Sufism is the heart of Islam Essay Example for Free

Sufism is the heart of Islam Essay Sufism (tasawuf in Arabic) represents the mystical dimension of Islamic religious life. The phrase mystical itself can be problematic in the sense that it can sometimes be used to depict the occult or the quasimagical quackery of new age thinking or new religious movements. It may also at times be used to express the sense of the mysterious felt by those who assert some class of spirituality, yet Sufism has little, if anything to do with these. Through following a series of devotional practises, which lead to higher levels of ecstatic state, Sufis aspire to realise a condition in which they are in direct communion with God. Sufism itself has been defined in many ways, some view it as a continuous striving to cleanse ones self of all that is bad or evil in order to acquire virtue, others view it as the path followed by an individual who is seeking to free himself or herself from human vices and weaknesses in order to acquire angelic qualities and conduct pleasing to God. Sufism has been criticised heavily by Muslims as well as non-Muslims, while some have argued from the perspective that Sufism is the ultimate heart of Islam. If Sufism despite having differences from conventional Islam, is actually the heart of Islam, then if so, why cant the other sects of Islam such as the Shiite or the Wahabi also be seen as the heart of Islam? The phrase heart of Islam must be given a pinned definition in this context, as some will see it as being the most important thing of the Islamic religion while others will see it simply as Islams truth. Both interpretations of the phrase heart of Islam are vitally the same yet evidence can adjust whether they are the primary hearts of Islam or even secondary. Sufism originated as a reaction to certain features of orthodox Islam. They regarded the mere observance of religious law as a matter of outer conformity and they encouraged a desire for inner, personal experience of the divine through meditation and other means. They encouraged the rejection of wealth and class distinctions and based themselves on the simpler lives led by the prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the first caliphs i n contrast to the worldliness of the Umayyad and Abbaasid caliphates. Sufis are characterised by their particular attachment to zikr (remembrance of Allah) and asceticism (seclusion). The early Sufis focused on the central idea of the love of God, which was introduced by Rabia-al- Adawiyah in the eighth century. From the earliest history of Islam, Sufism gradually developed to take on an organisational form. Pious individuals formed groups or brotherhoods known as turuq (plural of tariqah, which means path) . Each tariqah would be headed by a Sheikh or a spiritual guide and consist of devotees who saw the Sheikh as a true teacher on the path to God. In the course of time, different turuq developed, each having its own teachings and instructions for purifying the heart . If Sufism really is the heart of Islam then there must be factual evidence to support this view, which I am now going to analyse and interpret. Firstly, although Sufism mostly concentrates on the inner world of man and deals with the meaning and effect of religious commandments on mans spirit and heart and is therefore abstract, it does not contradict any of the Islamic ways based on the Quran and the Sunna. In fact its source is the Quran and the Sunna, as well as the conclusions drawn from the Quran and the Sunna via deduction by the purified scholars of Islam. The Quran for Muslims is their most holy book, which lays down for them the law and commandments as well as containing a comprehensive religious philosophy. The Sunna for Muslims is the deeds, sayings and the manners of the prophet, which are to be emulated by Muslims all over. Both the Quran and theSunna are of great importance for Muslims and for their religion Islam. So if Sufism derives its sources from the Quran and the Sunna then it must also be the heart of the religion itself. Sufism dwells on the fundamental virtues of Islam, knowledge of God, sincerity, perfect goodness, and other similar fundamental virtues. The priorities of Sufism have never been different from those of the Shariah. The Shariah is the body of Islamic religious law. Both groups have always depended on the Quran and the Sunna, which are the two main sources of Islam. Both disciplines stress the importance of belief and of engaging in good deeds and good conduct, the only difference is that Sufis emphasize deepening the meaning of good deeds and multiplying them. Sufism must be the heart of Islam since it makes the superfluous endeavour to increase the good deeds that make Allah pleased. Another notable fact is the meaning of the word Islam surrender. True surrender is not only concerned with the will of a Muslim, as it must also involve their whole being. Islam states that a person must be the perfect servant of God in the sense of following his commands. Clearly Allah has given Muslims many faculties such as free will and intelligence, therefore the surrender of Muslims to Allah must be complete and total and not limited to certain faculties. It must occupy the entire individual because otherwise unknown thoughts and emotions as well as false ideas can combine with a misleading sense of external surrender of ones will to God to produce acts in the name of religion that can have disastrous consequences. Sufism is the heart of Islam because Sufis themselves surrender internally as well as externally to the will of God, as it not only is one of their core beliefs but also they make the extra effort to surrender to the will of God, instead of mainstream Muslims who limit themselves to following the legalistic side of the religion. Sufis are the ones who show the greatest attachment to the Shariah, whose inner significance they seek to reach. A different explanation as to why Sufism is the heart of Islam is because although the Quran emphasizes that all Muslims stand equally before God, it also insists that human beings are distinguished in rank according to their knowledge of the truth and virtue, as in the verses, are those who know equal with those who know not? (Quran39:9) and one of Sufisms main goals is ultimate knowledge, knowledge of God, which is why they must be the heart of their religion, as they create extra emphasis