The definition of the word Hajj Essay Example

The definition of the word Hajj Essay The definition of the word Hajj is to set out with definite purpose meaning the definite purpose to be fulfilling the pilgrimage to Mecca. Hajj takes place each year in the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar on the 8th 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah. Each year over millions people gather in the holy city of Makkah for Hajj each year and it is a duty that must be performed by every Muslim at sometime at least once in his/her life. Its the 5th pillar of Islam and like all the other pillars it must be performed with the right intention or NiyyahHajj is a pilgrimage that Muslims make to Mecca, which is in Saudi Arabia. It is a spiritual journey to follow their faith and can help to discover and develop themselves, and to seek spiritual enlightenment. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is done once in every Muslims life, As the Quran says. There are some exceptions such as illness and problems with money. Muslims go on Hajj to cleanse and purify themselves. Another reason is t hat Muslims see hajj as an opportunity to show their devotion to Allah.b) Describe why a Muslim might take part in Hajj and what this involves?All Muslims must travel to Mekkah, at least once in their lifetime, to perform Hajj. It is a vital must of their religion as it shows their love and how faithful they are to Allah.Before the journey a lot of preparing must be made; Families make sure they have enough money to spend, buy their tickets and arrange suitable accommodation. Once this has all been arranged then the families who are leaving dependants behind must arrange a capable guardian. This is not usually a problem due to the unity of Muslim communities.The final thing they must do before the journey is preparing, not just for the journey but also mentally. It is important that they are very knowledgeable about Hajj so they are in a fit state to meet Allah.Muslims might go on Hajj to be forgiven or to cleanse and purify themselves not just physically but mentally When pilgrims arrive in Makkah they have to wear a set of clothing called Ihram. They wear a long white draped dress. Men wear two pieces of clothing, this is also used to burry them when they die. One piece is wrapped around the hip and the other is wrapped over the right shoulder, showing the right shoulder and this is called Ihram.A woman wears a long white dress. Women are allowed to uncover their faces on hajj because men wont look at them with lust. The picture below shows how the women would dress. The Ihram is usually put on at a specific entry places into the vicinity of Makkah.When pilgrims go to the Kaba they chant and pray a prayer called TalbiyahThe Kaba lies in the middle of a sacred mosque. Muslims walk and circle the Kaba in an anti-clockwise direction seven times; while chanting prayers. Circling the Kaba seven times is known as Tawaf. Muslims perform tawaf as a group because it shows respect to Allah that youre all working as a group. While at the Kaba they see Al-kiswah. The Al -kiswah is a black cloth hung over the Kaba all year round it is inscribed with gold writing which are verses from the Quran.After all the chanting and rituals Muslims move on to two hills of Al-Safa Al-Marwa.Now Muslims are off to perform saiy, Muslims have to walk or run from one tip to another tip of the hill they perform this seven times back and forth between the rocky hillocks of Safa and Marwah. This is why a Muslim must be physically fit. When Muslims have finished saiy they are off to Arafat, the mount of mercy. Arafat is in the desert approximately nine miles east of Makkah. On the day of Arafat is the most important day of Hajj, where the whole day is spent saying prayers and rituals. Some would have started chanting prayers while performing Tawaf, but some like to wait until Arafat because it is said that there is no day when Allah is more likely to listen to prayers than the day of Arafat. After Arafat is finished Muslims proceed to Muzdalifah which lies between Mina a nd Arafat.Pilgrims spends the night of the 10th Zul hijjah here, the Zul hijjah is the last month of the Islamic calendar. While in Muzdalifah Muslims collect pebbles and stones for the stoning of the devil in Mina.In the morning there off to Mina.Here they throw pebbles they collected at the three pillars; this represents the devil who tried to tempt Abraham away from the command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Pilgrims stone the devil to say they rejected the devil. While in mina pilgrims will sacrifice an animal which might be a goat. The remains of the goat will be given to the poor. At the end of Hajj pilgrims will have a portion of their hair removed and will take water from the ZamZam which is water from a spring. The ZamZam is now held in a marble chamber in the Kaba. The water from the spring is treasured gifts for their families back home.The whole reason why a Muslim might come on Hajj is because they want to follow in the footsteps of Mohammed and feel closer to Allah. It will also help them personally by respecting Allah and their belief of being a Muslim stronger, it will bring them to believe more and carry on with their faith and aspects of life. And the most important thing why a Muslim might take part in Hajj is because it says it in the Quran 3:93 it quotes:The true Hajj is made between 8 and 13th Dhul-Hijjah, which is the twelfth month in the Islamic calendar and is the month of pilgrimage. If you go on pilgrimage to Makkah at any other time then this pilgrimage is known as Umrah or a lesser pilgrimage.AO2b) i. Explain the meaning and significance of the events of Hajj for a MuslimHajj helps bring Muslims closer to Allah and to each other. In the Quran, Allah ordered Muslims to go on the pilgrimage. Muslims believe that by taking part in hajj and while on the pilgrimage, that they can gain forgiveness from Allah. When Muslims do Hajj they are following the example of the Prophet Muhammad and the peoples of his time. People have always done Ha jj in Makkah but Prophet Muhammad brought Islam back to it and made Hajj how god intended it (like it was in the times of Abraham, Adam and Eve). Muhammad had set a perfect example for all Muslims and today they will do the same as Muhammad did. Because Muslims believe you follow Islam perfectly like Prophet Muhammad did then you will be accepted through the gates of heaven.A Muslim will do the Ihram firstly because of the example of Muhammad and because its Gods will. Muslims put on the white garments of Ihram to remove the worlds possessions and set free the obsession of material goods. This also helps to keep equality among the Muslims; if all people wear white sheets then they have no proof of wealth or poverty. The white garments must be purely white; this shows how a Muslim must focus on Allah alone. This is due to colours and patterns on other clothing may be distracting and this would prevent Muslims from being able to purely concentrate on God. White also represents purity because the colour itself is pure and if a Muslim wears white then he/she can become pure. Plus white is also one shade and one colour which links to the Muslim community being as one and God as being one and one alone. The clothes worn on Ihram will be the same clothes a Muslim will wear on their day of death. They will also be taken to God on judgement day in this attire. The rules of Ihram should keep the peace between pilgrims on Hajj and this helps create a bond between one another and to get on better with each other which reinforces the Islam community and makes it easier for them to worship God as a whole.A Muslim will not cut their hair or fingernails because they believe that while they are on Hajj they should not interfere with Nature and be how God intended them to. This will bring a pilgrim closer to God.They will do Hajj barefoot, again to show that they are all equal and have to be pure before God. Plus the rules of Ihram will help to keep a Muslim on the straight pat h of life (Shariah).This means they will be able to set examples to other Muslims and become truly humble before Allah.The Talbiyah is repeated as Muslims enter Makkah to keep their mind on God and their submission and mercy before him. This shows that they recognize