My thoughts

Leaders or managers: In healthcare systerms

2020-06-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Today’s healthcare systems are varied in policies and procedures depending on who runs and funds that facility. Some facilities are educational or university healthcare organization, while others are private, and some are public and being funded by government. All those different types of healthcare systems are looking for many different aspects to compete with others. Educational healthcare systems for example are looking to have good learning outcomes in terms of healthcare providers. Private healthcare organizations are looking to provide good services in order to attract more patients and benefit from insurance system to grow and expand. Nowadays, we need leaders to face new challenges and rapid changes in the healthcare system. in this paper we will go over the differences between leaders and managers and then what makes leaders better in our recent time though both leaders and managers can cross at some points.

As a point of view, leaders in healthcare system are needed due to some reasons, and as a staff in a healthcare organization, which is a university medical city. In this kind of facilities there is conflict happens mostly all the time due to many physician directors and non-physician directors. That conflict affect decision making which could affect the service provided to patients. In order to avoid that conflict, leaders are needed here because they can be flexible, and they have the coordination skills. These skills enable them to work among different staff clinical, and non- clinical and manage to achieve goals, and solve problems; also involving other staff in the decision making.

The leader can influence and convince the team with difficult goals that are not impossible. With your faith in him that will make you implement his/her directions without discussion even if they are illogical. The manager always has his decisions subject to evaluation by his subordinates and this is not the one who should lead the scene.

To compare leaders and managers, let’s focus on the competencies of both with brief explanation of each one and then look at the as strength and weakness points to come support the argument here.

Interpersonal skills which are the soft skills that the leaders have. A leader will have a very good conversational skills, speaking skills, and he or she is a good listener, as a result this a strength point that makes the leader required in such field. Prudence or in another word wisdom is one of the competencies that a leader has where he or she will see others’ points of view. Courage to take risk and decide considering values and right the right thing of course.

Managers on the other hand, focus on task only instead of the goals and visions of the organization. While leaders are taking risk and taking the organization to higher levels, managers tend to minimize risks without trying to take risks. Managers are oriented to instruct staff and telling them what to do, yet leaders are encouraging staff to be creative and to think out of the box.

Leaders I believe are easy to deal with and they are always a good choice for me and for any employee who is looking for a motive during his/ he time in workplace. In the end, you need a leader who can make decisions even if they are painful, but those who implement must be managers who can implement these visions firmly, accurately and skillfully.

(Work cited)

- Ho, L. (2018, March 20). Leadership vs Management: Is One Better Than the Other? Retrieved from https://www.lifehack.org/674254/leadership-vs-management-is-one-better-than-the-other

- R, R.(2014, April 27). The Top 10 Leadership Competencies. What are the most important leadership skills? How many do you possess? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201404/the-top-10-leadership-competencies

The Trend of prostate cancer

2020-06-27T16:02:00.001-07:00

Cancer has become a persisting trend in our recent time and the study of its causes, effects, and treatment options has become a priority for governments. In order to do so, the incidence of any type of cancer must be studied first to determine how significant it is and how this type increases over time, as well as its distribution locally, and globally. Prostate Cancer for example one of the types of cancer considered to be the sixth leading cause of mortality globally.

In a study that was published in Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy Journal about the incidence rate of prostate cancer in Saudi Arabia between 2001 and 2008, in which Saudi Cancer Registry(SCR) was the source of data. The study shows that between 2001 and 2008 a total of 1739 cases were registered and the eastern, and Riyadh region had the highest average, while Jazan and Najran had the lowest. The number of cases steadily increased from 156 cases in 2001 to 267 in 2008. The study also shows Age Standardized Incidence Rate(ASIR) that is as follow: 50.7% were between age group 60-74 years old, 37.5% were +75 years, 10.8 were between 45-59 years old, and less than 1% were between 00-44 years old. Moreover, in 2008 the Age Standardized Mortality Rate(ASMR) was 5.1 per 100,000; in addition, the incidence rate was 7.7 per 100,000 which makes prostate cancer ranked the sixth in Saudi. According to SCR(2016) prostate cancer represents 3.1% of all cancer cases among Saudi men in 2016, and still eastern and Riyadh region have the highest average.