on the fundamental virtues of Islam. In Islam itself, Sufism has been over the centuries the hidden heart that has renewed the religion intellectually, spiritually, and ethically and has played the greatest role in its spread and in its relation with other religions. As this person noted in their book , Sufis themselves have visualized Islam as a circle whose hub is the haqiqah. Haqiqa refers to the inner Truth or inner Reality that Sufis believe is at the heart of Islamic revelation. The radii of the circle are the tariqah, and the circumference is the Shariah. Tariqah means the path that one follows through spiritual practise in order to reach the ultimate truth (the haqiqa). Each Muslim is like a point on the circumference, whose totality composes the Islamic community or ummah. To reach the haqiqah one must first stand on the circumference, that is, practise the Shariah, and then follow the tariqah, or path to God, whose end is the centre, God himself, or the haqiqah. This raises the truth that Sufism is the heart of Islam, as here it undoubtedly explains how. All the evidence noted above bestows the suggestion that Sufism is the heart of Islam yet the confirmation has not been revised from both sides and is therefore not balanced yet. To balance our answer to the main question Sufism is the heart of Islam then we must now take into consideration reasons for why Sufism might not be the heart of Islam. Firstly Sufism has come across many problems by fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. For instance, much Sufi poetry refers to intoxication, ( Intoxicated by the Wine of Love. From each a mystic silence Love demands) (Poem by famous Sufi poet Farid ud Din Attar) which Islam expressly forbids as haraam. Some Sufi orders use music, drugs and alcohol to produce ecstatic states. Wine is even a symbol of divine intoxication in the Sufi language of ecstasy. Not only are these haraam in Islam but they also divert the spiritual focus of Sufism. How may Sufism be the pure, uncontaminated heart of Islam when those things that are prohibited in Islam are not forbidden in Sufism? Consequently this leads to doubts being cast over the validity of Sufism as a part of Islam. Not only that but some groups have emerged that consider themselves above the shariah and discussed Sufism as a method of bypassing the rules of Islam in order to attain salvation directly, this has been dissaproved of heavily by muslim scholars. Many Muslims have even considered Sufism as a corruption of Islam drawing on the Sufi concept of fana, passing into Allah and feeling Allahs presence combined with the use of mystical experiences. Fana is interpreted, as being at one with Allah, which is crucially erroneous as Allah is the one and only and the major offence in Islam is to unite an additional with the most glorious Allah. A key theme in Islam is tawhid which is the concept of monotheism and firmly holds that God is the one and only. Further so why Sufism has no site in being the heart of Islam is that the Sufis say: When you unite with the Beloved (God), then there is neither command nor prohibition in matters of religion. Sufis here have customarily discarded the doctrine of the fear of God, the wrath of the Day of Judgment, the fury of the Hell-Fire and the promise of Jannah. They say Faith based on compulsion is slavery, and God has created man with intelligence, free will and love. Hence the mainspring of Sufism is love not fear and obedience to the religious laws. Yet the one and only Allah the Exalted describe his believers as: Verily those who fear their Lord with reverence, and those who believe in the signs of the Lord, and those who ascribe no partners to their Lord, and those who give what they give while their hearts are full of fear, because to their Lord they will return.(23.57-61) Thus it has been clearly stated here using verses from the Quran that Sufism has gone against the doctrines of Islam, as the love of Allah necessitates following the commands of the Messenger of Allah with hope for reward and fear of punishment in the Hereafter. Muslims deem that any particular act of devotion must be substantiated by the Quran and Sunna only. Allah the Exalted says: Say (to them), Produce your proof if you are truthful. [2: 111], and the Prophet (s.a.w) said, The created is not to be obeyed over the Creator. However the sheikhs in Sufism are given the standing of a deity, when attributes which belong to only Allah, are also assigned to their Sheikhs. How can Sufism be the heart of Islam when they are going against Allah in terms of whom to praise and to what extent. Never the less orthodox Muslims may condemn fundamentals of Sufism yet they never habitually outlaw Sufism as completely incorrect. In this sense if there are elements of Sufism criticised heavily by Muslims as well as non-Muslims alike, and there are other elements that are not usually criticised, then how may Sufism be the true heart of the religion of Islam when it is clearly not accepted fully and truly by all Muslims of all sects. To understand the true heart of Islam it is essential to understand the significance of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w from the traditional Muslim point of view. The Quran asserts clearly that the prophet was a man and not divine but also adds that he was given the most exalted and noble character and that he was chosen as a model for Muslims to emulate. For Muslims the prophet is a mortal man but also Gods most perfect creature, or what the Sufis call the universal man. As Sufis seek spiritual closeness with God then they are also putting themselves on the same level as Muhammad s.a.w. If Sufism is subsequently not the heart of Islam, in that case then what is? Could the five pillars: Shahada, Salah, Zakah, Sawm or Hajj be the hearts of Islam. Or the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the ummah, the concept of jihad, the Quran, possibly Sunnis or shias or a sect of Islam? These are all elements of the religion Islam, yet what is that which stands out above the rest? If the holy Quran is the source of Islam, then it must also be the heart of Islam? This book of divine guidance and direction for mankind was revealed to the prophet Muhammad s.a.w through the angel Gabriel. The prophet Muhammad s.a.w on the other hand is considered to be the central human figure in the religion of Islam as well as being the restorer of the