he/she is responsible for the Earth and all that is great, that they are his servants and that he has no equal.The Tawaf represents the eternity of Allah. A circle has no beginning or no end it is forever, like God. Muslims circle the Kabah in an anti clockwise direction because it is the example of Muhammad and Adam and Eve also circled this direction. It is believed that Adam and Eve saw angels circling in an anti clockwise direction when they were worshipping Gods throne. To Muslims this is important because they believe that if they behave like the angels did then surely they can pass into the kingdom of heaven. Everybody circling Together shows togetherness of the people, this again ties in with how an Islamic comm unity should be together. The Kabah is circled seven times because the number seven is a number that represents eternity, again this links together with Allah being eternal. A Muslim who touches, kisses or salutes to the Kabah is showing their appreciation and love towards Allah.Pilgrims will do the Sai because of Prophet Abraham. He was told by God to leave his wife and son in the desert where there was no water. Abrahams wife and son were put against a great challenge and Hajar tried to find help for her child Ishmael by running between the tops of two hills, Mount Safah and Mount Marwah. Though when all help was lost the angel Jibrael appeared and cracked his wing on the sand and a spring appeared from the ground. This shows a Muslim how to be patient in life and always try to persevere even at the worst of times like Hair had. The Sai also represents life. Running is like life and trying to find the right direction, water symbolises God the saviour, bringer and keeper of life. T he water in the desert brings life and God in living things brings life.The Stand reminds pilgrims of the story of Adam and Eve when they had given into the Devil (Iblis) and his temptation of the forbidden fruit. They were thrown out of paradise, separated and wandered the Earth in loneliness and deep unhappiness. God did carefully watch over them waiting for them to one day return. When Adam and Eve had finally realised that life without God was torture they prayed on the top of the Mount of Mercy and begged to be restored to a relationship with Him again. God in his compassion forgave them. Adam and Eve in thankfulness built a shrine in the same spot as the Kabah and Muslims today still believe they worship God on Hajj at the exact same place.Muslim does the stand to keep their relationship with God and to ask for his forgiveness for all the bad things they may have done in life, much like Adam and Eve. When the Stand is done and a Muslim is truly sorry with keeping the correct i ntention they are like a new born child who has committed no sin and is fresh in the eyes of Allah.Prophet Muhammad also did his last sermon on the top of the mount of mercy. He told the people of Islam to respect their neighbours and to love all people and to follow Islam properly and with the correct intention. The Stand also reminds Muslims this is where Judgement Day will take place. So they will be reminded that they have to continue to be good in life to be able to enter heaven.Muslims will throw stone the Jamaras because of its relation to a story about Abraham and his temptation by the devil. One day God decided to test Abrahams faith and love towards him. He asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Ishmael in a dream. When Abraham woke, in extreme distress he told his son Ishmael about the dream. Ishmael told him O father do what you are commanded to do, and do not worry about me. They followed Islam well so they did not question why God had ordered this; they just accepted that it was his will and must be done. Abraham, Hajar (Abrahams wife and mother of Ishmael) and Ishmael set out for Mina which was the place of sacrifice. On the journey the devil appeared in human form, trying to make Abraham and the others change their minds. They were each tempted once.All three rejected the devils temptations and picked up stones and drove the devil away. When they reached the place of sacrifice Ishmael asked his father to place him face down so that he could not be stopped when he saw his face. Abraham laid his son on the altar and at the last moment God stopped Abraham and replaced Ishmael with a ram. The rewards for Abrahams obedience were that his first wife gave birth to a son, Isaac.Muslims believe that if they follow Gods will that they will prevail and be rewarded in the after life. This also reminds Muslims to make sacrifices for God. A Muslim collecting 49 pebbles and stoning the Jamaras shows that they are eternally fighting evil. They stone the Jamar as seven times with seven pebbles each time over the three days they spend there.Id Ul Adha is when they celebrate and have a great feast is represented when Abraham replaced his son with a ram. It also shows great happiness and excitement God can bring. Also the sacrifice will remind Muslims that they have to continue to sacrifice themselves and their goods for God to enter the kingdom of heaven.Hajj is important to every Muslim as it has been taking place for over 1,400 years. All Muslims try to go to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Mecca marks the direction in which all Muslims pray; it is the birthplace of Muhammad (pbuh), the last prophet of Allah.ii. What difficulties might there be for a Muslim performing Hajj?The dress code is extremely important as it symbolises equality. All Pilgrims should dress equally before the eyes of Allah. This enables Muslims not to be distinguished between the rich and poor. Poor and rich people unite together. It reminds Muslims that they have left behind life at home and should only think about God. Glasses and hearing aids are allowed and unintentional breaking of the restrictions is excused. The items that follow are not allowed;* No perfume, no soap, nor in food.* No jewellery, except womens wedding rings.* No wearing of gloves, though hands may be wrapped in cloth.* No deliberate cutting of hair, fingernails, so as not to interfere with nature.* No uprooting plants or cutting down of trees on the journey.* Neither hunting nor bloodshed, except in dealing with bedbugs, fleas, snakes and scorpions.* No carrying weapons.* No sexual relations, no kissing or flirtatious thoughts.* No engagement or taking part in weddingsAs pilgrims to Allah, they must forget about everything that would lead to dishonesty, arrogance and aggression. They must also forget the worries and pleasures of normal life. Pilgrims must be single-minded and not let anything distract them. They shouldnt argue or lose their tempers or be irritable. Peace should be in their hearts and minds and accepting the troubles that they are faced with on the journey shouldnt be complained about. During the journey of Hajj pilgrims should be thinking about Allah all the time.There are many difficulties facing Muslims upon their pilgrimage to Hajj. First of all is the amount of other Muslims; it is unlikely that the number doesnt exceed 2 million. Despite the atmosphere created by this, as many would say it is like no other, which would be true, it obviously presents some dangers; dedicated followers of Islam can be crushed beneath the mass of excited Muslims, a ritual that proposes this danger is the stoning of the Devil, where people crowd around and attempt to throw stones at the pillars in Mina; increasing the risk of crushing, as well as the possibility of getting hit by a stone. In 2003, over 35 people died by crushing during this ritual.Secondly, the cost of the journey is incredibly expensive; including clothes and flights it can come to between à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1500 and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000. Many people save up for years until they can afford it, and often families join together to pay for just one person to go. This has proven to be a costly sum for many Muslims, thus preventing them from making the journey, however, as Allah knows that they have the intention to; he doesnt see it as a lack of faith. Another problem is the fact that women that are under 45 years of age need a chaperone, therefore making the cost of the journey even more expensive as another person has to be paid for also.Due to Meccas location