On the other hand, Ireland is considered to have the highest ASIR and ASMR worldwide with incidence rate of 126.3 per 100,000, and mortality rate of 13 per 100,000 according to International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 2008. In the last update of factsheet published by National Cancer Registry of Ireland(2018), the number of new cases per year was 3,474 with an incidence rate of 141per 100,000, which is tremendously higher than the average in Saudi. These cases were distributed by age at diagnosis as follow: 65-74 years 42%, +75 years 17%, 50-64 years 38%, and <50 years 3%. Also, deaths percentages are distributed by age as follow: 21% between age 65 and 74, 72% at the age of +75, and 7% only at age of 50 to 64. The report also ranks prostate cancer to be the 1st among other common cancer in Ireland causing 519 deaths per year with a mortality rate of 22.2 per 100,000 in the last report from National Registry of Ireland.

In order to control cancer, there are ways to prevent, and reduce the risk of cancer. For example, encourage individual to do check up as needed based on their age and if there is a family history of getting certain type of cancer. The is of course based on studies and the rates of cancers. Mayo Clinic advices people to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables since they are full of vitamins and are good to prevent people from taking too much fatty food. Another advice, exercise and physical activity are a good preventive ways to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Finally, Prostate Specific Antigen(PSA) test has decrease the mortality rate by 20% and is a good indicator that leads to further investigation to detect prostate cancer in its early stages.

(Work Cited)

Alghamidi, I. G., Hussain, I. I., Alghamdi, M. S., & El-Sheemy, M. A. (2014). The incidence rate of prostate cancer in Saudi Arabia: an observational descriptive epidemiological analysis of data from the Saudi Cancer Registry 2001–2008. Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, 7(1), 18–26. doi: 10.1016/j.hemonc.2013.10.001

2019. Cancer Incidence Report. [ebook] Riyadh: Saudi Cancer Registry, pp.52-53. Available at: https://nhic.gov.sa/en/eServices/Pages/TumorRegistration.aspx

[Accessed 18 March 2020].

National Cancer Registry Ireland. (2018). Cancer Factsheet - Prostate [Ebook]. Retrieved 16 March 2020, from https://www.ncri.ie/sites/ncri/files/factsheets/Factsheet%20prostate.pdf.

Top strategies to reduce your prostate cancer risk. (2018, November 6). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/in-depth/prostate-cancer-prevention/art-20045641

Phenomena of Committing Suicide

2013-04-04T11:50:00.002-07:00

Phenomena of Committing Suicide

Our lives are very significant to us and we would do anything to be safe and away from any threat that may cost us our lives. In hospitals, we see people from different ages, old and young, looking for a treatment because they want to live. However we still love to live, suicide is still happening between all ages and the rate of suicide has increased in the U.S. To become suicidal, there is definitely a cause and it should be a strong cause that makes an individual think of ending his life. There are many causes of committing a suicide; for example sexual abuse, not being accepted from family or friends, loss of hope, a loved one being hurt, feeling of helplessness, and a lack of spiritual communication.

Suicide is a phenomenon because it is a significant action that deals with all classes in any society no matter what their views are. It is a concerned for religious and non-religious as well as sociologists and psychologists. For scientists, it is important because they deal with it on daily basis and study it. In addition, people in general also concern because they might have experienced it on know someone who has. Religions, also, have views about suicide. According to the Roman Catholic Church, Christianity believes that committing a suicide is an unforgivable sin because lives are God’s property and we do not own our lives. Islam has the similar idea as Christianity about not owning our lives and that lives are God’s property. It forbids committing any kind of suicide including suicide bombing, "And do not kill yourselves, surely God is most Merciful to you." (Qur'an, Sura 4, verse 29). Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) said, "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hell Fire (forever) and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in the Hell-Fire.”

First of all, being sexually abused is a harsh feeling and it has consequences on any person who has experienced it. If a male or female has been sexually abused, he or she would suffer from it for a long time. The feeling of pain and the way victims will be looked at will cause them to commit a suicide. Even though there is rehabilitation for sexual abuse victims, the harsh feeling and being ashamed will be a reason to end their lives. Victims also may look at them selves as rejected members by their families and society, so they think suicide is the solution. In some society, being sexually abused is the victim’s fault; therefore they have to suffer for the rest of his or her life for being a victim. So, they cannot compete with that feeling for too long.