uncorrupted original monotheistic faith of Adam, Abraham, and Jesus etc. what if the prophet Muhammad s.a.w a Sufi? More over I mean this central religious text of Islam cannot be unaccompanied in being the heart of Islam, meaning the prophet Muhammad s.a.w must in addition be obliged to be the heart of Islam, or if not entirely at leas t a component of it? This gives rise to the reality that every mainspring idea in Islam (such as the five pillars, ummah, jihad) is thought of in elevated significance but yet none single-handedly can fit the true hearts of Islam. All either must be combined totally in order to allow the heart of Islam to be formulated or there is something that is of even greater importance, which is veiled yet. If no one thing can be the true heart of Islam then there must be a variety of things which when thought of together make up the ultimate hearts of Islam, (one of which could be mysticism.) Conclusion After evaluating all the evidence drawn upon I have come to the conclusion that Sufism and the mystical experiences are not at the heart of Islam because their negative aspects outweigh their positive aspects, and rather the oneness of Allah (tawhid) is the true heart of Islam. As Syed Hossein Nasr has said in his book The Heart Of Islam, at the heart of Islam stands the reality of God, the one, the absolute, and the infinite. Greater then all we can conceive or imagine, yet closer to us then our jugular vein. Allah is the central reality of Islam in all of its facets, and attestation to this oneness, which is called tawhid, is the axis around which all that is Islamic revolves. The oneness of God is for Muslims not only the heart of their religion, but also that of every authentic religion. The uncontaminated pure and true heart of Islam is to testify to this oneness, using the formula there is no God but God and Muhammad s.a.w is the last messenger of Allah. This testament is not only the heart of Islam as well as the foundation from which all other beliefs and practises of Islam are sought, but it is also the first words a newborn will hear. Bibliography Books- The other side of Sufism by A. Tabari The heart of Islam by Syed Hossein Nasr The mystics of Islam by The basics Islam by Colin Turner Sufism By Sri Swami Sivananda The mystical doctrines and methods of Islam by William Stoddart Websites- Wikipedia Sufism Sufi Islam Muhammad s.a.w Quran

Calorimeter used for calorimetry

Calorimeter used for calorimetry Introduction What is a Calorimeter ? Definition: A calorimeter is a device used for calorimetry, the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity. The word calorimeter is derived from the Latin word calor, meaning heat. Differential scanning calorimeters, isothermal micro calorimeters, titration calorimeters and accelerated rate calorimeters are among the most common types. A simple calorimeter just consists of a thermometer attached to a metal container full of water suspended above a combustion chamber. To find the enthalpy change per mole of a substance A in a reaction between two liquids A and B, the liquids are added to a calorimeter and the initial and final (after the reaction has finished) temperatures are noted. Multiplying the temperature change by the mass and specific heat capacities of the liquids gives a value for the energy given off during the reaction (assuming the reaction was exothermic.). Dividing the energy change by how many moles of X were present gives its enthalpy change of reaction. This method is used primarily in academic teaching as it describes the theory of calorimetry. It does not account for the heat loss through the container or the heat capacity of the thermometer and container itself. In addition, the object placed inside the calorimeter show that the objects transferred their heat to the calorimeter and into the liquid, and the heat absorbed by the calorimeter and the liquid is equal to the heat given off by the metals. Functions: As one of the devices used in the science of calorimetry, the calorimeter plays an important role in measuring heat capacity in a number of secure environments, as well as the physical changes that occur with the incidence of specific chemical reactions. This is some information about the general function of the calorimeter and how measuring calories related to the process of identifying heat capacity. Calorimeter is a term that is derived from the Latin word calor, which literally translates to heat. While most people understand the concept of calories as they relate to weight gain or loss, fewer individuals are aware that calorie content is determined by the ability of the substance to generate heat or energy as a result of the consumption. What the calorimeter actually does is identify the rate and scale of the production of that heat or energy and translates into numerical designations that can be used to adequately measure the production and the assimilation of heat and energy. Thus, when thinking in terms of counting calories, what is actually happening is thinking in terms of how much heat and energy will be generated and expended as a result. Calorie measurement has several important applications. One of the most common has to do with health matters. Because the calorie content of some foods is judged to be quite high, the result is that the energy or heat created by the consumption of the foods must make best use of that produced energy. If there is no efficient use of the calories, then the result is energy stored in the form of fat for later consumption. That is why the calorimeter is so important. Proper measuring of calories allows people to more properly plan food intake to ensure that the body has enough heat or energy to function, but does not store excess energy as fat. Types of calorimeter There are a number of different types of the calorimeter that help to measure energy and heat production: 1 :: Adiabatic Calorimeters An Adiabatic calorimeter is a calorimeter used to examine a runaway reaction. Since the calorimeter runs in an adiabatic environment, any heat generated by the material sample under test causes the sample to increase in temperature, thus fuelling the reaction. 