in Saudi Arabia of Asia, lying close to the equator, a further problem is the painfully high temperature. One event involved with the prayer is the Stand; this involves standing from sunrise to sunset without taking any time out whatsoever to relax. This procedure can result in sunburn, sunstroke and many severe cases of dehydration. The Stand is also mentally destructive; trying to keep self-discipline for s uch a long period of time is a very difficult task, it can lead to a breakdown, also, people get tired and it is incredibly mentally exhausting constantly praying and focusing on God. It is a tedious and long task and many Muslims may find it a struggle to stay focused, especially when contending with the blistering temperature, getting bitten by a mosquito or getting pushed and shoved during the circling.A further problem that is encountered is the fact that you need to be physically fit, as some of the rituals involved with the prayer can be gruelling, and despite what it looks like, the whole journey is definitely not easy. Furthermore, Muslims on Hajj may encounter dangerous insects that could poison them such as a scorpion or a spider.iii. How might participating in Hajj affect the life of a believer?Participating in Hajj will affect a Muslims life, even before they go to Makkah. Preparations will be difficult. They will have to save money for Hajj, to do this they will have to cut down on luxuries. Also they have to take care of work, home and family arrangements. This will be a problem to find cover for your children.When Muslims arrive they have to deal with the overwhelming emotions. They will feel proud, happy and excited they were able to complete one of the five pillars. And also completed the once in a lifetime journey.While they are wearing ihram they have to change the way they think about people, you have to know you are all equal. You could feel less proud because you are wearing simple clothing someone might think there better than you. Ihram will tell them be more great full for things in life and how much god has given you.Tawaf would make you think about who you are, and make you feel better. You feel at home and united with millions of your culture. You will realise how many there are of you, you will feel welcome and relief that your not alone in the world. They may have come with one brother but now they have millions. They will look be tter and fitter from all the walking.Performing saiy you will be reminded of the Islamic history and feel you are a part of history.While at Arafat you are asking Allah for forgiveness for your bad sins you have committed, this will take a big weight off your shoulder to finally express your sins.In Mina once you are forgiven, you would have changed your life for forever because you know you will never commit your bad sins again. You would have thrown all your evil sins away. You will have a better attitude towards life and life style; you will treat everyday as a fresh day, a day given to you from god.A Muslim has now changed; they have fresh sins and are a new better person.Once a Muslim has completed the Hajj, he/she will feel fully part of the Muslim family. The enjoyment of completing the 5th pillar makes them feel spiritually benefited. One of the benefits of completing the Hajj is that their name gets changed to Hajji. If a Muslim has this name, it makes all the other Muslims respect them in a different way. The first time a Muslim completes the Hajj, it is one of the toughest things a Muslim must do, but to do it a second time, if possible, may change the life of a believer. When the Hajj is finished, a Muslim may take some water from the Zamzam, to take home for their families. It is believed that the water cures Muslims from disease; this may affect the life of a believer, by healing them of a disease.AO3A true pilgrimage is really a journey within.Do you agree?I think that Hajj is not only a journey within, as there are parts that will inflict great physical damage and take a great toll on many Muslims. Hajj is a long journey each event that a Muslim goes through proves to be both mentally and physically challenging, especially the Sai; the main rite of Umra and part of Hajj, it is the proceeding between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times, and also the Stand, as previously mentioned. One could say that as long as these events are involved, the pilgrimage is not only a journey within, and without them, you would not be following the example of the Prophet Muhammad.Furthermore, if there were no physical side to the Hajj experience, then how would it be possible for a pilgrim to remember? As the physical attributes of the journey leaves reminders upon the pilgrims body, such as scars, bruises and aching muscles; it is incredibly rare that someone could not find the events challenging.Another view that should be stated is the fact that we are both body and soul; therefore as humans, a true pilgrimage is a journey within and without. This is a strong statement as it is a simple fact, yet very effective and straight to the point, implying that a true pilgrimage is not just a journey within.Some Muslims think that the whole point of doing the pilgrimage in the first place is to experience the physical and mental pain that Hargar experienced whilst on her frantic search for water. For these Muslims it is essential that they compl ete the Hajj at least once in their lifetime. The other sort of Muslims feel that it would be a privilege to complete the Hajj, but if is mentally taking part it is almost the same as physically taking part. They could argue that there is no point in going if there is no spiritual dimension to the journey within. Some feel that way because they cannot afford to go themselves, but if they help to pay for someone else to go, it shows intent.On the other hand, many Muslims would be used to facing such a hot climate where the temperature would be around 42 Celsius degree and this would present absolutely no obstacle to them, therefore withstanding many hours of such a climate, as in the stand, would prove to be no problem. As well as this, certain Muslims may do a lot of exercise and certain events, such as the Sai, would prove to be no struggle for them.The physical can aid the mental side of Hajj. Ihram for example means that a Muslim will put on their Ihram garments and be reminded m entally of the Day of Death and the Day of Judgement. This will make them realise they must be good in life and by doing this will help them become closer to God. The Stands physical side means you have to stand before God however this would mean nothing on its own as you would need the spiritual side to confess all of your sins and be truly repentant to God and be forgiven.Despite my arguments against the statement, a strong case for it is the simple fact that Hajj is a journey for spirituality; you venture for yourself, or for a loved one who passed away and was not able to make the journey. The Stand may be a very physical ritual and standing before God is the entire point to it, however, the physicality involved would be nothing on its own, as you need the spiritual side to wash away your sins, be truly repentant to God and finally be forgiven.Furthermore, all Muslims have to go to Hajj unless they have unavoidable circumstances; if you are ill then you can pay for someone to go in your place but they have to have made the journey before. Muslims do not have to physically be there but they can in spirit and prayer, this being a very strong argument for the statement, proving the journey to be one within.On the account of all the different reasons above I believe that participating in Hajj is really a journey within. After looking at both sides of the argument I thought that the fact that Hajj is a spiritual journey was more fitting, as it is one of the five pillars of Islam, and its meaning is to set out with a definite purpose; in this case getting closer to God. The pilgrimage to Hajj is a once in a lifetime journey, and equally both the spirituality and physically involved is really important as it reminds you of Allah. Mecca is the holy city of Islam and is home to the Black Stone in the Kabah, which is believed to be a meteorite sent by God as a sign to Abraham, who built it into the Kabah. The holiness involved in the journey is indescribable.

