The Debate Over the Clearcutting Method

The Debate Over the Clearcutting Method Clearcutting is a method of harvesting and regenerating trees in which all trees are cleared from a site and a new, even-aged stand of timber is grown. Clearcutting is only one of several methods of timber management and harvest on both private and public forests. However, this single method of harvesting trees has always been controversial but even more so since mid-1960s environmental awareness. Many conservation and citizen groups object to clearcutting on any forest, citing soil and water degradation, unsightly landscapes, and other damages. The wood products industry and mainstream forestry professionals defend clearcutting as an efficient and successful silvicultural system but only used under certain conditions where non-timber issues are not degraded. The choice of clearcutting by forest owners is much dependent upon their objectives. If that objective is for maximum timber production, clearcutting can be financially efficient with lower costs for timber harvesting than other tree harvesting systems. Clearcutting has also proven successful for regenerating stands of certain tree species without damaging the ecosystem. Current Status The Society of American Foresters, an organization that represents mainstream forestry, promotes clearcutting as a method of regenerating an even-aged stand in which a new age class develops in a fully-exposed microclimate after removal, in a single cutting, of all trees in the previous stand. There is some debate about the minimum area that constitutes a clearcut, but typically, areas smaller than 5 acres would be considered patch cuts. Larger cleared forests more easily fall into the classic, forestry defined as clear-cut. Removing trees and forests to convert land to non-forest urban development and rural agriculture would not be considered clearcutting. This is called land conversion - converting the use of land from forest to another type of use. What's All the Fuss About? Clearcutting is not a universally accepted practice. Opponents of the practice of cutting every tree within a specific area contend it degrades the environment. Forestry professionals and resource managers argue that the practice is sound if used properly. In a report written for a major private forest owner publication, three extension specialists, one forestry professor, one assistant dean of a major college of forestry and a state forest health specialist agree that clearcutting is a necessary silvicultural practice. According to the article, a complete clearcut usually creates the best conditions for regenerating stands under certain conditions and should be used when those conditions occur. Check out these clearcut myths and facts developed by the Virginia Department of Forestry (pdf). This is opposed to a commercial clearcut where all trees of marketable species, size, and quality are cut. This process does not take into account any of the concerns addressed by forest ecosystem management. Aesthetics, water quality, and forest diversity  are the main sources of public objection to clearcutting. Unfortunately,  an often disinterested public and casual viewers of forestry activities have overwhelmingly decided that clearcutting is not an acceptable social practice simply by looking at the practice from their car windows. Negative terms like deforestation, plantation forestry, environmental degradation and excess and exploitation are closely associated with clearcutting. I have written a history of how forest ecosystems are now treated by natural resource professionals to include most foresters. Clearcutting in national forests can now only be done if it is used to further the improvement of ecological objectives to include wildlife habitat improvement or to preserve forest health but not for specific economic gain. Pros Proponents of clearcutting suggest that it is a sound practice if the right conditions are met and correct harvest methods used. Here are conditions that can include clearcutting as a harvest tool: When regenerating tree species that need full sunlight to stimulate seed sprouting and seedling growth.When dealing with sparse or exposed or shallow-rooted trees that are in danger of being damaged by  wind.When trying to produce an even-aged stand.When regenerating stands of tree species that are dependent on wind blown seed, root suckers or cones that need fire to drop seed.When faced with salvaging over-mature stands and/or stands killed by insects, disease or fire.When converting to another tree species by planting or seeding.To provide habitat for wildlife species that require edge, new ground and high-density, even-aged stands. Cons Opponents of clearcutting suggest that it is a destructive practice and should never be done. Here are their reasons, although not  every one of these can be supported by current scientific data: A clearcut increases soil erosion, water degradation and increased  silting  in creeks, rivers, and reservoirs.Old growth forests, which have been systematically clearcut, are healthy ecosystems which have evolved over centuries to be more resistant to insects and disease.Clearcutting inhibits sustainability of healthy and holistic forest ecosystems.Aesthetics and quality forest views are compromised by clearcutting.Deforestation and the resulting removal of  tree  from clearcutting  leads  to a plantation forestry mentality and results in environmental degradation.