2 :: Reaction calorimeters A reaction calorimeter is a calorimeter in which a chemical reaction is initiated within a closed insulated container. Reaction heats are measured and the total heat is obtained by integrating heat flow versus time. There are four main methods for measuring the heat in reaction calorimeter: Heat flow calorimetry Heat balance calorimetry Power Compensation Constant Flux 3:: Bomb calorimeters A bomb calorimeter is a type of constant-volume calorimeter used in measuring the heat of combustion of a particular reaction. Bomb calorimeters have to withstand the large pressure within the calorimeter as the reaction is being measured. 4:: Constant-pressure calorimeter A constant-pressure calorimeter measures the change in enthalpy of a reaction occurring in solution during which the atmospheric pressure remains constant. 5:: Differential scanning calorimeter In a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), heat flow into a sample—usually contained in a small aluminum capsule or pan—is measured differentially, i.e., by comparing it to the flow into an empty reference pan. 6:: Isothermal titration calorimeter In an isothermal titration calorimeter, the heat of reaction is used to follow a titration experiment. This permits determination of the midpoint (stoichiometry) (N) of a reaction as well as its enthalpy (delta H), entropy (delta S) and of primary concern the binding affinity (Ka). 7:: X-ray micro-calorimeter The detector and X-ray micro-calorimeter, works by sensing the heat pulses generated by X-ray photons when they are absorbed and thermalized. X ray micro-calorimeter diagram. The temperature increase is directly proportional to photon energy. This invention combines high detector efficiency with high energy resolution, mainly achievable because of the low temperature of operation. Micro-calorimeters have a low-heat-capacity mass that absorbs incident X-ray (UV, visible, or near IR) photons, a weak link to a low-temperature heat sink which provides the thermal isolation needed for a temperature rise to occur, and a thermometer to measure change in temperature. 8:: High-energy particle calorimeter In particle physics, a calorimeter is a component of a detector that measures the energy of entering particles. 9:: Heat-loss calorimeter Cross-section view of a heat-loss calorimeter. The heat developed inside the cell is collected by the inner copper cup. Then, it flows through the silicone-rubber which serves as a thermal resistor and the outer copper cup, to the flowing water surrounding the outer copper cup. 10:: Gas calorimeter A gas calorimeter which uses an ultrasonic resonator is in prototype state. It is based on the following mechanism: Periodic temperature changes are produces in the gas-filled resonator cavity by heat absorption, These temperature changes lead to variations of the velocity of sound c via the temperature dependence of c, The change of the velocity of sound results in periodic changes of the tuning of the ultrasonic resonator, The detuning of the resonator is measured by lock-in techniques, The device is simultaneously calibrated an additional heat source at a frequency different from the one to be measured. Gas calorimeter types: Junkers Gas Calorimeter Also known as Gas Calorimeter, Junkers Type Used for determination of calorific values (1000 Kcal/m3 26000 Kcal/m3) of fuel / flue gases at low pressures (2† to 12† W.G) Boys non-recording gas calorimeter The P5615 Boys Gas Calorimeter Set supplied by Cussons has been developed, from apparatus designed by the late Sir Charles Boys F.R.S., to provide a simple but accurate method of ascertaining the calorific values of a wide range of gaseous fuels currently in use. As such it is a necessary item of equipment in any thermodynamics laboratory and is applicable to craft and vocational courses in gas engineering and technology. DESCRIPTION The two main items of equipment in the apparatus are the Boys non-recording gas calorimeter fitted with appropriate burners in the base, and a precision, Hyde type gas meter with a capacity of 2.0 litres/rev consisting of a specially designed measuring drum housed in a gas-tight casing and sealed with water. The whole set is manufactured to a very high standard and is supplied with all necessary accessories including thermometers with reading lenses, measuring vessels and a general purpose set of four burners for town and coke oven gas, natural and methane gas, butane, propane, acetylene, ethylene and propylene. Tru-Therm H Gas Titrator Gas Calorimeter The Tru-Therm Model H real time natural gas calorimeter is a continuous measurement calorimeter instrument that determines calorific Heating Value, Specific Gravity, and WOBBE measurement of natural gas, with continuous rate of update of 10 seconds. Calorific Heating Value is determined by the stoichiometric micro combustion of natural gas. Natural gas and air are supplied to a small instrumentation burner (about 1/2 inch cube) where the flame temperature is directly measured by a thermocouple. The thermocouple provides a signal to the Measurement Engine Control Computer, which in-turn regulates the flow rate of gas to achieve the maximum temperature of combustion. This occurs at the Stoichiometric Point. The gas flow rate that corresponds to this temperature is determined by a precision flow-meter which is sensed by the Measurement Engine Control Computer. Differential Thermoelectric Tritium Gas Calorimeter A device for measuring the amount of any reactive gaseous component in a single gas or in a mixture of two or more gases. The device comprises a reaction chambre, at least one means for supporting a removable catalyst suitable for catalysing the reaction between the reactive component and the gas or gases and at least one heat sensor for detecting and measuring the heat produced or absorbed by the reaction between any reactive component and one or more other gases Exhaust Gas Calorimeters The Exhaust Calorimeter comprise a multi-tube exhaust gas heat exchanger in which the exhaust gases pass through the tubes and the cooling water flows outside the tubes. An exhaust gas sampling point with shut off cock is provided. The cooling water circuit is fitted with a flowmeter on the inlet and a flow control valve on the outlet side. Note that the unit must be arranged for contra flow that is the exhaust gas and cooling water must flow through the heat exchanger in opposite directions. Temperature measuring points are provided for exhaust gas inlet and outlet, and cooling water inlet and outlet. The instrumentation is sufficient to enable the heat content of the exhaust gases to be accurately determined.