Free Essays on Delegation

Delegation 2 Let’s start by explaining what delegation is, this is the process in which you assign important task to other employees. In doing this process as a manager you must 1) Identify the task that is to be accomplished, 2) Choose the right employee to complete the assignment, 3) give complete and concise directions, 4) The next step is to monitor the progress of the assignment, check back with your employees to see how things are going and to make sure deadlines are being kept. 5) Provide feedback in order for your employees to complete the task, as a manager you must provide feedback. This will assist the staff so that they know where they are at with there task. Delegation Process The delegation process at the corporation that I work for is as follows: The Chief executive officer decides what he wants to see happen. then that would flow to the Vice President of Operations which would pass this information to all departments such as the Human Resource Director , the Information Technology’s department. This information would then be passed to the Administrators at that district level. The Administrator would then meet with his department heads and discuss the changes that would need to take place. He would speak to the Account Managers, the Director of Nursing and Business Office Manager. The Account Managers are the Marketing representatives for the company. If the information has anything to do with the physicians, hospitals, or assisted living facilities they are responsible for taking the new information to them and explaining to them how things are going to change. The Director of Nursing and the Business office manager would decide who would need to know about this information. We would then discuss who would be best suited to receive this information and we would start to make plans on who we would delegate each assignment to. Lets start with the Director of Nursing she has eight ... Free Essays on Delegation Free Essays on Delegation Delegation 2 Let’s start by explaining what delegation is, this is the process in which you assign important task to other employees. In doing this process as a manager you must 1) Identify the task that is to be accomplished, 2) Choose the right employee to complete the assignment, 3) give complete and concise directions, 4) The next step is to monitor the progress of the assignment, check back with your employees to see how things are going and to make sure deadlines are being kept. 5) Provide feedback in order for your employees to complete the task, as a manager you must provide feedback. This will assist the staff so that they know where they are at with there task. Delegation Process The delegation process at the corporation that I work for is as follows: The Chief executive officer decides what he wants to see happen. then that would flow to the Vice President of Operations which would pass this information to all departments such as the Human Resource Director , the Information Technology’s department. This information would then be passed to the Administrators at that district level. The Administrator would then meet with his department heads and discuss the changes that would need to take place. He would speak to the Account Managers, the Director of Nursing and Business Office Manager. The Account Managers are the Marketing representatives for the company. If the information has anything to do with the physicians, hospitals, or assisted living facilities they are responsible for taking the new information to them and explaining to them how things are going to change. The Director of Nursing and the Business office manager would decide who would need to know about this information. We would then discuss who would be best suited to receive this information and we would start to make plans on who we would delegate each assignment to. Lets start with the Director of Nursing she has eight ... Free Essays on Delegation Delegation 2 Let’s start by explaining what delegation is, this is the process in which you assign important task to other employees. In doing this process as a manager you must 1) Identify the task that is to be accomplished, 2) Choose the right employee to complete the assignment, 3) give complete and concise directions, 4) The next step is to monitor the progress of the assignment, check back with your employees to see how things are going and to make sure deadlines are being kept. 5) Provide feedback in order for your employees to complete the task, as a manager you must provide feedback. This will assist the staff so that they know where they are at with there task. Delegation Process The delegation process at the corporation that I work for is as follows: The Chief executive officer decides what he wants to see happen. then that would flow to the Vice President of Operations which would pass this information to all departments such as the Human Resource Director , the Information Technology’s department. This information would then be passed to the Administrators at that district level. The Administrator would then meet with his department heads and discuss the changes that would need to take place. He would speak to the Account Managers, the Director of Nursing and Business Office Manager. The Account Managers are the Marketing representatives for the company. If the information has anything to do with the physicians, hospitals, or assisted living facilities they are responsible for taking the new information to them and explaining to them how things are going to change. The Director of Nursing and the Business office manager would decide who would need to know about this information. We would then discuss who would be best suited to receive this information and we would start to make plans on who we would delegate each assignment to. Lets start with the Director of Nursing she has eight ...

Accelerated Reader Student Software Program Review

Accelerated Reader Student Software Program Review Accelerated Reader is one of the world’s most popular reading programs. The software program, commonly referred to as AR, is designed to motivate students to read and to assess their overall understanding of the books that they are reading. The program was developed by Renaissance Learning Inc., which has several other programs closely related to the Accelerated Reader program. Although the program is designed for student’s grades 1-12, Accelerated Reader is especially popular in elementary schools across the country. The programs main purpose is to determine whether or not the student has actually read the book. The program is designed to build and encourage students to become lifelong readers and learners. In addition, teachers can use the program to motivate their students by providing rewards that correspond to the number of AR points earned by the student. Accelerated Reader is essentially a three-step program. Students first read a book (fiction or nonfiction), magazine, textbook, etc. Students may read individually, as a whole group, or in small group settings. Students then individually take the quiz that corresponds to what they just read. AR quizzes are assigned a point value based on the overall level of the book. Teachers often set weekly, monthly, or yearly goals for the number of points they require their students to earn. Students who score below 60% on the quiz do not earn any points. Students who score 60% - 99% receive partial points. Students who score 100% receive full points. Teachers then use the data generated by these quizzes to motivate students, monitor progress, and target instruction. Internet-Based Accelerated Reader is Internet-based meaning that it can be accessed easily on any computer that has Internet access. Being Internet based allows Renaissance Learning to automatically update the program and to store key data on their servers. This makes it much easier on a school’s IT team. Individualized One of the best things about Accelerated Reader is that it allows the teacher to dictate how the program is used including the ability to limit students to a reading range that is on their level. This keeps students from reading books that are too easy or too difficult. Accelerated Reader allows students to read on their own levels and to read at their own pace. It does not dictate which book a student reads. There are currently over 145,000 quizzes available to students. In addition, teachers may make their own quizzes for books that currently are not in the system or they may request that a quiz is made for a particular book. Quizzes are added continuously for new books as they come out. Easy to Set Up Students and teachers can be quickly added to the system either through large batch enrollment or individualized addition. Accelerated Reader allows teachers to customize individual reading levels. Teachers can get these reading levels from a STAR Reading Assessment, standardized assessment, or individual teacher assessment. Classes can be quickly set up to allow the teacher to monitor whole class reading progress and to compare individual students within that class. Motivates Students Every quiz in the Accelerated Reader program is worth points. Points are determined by a combination of the difficulty of the book and the length of the book. Teachers often set goals for the number of points each student must earn. The teacher then rewards their students by giving things such as prizes, parties, etc as motivation to meet their goals. Assesses Student Understanding Accelerated Reader is designed to determine whether or not a student has read a particular book and the level at which they understand the book. A student cannot pass the quiz (60% or higher) if they have not read the book. Students who pass the quizzes demonstrate that they not only read the book, but they have a proficient level of understanding of what the book was about. Uses the ATOS Level The ATOS book level is a readability formula used by the Accelerated Reader program to represent the difficulty of a book. Each book in the program is assigned an ATOS number. A book with a level of 7.5 should be read by a student whose reading level is somewhere around the 7th grade and fifth month of the school year. Encourages Using the Zone of Proximal Development Accelerated Reader encourages the use of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The Zone of Proximal Development is defined as the range of difficulty that will challenge a student without causing the student to become frustrated or lose motivation. The ZPD can be determined by the STAR Reading assessment or the teacher’s best professional judgment. Allows Parents to Monitor Progress The program allows parents to do the following: Monitor a student’s progress towards reading goals.Conduct book searches.Review results, view the number of books read, words read, and quizzes passed. Provides Teachers With Tons of Reports Accelerate Reader has about a dozen fully customizable reports. These include diagnostic reports, history reports; quiz usage reports, student point reports, and many more. Provides Schools With Technical Support Accelerated Reader allows you to receive automatic software updates and upgrades. It provides live chat support to answer questions and provide immediate resolution to any issues or problems you have with the program. Accelerated Reader also provides software and data hosting. Cost Accelerated Reader does not publish their overall cost for the program. However, each subscription is sold for a one-time school fee plus an annual subscription cost per student. There are several other factors that will determine the final cost of the programming including the length of the subscription and how many other Renaissance Learning programs your school has. Research To date, there have been 168 research studies that support the overall effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader program. The consensus of these studies is that Accelerated Reader is fully supported by scientifically based research. In addition, these studies concur that the Accelerated Reader program is an effective tool for boosting students’ reading achievement. Overall Assessment Accelerated Reader can be an effective technological tool for motivating and monitoring a student’s individual reading progress. One fact that can’t be ignored is the program’s immense popularity. Observations show that this program benefits many students, but the overuse of this program can also burn many students out. This speaks more to how the teacher is using the program than it does to the overall program itself. The fact that the program allows teachers to quickly and easily assess whether a student has read a book and the level of understanding they have from the book is a valuable tool. Overall, the program is worth four out of five stars. Accelerated Reader can have immense benefits for younger students but can lack in maintaining its overall benefits as students get older.