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Literature Review - Essay Example The process design of a manufacturing system is critical and may need minimal errors for proper execution. Simulation plays a significant role in the manufacturing that would ensure that production flow is well facilitated. Simulations are usually conducted using lesser expenses, resources and time rather than just experimenting to develop uncontrolled designs. This is essential in avoiding carrying out experiments with the real system that can lead to substantial wastage. The results that are obtained from the model can be used as guidance after thorough analysis. The results obtained from the modelling are also significant in informing the changes that are seen in various manufacturing processes. The capital expenditures and system constraints can also be controlled as a result of the implementation of the simulation process (Nutaro et al. 2008, p.98). Simulation models address various issues concerning the manufacturing industry. Some of the most basic issues that are addressed through the use of models include the need to have the appropriate quantity, the right number of employees, performance evaluation, operation procedures and equipment usage. All competitive organisations need to work hard to ensure that they maintain their customers and win the hearts of new customers. They need to understand their product designs and how to make the products to their customers. This is because the products are found in the real world and the customers need the best experience they can get to enjoy the products they acquire from firms. There are a number of challenges and barriers that are associated with the implementation of simulation in firms (Nutaro 2013, p.38). Lack of experts to develop simulation models is a challenge for most firms. It is so because the development of models is always associated with experts who are well trained in simulation and modelling. It is only very large organisations that are capable of paying the services

Business Strategy British airways Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Business Strategy British airways - Essay Example All over the world, organizations have always sought to reach out to their main goals through developing various tactics through which the envisioned goal can be achieved. Whereas every organization would have a goal, the chances of achieving the goals and the objectives set forth would only be possible where the organization has a well-developed and relevant strategy. The concept of strategy is, therefore, considered as the key pillar to the realization of the dreams and or the vision and the mission of any organization. Basically, strategy can be designed as a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim of an organization or entity. In this paper, greater focus has been given to British Airways (BA) and how the organization’s strategy may have worked for or against the organization in the achidfewmne3nt of its overalls goals and objectives.The vision and the mission of British Airways are indeed pillars to which the organization has worked and provided aviation services for the long-time the airline has existed. The vision of the airline is to become the most preferable airline providing premium quality air travel services to the rest of the world. By this, the organization has set in motion a well cut out picture of what is to be achieved (Ansoff, 1987). In talking about the vision of BA, one has to make a number o f considerations. The first is the fact that the organization is not a monopoly. In this case, there is the consideration that there are many other airlines competing within the markets, many of which offer similar services to consumers. As such, it is the role of the airline to work hard and ensure that it stands out as the best amongst the competition.

Examine and reflect how the practice of entrepreneurship today, in an Assignment

Examine and reflect how the practice of entrepreneurship today, in an ultra competitive environment, - Assignment Example An entrepreneur is not a surveyor having the apt maps and data at one’s disposal, but rather an explorer that has a hunch that something marvelous exists, at the very next turn. It is about the ability to take risk, about trying new permutations and combinations, about exploiting the till now ignored resources and above all, a willingness to face and manage any possible resistance and opposition (Welsch 32). May sound conservative, but, in a way, all entrepreneurs could be deemed to be destructive. However, it is a destructive attitude with an innovative and creative bent of mind. Certainly, entrepreneurship gives way to innovation, which alters, recombines and realigns the already existing values and way of doing things. All entrepreneurs have a discontented heart. They know that going by the scarce resources at their disposal; it is only creativity and ingenuity that will help them to be a success. So, most of the entrepreneurs shatter the available stereotypes and models of doing business, and replace them with something new and untried (Assudani 197). Therefore, entrepreneurship and a creative rebellion go hand in hand. Truly speaking, an entrepreneur is to be considered an entrepreneur only so long as one is committed to innovation and change (Assudani 197). It is all about recombining and reformatting the available information and resources in ways that escaped the attention, or p ut to question the gumption of earlier generations. Hence, by their very nature, most of the entrepreneurial initiatives are bound to come across resistance and opposition. In the contemporary times, good business is about creating the right balance between innovation and tradition. While entrepreneurship helps a business break into new and untried grounds, tradition helps keep it on a sound and stable footing. Inability to manage and reconcile innovation and

Jaguar Business Analysis

