats Leide n en gedeeltelijk ook in Amsterdam. (15 tot 16 jaar na die tijd) Hoofdstuk 1 Boudewijn gaat voor het eerst op schoolreis . Hij heeft van zijn moeder 3 kwartjes gekregen zijn vader vindt dat veel te veel en pakt hem een kwartje af . Ze willen met school naar de Duitse grens toe rijden en dan een paar stappen op Duitse bodem zetten . Van zijn vader mag Boudewijn niet op Duitse grond komen vanwege de oorlog die allang afgelopen is . Zijn vader is gek geworden in de oorlog . Hij doet allemaal rare dingen en met Bevrijdingsdag is het altijd ruzie in huis . Als ze met school bij de grens aankomen blijft Boudewijn bij de leraar . Vlak daarna ziet hij een vlinder vliegen . Zijn vader is gek op vlinders .Het is een landkaartje . Boudewijn gaat achter de vlinder aan en vangt hem . Plots is hij in Duitsland terwijl dat niet mocht van zijn pa . Hij word terug naar de bus gebracht door douaniers . Zijn leraar is boos . Als hij thuiskomt verteld hij zijn moeder wat hij gedaan heeft . Ze zegt dat hij niets moet zeggen tegen zijn vader . Als Boudewijn thuiskomt zegt hij tegen zijn dat hij een vlinder gevangen heeft . Zijn vader is blij met de vlinder .Dan verteld Boudewijn zijn vader dat de vlinder in Duitsland gevangen is . Zijn vader begint te vloeken en te tieren . De vlinder valt in duizend stukjes op de grond . Een week later praat Boudewijn's vader pas weer tegen Boudewijn . Hoofdstuk 2 15 jaar na het schoolreisje maakt Boudewijn met zijn zoon een reis naar Artis De zoon is 5 jaar en heet Mickey .Boudewijn is Homo maar heeft een zoon samen met Mieke een 15jaar oudere vrouw . In Artis

LSAT Tricks from an Insider

LSAT Tricks from an Insider The makers of the LSAT are famously mysterious, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get inside their heads. Teaching LSAT prep classes has given me some unique insights into the how and  why of the test; the following tips- one for each section of the LSAT- should help you crack LSAC’s code on test day. LSAT Trick #1:  Memorize Argument Types Section: Logical Reasoning The vast majority of questions on the two Logical Reasoning portions of the LSAT contain a full argument: one or more premises and a conclusion. The conclusion is the thing the author is trying to prove, and the premise is some evidence that supports that conclusion. A tried and true way of scoring big on the Logical Reasoning portion is to memorize a  list of those argument types  then look for them on test day. Here’s an example of a common argument type, often referred to as excluding alternatives: There are two restaurants in this town- Roach Hut and Beef in a Cup. Beef in a Cup is closed for health code violations. Therefore, we must eat at Roach Hut. We’ve eliminated every possible alternative, so we can conclude that we must go with the only one left. Arguments like this show up on every LSAT. There are also mistakes that show up regularly in arguments, and the LSAT tests your understanding of them. Here’s an example of a flaw that some refer to as an exclusivity flaw: Imagine that, in the town referenced in the argument above, there was a third restaurant, Road Kill Bar Grill. If you made the exact same argument- excluding one restaurant- without showing that this third option was impossible, you would’ve committed an exclusivity flaw. On the test, two questions can look different on the surface- one might be about moon rocks and another about ancient history- but they may very well just be different contexts for the same type of argument. If you memorize the argument types and argument flaws before test day, you’ll be light-years ahead of the competition. LSAT Trick #2:  Use Your Game Setup More Than Once Section: Analytical Reasoning (Games)   Let’s say question #9 asks you, â€Å"If C is in slot 7, which one of the following must be true?† You dutifully create your Logic Games setup with C in 7, get the answer and move on. Guess what? You can use the work you did on question #9 on later questions. For example, another question might ask something like, â€Å"Which of the following could be true?† If there’s an answer choice that matches the setup you already made for question #9, you’ve already proven that it could be true, and so you’ve got the right answer without doing any work. If you can use your earlier work to knock out a few answer choices, you have a better chance of getting the later question right. If you can knock out all four wrong answers, then you’ve got the right answer by process of elimination. The takeaway here is don’t do more work than you have to. LSAT TRICK #3: Find the Argument Structure Section: Reading Comprehension It’s useful to think of a passage in the Reading Comprehension section as a really long (and boring) Logical Reasoning argument. Since there are generally between one and three arguments being made in any Reading Comprehension passage, and we know that an argument is made of premises and a conclusion, look for those premises and conclusions as you read. Find the structure of the argument to help you understand whats being asked.   These things are very often conclusions: A cause and effect relationship; a hypothesis; a recommendation that a course of action be taken; a prediction; an answer to a question. These things are very often premises: An experiment; a scientific study; scientific research; an example; an expert’s statement; a laundry list of items in a category. Here’s an example of something you might see on test day: The author says that smoking causes cancer. Then he talks about a study that shows that people who smoke are far more likely to get cancer than those who don’t. The cause and effect relationship is the conclusion, and the study is a premise that supports it. You’ll get tested on your understanding of how those two things relate to one another. About the Author Branden Frankel is an LSAT instructor for  Blueprint LSAT Preparation. Prior to teaching, he scored a 175 on the LSAT, got his JD from UCLA, and practiced patent law. You can find more of his insights at  Most Strongly Supported | LSAT Blog, through BluePrint LSAT Prep.   About BluePrint LSAT Preparation Blueprint students increase their LSAT score by an average of 11 points on in-class practice tests, and can enroll in live  LSAT prep classes throughout the country or  take an online LSAT course from home.