Secondly, living abroad and being away from family makes any person feel lonely. Finding a person who prefers to be lonely to be without family and friends is rare, but as long as that person is in contact his family and friends, he would be able to get over the loneliness feeling. The issue here is being with family and friends, but not being accepted by them. People who are suffering from that feeling would try to get along with their families and friends. One thing that they may try is grabbing these people’s attention. If they could not do that, then they would end their lives. This cause might be one of the main causes for committing suicide.

Thirdly, a few months ago, there were two suicides cases that happened in a society where people believe that suicide is a sin and whoever kills himself, will go hell. As shown in the media, the cause of these two cases was related to the mental illnesses that the victims had, but according the victims’ relatives, the victims were in their right minds. It is believed that loss of hope and the chance to be employed, even though they both had degrees in science, was the cause of the suicide. They had gotten to the point where there is nothing available and the chances of having a future were zero. So, losing the hope is an absolute cause for committing a suicide.

Since being sexually abused is a cause of suicide because of the victim’s feelings, any person who loves that person might be willing to commit a suicide; even though the victim has not. They also can commit suicide for seeing any person they love getting hurt from any type sexual, physical, or verbal abuse. The bad feelings that might suicidal experience about their loved people leads to the suicide. It might be also the only the only way that they have found to express who bad and sad they felt. This cause can be seen from different point of view, but as a speculation it might be either feeling bad about the victim or feeling sad.

As we live among groups, families, friends, co-workers… etc. we are willing to offer our help to the people that we love. Co-workers will help each other to get work done and so as families and friends. For instance, parents work hard to provide a decent life to their kids. Most of them will also want for their kids to have lives better than theirs. In fact, they would love for their kids to have chances more than what they had in the past. However, if parents’ plans did not turn out as they planned, either parent might experience the feeling of helplessness. We might not realize that as a serious cause, but unfortunately it is. When a plan for the future has been ruined for whatever reason, and the parent feels that there is nothing to do since he could not help the most significant people in his life, he or she is most likely to commit a suicide. This cause can be any person to commit suicide. People; on the other hand, may think that ruined plans is not a convincing cause for committing suicide. There is this man who had worked for years in order to provide good life to his family back in his country, but his plans did not work as he planned. After visiting his family and seeing his wife spending his money on nothing, his daughter is pregnant without being married and his son is in love with a girl from different social class, he felt helpless and useless and after the hard work that he had done he did not get the result that he hoped.

In order to live healthy and be healthy, we eat, drink, and work out. When we get ill, we go to the doctor and look for a treatment. Additionally, recreation is a key part in our daily life; we do variety of things to entertain ourselves like drinking, going out, traveling, and gathering with other people. We do all that to be physically and emotionally in a good shape and to be happy. By doing all those things, some people still feel that they are not happy and that they have tried everything. Then, they feel that their lives are meaningless. They also feel that they have an internal gap that they could not fill in, so therefore they commit suicide. Lacking of spiritual communication and not having a strong relationship within which that person believes can be a cause of committing a suicide. Souls need to be fed as well as our bodies. There is a question that may be asked about how this is a cause of committing suicide. The answer might be that not having a faith or a relationship can break all the restrictions that people have and make suicide a proper solution for them to get rid of whatever they were suffering from.

In summary, suicide has been a serious issue and it costs lives every day. It is not limited to a specific age, race, ethnicity, or believes; yet any person can commit it. Suicide in the U.S has taken place in every state and its rates are quite high. In 2005 the statistics said, 32,637 people committed suicide; they were between the age of 15 and up to older than 65 years (suicide.org, suicide statistics). Causes are different; they can be sociologists or psychologists. Overall, everybody who is willing to commit a suicide should not do it. We believe that whoever is willing to end his or her life has already gotten to the point where death is the only thing the he or she sees, but there is still help and there are people who want to help. Figuring out what causes suicidal to think of suicide, can solve the issue or at least reduce it. Society also has a key role in reducing this issue; especially, when the suicidal is suffering from helplessness, loneliness, or being rejected. Everybody should be involved in this issue; we ought to work with who feels helpless and tell them that they can do better and chances still available. Furthermore, lonely people should be taken care of and told that there are people around them as well as rejected individual.

Work Cited

"Religious views on suicide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_suicide>.

“Suicide Statistics.” Http://www.suicide.org, Web, Mar 28, 2013.

should we stop deep frying

2013-04-02T14:21:00.002-07:00

Should we stop deep frying?