Jaguar Business Analysis This report will evaluate the strategic position of Jaguar Cars Limited and how emerging technologies might impact on this position. To achieve this, the report will look at both the internal and external environment as well as other techniques such as SWOT analysis. The internal environment will be evaluated through the use of Jaguars culture web and value chain. The external environment will be evaluated through techniques such as the PESTL diagram and the five forces diagram. A SWOT analysis of Jaguar will also be carried out; this will outline the companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Finally the report will look at emerging technologies in the motor industry and their impact on Jaguar and its strategic position outlining whether they could potentially strengthen or weaken this position. 2 Background Jaguar Cars Limited was founded by Sir William Lyons and William Walmsley in September 1922 in Blackpool and was originally known as Swallow Sidecar Company. It began life as a manufacturer of motorcycle sidecars before moving onto cars. It was not until 1945 that the name Jaguar was first used, this was due to the companys desire to avoid connotations with the German SS. [1] Jaguar went on to design and manufacture a range of sports cars, such as the XK120, in the late 1940s to early 1950s. This opened the door into motorsport for Jaguar where they went on to have a lot of success throughout the 1950s particularly in the Le Mans 24 Hour races where they won in 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1957. [2] In 1968 Jaguar merged with the British Motor Corporation which later became British Leyland, however this was not to last as Jaguar became independent once more in 1984 before being acquired by Ford in 1989. Under Fords control, Jaguar and Land Rover were brought together to form a parent company known as Jaguar Land Rover. It was during this time that Jaguar produced the XJ220 which, at the time, was the worlds fastest production car ever built. [3] From 2000-2004 Jaguar also had a racing team which competed in Formula 1, however this did not prove to be successful and the team was sold to Red Bull at the end of 2004 which later went on to become Red Bull Racing. [4] In 2008 Ford sold Jaguar Land Rover to Tata Motors. Today Jaguar and Land Rover are still closely linked together and are both headquartered in the same plant in Whitley, Coventry. Jaguar Land Rover employs around 24,000 workers across six different facilities, 10,000 of which are involved solely in Jaguar. 3 Environment 3.1 Internal The internal environment is focused solely around factors inside the company. These factors can relate to elements such as company culture, employees and management style and directly affect how the company may operate. 3.1.1 Mission Statement Vision A mission statement is a brief, to the point statement that accurately sums up what a company stands for and their reason for existing in the first place. The mission statement of Jaguar is as follows: To create and build beautiful fast cars that bring the enjoyment and exhilaration of driving to life. This mission statement leaves no doubt in the readers mind what Jaguar stands for and what their overall aim as a company is. Jaguars vision or aims stem from its history for making top of the range cars: The Jaguar Brand is founded on a long history of distinctive cars offering a unique blend of style, performance, refinement, prestige and affordability. Our aim is to build on this tradition by reinterpreting the values that made the Jaguar legend. We will be a relevant premium competitor, desired by customers for stimulating performance and captivating style. This vision outlines Jaguars overall aims and where they see themselves in the car industry. They outline that they have a history for making quality cars and that they will continue to do this. They aim to be seen as relevant and desirable by customers by offering cars that are both stylish and enjoyable to drive. 3.1.2 Culture Web The culture web is a paradigm of six elements within a companys internal environment that helps to outline the culture within the company. These six elements are stories, symbols, power structures, organisational structures, control systems and rituals and routines. The six elements of the culture web as applied to Jaguar are outlined below in figure 3.1. Stories Celebrating historic cars Jaguar often celebrate historic cars anniversaries. Job Creation Recent news of thousands of new jobs being made. Employee outings Employee team building or nights out. Symbols Jaguar logo Instantly recognisable to the general public. Quality Jaguar cars are synonymous with good quality. Cars Instantly Recognisable car design. Power structures Directors 5 directors are in charge of Jaguar. Customers Customer demand influences Jaguar. Government Jaguar must adhere to relevant legislation. Organisational Structures Directors The five directors are at the top of the chain. Hierarchical Jaguar operates under a hierarchical system with 8 levels. Chain of Command Jaguar operates under a chain of command where engineers will report to a manager who will then report to their manager etc. Control Systems Unions Unions are in place to protect employees. Quality control Jaguar has strict quality measures in place to ensure products reach customers high expectations. Responsibility Employees are responsible for their own work. Rituals Routines Shift patterns Employees work shifts eg, 9-5 every weekday. Annual reports Annual reports are produced and made available to all staff. Quality Strict quality control routines are in place. Figure 3.1 Table of Jaguars Culture. The paradigm of the culture web is the main common ground of the organisation and is at the heart of everything they do, it is often taken for granted. In Jaguars case this could be thought of as quality and professionalism as the company is highly regarded for the high quality of their cars and is a main driving factor behind their success as well as the professionalism of the staff to deliver this continuously. 3.1.3 Value Chain The value chain is a concept that describes the chain of activities within a company and helps to identify the competitive strength of the business through these activities. The chain suggests that each section is connected and thus one section performing poorly could have a detrimental effect on other sections. The value chain can be thought of as two main sections: Primary Activities These activities directly relate to producing the product, in the case of Jaguar, a car. This would involve for example gathering materials, assembly distribution of the finished product. Support Activities These activities do not directly relate to the production but nonetheless are key to success. For example human resources are responsible for staff and a failure to hire effective staff would cause production to suffer. 3.1.4 Core Competencies The core competencies within a company can be seen as areas in which the company are exceptionally good at and thus set them apart from the competition. One of Jaguars key strengths is the highly skilled and motivated workforce that they employ. This excellent workforce has a positive knock on effect for the rest of production, for example tasks such as assembly and maintenance are well done providing well built and reliable vehicles, which Jaguar is renowned for. This can be related back to Jaguars vision to produce desirable cars and it could be said that they are aiming to achieve this through the excellent staff throughout the company. 