There are questions and i need to answer .I will write it in Essay

There are questions and i need to answer .I will write it in assignment criteria - Essay Example Employees, like the employers, want to feel being part of the organization and the products produced. However, in many organizations, employees are isolated and only reduced to production machines, with no attachment to what they do. This leads to low employee morale and other major challenges in the working environment. According to several theories of motivations, such as the drive theory, employees need to be motivated. When this term is used, many employees tend to think that high salaries are the only means of motivating the employees. While this act may produce positive results, this will however, work in the short term. Other main areas that need to be addressed include creating an effective and convenient environment in which the employees can work. This is especially through ensuring safety of the employees. Constant communication between employees and employers is also vital. It enables the two addresses the current challenges affecting employees, and the company early befo re it can become a challenge. Operations management becomes imperative when dealing with some of these issues. It is the process through which the management seeks to increase quality, reduce the cost of operation, and use as minimal resources as possible. Employers are focusing on increasing productivity, while at the same time ensuring that all the factors are considered. In terms of performance, the employees focus on speed, flexibility, dependability, cost, and quality. These five performance objectives of operations management are imperative in ensuring that the company becomes more productive. Customers focus on efficiency and quality. The speed at which the company supplies foods and services to the customers is vital. The kind of technology that is employed in any given company also becomes imperative. It must be flexible and dependable. This means it must be ready to accommodate the changes and new demands in the market. However, reducing the cost of operation is one of the major issues that the operations management seeks to solve. As the cost of operations reduces, so do the profits increase. For this reason, the operations managers may decide to employ strategies such as outsourcing. It is the process through which employers seek higher employees who can provide quality services but at a low cost. This is mostly done through acquiring employees from abroad. This has assisted many companies to solve the problem of increased cost of operation. Other areas of focus include the means of transportation used to deliver goods and services to the employees. The means but is both cost effective and efficient. Goods must reach their intended destination within the intended time. It is upon the operations manager to organize, control, and coordinate all the operations within the organization. This is vital if the company is to realize its goals and objectives. However, it will be difficult to achieve some of this goals, speed, and quality of goods unless the right technology is employed. Integration of information technology is important. Apart from increasing productivity, it also leads to high quality work at a minimum time. Challenge facing our manufacturing company This manufacturing company has become ineffective due to the problems of high employee turnover and general reduction in productivity. As a result, the profits of the company have decreased, with the increased cost of operation. With this problem likely to escalate, there is need to address it objectively.

How does Arthur Miller Utilise the marriage of Elizabeth and John Essay

How does Arthur Miller Utilise the marriage of Elizabeth and John Proctor to reflect the events that unfold in Salem in his play The Crucible - Essay Example The play opens in the home of Reverend Parris where the night candle still burns in the breaking morning light and is symbolic of the new beginnings for the town and its people. Yet, these beginnings are filled with tension and mistrust. People are gathering and something is amiss. Act I opens at the preachers home and the characters introduced are a cross section of Salem. The characters are infused with the fear and paranoia that runs through the room. John Proctor still has feelings for his mistress, Abigail, while the towns girls are flirting with the sin of dancing. John Proctor is in the room and we learn he is married when he scolds his housekeeper to return home where "my wife is waitin with your work" (22). Proctor also reports that people are streaming into town and comments that "The towns mumbling witchcraft" (22). Another sign of new beginnings is Proctors past affair and attraction for the young girl Abigail, and his newfound commitment to his wife. When Abigail assumes that Proctor has come to see her, she is in disbelief when he replies, "Abby, youll put it out of mind. Ill not be coming for you more" (23). The use of the nickname Abby instead of the more formal Abigail indicates a familiarity that Proctor still carries with him in his heart. The language is stark and utilitarian reflecting an almost biblical tone that signifies the religious roots of the problem. The town of Salem is undergoing a significant change, while Proctors marriage is also evolving. In respect to the action in the town, and the accusations of witchcraft, Proctor wishes to remain uninvolved in the same way he wishes to remain uninvolved with the young Abigail. Just as witchcraft is perceived as a deep-rooted evil for the town, so is Proctors past affair an issue of trouble for his marriage. Yet, he cannot hope to remain aloof from the