Team building within a generational diverse team Research Paper

Team building within a generational diverse team - Research Paper Example It follows that this essay examines generational characteristics in terms of their articulation within the workplace environment, specifically considering the ways that a generationally diverse team can be accomplished. Generational Gap in Today’s Workforce There are a number of pros and cons in regards to the generational gap in today’s workforce. One of the most beneficial aspects of generational diversity in the workforce is the ability for individuals within this frame of context to engage in collaborative activities that mesh a variety of world perspectives and experiences together in a way that produces higher levels of company results. Conversely, the values that underline the generational differences can oftentimes result in conflicts of opinion or perception that hinder company progress and can derail workplace cooperation. Another factor that is a problem in regards to generational diversity in the workplace is the consideration of the workplace hierarchy in r egards to generational factors. ... Boomer generation’s retirement approaching they place increased emphasis on the importance of benefits; when this emphasis is compared with that of the Generation Xers who are more predominantly concerned with subsistence and building wealth than enhancing retirement portfolios. Team Building In considering the ways that team building can be accomplished within the workforce one of the most central questions is understanding the characteristics that define each generation and then analyzing how they can be intermingled and implemented in as productive a means possible. In these regards, it’s the values that underline the generations that are the most important factors to consider when building a generationally diverse team. It was earlier noted that one of the challenges facing the overarching corporate benefit structure in terms of generational diversity was attuning conflicting desires in term of compensation needs. For instance, in order to build a more functional te am environment, the business or corporate structure must development retirement and compensation packages that take into consideration the competing values of the generations in the work environment. In properly melding these competing desires into a package that appeals to both generations, factors related to motivation can be harnessed as a means of bringing employees together under a shared goal. In these regards, Notter (2009) writes that, â€Å"Knowing in advance how each generation can be triggered, either positively or negatively, can help organizations develop balanced policies and can help individual managers and employees structure their work interactions in ways that benefit all types of people.† Here Notter raises the interesting point that team building with generational diversity is not