3.2 External The external environment is based on influences outwith the company. These influences could be for example competitors, buyers or suppliers. 3.2.1 PESTL Analysis A PESTL analysis looks into five key external factors that could potentially influence a company. These are Political, Economic, Social, Technological and Legal. Figure 3.4 demonstrates PESTL applied to Jaguar. (P)olitical Continuing interest in reducing carbon emissions both from vehicles and factories. Increased research into alternative fuel sources may be required. (E)conomic The current climate causing less spending. Retirement age changes. People will be less inclined to pay for higher priced cars which would cause problems due to Jaguars lack of budget cars. (S)ocial Sports cars becoming less relevant or desirable due to not being environmentally friendly. Research into making cars that are more efficient or green may be required. (T)echnological Hybrid/electric cars becoming much more commonplace. Again, Jaguar will need to develop hybrid or electric cars or risk being left behind by their competitors. (L)egal Changes in health and safety laws and regulations. Jaguar would need to adapt the way the company works to accommodate new regulations or laws. Figure 3.4: PESTL Analysis of Jaguar. 3.2.2 The Five Forces The five forces model represents the competition within the sector that Jaguar is in. The five forces include buyers, suppliers, existing competition, new competition and substitutes. Buyers The buyers are people who are willing to purchase the products and services of Jaguar. This could be through dealerships and distributors as well as other car manufacturers who may wish to use Jaguars engines in their cars. Suppliers The suppliers are people who provide Jaguar with parts or machinery to enable them to manufacture their cars. A strong established relationship between Jaguar and their suppliers is key to the companys success as it ensures raw materials or machinery can be delivered as and when Jaguar need it. Existing competition This is quite simply other car companies who operate in the luxury/sports car industry, for example Aston Martin, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Bentley and BMW to name a few. These companies all produce cars that could be seen as an alternative to a Jaguar product and thus take away buyers from Jaguar. New competition New competition could be from existing car companies who might delve into the luxury car market, this competition could come from companies such as Ford, Volkswagen or Peugeot for example. It could also come from completely brand new companies; however this is less likely due to the current climate and the need for large amounts of capital to start a business in the luxury car industry. Companies from other markets could also move into the car industry, SAAB being an example of this as they were originally a manufacturer of fighter planes before cars. [5] Substitutes These are alternatives to cars. Potential substitutes could be public transport, however due to the nature of luxury cars it could be said that this would pose a very minimal risk. Potential customers who may be looking for a high performance vehicle could be swayed by motorcycles as an alternative. 4 Strategic Position The strategic position of a company gives an indication of where it lies in its target market. This can highlight how it compares with its competitors or how its customers may view the company. 4.1 SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis can be utilised to identify the strategic position of a company and highlights four key areas that are either helpful or harmful to the companys objectives. The four key areas are strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths Jaguars strengths lie in the companys well renowned reputation for producing top of the range cars as well as its excellent staff. Jaguar also have strengths in research and development, allowing them to continually have a competitive edge over the competition. Weaknesses Jaguar are not seen as a particularly eco friendly company and this could have an increasingly negative impact on the company. As Jaguar sell high end cars, they are selling to a smaller niche market and thus missing out on tapping into the market for cheaper alternatives. Opportunities Jaguar must continue to improve upon their excellent reputation for quality if they are to maintain their competitive edge in the market. Continued research and development is a must as Jaguar have an excellent RD department and should utilise this to improve their eco-friendly image as this is becoming increasingly important in the car industry. Jaguar will look to exploit the growing Chinese market. Threats The global economic climate will continue to threaten Jaguars strategic position due to increasing fuel prices, less disposable income and changing interest rates to name but a few. Governmental regulations will also threaten Jaguar, for example, stricter emission regulations will cause Jaguar to incur additional expenditure to upgrade and improve existing products and facilities. Strengths Reputation Staff RD Weaknesses Poor eco image Niche market Opportunities Improve upon reputation for quality Development of eco-friendly cars Growing Chinese market Threats Global climate Governmental Regulations Figure 4.1 SWOT Analysis of Jaguar. 4.2 Strategic Position of Jaguar Jaguars strategy, as highlighted in their 2010-2011 annual report is as follows: The company has a multifaceted strategy to position itself as a leading manufacturer of premium vehicles offering high-quality products tailored to specific markets. The companys success is tied to its investment in product development, and is reflected in the strategic focus on capital expenditure, RD and product design. [6] The strategic position of Jaguar as can be seen through the previous analyses is strong within their target market. It can be seen that Jaguars aims to maintain this position through research and development are indeed, how they are maintaining this position in reality. If Jaguar wish to strengthen this position, however, they must improve their image as being eco-friendly. This could be achieved through their already well established research and development department. 