Does The Media Undermine Democracy In Malaysia Media Essay

Does The Media Undermine Democracy In Malaysia Media Essay Throughout the last decades, Malaysians have enjoyed regular elections and political stability. However, the stability slowly took a turn when the detention of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the subsequent sentence of 15 years for charges of corruption, abuse of power, and sexual misconduct made the public lose its faith in the integrity of the governments aims (Heufers, 2002) This the somehow added the growing number of detentions under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other repressive laws severely threaten political competition, participation, and civil and political liberties. The media in Malaysia comprising of the mainstream that is mainly owned and controlled by the government and the alternative media, a form of independent journalism. Many government leaders in the developing world would justify their control over the media in terms of jealously guarding and guiding its members towards the path of national development and to ensure that the media does not fall into the wrong hands (Mustafa, 2005) In other words, the government wants to take control of media so they can set the agenda in the minds of society. This already restricts a sense of openness in the mainstream media. Mustafa (2005) stated in an analysis on the coverage of Malaysias 2004 general elections by four mainstream newspapers (The Star, the New Straits Times (NST), Berita Harian and Utusan Melayu), the total number of news items that were positive towards BN among all four major newspapers were roughly 40% and above. The other part of the percentage went straight to new items that were negative towards the opposition. Only a slight number of news (4% and below) were negative new items towards BN. Mustafa (2005) also highlighted sample of headlines used by these newspapers that gave an idea of slant news reporting; Malaysians prefer Pak Lahs vision of Islam (NST, March 15 2004), Perlis merana jika pilih pembangang (Perlis suffers if opposition is voted) (Utusan Melayu, March 16 2004 ) This shows a high level of bias coverage within the highly influential mainstream newspapers during the 2004 general elections. Another research presented by Ramanathan (2008) consists of a two month content analysis on how the mainstream media presents their reports on the 2008 general elections. Choosing newspapers in four languages (English, Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Mandrin) and the new media; internet, online newspapers and SMS as well as monitoring commentaries by selected television channels such as RTM, CNN and Channel News Asia on a selective basis. According to research, the type of coverage done by five of the mainstream newspapers was sided towards pro-BN stories. 277 stories analysed from Utusan Malaysia has 155 pro-BN stories, 56 pro- opposition and 66 neutral. The Star had a total of 153 stories analysed, 100 were pro-BN and only 22 were pro-opposition. Nanyang Siang Pau had 118 stories, 74 of them pro-BN and 26 pro-opposition. For Tamil newspapers, a qualitative analysis was undertaken that led to conclusions of since Tamil Nesan was being majority owned by Datin Indrani Samy Velu, the newspaper printed many stories featuring Dato Samy Velu and prominent MIC politicians and there were hardly any coverage given to Indian candidates form opposition political parties. The mainstream media weakens the openness of presenting political news to society. If democracy is all about the peoples right to oppose, to provide critiques with the role of media to influence the people, they are not giving much of a decision or choice to begin with. Of course there are minimal parts where the government values and would take into consideration the opinions of the people. For example, the topic of teaching Maths and Science in English (PPSMI), society is free to give out comments and opinions on what they think about the topic. People are writing in to newspapers, taking part in massive forums to state their opinion and to fight for what they stand for and the government values the opinion of the people in this case. Why cannot this be the same with political issues? After all, it is the political opinion and stands made by the public that would contribute to the democracy of the country. Some may say that the alternative works as a perfect place for independent journalism; however it is still closely monitored by the authorities. Blogs and online publications are beginning to worry the Malaysian authorities enough to re-consider the existing policy of non-regulation of the Internet and to call for some controls over the content (Ramanathan, 2008) A clear example was when Raja Petra Kamarudin, editor of alternative news Portal Malaysia Today was charged with publishing a seditious article on 25 May 2008 with the title, Lets send Altantuya murderers to hell. Raja was the first blogger to be charged under a sedition act where he claim trail but refused to post bail. Six months after detention under the ISA, Raja was released with no charges being filed against him. Accountability The tight gate-keeping and censorship practised by the government over the mainstream media influences the accountability of democracy. The government does not like reports that are too critical; therefore the responsibility to forming a democracy country is limited due to the