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 303

Assignment Example Social media is operational and intertwined into the entire organization with operations, marketing, and PR all playing a role in the overall social strategy for Taco’s. Chipotle way of beating competition is recruiting top performing employees to ensure that the experience the organization provides is exceptional and highly regarded. Its restaurants are operationally efficient and pleasing. It constantly increases the company’s awareness and regards the environment highly. The company uses classic cooking methods and has a unique interior design. The corporate strategy the company has used is that it has aggressively marketed low prices to attract customers to visit more often (Mertens, p. 18). The company is interested in how food is prepared and seeks out to pay for what they recognize as better. Chipotle’s value customers and that is why they are unwilling to compromise on serving delicious foods. The company’s aims to deliver quality foods coupled with high quality ingredients. The company continuously strives to evolve in order to maintain competitive

Renewable Technology (Report) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Renewable Technology (Report) - Assignment Example utilized straightforwardly for warming and lighting homes and different structures, for producing power, and for boiling point water warming, sun powered cooling, and an assortment of business and streamlined employments (Boyle, 2012). This is without uncertainty standout amongst the most critical issues confronting the substantial scale reception of renewable vitality advances into electrical frameworks. For every innovation we evaluate we must note that there are two vital expenses to think about. One is the immediate expense of embracing that innovation i.e. the expense of setting up the plant, purchasing the area, and so on. Alternate is the shrouded expense of the framework ecological contamination, uprooting, and so on. We can see why this separation of expenses is so essential. Private vitality makers specifically and vitality makers when all is said in done just give careful consideration to the first cost (on the grounds that clearly their benefits rely on it). Recognizing this it has been generally demonstrated that starting now wind vitality, little hydropower, and biomass are acknowledged to be similar or practically tantamount to accepted vitality advances in the slender investment sense and maybe considerably less expensive acknowledging whole life-cycles. Considering shrouded expenses there is doubtlessly these advances are far better choices than traditional vitality innovations. It is broadly accepted that in a couple of years some of these advances – particularly wind force, could be better than customary vitality innovations in even the restricted budgetary sense. At present sun powered vitality is not set back for the finances practically identical in the limited investment sense. However there is trust that this could be cost practically identical in a couple of year’s time with new innovative improvements. Recognizing the boundless potential of this innovation (particularly since India gets a ton of daylight) it is normal that

(Elements of Drama) - Drama imitates reality through representation Essay

(Elements of Drama) - Drama imitates reality through representation rather than imitation - Essay Example During the analysis we will look for evidences that can prove our original idea. We’ll overview the tragedies without retelling their plots and going into details. Both pieces of literature belong to the field of tragedy. Let’s briefly remind us of the main requirements to the tragedy proposed by the Aristotle in his famous â€Å"Poetics† and later by the representatives of the Enlightenment. According to Aristotle, tragedy is the imitation in dramatic form of an action which is serious and complete, with occurrences that evoke sympathy and fear /Aristotle, 1999/. Aristotle believes that the writer should use pleasant language that must fit the situation in which it is used. The main characters of a tragedy are noble and well-off people, performing noble actions. Aristotle also made a statement in his work â€Å"Poetics† that tragedy should lead to the catharsis of the audience when they experience and share emotions of the characters and sympathize to their suffering /Aristotle, 1999/. Enlightenment writers proposed that according to its structure tragedy should be composed of five acts and involve three main characters which should be noble and famous. The author should begin the tragedy in the middle of the action, make use of noble language and refrain from the scenes of horror on the stage. From the Aristotle times it was considered that the ideal piece of tragedy should consist of two main parts. They are complication and unraveling. Those incidents that are inessential to the development of the plot are mostly combined with of the action proper in order to mould the complication. So we can say that the complication is the whole amount of actions from the beginning to that part of the play where the course of events changes either for good or for bad. The unraveling then is all that remains. It begins with the end of the complication and extends to the end of the tragedy / Wikipedia/. According to the structure,

Choose a character from The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and explain how Essay