5 Emerging Technology 5.1 Technology The technologies that are affecting not just Jaguar but the automotive industry as a whole are the variety of methods aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving eco-friendliness. One such technology which is arguably the most popular and well known is the Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology. This technology utilises the standard gasoline engine that works in conjunction with a separate electric engine. This technology is advantageous as the average consumer does not have to change their driving and refuelling routines as, on the surface, the HEV operates exactly the same as a traditional vehicle but with greatly reduced carbon emissions and greater fuel economy. There are, however, concerns over the batteries, mainly due to performance and reliability as well as concerns over toxicity. [7] Electric cars are also growing in popularity in recent years. As the name suggests these cars run entirely from electricity and, assuming the electricity is gathered from a renewable source, they are completely carbon free. Range and lack of charging stations are proving to be the technologys main stumbling block as well as overall performance of the car. [8] Another technology is the hydrogen fuel cell. Hydrogen is advantageous over typical petrol and diesel fuel sources as it does not produce any carbon dioxide emissions and, unlike electric cars, it does not greatly hinder the cars performance and range. Unfortunately, at this time, hydrogen is proving difficult to exploit in large useable quantities and there are currently no effective means of storing it. [9] Biofuels such as biodiesel are another alternative that researchers are looking into. Another replacement for standard gasolines, biofuels are often made from vegetable oils or animal fats. Many companies are already using biofuels effectively. In East Ayrshire, Stagecoach operate a fleet of Bio-Buses that run on the fuel. It has been noted that due to this Stagecoach have reduced their carbon emissions by around 2450 tonnes. A key advantage to this is that used vegetable oils can be exploited and this can be seen as a form of recycling. Although biofuels will help to reduce carbon emissions, they are not as clean as hydrogen or purely electric cars and as such, are not placed in high regard by many. [10] 5.2 Impact on Jaguar The impact these eco-friendly technologies have on Jaguar is huge. If Jaguar were to continue to produce cars in the current way they would simply lose their strategic position and be left well behind their competitors. Not only that but there could be the potential for new government regulations that could completely force them out of business, for example if the company were required by law to produce cars that did not produce above a threshold amount of carbon dioxide. Jaguar have, of course, outlined these concerns and have begun research into a variety of methods to ensure their carbon footprint is reduced as can be seen from this excerpt from their annual report 2010-2011: To comply with current and future environmental norms, the company may have to incur additional capital expenditure and RD expenditure to upgrade products and manufacturing facilities, which would have an impact on the companys cost of production and the results of operations and may be difficult to pass through to the companys customers. If the company is unable to develop commercially viable technologies within the time frames set by the new standards, the company could face significant civil penalties or be forced to restrict product offerings drastically to remain in compliance. [11] One such method is an innovative new aluminium body as opposed to the traditional steel body of most cars. Jaguar claim that using aluminium results in significant reduction in weight and thus reduced carbon emissions. Of course, being that Jaguar are renowned for producing cars that are of high performance, simply changing materials with the sole focus on reducing emissions could also be detrimental to their position. Jaguar claim that in conjunction with reduced emissions, the new material offers a stiffer body and thus better performance and handling. It can be seen that Jaguar have implemented necessary changes to reduce their carbon footprint without affecting their strategic position. It could also be argued that this has even strengthened their position by improving the performance of their vehicles. Intent on ensuring they continue to be a leader in their market, Jaguar have also began production of hybrid vehicles. Two of the first hybrid vehicles produced by Jaguar were concept cars known as the C-X75 supercar, which was unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, and the more conventional C-X16 sports car, which was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The C-X75 was built with the intent of inspiring and influencing ideas for future hybrid cars and due to its success, Jaguar have announced plans to develop a road legal variant in conjunction with the Williams F1 team in 2013. 250 cars will be built at a price of  £700,000 each and Jaguar claim that the car will boast emissions of just 99g/km. The C-X16 will also be made into a road variant at a much cheaper cost of under  £100,000. The C-X16 will boast an acceleration time of 4.4 seconds from 0-60mph and a top speed of almost 190mph. [12] It can thus be seen that Jaguar look set to overcome this major obstacle whilst still maintaining their strong position as a top quality car manufacturer. This has been achievable through their strengths in research and development. 6 Conclusion This report has successfully evaluated Jaguars strategic position and identified emerging technologies and their impact on this position. The internal environment was evaluated and showed through the culture web, value chain and core competencies that Jaguar operates very strongly and how they successfully achieve this. The mission statement and vision also showed a clear understanding of what they stood for and where they see themselves. The external environment was also evaluated and showed Jaguars position in its relevant market area. PESTL and five forces analyses were carried out to demonstrate just how strong Jaguars position in their market was. The overall strategic position was then outlined and a SWOT diagram showed Jaguars strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. Overall, Jaguar sit very comfortably as a leader in their market. Finally, emerging technologies affecting Jaguar were shown to be related to global warming and eco-friendliness. It was shown that Jaguar had taken necessary steps to combat this and maintain their strong strategic position.