restrain in reporting. During the general election in 2008, Ramanathan (2008) analyzed two-months prior to and after the elections, the mainstream media did coverages on upbeat stories about Barisan Nationals chances and dismissed the oppositions chances. Among them were: a two-page focus on Issues close to the heart featuring an in-depth interview with Abdullah, an article titled Guan Eng not a threat in Penang dismissed the chances of opposition leader Lim Guan Eng in capturing the state government in Penang and instead Lim won handsomely. With slanted reporting like this, the accountability of the government would be doubted by the public hence would give the public the opportunity to opt for something else which they did in the 2008 general election whereby BN suffered one of their worst lost because the public opted for an alternative media. This incident brought the alternative media to a different level when weblogs, text messages and copies of Internet-streamed videos became the most influential information sources for voters ahead that resulted in a surprise blow to the BN) party, which has ruled the country for more than 50 years. The media holds the representative responsible for taking care of the the people so what happens when these politicians lose in an election? How would they answer to accountability? The innocent death of Teo Beng Hock signifies a crisis of confidence in Malaysian democracy and accountability. Many critics, including those in the current government, argues that restrictions were put in place at a time when they were needed and that preventing public discussion of certain issues is not only counter-productive but it is also futile (Ramanathan, 2008) With the support towards the alternative media and the growing public sphere, the results from the 2008 election are bound to bring about greater freedom of expression. Though the responsibility of the democracy is in hand, there are some heartening post-election developments; The Home Affairs Ministry approved in April 2008 an application for a permit from the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to publish its party newspaper. With such actions, this would indeed encourage and strengthen the accountability of the peoples perception towards the countrys democracy. Conclusion The mainstream media needs to loosen its strings and start to bring greater media liberalisation to unclog the clouds of uncertainty and doubt in the minds of society. The alternative media is not enough. Society needs to hear the truth from the government. Only then can the country achieve great democracy.

Night in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay examples

Night in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream One of the recurring themes throughout Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the time of day during which the play’s major action takes place: night. This being the case, there are certain words that are directly linked to this theme that appear numerous times throughout the script. Four such words are â€Å"moon,† â€Å"moonlight,† â€Å"moonshine,† and â€Å"lunatic.† Each comes from a feminine root that serves to identify the women in the play as prizes to be won and controlled. It becomes clear when looking up the term â€Å"moon† in the Oxford English Dictionary that the word is associated with the feminine. â€Å"In poetry,† for instance, â€Å"the moon is often personified, always as female†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1050). It is important to note that the play upsets traditional cultural customs in this regard, for â€Å"May was the time of female fertility over which the moon presided, but the play begins with an image of lunar age and sterility, a ‘dowager,’ a ‘cold fruitless moon’† (Paster and Howard, â€Å"Popular Festivals†¦Ã¢â‚¬  93). It is possible that Shakespeare applied such images intentionally to make it clear to his audience that the women in this play are not as free as the May Day festivities might make them out to be. The female fertility that is expressed freely in Shakespeare’s blend of May Day and Midsummer’s Eve is outside of the controlled realm of marriage. Instead of the un restrained women that both holidays celebrate, however, Shakespeare bookends the play with a woman tamed by a man. In the first scene, the moon is spoken of by Theseus and Hippolyta as a measurement of time when Theseus announces, â€Å"†¦four happy days bring in / Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow / This old moon wanes! She linger... ...more. Works Cited Brown, Lesley, ed. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. 5th ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1993. ""moon," "moonlight," "moonshine," and "lunatic"." Shakespeare Concordance. 23 Feb. 2006 . Paster, Gail Kern, and Skiles Howard. "Female Attachments and Family Ties." A Midsummer Night's Dream: Texts and Contexts. Ed. Gail Kern Paster, and Skiles Howard. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 192-264. ---. "Popular Festivals and Court Celebrations." A Midsummer Night's Dream: Texts and Contexts. Ed. Gail Kern Paster, and Skiles Howard. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 89-99. Shakespeare, William. "A Midsummer Night's Dream." A Midsummer Night's Dream: Texts and Contexts. Ed. Gail Kern Paster, and Skiles Howard. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 1-86. The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.