Choose a character from The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and explain how the character faces oppression and overcomes it to become - Essay Example The punishment meted out for going against these rules was unthinkable. Such women, who faltered, were arrested, stoned or beaten to death in public. Kamila Siddiqi, an average Afghan woman, confronts life with great hope and determination as she sets out to carve out a successful business in order to support her family, and in doing so, she successfully overcomes brutal oppression at the hands of the Talibans. ‘The Dressmaker of Khair Khana’ by Gayle Lemmon, gives us a bird’s eye view of Afghanistan that is quite different from what we know of it so far. According to archaeological evidence, Alexander the Great had defeated the Achaemenian Dynasty between 330 – 327 B.C. during the Pre-Islamic Period and, thus, ushered in an era of Greek culture. However, by 637 B.C. the Arab Muslims started conquering the tribes in Afghanistan in a long drawn out process and introduced them to the Islam religion. By the 10th century, the Arab Abbasid Dynasty and the Samani ds, who were the successors of the aforementioned dynasty in Central Asia, were torn down. Therefore, the Ghaznavid Dynasty, which was the offshoot of the Samanids, was established and became the first major Islamic dynasty to rule Afghanistan. Once again, Genghis Khan who was the leader of the Mongol forces, defeated them in Central Asia in 1220, and left Afghanistan fragmented, till Timur succeeded and took over the country during the 1380’s. The Mongol Empire that was already there was further expanded by Timur during his rule (Nations Online Project, n.p.). Till the early 16th century, the descendants of Timur ruled Afghanistan. In 1919, after the signing of the Treaty of Rawalpindi, that brought to a close the Third Anglo- Afghan War, Afghanistan got its independence and became an independent country. However, the Guerrilla Wars that occurred between 1979 and 1989, killed thousands of people, devastated the land and left about 5 to 6 million homeless. Once again in 1992, a Civil War broke out because the government could not settle their differences with the Mujahideen and this further served to drag down the economy and make it even worse. This resulted in a struggle between the various armed groups and finally, one of the Islamic fundamentalist groups, the Taliban emerged victorious and took control of the country in 1996 and it was the Taliban that gave permission to the Al Qaeda, an Arab terrorist Organization to make use of Afghanistan as their base. The Taliban made use of an extremist interpretation of Islam to suppress and control the country and hence terrorist activities were rampant. The Taliban ruled with an iron fist and the people were not free to do as they wished. Especially for women, the depth of female deprivation and torture knew no bounds because the Talibans treated women even worse than animals. Their rules put endless restriction on women and the foremost of them was the ban on women working outside the house. Women were als o not allowed to carry out outside the home activities without a male chaperon. They were not allowed education in any school or university and were forced to wear a burqa that covered them from head to toe. They were banned from dealing with male shopkeepers and were not to be treated by male doctors. Women were not allowed to use cosmetics or paint their nails. Women found going against the Taliban rules, were stoned, whipped and beaten in public. Sometimes they were shot in public at point blank range. In such a dangerous

Editing Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Editing Strategies - Assignment Example It might be helpful to highlight the transition words and phrases as well to see if the right structures are used to introduce new ideas. Another key point to consider in the essay is its style and form. At this point, the best technique is to read the paper aloud. Reading aloud can help the author to notice the words or phrases that do not fit the context of the paper. As a rule, such vocabulary units include bookish or formal words, colloquialisms, terms used without sufficient explanation. Having pinpointed those words, the writer should consult the dictionary or thesaurus to find a suitable synonym or explain the terms used in the paper. What is more, highlighting or underlining key words in every paragraph can help avoid redundancy and wordiness. Finally, the paper should be checked for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. Then, it is useful to read a paper again aloud slowly, making logical stress on the topic words and sentences, and then quickly. Reading aloud quickly ca n emulate the readers’ perception. Sometimes the structure of the sentences used by the writer is very complicated and the readers would have to go back to particular areas of the text to get the idea. If the writer finds it hard to find the ideas that should be stressed in the sentences or paragraphs while reading aloud quickly, it means that such sentences would be confusing for the readers. In this case, it is better to opt for restructuring the complex sentences. At the end of this stage, the essay can be submitted.