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 Essay examples -- The Crucible Art

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692, which resulted in 19 executions, and 150 accusations of witchcraft, are one of the historical events almost everyone has heard of. They began when three young girls, Betty Parris, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam began to have hysterical fits, after being discovered engaging in forbidden fortune-telling (not dancing naked in the woods) to learn what sorts of men they would marry. Betty's father, the Reverend Samuel Parris, called in more senior authorities to determine if the girls' affliction was caused by witchcraft. Although Betty was sent away fairly soon, and did not participate in the trials, the other girls were joined by other young and mature women in staging public demonstrations of their affliction when in the presence of accused "witches." The events in Salem have been used as a theme in many literary works, including the play by Arthur Miller which we are going to read during this unit. They are interesting to anthropologists because they display some of the characteristics of "village" witchcraft and some of the features of the European witch craze. Many commentators have seen the Salem witch craze as the last outbreak of the European witch craze, transported to North America. As in African and New Guinea villages, the original accusations in Salem were made against people who, in one way or another, the accusers had reason to fear or resent. Moreover, the first few of the accused fit the definition of "marginal" persons, likely to arouse suspicion. However, as in Europe, the accusations spread, and came to encompass people not involved in any of Salem's local grudges. As in Europe there was a belief that the accused were in league with the Devil and "experts" employed "scientific" ways of diagnosing witchcraft. Interestingly, during the colonial period in Africa, shortly after World War II, there were a number of witch finding movements in Africa, which resembled the Salem episode in some ways, and had a similar status "in between" the sort of witch hunt found in Europe and the typical African pattern. Typically, in these movements, "witch finders" would come in from outside a village and claim to be able to rid the village of witchcraft. At this period there was great dislocation, with people moving around because of government employment, a... ...er trusted them. This was likely to be a more acute problem in the U.S., since the people who were named by those who cooperated with the Committee weren't hanged and put out of the way, just fired and left to try to lead the resistance to McCarthyism. Namers of names sometimes found themselves with no friends at all, since anti-Communists often still failed to trust them. The issue of resisting collaboration with the witch hunters was important enough to Miller that he altered history, and portrayed the trials as stopping when more people refused to confess when, in fact, a significant increase in confessions probably served to cast some doubt on the validity of individual confessions. Taking liberties with the text is one of the characteristics of the interaction between humans and their myths. And a charter myth is certainly what the witch hunts in Europe and Salem have become, though they have more basis in fact than most myths. The stories of the witch hunts are charter myths for our time, to be told by feminists, left-wing intellectuals, and lawyers for President Clinton, each taking what he or she needs from the story, adding or subtracting as seems fit.