Ethics of Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Example for Free

Ethics of Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Large gas companies have been wreaking havoc on Midwestern United States. These companies’ practices of hydraulic fracturing have been very detrimental to the local populace. Hydraulic fracturing has been known to damage the environment through earthquakes and gas spills. In addition, it has been said that these companies have certain law exemptions that only they enjoy. These unsafe practices have contaminated local’s water supplies. There have even been cases where people have been able to light the water from their faucets on fire. Stricter government regulation should be enforced on these gas companies. Hydraulic Fracturing, or fracking, has recently (in the last ten years) been used extensively by gas companies (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). Fracking involves drilling down below shale formations (over a thousand feet) in the ground and pumping water, sand, and chemicals until the rock fractures. When the rock fractures it releases natural gas that can be collected at very inexpensive cost. The problem is that this can contaminate local water supplies, including lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and ground water. The documentary Gasland stirred up interest in the American population to the effects of fracking. After being offered one hundred thousand dollars for his land from a gas company, the director Josh Fox traveled around America investigating the effects of fracking on the local rural populace. Josh Fox did an excellent job at exposing the gas industry for what it really is. The film won an Oscar nomination and has been praised by environmentalists nation-wide. One of the environmentally damaging effects of hydraulic fracturing is that it has been known to cause earthquakes. Reports of minor tremors of no greater than 2. 8 on the Richter scale were reported on June 2, 2009 in Cleburne, Texas, the first in the towns 140-year history† (Fox). On the other side of the argument, they claim â€Å"Given the ubiquity of fracking without seismic impact, the risks would seem to be remote† (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). This is irrelevant considering that earthquakes are happening where they otherwise would not have occurred. In addition to earthquakes, they also damage the environment by causing environmentally damaging oil spills. In the past two years alone, a series of surface spills, including two blowouts at wells operated by Chesapeake Energy and EOG Resources and a spill of 8000 gallons of fracking fluid at a site in Dimock, Pa. , have contaminated groundwater in the Marcellus Shale region. The amount of water required to drill all 2916 of the Marcellus wells permitted in Pennsylvania in the first 11 months of 2010 would equal the amount of drinking water used by just one city, Pittsburgh, during the same period, says environmental engineering professor Jeanne VanBriesen (qtd. n McGraw). Spills like these cause water contamination for the locals. In this case, a large portion of the spilled fracking fluid flowed into a nearby stream (McGraw). The level of contamination is still being investigated. These irresponsible and selfish practices must be regulated before irreversible collateral and environmental damage occurs. Gas companies have even been able to exploit certain loopholes in the law. An employee from the Environmental Protection Agency stated that the fracking industry enjoy certain legal exemptions from the Clean Water Act – courtesy of Dick Cheney (qtd. in Fox). The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 contained a provision that has come to be known as the Halliburton Loophole, an exemption for gas drilling and extraction from requirements in the underground injection control (UIC) program of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Other exemptions are also present in the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act (Fox). This is an injustice to the local people whose water has been contaminated by these companies. If the government will not regulate these large companies, what will stop these large companies? Furthermore, chemicals contaminating the locals’ water supply have been shown to be a serious health risk. It is reported that â€Å"Last year the EPA found that some chemicals known to be used in fracturing were among the contaminants detected in 11 residential drinking water wells†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lustgarten). These chemicals have even been known to be carcinogenic (Lustgarten). Contaminated groundwater becomes a problem for locals when their cattle have to drink the contaminated water. There are even cases of sick animals where all their hair falls out (Fox). Many farmers worry about the welfare of their cattle’s health which is sometimes their only source of income (Fox). Landowners in shale gas drilling areas have reported foul smells in tap water, and toxic chemicals, such as benzene, have been detected in water from wells near drilling sites (Fox). In addition, there are cases of air pollution from the machinery from the drill sites (Fox). Many claim that the air pollution is the cause of a lot of cancer in the locals (Fox). In Dish, Texas, Mayor Calvin Tillman claimed that the fracking industry created carcinogenic pollution in his town (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). He then quit his job and left his hometown to protect his sons from this pollution (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). These unsafe practices can be very harmful to the local rural populace, and must be regulated. Scientific studies have shown that the drilling has caused local drinking water to be contaminated with methane. In fact, it has been shown that locals can light their water on fire. â€Å"â€Å"Our results show evidence for methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems in at least three areas of the region and suggest important environmental risks accompanying shale gas exploration worldwide. A scientific study has linked natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire. While most of the wells had some methane, the water samples taken closest to the gas wells had on average 17 times the levels detected in wells further from active drilling† (Lustgarten). This shows that their gas drilling in fact causes this contamination. The contamination can get so bad that it directly affects the local’s safety. There is a case that is being investigated where a large portion of a river is highly contaminated from seeping methane gas; it is so highly contaminated that all wildlife has died along a large portion of the river (Fox). Along the banks of the river are dead bodies of birds, squirrels, and other wildlife (Fox). One local even claims that her father died from drinking the water many years earlier (Fox). In Josh Fox’s documentary, it shows a clip of someone lighting seeping gas coming out of the ground on fire (Fox). â€Å"In several cases, homes blew up after gas seeped into their basements or water supplies. In Pennsylvania, a 2004 accident killed three people, including a baby† (Lustgarten). This irresponsible, disregard for basic human rights must be stopped. Large corporations that run free and unregulated will do whatever it takes for their own gain. The local rural populace has been very badly affected by the practices of hydraulic fracturing. It is clearly shown that these locals are not being heard and little is being done for compensation for the locals (Fox). These gas companies have too much freedom to operate and must be put to stricter government regulation. The question is not whether we should frack or not, but rather how do we regulate these practices to minimize the collateral and environmental damage.

Hemophilia Manitoba :: essays research papers fc

Hemophilia Manitoba Hemophilia Manitoba, or hemophilia, is a sex-linked genetic disorder that is effecting about 20,000 Americans, most of which males. A person with hemophilia either has an inactive or inadequate supply of one of several blood factors needed for blood to clot. Because of this hemophilia can be mild, moderate, or severe. Severe hemophiliacs are at risk for bleeding during surgery, trauma, or even dental work. There are two types of hemophilia, A and B (Christmas disease). Hemophilia B is extremely rare. The majority of the people have hemophilia A. In hemophilia A, the particular factor missing is 8 for clotting. Because hemophilia is sex-linked disorder, it can be passed on from mother to child. This is because the gene responsible for making blood factors 8 and 9 are only found on the X-chromosome. If a female is a carrier that means that she has one bad gene and one good gene for this disease. There is a fifty percent chance that she would pass it on to her child because she can only pass on one of the two chromosomes. If a male has hemophilia, he will have normal sons and all of his daughters will be carriers of the hemophilia disorder because all he can pass on is the defective X-chromosome. Males mostly have hemophilia, but women can also have hemophilia. This is extremely rare though because two defective X-chromosomes would be needed. In fact, the first proven case of women having hemophilia was not until the 1950’s (Bornstein 89). Female carriers are also at risk. These women are known as asymptomatic carriers and may suffer excessive menstrual bleeding, bruising, nosebleeds, and problems during childbirth. One serious problem with hemophilia is joint bleeds. When a joint bleeds, a small amount of blood leaks into joint space and can not escape the joint because it is covered by a capsule of tissue. If the bleeding is not discovered by this stage, blood will continue to fill up the joint space. The joint begins to swell and become uncomfortable. Eventually, the pressure inside will be greater than outside and the bleeding stops. Fortunately, the blood makes digestive enzymes that eats up the trapped blood. Unfortunately, the digestive enzymes will also attack the cartilage that covers the bones. After several bleeds, the cartilage can become worn out and the enzymes can eat away at the bone. Hemophilia is either treated each time an internal bleed

Solow Growth Model

Solow model – how well it holds in the real world? Prepared by:- Amol Rattan (75013) Introduction Prior to Solow Model, Harrod Domar model had shown how the savings rate could play a crucial role in determining the Long run rate of Growth. Solow model however proved a result that was contrary to what Harrod Domar model had predicted. It showed that savings has only level effect on income and the growth rate of income depends upon the rate of efficiency or technical progress in the country. Solow Model relies on certain assumptions 1. There are constant returns to Scale(CRS) 2.The production function is standard neoclassical production function with diminishing returns to factor 3. The markets are perfectly competitive 4. Households save at a constant savings rate ‘s’ Equilibrium in Solow Model is defined as the steady state level of capital where the economy grows at a constant rate. By assuming that the two factors of production are capital and labour per efficie ncy unit, it can be shown that savings only affects the level of per capita income. It is only the rate of growth of efficiency which determines the rate of growth of per capita output.For production function: Y= K? L1-? Steady state values are: y†¢=[s/? +? +n]? /1-? k†¢ =[s/? +? +n]1/1-? Objective i) To find how true the result of convergence of Solow model holds for a sample of countries of the world ii) Test Solow model for India for the period 1990-2008 Methodology i) To find how true the result of convergence of Solow model holds for a sample of countries of the world †¢ To prove: Convergence result Solow model predicts that all nations with same parameter of savings rate, population growth rate and depreciation rate will all grow at the same rate in long run.This implies A) The rich countries (defined as those at high level of income) will grow at a lower rate B) The poor countries will grow at a faster rate These conditions mean that the poor countries are able to catch up with the rich countries in the long run. †¢ Test of convergence Regression We test the relation ln(rate of growth of y) = ? + ? ln(initial value of y) Conditions A and B imply that the coefficient ? should be negative Result: For a sample of 23 countries for period 1990-2008 we find: 1) the value of ? = -0. 377451859 ) I t is highly significant as the probability value(pvalue) is close to zero 3) The correlation of ln rate of growth of per capita income over the period with initial income is negative 4) % of data growth of rate of growth is explained by the initial level of income. It makes sense also as rate of growth depends not only on the initial level of income but other factors like education, R&D, etc Standard deviation We test how standard deviation of relative incomes (relative to US) of the countries changes over time. Convergence implies that income of countries become more and more equal.So we expect standard deviations to decrease over time. Result: St andard deviation falls over time for the sample of countries implying convergence Caveats The results that we get are consistent with the theoretical results. However most of the empirical work that has been done on Solow Model has shown the opposite result i. e. unconditional convergence is not seen to hold. The reason for this could the sampling error. We need to take a larger data set to test it again before accepting. ii) Test Solow model for India for the period 1990-2008Solow model gives us the steady state value of per capita income as y†¢=[s/? +? +n]? /1-? Taking log on both sides ln y†¢= (? /1-? )ln(s) – (? /1-? )ln(? +? +n) We estimate this equation for India for the period 1990-2008 A priori theory tells us that o The signs of ln s and ln (n+ ? +? ) should be opposite o The sign of ln s should be positive implying a positive impact of savings on level of per capita income o The sign of population growth increase in efficiency and depreciation should be ne gative as they lead to erosion of capital stock per capita.Result: 1. The signs are as per the expectations. Savings have indeed had a positive impact on the level of per capita income. The coefficient of saving is significant at 5 % level of significance 2. The sign of n +? +? is negative as expected. Though the value of the coefficient is very small. It is hard to believe that 1 % increase in population growth rate or depreciation rate or efficiency decreases per capita level of output by just 0. 3 %. Moreover, this term is not significant. 3.The reason could again be due to the fact that increase in expenditure on education has been taken a proxy for increasing efficiency. Perhaps growth rate of expenditure is not a good proxy and therefore we get such results. Conclusion Thus the two tests that we have taken prove some of the results of the Solow model but not all. Savings do have a positive effect on per capita level of income and convergence seems to exist for the set of count ries that we have taken. SOURCE 1. http://data. un. org/ 2. http://databank. worldbank. org/ 3. http://www. oecd. org/