Choose a character from The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and explain how Essay

Choose a character from The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and explain how the character faces oppression and overcomes it to become - Essay Example The punishment meted out for going against these rules was unthinkable. Such women, who faltered, were arrested, stoned or beaten to death in public. Kamila Siddiqi, an average Afghan woman, confronts life with great hope and determination as she sets out to carve out a successful business in order to support her family, and in doing so, she successfully overcomes brutal oppression at the hands of the Talibans. ‘The Dressmaker of Khair Khana’ by Gayle Lemmon, gives us a bird’s eye view of Afghanistan that is quite different from what we know of it so far. According to archaeological evidence, Alexander the Great had defeated the Achaemenian Dynasty between 330 – 327 B.C. during the Pre-Islamic Period and, thus, ushered in an era of Greek culture. However, by 637 B.C. the Arab Muslims started conquering the tribes in Afghanistan in a long drawn out process and introduced them to the Islam religion. By the 10th century, the Arab Abbasid Dynasty and the Samani ds, who were the successors of the aforementioned dynasty in Central Asia, were torn down. Therefore, the Ghaznavid Dynasty, which was the offshoot of the Samanids, was established and became the first major Islamic dynasty to rule Afghanistan. Once again, Genghis Khan who was the leader of the Mongol forces, defeated them in Central Asia in 1220, and left Afghanistan fragmented, till Timur succeeded and took over the country during the 1380’s. The Mongol Empire that was already there was further expanded by Timur during his rule (Nations Online Project, n.p.). Till the early 16th century, the descendants of Timur ruled Afghanistan. In 1919, after the signing of the Treaty of Rawalpindi, that brought to a close the Third Anglo- Afghan War, Afghanistan got its independence and became an independent country. However, the Guerrilla Wars that occurred between 1979 and 1989, killed thousands of people, devastated the land and left about 5 to 6 million homeless. Once again in 1992, a Civil War broke out because the government could not settle their differences with the Mujahideen and this further served to drag down the economy and make it even worse. This resulted in a struggle between the various armed groups and finally, one of the Islamic fundamentalist groups, the Taliban emerged victorious and took control of the country in 1996 and it was the Taliban that gave permission to the Al Qaeda, an Arab terrorist Organization to make use of Afghanistan as their base. The Taliban made use of an extremist interpretation of Islam to suppress and control the country and hence terrorist activities were rampant. The Taliban ruled with an iron fist and the people were not free to do as they wished. Especially for women, the depth of female deprivation and torture knew no bounds because the Talibans treated women even worse than animals. Their rules put endless restriction on women and the foremost of them was the ban on women working outside the house. Women were als o not allowed to carry out outside the home activities without a male chaperon. They were not allowed education in any school or university and were forced to wear a burqa that covered them from head to toe. They were banned from dealing with male shopkeepers and were not to be treated by male doctors. Women were not allowed to use cosmetics or paint their nails. Women found going against the Taliban rules, were stoned, whipped and beaten in public. Sometimes they were shot in public at point blank range. In such a dangerous

Elements of Religious Traditions Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Elements of Religious Traditions Paper - Essay Example One way of resolving this difficulty is to take a comparative approach, viewing what happens with an open mind. It is possible to detect similarities and differences which might illuminate key issues which lie at the heart of human religious experience, such as how these religions help people to conduct a relationship with the divine through special holy places and artefacts, special times and a particular way of relating to each other. The twentieth century European scholar Mircea Eliade wrote an influential study on the sacred and the profane, and identified the fact that religious experience often takes place in clearly marked special places: â€Å"Every sacred space implies a hierophany, an irruption of the sacred that results in detaching a territory from the surrounding cosmic milieu and making it qualitatively different.† (Eliade: 1987, 26) Natural features like caves, rivers and mountains were often imbued with this notion of sacredness and archaeologists detect elemen ts of religious significance in early monuments such as stone circles and pyramids. Humans appear to have a need to reserve, or indeed construct, very special places in which to step outside the everyday pressures of life and reflect more deeply.