The Opener of Holy Quran

Introduction of Surah Al-Fatiha:Al-Fatiha means â€Å"The Opener†. Because it opens the Holy Quran and also by its recitation we start our prayers. It is also called the â€Å"Mother of the Holy Quran†. That's because the meaning of the whole Quran is summarized into surah Al-Fatiha. It is the Mecci Surah of the Holy Quran and contains 7 verses.But it still explains the admiration of Allah Almighty in a very comprehensive way. The theme of the Surah Al-Fatiha:Allah has taught in this Surah to mankind to thank Allah (SWT) for everything and to offer prayer to Him, who is the Lord of this universe. Islam obliges a man to initiate everything with the name of Allah. By having a solid belief, we will keep ourselves away from evil and wrong deeds. Then there is the prayer of Allah Who is Master, Owner, Sustainer, Provider, Guardian, Sovereign, Ruler, Administrator, and Organizer. Then it is added that He is the Master of the Day of Judgment, thus, everyone is accountable for his deeds. Mankind is the only worshiper of the Lord and for this reason, mankind is requesting for guidance in every aspect of life. The guidance which makes mankind favorable is required. The one who will be astray will suffer the wrath of Allah (SWT).Virtues of Surah Al-Fatiha:There are many virtues associated with this Surah. Two of them are described below,1. Pillar of the Salah: This surah has a great importance in prayer. If we don't read it in our Salah, our prayer will not be valid or void. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, Surah al-Fatiha is â€Å"The Mother of the Quran, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Great recitation.† (Tirmidhi)2. The cure for the disease: Hazrat Abu Saeed al-Khudri narrates: â€Å"While on a journey we halted at a place. A girl came to us and said: â€Å"The chief of this tribe has been stung by a scorpion and our men are not present, is there anybody amongst you who can recite something upon him to treat him?† Then, one of our men went along with her although we did not think that he knew any such treatment. However, our friend went to the chief and recited something upon him and the chief was cured. Thereupon, the chief gave him thirty sheep and gave us all milk to drink. When he returned, we asked our friend: â€Å"Did you know anything to recite upon him to cure him?† He said: â€Å"No, I only recited Umm al-Kitab (i.e. Surah al-Fatiha) upon him. † We said that do not do anything until we reach Madinah and ask the Prophet regarding this (practice and reward-whether the sheep were lawful or not for us). Upon reaching Madinah, we narrated this to the Prophet (PBUH), whereupon he remarked: â€Å"How did he come to know that Al-Fatiha can be used as a cure? (PBUH) Distribute your reward amongst yourselves and a lot a share for me as well†.† (Sahih Bukhari)Tafseer of verses of Surah Al-FatihaVerse # 01, In the name of Allah: It is the first verse of the Surah Al-Fatiha. It means, â€Å"In the name of Allah, the beneficial and most merciful. It is very good to recite it before doing any work. â€Å"In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.†The beginning of the Holy Quran is with the name of Allah Almighty, who is the most Beneficient, the most Merciful. This phrase is known as Bismillah and is essential to recite doing anything. It seeks mercy and blessing of Allah and is better to recite before starting any work. Verse no 2 The second verse of the Surah-Al-Fatihah is:†(All) praise is (only) Allah's, the Lord of the worlds.† (Al-Fatihah: 2)After reciting the phrase Bism-il-lah-is-Rahim, our first objective is to bring our mind toward the Great Creator and Cherisher of the world, and His infinite rewards which have fenced us thoroughly. â€Å"Al-Hamd† means â€Å"thanks† same is the meaning of â€Å"secular†, but there is a difference between these two words. Hamd is done with the love of Allah Almighty, but on the other hand, shukar is the response of endless bounties which were awarded by Allah Almighty. Then we come to â€Å"Rabb-UL-Aalameen† the meaning of â€Å"Rabb† is generally taken as God, but it is a lot, then that is generally translated Allah Almighty has 99 names, and all of them a possess different meanings, but the core meaning of them is that He is the one who is the creator of everything, Who has supremacy over everything, He is the one who is the Cherisher and many more. â€Å"Aalameen† means the one who is â€Å"Qadir â€Å"(supreme) on everything, who ruled everything, who is the creator of mankind and the jinn. The virtue of the VerseSo, collectively this verse means that all of the thanks and gratitude are towards Allah Almighty, who is the creator of everything in this universe though he is a jinn or anyone from mankind.Verse no 3The third verse of the Surah-Al-Fatihah is:†The Beneficent, The Merciful.†(Al-Fatihah 3) The meaning of â€Å"ar-Rehman† is the Beneficent and â€Å"ar-Rahim† is the Merciful jointly with the deep sense of meaning and the difference between them, was explained with a massive length.As explained above the meaning of these two words, but whenever a word is repeated in the Holy Quran it emphasizes its meaning. â€Å"ar-Rehman and ar-Rahim† are the most significant attributes of Allah Almighty, are repeated 30 times a day in our prayers. It also refers us to beg to Allah Almighty for mercy on us, Allah wants that His people to ask Him for mercy.Verse no 4The fourth verse of Surah-Al-Fatihah is:†Master of the Day of judgment.