History of Buddhism

Dr. Klein describes the history of Buddhism, important figures in the movement and stories of the beginning of Buddhism. She discusses the nature of death in Buddhism, in several contexts. Death is an incentive because once one realizes one's human life will inevitably end, life becomes even more important. Motivation to make good use of one’s life exists because even though rebirth is guaranteed, the quality of that rebirth is not.The Buddhist focus on spiritual develpment will help one recognize the inevitability of death as well as face it without fear. The goal of a Buddhist to escape cyclic existence(enter heaven and avoid hell), is the first of element of religious practice in Indo-Tibetan tradition. The idea of rebirth leads to the next element which is compassion. With the idea of rebirth, comes a concern for others. The third essential religious practice is wisdom.In Buddhism, the process of dying consists of eight distinct visions that correspond with the consciousne ss leaving the specific parts of the body. Klein notes that a skilled mediator can simulate this experience at will giving them in control of the experience. This article is well organized and is based on a variety of different sources. It is very detailed and covers a wide scope of material related to Buddhism. Klein seems very informed on the topic but does not offer opinions or personal input.Buddhism fosters a view of personal responsibility instead of fatalism. This is a responsible concept for human beings to live by. Contemplating death to eliminate the fear is a concrete and real way to handle death. Also, not being overly dramatic when consoling the dying (as though not to cause feelings of regret) is a great idea. I think that is an interesting concept that can help the dying and the people consoling them deal with the experience in a more rational way.

Free Essays on Today

In the seventeenth century a scientist known as Newton came forward with his Principia Mathematica. In Shlain’s Art and Physics he states that, â€Å"He made sweeping discoveries about gravity, motion, and light.† This Principia explained every part of science that was known to man. (Keep in mind that â€Å"Science that is known to man,† is a very important piece to my theory.) In the time of Newton, the three laws of motion were sufficient for explaining how and why the world works as it does. Newton’s theory consisted of the three laws of motion. The first one, every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion, unless it’s compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it. The second law states that the change of motion is proportional to the motive force impressed, and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed. The third law simply pulls the two together by stating that to every action ther e is an equal and opposite reaction. Newton had given the world what we now know as physics. For the past three hundred years Newtonian Mechanics have been taught to every student aspiring to elevate their minds. Newtonian Mechanics were the end all to the questions that had plagued thinkers since the beginning of time. The key difference is that Newton was never exposed to the world of science that technology had made prevalent to the likes of an Einstein or Hawking, or even my colleague studying neuro surgery at John’s Hopkins University. When Newton was sitting under his apple tree conjuring up ideas for how and why he did not fly off into space or why the harder you hit something the farther it goes, technology was moving along at the rate of most people’s grandmothers in their walkers. The scientists that had surrounded Newton knew only of what they could see. Their were no people looking to the far ends of the galaxies and their were no people looking in to the u nseen cells that... Free Essays on Today Free Essays on Today In the seventeenth century a scientist known as Newton came forward with his Principia Mathematica. In Shlain’s Art and Physics he states that, â€Å"He made sweeping discoveries about gravity, motion, and light.† This Principia explained every part of science that was known to man. (Keep in mind that â€Å"Science that is known to man,† is a very important piece to my theory.) In the time of Newton, the three laws of motion were sufficient for explaining how and why the world works as it does. Newton’s theory consisted of the three laws of motion. The first one, every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion, unless it’s compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it. The second law states that the change of motion is proportional to the motive force impressed, and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed. The third law simply pulls the two together by stating that to every action ther e is an equal and opposite reaction. Newton had given the world what we now know as physics. For the past three hundred years Newtonian Mechanics have been taught to every student aspiring to elevate their minds. Newtonian Mechanics were the end all to the questions that had plagued thinkers since the beginning of time. The key difference is that Newton was never exposed to the world of science that technology had made prevalent to the likes of an Einstein or Hawking, or even my colleague studying neuro surgery at John’s Hopkins University. When Newton was sitting under his apple tree conjuring up ideas for how and why he did not fly off into space or why the harder you hit something the farther it goes, technology was moving along at the rate of most people’s grandmothers in their walkers. The scientists that had surrounded Newton knew only of what they could see. Their were no people looking to the far ends of the galaxies and their were no people looking in to the u nseen cells that...