The Simpsons episode Essay Example for Free

The Simpsons episode Essay A similar cartoon to Itchy and Scratchy is Tom and Jerry the characters in both cartoons dislike each other. They differ however in their use of weaponry. In the cartoon Itchy and Scratchy, these battles are exaggerated and the violence escalates through the use of dangerous weapons and graphic imagery. This culture can be seen on the streets of America where the use of guns and knifes are regularly used. In this episode of The Simpsons the producers use parody as a technique to mock the TV culture of America by including the Psycho scene. Each time Maggie attacks Homer the creators adds tension and atmosphere by using the same music and camera angles. This is because Psycho is a well known horror film which is easily recognisable. From then on each time Maggie attacks Homer we hear the same music to show that she is about to do something bad. The shower scene from Psycho is made to appear shocking because an innocent woman is brutally attacked. The Simpsons use many of the camera angles to parody this. Some of the famous shots from psycho have been used for example, when Homer and Janet Leigh realise the attacker is behind them they use a big close up shots to show the emotion and fear on their faces. There is a close up of Homers mouth just as he realises that Maggie is about to hit him, in a similar way we see Janet Leigh scream as she sees the killer. Also when they feel the blow, Homer pulls the table cloth to the ground, we see the cloth rip in the same way that the shower curtain rips in Psycho. As Janet Leigh blood runs down the plug hole they use the same panning shot to show Homer lying on the floor and the red paint runs to the plug hole and then they use a fading shot into his eye to start the next scene off. The music adds tension because it stars off high pitched and gives you a sense add danger, as it goes on the pitch gets lower and slow down, the double base and cello are perfect instruments because they make sharp hollow noses building tension to make you wonder what gong to happen next. This technique combines to make the scene recognisable and easy to relate to. Once Marge realises the terrible effects the cartoon is having on Maggie she begins to wrights letters of protest to the creators of Itchy and Scratchy and Crusty the Clown. After a successful campaign the nature of the cartoon changes. The theme tune now begins We love, we share, we love we share we care , Itchy and Scratchy are now loving and caring. The cartoon Porch Pals shows them sitting on the porch and shared the lemonade with one another. Maggie is once again influenced but this time for the good. She goes over to Homer to give him a glass of lemonade. The other kids are disappointing with the changes to the show. Lisa said its lost its touch and Bart said this suck. Millhouse, Barts friend turned off the TV and the camera angle shows a disappointed expression. The fact that children apparently only enjoy watching TV violence is exaggerated by the creators, they make all the children turn off the TV and walk out side to play. As the children walk out side they rub there eyes to exaggerate the effect that the sun has had on their eyes. The music changes to Beethoven 6th symphony makes the atmosphere happy and joyful. All the children are playing traditional games. Homer sits at the table and his children are happy and polite. Attitudes to each other change. Homer shows an interest in his children by asking what have you done today and the children become polite by asking may we leave, Homer comes out with a comment this is the golden age but it might not necessarily be as perfect as they all think. One boy is shown watching paint dry and there is a saying that nothings more boring then watching paint dry. This indicates that everything is not perfect after all. The positive influence of not watching TV has been well presented ever though it has been exaggerated. The children are spending their time doing positive, worthwhile things, making friends, helping the community and being much more polite. Although TV can have a negative affect on children the creators are aware that too much censorship is also bad. When Michael Angelos David is brought to Springfield the parents begin to protest against it. Marge, on the other hand is in favour of the statue coming to Springfield. This makes Marge re-examines her own attitudes to TV violent. What one person finds offensive could be considered a masterpiece by others. She realises that censorship denies others the right of free choice. When answering the original question it would appear that the Simpsons does influence the behaviour of children. When violent cartoons such as Pokamon are popular the incidences of playground violence increases as children try to imitate their actions. However, as children grow up they develop the ability to distinguish between TV and reality. In certain cases seeing violent acts and the affect it has on victims may prepare people placed in similar situations to cope in real life.