†(Al-Fatihah 4)In this ayah, our attention is brought toward the second vital principle of Islam, which is the Resurrection and the Hereafter, when it says â€Å"Master of the Day of judgment†. It is a basic base of all moral and social developments in Man, reaches the peak of perfection when its attention is brought toward the end of his life and his attention is brought to where he is going after this life.The word â€Å"Maalik†Ã‚   is referred to someone who possesses something completely and â€Å"the Day of judgment† is the day of final judgment on which everyone is brought to a platform at which justice is done according to the law of Almighty. Allah Almighty is the Lord of everything from the day when the universe was created to the day when it is again being destroyed.The virtue of the verse This verse of the Holy Quran has a clear message for the mankind that only Allah Almighty is the one Who is â€Å"Maalik† of the day of judgment. So, we should get prepared for the day when we will have to come in front of the creator and answer about all of the sins and good deeds we had done in the present world. Verse no 5 The fifth verse of Surah-Al-Fatihah is:†Thee (alone) do we worship and of Thee (only) do we seek help. â€Å"(Al-Fatihah 5)†Thee (alone) do we worship† means Allah is the only Essence to be relied on and worshipped. By admitting that we worship Allah Almighty, we are humble before Allah Almighty and to confess our servitude to Allah and to His Pure Essence help to make us successful in this great challenge. â€Å"Thee (only) do we seek help† is clearly referring towards the Cherished blessings of Allah Almighty, and bringing our attention toward the point that he is the only one who can help us at all. No one else in the universe can help us in any matter. â€Å"Iyyaaka nasta'een†It is in our fitrah too that whenever we indulge in any kind of problem we ask Almighty for help unintentionally no matter whatever our resources are? The virtue of the verseThis verse possesses a very charming message for the believers of Allah Almighty that we only worship Allah Almighty by all aspects of life, no matter what the condition is, also it is the only source of becoming successful in the final exam. And it is only Allah Almighty from which we can seek help as he is the most Beneficial and Merciful.Verse no 6The sixth verse of Surah-Al-Fatihah is:†Guide us (o' Lord) on the straight path. â€Å"In this verse, we are asking Allah Almighty for help in the form of dua. By saying â€Å"guide us (o'Lord)† we ask Allah Almighty to show us the right path and guide us on it, in the result, we will get guidance which eventually brings us closer and nearer to Allah Almighty which will result in success. The meaning of†Straight Path† is â€Å"Sirat-e-Mustqeem†. Moreover, this straight path is the very Divine faith, has some phases. Whatever phase a person gains, there is still some higher stage above them that a person may ask Allah to guide him to reach. â€Å"Mustqeem† can be defined as istaqaama which means upright. In the beginning, we asked for a straight path so, why we are requesting for it again, it is only on to emphasize the objective to get the straight path. In another meaning, mustqeem refers to remain firm or to stand firm without tilting.The virtue of this verse In the whole ayah, we are asking Allah Almighty to guide us to follow the right path or the straight path and help us to remain us on the right and straight path because it is the only way that we can get to the Paradise. If we tilted a little or toasted minorly this can be a fatal matter for our success as Allah Almighty is the justest.Verse no 7The seventh verse of Surah-Al-Fatihah is:†The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy bounties, not (the path) of those inflicted with Thy wrath, nor (of those) gone astray†This verse is, indeed, a clear illustration of the straight path which was dealt with in the previous verse. By this verse, we can clearly understand that the follower asks Allah Almighty to guide him on those with whom He has blessed with many kinds of blessings. In this verse, we ask Allah Almighty that guides us with the path of those which you had blessed and gave your endless bounties, not with those who were strayed from their path and are in great loss. The virtue of the verseWe bow before Allah Almighty to guide us on the path of those which were awarded by Almighty's fruitful awards, not to those who were strayed and are in great loss.Impact of Surah Al-Fatiha on the life of a Muslim as a servant of AllahSurah Al-Fatiha is the said to be the mother of the Holy Quran and it has a core message of the Holy Quran. As a Muslim Surah Al-Fatiha has shall have a positive and significant impact on us. As it has very clearly been mentioned in the â€Å"verse 3† that Allah Almighty is the Lord of the day of the judgment and all of us has to stand on the platform of justice and there, justice will be done on pure merit. So, as a servant of Allah, we should ask him for â€Å"mercy†.We should ask the Almighty for guidance and siraat-e-mustqeem, so we can remain on the right path. Servant of Allah will surely seek the path of one who is succeeded in his final run, and he will avoid the path of those who strayed from the divine path and bound to hell. Holy Quran is not only our holy book, but a source of great knowledge, and we cannot deny the practical significance of this fact even disbeliever of the holy prophet admit it.So, Quran is the source of knowledge to get success in the final run. And Surah Fatiha has all the aspects which are explained in the Holy book so. So, it implies significant impact on the life of a Muslim.