Inflation :: Economics Economy Price Inflation

Inflation defines as an increase in the price you pay or a decline in the purchasing power of money. In other words, price inflation is when prices get higher or it takes more money to buy the same item. Interest rates are increased to moderate demand and inflation and they are reduced to stimulate demand. Monetary policy aims to influence the overall level of monetary demand in the economy so that it grows broadly in line with the economy's ability to produce goods and services. This stops output rising too quickly or slowly. If rates are set too low, this may encourage the build-up of inflationary pressure; if they are set too high, demand will be lower than necessary to control inflation. Changes in demand and output then impact on the labor market - employment levels and wage costs - which in turn influence producer and consumer prices. When the Fed increases the discount rate, it does not have an immediate impact on the stock market. Changes in the official Bank rate then affect the whole range of interest rates set by commercial banks, building societies and other financial institutions for their own savers and borrowers. It will influence interest rates charged for overdrafts and mortgages, as well as savings accounts. A change in the official Bank rate will also tend to affect the price of financial assets such as bonds and shares, and the exchange rate. These changes in financial markets affect consumer and business demand and in turn output. Changes in the official Bank rate take time to have their full impact on the economy and inflation. Some influences, such as those on the exchange rate, work very quickly. In January of 2003, Oil price spiked up 76.82% from the previous January. These have recently been some speculation on the correlation between a sharp rise in Oil price and a sharp fall in Stock prices. The way the theory goes is that a sharp increase in oil prices on the magnitude of 50% to 100% annual increase has historically resulted in a sharp decline in the stock market price.

Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet

Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 adaptation of Hamlet is a great way to enjoy the popular Shakespeare play. While I found the film to be quite lengthy, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a film version of the story I only knew a little bit about from reading an excerpt of Hamlet in high school. I think Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job in making the screen play into a movie. Everything in every scene couldn’t have been done more perfectly. Better yet is the cast, with actors like Kenneth Branagh himself, as Hamlet, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams among many other great actors.The tragedy starts with just that, tragedy, the death of Hamlet’s Father, the king. The movie starts out with the watchmen on duty seeing an apparition of some kind, which they later learn is Hamlet’s deceased father. The watchmen decide to tell Hamlet of this strange apparition after Hamlet’s mother, the queen’s wedding to her brother in law. While the wedd ing is going on and after the ceremony, Hamlet is clearly distraught. The queen is marrying Hamlet’s father’s brother only two short months after his father’s sudden death.The watchmen tell Hamlet of the strange apparition that is haunting them nightly and Hamlet is curious, he wants to see it for himself. In my favorite scene of the entire movie, Hamlet runs through the foggy woods that night, yelling, screaming for his father’s tragic passing. He gets a response from his father’s spirit; his father’s voice speaks in the most bone chilling voice. He tells Hamlet that his death was â€Å"most cruel and most unnatural† and he makes this very clear, saying it more than once. He says his brother snuck up on him while he was asleep in the orchard and poured a leprous mixture into his ear.The King’s own brother committed the deed that made him fall ill and die almost immediately. Before disappearing into the night, the apparition sa ys to Hamlet â€Å"Remember me! † This experience is of course very emotional for Hamlet. Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death. He decides the only way to wear on the new king’s conscience is to put on a play that is basically the story of his father’s betrayal by his brother and the queen for having married him. While this is going on, everyone is saying Hamlet has gone â€Å"mad† because of his erratic behavior, but attributes it to his being love sick over his girl friend, Ophelia.Hamlet loves Ophelia, and she loves him, but her father forbids her to see him any longer. Hamlet is enraged by this, as he is many things Ophelia’s father says and does. In the heat of an argument, Hamlet kills Ophelia’s Father. Ophelia is devastated, goes insane, and eventually ends up drowning herself. Ophelia’s brother returns from France to find out his father has been slain by Hamlet and Ophelia has killed herself. Needless to say, Ophel ia’s brother is furious. Ophelia’s brother and the King plan for him and Hamlet to spar. They plan to poison the cup Hamlet drinks from during the fight, so he will undoubtedly die.While fencing, the King insists that Hamlet drink for doing well, but he refrains and says he will wait until later. Next, the queen offers him a drink, but again he refuses, so she drinks out of the cup that is poisoned instead. The fight turns quite vicious and Ophelia’s brother is struck down. At the same time the queen has fallen to the floor, dying, saying she had been poisoned before she took her last breath. Ophelia’s brother confesses that the King is the one who poisoned the cup in order to kill Hamlet. Hamlet and Ophelia’s brother make amends before he dies. Enraged, Hamlet goes after the King and feeds him the poison.The King dies. Then Hamlet dies of poisoning. The Norwegian crown prince and his army storm the castle in order to assume the throne, wasting no time. They are astounded by the royal deaths. I thought the movie had an excellent cast, all great actors that did a wonderful job. Kenneth Branagh made a good Hamlet. I liked Hamlet’s character and hoped the best for him, even though I did not agree with some of the things he did. I felt badly for Hamlet, as I also did Ophelia when she took her own life out of misery. I think it is sad they did not end up together; but then again that’s the point, it’s a tragedy.I loved the original King, although he wasn’t in the movie much in life form, he seemed like a fair and wise King. The actor who played the king did a fantastic job in the foggy woods scene. All in all the entire cast was very convincing, so much that you either came to love or hate the characters. I think there are many themes in Hamlet. The one that stands out the most is the importance of thinking before acting. Hamlet does and says many things he might not if he took some time to first  "cool down†. It seems as if he is too hasty to act and this often gets him into trouble making terrible things happen that he can’t simply take back.Another lesson to take from Hamlet is that nothing is forever and nothing is certain. Hamlet wrestled with the validity of the experience of his father’s apparition, he questioned whether or not it really happened. For some things in this life there is no hard science. Sometimes the answers are not always clear; you just have to trust your own judgment. I really enjoyed watching the movie version of Hamlet. Quite honestly I thought turning a play into a movie would be difficult to make interesting, but it was done extremely well. I would love to go to a real live play version of Hamlet.I think the experience of seeing the acting up close on a stage would be totally different then watching the movie because the audience is able to get more involved in the story, but the movie is a good way to go if you don’t ha ve the opportunity to see the play. The minor special effects in the movie really help to draw you in, but it’s nothing significant that couldn’t be done on stage as well. Hamlet is a classic story that has stood the test of time. I’m sure it will never stop being reenacted and adapted for movies in generations to come.