How To Turn Blog Readers Into Paying Customers

How To Turn Blog Readers Into Paying Customers Are you converting your blog readers into paying customers? You might be doing it wrong. It’s the greatest misconception in content marketing  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ that people are going sign up for whatever it is that you are selling immediately after reading your content. That’s not how it works. In fact, that  almost never happens. Here’s how we usually think about content marketing: Create amazing content Promote content and watch readers share. Visitors experience said content and immediately buy something. Cha-Ching! But sadly, this is not how it works. The way it really works may be a bit  more complex, but in the end it is a lot more effective. Heres How To Turn Your Blog Readers Into Paying Customers #ContentMarketingAdvocates Before Customers If you are writing your blog to convert customers then you are doing it wrong. The same probably goes for getting them to sign up for your email newsletter. That just isn’t the way it works. It is so easy to think about marketing in a linear fashion. First they will see your ad, and then they will buy your product. Wrong! Marketing isn’t linear, despite the necessity and existence of the inbound marketing funnel. The goal of your blog shouldn’t be to convert customers – at least not right away – it should be to build advocates. Think of it like this:  advocates first, then customers. Build advocates first, then customers. #ContentMarketing #Trust #Conversions #GoodAdviceWhen we position ourselves in this way, we take the pressure off our content. It no longer needs to be mechanically linked to our call to action, it can exist on its own, and that’s a good thing. The process of finding  advocates is all about  building  trust. Content marketing is a process of creating and sharing content with an audience that will build trust and gain customers over time. I like to think of it as a 5 step process that we take our audience through one step at a time. At the end of the day, this is the process you will use to turn blog readers into paying customers. Phase 1:   Reader The first phase of the process is the reader phase. It basically means that a visitor has come to your site to read and consume the content that you have created. At this point, they probably aren’t yet familiar with you or your brand, so it really is just the beginning of the process. During this phase, readers are essentially cold leads, and probably don’t have enough trust in your brand to properly convert. Despite this truth, we often try and fail. Phase 2: Promoter The second phase of the process is to get the reader to share your content. Usually this happens via social media with a share, comment, or like. This is the most basic form of support, but it is sensible for you to consider each one a vote on behalf of your content. When a reader has moved to this phase, they have a officially become a promoter of your content. They will probably cycle between phase one and two several times before building enough recognition of  your brand to move onto the next phase. This is really a process of building trust with your readers. Phase 3: Subscriber The third phase of the customer acquisition process falls into the role of a subscriber. Here, a casual reader will become a devout consumer of your content. The most common method for this is a subscription to your email marketing plan or RSS feed, although it can come in other forms such as a follow on Twitter or a like on Facebook. Either way, this person has moved to the point where they not only recognize your name/brand, but they look forward to receiving and consuming your content as it becomes available. A simple way to look at this  is that they have opted in. Phase 4: Advocate As your subscriber receives your content over and over, they should slowly transition from a casual reader into a content advocate, frequently recommending your content via social media, and regularly participating in your comments section as new content is published. The difference here between a subscriber and an advocate is usually the level of engagement that they have with your content. In other cases, advocates will simply be the folks that â€Å"look forward† to your content each week, dropping everything when it arrives. This is an important step, and will only develop when you regularly focus on high-quality content with a purpose. Phase 5: Customer After months of blogging, tons of emails, and probably a comment or two, your advocate may actually be ready to become a customer. While they may have tried your product during an earlier phase, they have never been more prime to buy than now. The beauty of this stage is that they have so much trust in your brand that the buying process should be much easier for them. I often say that customers buy things from those that they know, like and trust. Content marketing is a great way to work through this process with customers that you don’t always get the opportunity to develop a one-on-one relationship with. Phase 6 (Bonus Phase): Ambassador One phase that can come after your reader has become a customer is the ambassador phase. This is a bonus element of that process and is often more reliant on your products ability to deliver than your content itself, although in some cases readers will become a major ambassador for your content. This is a good thing too. How To Turn Your Blog Readers Into Paying Customers You may have thought  that the real secret to turning blog readers into paying customers is the size of your pop-up banner. Although it may help, it probably won’t lead to long-term sustainable growth all on its own. Creating great content and building trust, on the other hand, can do just that. The problem is that we often look at the customer conversion process on a very condensed timescale. We like to think in terms of minutes rather than days, months, or years, when  this is really what it takes. In my days as a marketing consultant I saw this process at work all the time. I distinctly remember one customer who signed up on my email marketing list shortly after a free-luncheon talk that I gave to a handful of non-profits in my community. I never met her or discussed her program directly, but without me even knowing it she slowly went from being a reader to becoming an advocate. This future customer was consuming my content, reading my newsletter, and sharing it with everyone that she worked with day to day. Over several months, her trust in our brand and advice became infallible. We had earned her respect. One year later when it finally came time for her  team to look for an online marketing consultant, I was the first (and only) person that they called. I had a record-setting   deal in place after one meeting and a weeks worth of time. No selling was required. They already trusted me. My content had carried them the entire way. Good #ContentMarketing takes time, it is as simple as that.So often, we don’t like to give our content the time and resources that it takes to really become effective. We like to see fast results and immediate feedback on our funnel, but this is the wrong approach. To do it right, we have to give our content the time and resources that it really deserves. Good content marketing takes time, its simple as that. So many times, I see teams give up on their content way too soon, failing to embrace the slow, but deadly-reliable process of using content to turn readers into customers. Rather than focusing on converting a customer right out of the gate, start focusing on high quality content, a great experience, and an opportunity to build trust. Watch your funnels over the long term, and sit back and relax as your blog becomes the biggest source of new business that you’ve ever had.

Contemporary Trust Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemporary Trust Law - Assignment Example If there are no beneficiaries with equitable interests in the trust assets, there is in theory no one "in whose favour the court can decree specific performance": Morice v Bishop of Durham (1804) 9 Ves.399. The complexity, of course, with this approach is that it frustrates the requirements of a settler or testator, who may want to profit a legitimate public object or useful social experiment which does not fall stringently within the definition of charity. A trust, for example, for the promotion of a particular sport (such as angling or yacht racing) is not charitable unless linked to education: Re Nottage [1895] 2 Ch. 649 and Re Clifford [1912] 1 Ch. 29. Similarly, a trust to be relevant income for the purposes of research into a proposed new alphabet also falls outside the description of charity: Re Shaw [1957] 1 W.L.R. 729. To what extent, however, is it legitimate to use the mechanism of a trust for the haulage out of mere purposes where there are no beneficiaries vested with equitable ownership in the trust property The law that a valid trust "must be for the benefit of individuals" (Bowman v Secular Society Ltd [1917] A.C. 406, 441, per Lord Parker) is not complete. A trust for charitable purposes is valid even with the absence of an equitable beneficial owner to put into effect the trust. Here, of course, it is the Crown (acting through the Attorney-General or the Charity Commissioners) who takes on the role of parens patriae on behalf of the public at large. Apart from this, there are several well-known "inconsistent" exceptions, classified by Lord Evershed M.R. in Re Endacott [1960] Ch. 232, where the trustee may perform the terms of the trust if he so wishes, but the court will not compel him to do so. These so-called "trusts of imperfect obligation" comprise (1) trusts for the creation of monuments and graves; (2) trusts for the saying of masses; and (3) trusts for the maintenance of particular animals. They will be valid (though unenforceable) provided they do not offend the rule against continuous trusts. Presumably, in the dearth of a beneficiary, the trustee is mutually the legal and beneficial owner of the trust property so that, if he fails or refuses to carry out the trust, the property will relapse back to the testator's residuary estate upon a resulting trust as to both the legal and equitable title. In reality, there is no trust here at all, rather a meagre power to apply for the stated purposes, with a contribution over or a resulting trust in evasion of exercise of the power. There are, of course, other cases where there may be a conviction despite the lack of an equitable owner. The understandable example is that of a discretionary trust in favour of a large class which is too large to list but, nevertheless, theoretically certain in definition. In the same way, there is no equitable title to the estate of a deceased person until such time as the administration is completed. The personal representatives are simply the legal owners during the administration