Comparison/Contrast of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby Essay

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an American novel because it is classic and has entertained people for generations with its thought provoking issues and tragic pivotal characters. Two of the most intriguing ones are the men who have loved Daisy. Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby are different when it comes to society’s view, but they are also very much alike. They are both tragic figures even though they are tragic in completely different ways. Both Tom and Gatsby are good looking men. They are both in their early thirties and they both have been a part of Daisy’s past. They have lots of money and have gone to good and important universities. They are intelligent men and they know a lot of the same people. They have things in their past that they would rather that people did not know. Gatsby’s main fear is that others will find out that he was born to a poor family and that Jay Gatsby that exists now was once James Gatz of North Dakota born in poverty. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end. (p 104) They hate each other and they are both having an affair with a married woman. Gatsby is the more likeable of the two. He is friendly, and he truly loves Daisy while Tom just wants to own her. Tom is more athletic than Gatsby because he has had more opportunities to play sports. Tom is a racist and he thinks that not only are blacks beneath him, he also thinks that women, poor people, and people who have not always been rich are not as good as him. â€Å"Well it’s a fine book and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved. † (p17) Gatsby welcomes all kinds of different people to his parties and he treats them all good. Tom got his money by being born into a very wealthy family and Gatsby has gotten his through organized crime and bootlegging. That makes Tom more refined because he has always been rich. Gatsby learned how to be rich by working for another rich man named Dan Cody. Tom went to Yale University and he graduated. Gatsby went to a college in St. Olaf for a little while. Then he went to Oxford in England after they let officers who helped them in the war go there. He did not graduate because he did not have a good enough education when he came there. He does not tell people that he did not graduate. He just tells them that he attended Oxford. The fact that Gatsby did not graduate does not mean that he is not smart. He would have had to be smart to obtain the money he did in such a short time. Many people bootlegged back then and were a part of organized crime, but they did not get rich, but Gatsby did. It was also very smart to come up with the plans that he did to get Daisy back into his life. Tom is intelligent enough to not lose his money and keep it working for him. He just does not use his intelligence for good. He reads books like the Rise of the Colored Empire so that he can hate people even more. Tom has had many affairs on Daisy. He would rather people didn’t know about it even though he knows that Daisy does. Gatsby does not want anyone knowing anything about his past. He has made up an detailed lie about a past that did not happen just so people would not know that he had been a poor boy. Tom is also cheating on Daisy with Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is married too. He is not only being untrue to his wife, but he is tearing up another marriage. Gatsby is also sleeping with a married woman. When we read the book, it is easy to want Gatsby and Daisy together, but it is still wrong. He could wait and see if she left Tom, but he does not. He takes her while she is still married and living with Tom. Daisy picks Tom in the end for several reasons. Divorce was not seen as a good thing in the 1920’s and she would be looked down upon. She knows that Tom is her equal when it comes to social class, and Gatsby could never be. She and Tom are more alike that she and Gatsby. They are both users. She also has a child with Tom and that is a bond that is hard to break, especially since Pammy is so close to her father. Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby are both tragic figures in the end even if only one of them dies. Jay because he did not achieve his dream that he had worked for so hard and Tom because he will never learn from his mistakes. Both characters are intriguing to the point that long after reading the novel, the questions of â€Å"what if Gatsby had lived†? and â€Å"what will happen to Tom in the crash of nineteen twenty-nine†? are pondered. They have become as real people to the ones who have read this fascinating novel. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. 1925. New York: Scribner Paperback Series, 1995.