Nowadays, people are preferring fast food to homemade or healthy food. Most of the fast food is fried food; for instance, chicken wings, French fries, and hamburgers. Additionally, the majority of fried food consumers are children because of the delicious taste, and the way it is packed and served. As it is common among people, because oil is used to fry it, it is unhealthy and it causes cancer and obesity, so we should stop eating and feeding our children fried food. Although fried food is unhealthy, it can be healthy if a cook fries it in a healthy way. We have made fried food unhealthy because we do not fry it properly. If we know the reasons why scientists do not recommend eating it, be aware of how it became harmful, and be educated about how to make it healthy, consumers would be on the side of fried food.

According to scientists, it is highly recommended not to consume fried food because of the negative consequences on human health; for example, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity. Another reason, it has been claimed that some parts in the fried food can be unhealthy to eat and harmful. Fried chicken with skin for instance, people like it because it is crispy and tasty, but not healthy. What consumers might not realize, the skin has fat and the oil that is used as well, so when they combined together, the fat turns into trans-fat and that can cause

Alduraywish 2

. Consequently, the trans-fat will be absorbed by human body and will be a reason for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

In order to help consumers fry food in a healthy and correct way, they should first be aware of how it became unhealthy. The major reason that makes consuming fried food unhealthy is frying it in used oil; in other words, reusing the same oil again, which had already been used, to fry the food. There is a process where it is possible to filter the oil then reuse it, yet it works, but it would be healthier to use fresh oil every time. That process would work if the oil had not been heated at or above 375 F. According to Alice, heating the oil up to 375 F or above changes the oil’s chemicals characteristics and the oil will become too heavy on the liver to digest. As a result, it becomes a toxic substance that causes various liver diseases.

However, consumers still want to reuse the oil again to save money or if fresh oil is not available. It is not an issue to reuse the oil, but only after have the oil goes through a process that can make the oil fit for one or two more usages; hence, the amount of food also matters. In other words, the oil should not be reused if it is had been used to fry a big amount of food, so restaurants should not be doing the process. The process should start after using the oil for the first time. Turning off the heat right after finishing frying is the first step. Once the oil has cooled, it has to be taken and filtered by using many layers and making sure that all impurities have been removed. Finally, pour the oil in an appropriate container and store in cool and dark place. Hence, the process will be useless if the oil was heated above 375 F.

Alduraywish 3

It is impossible to fry food without oil, yet there is a way to avoid the consequences of using the oil. In order to avoid that; first, the oil has to be heated at or below 375 F to prevent that toxic substance from being built up. Secondly, be sure that the frying pan or the skillet is not scratched. The paint that is being scratched can combine with the oil and produce another substance; therefore, it will be absorbed by the food and cause some health issues on the long term. Finally, avoid mixing different types of oils together because different oils have different ingredients and different preservations materials.

Additionally, there are different types of oil that are used to fry like oils which are produced by using vegetables and the type which are produced by using animals. Consumers use these types of oil without being aware that they are different. “Oils with the highest percentage of linoleic acid are safflower oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil, so you may want to stay away from those if you enjoy deep frying,” Alice said. According to Wikipedia, all those oils, which Alice mentioned, have extremely high percentage of linoleic acid .It is significant to use the proper oil to fry food.

The best types of oils to fry food are vegetable oils. “Unsaturated fat is best. Saturated fat should be minimized, and trans-fat should not be consumed ,” Dr. Delichatsios says. What Dr. Delichatsios means is that the in the other types of oils have saturated fats which are not healthy and they cause the bad cholesterol. Unsaturated fat, on the other hand, is the good fat and it raises the good cholesterol. Another advantage of using vegetable oil is that consumers can use higher amounts of oil without being worried because it is healthy oil and has benefits to human body; olive oil for instance.

Alduraywish 4

Speaking of the fat and calories that are obtained from fried food, it is thought that these fats are useless and harmful. Dr. Delichatsios says that getting up to 30% to 40% of your calories from fat is fine. As mentioned, the majority of fried food’s consumers are children, so that would be good for their health to get the fat fried food, as long as it is fried in vegetable oil or processed used oil. Also, fried food can be consumed as a snack simple, easy to be made at home, and provides what is needed.

Fried foods still one of the food that has huge consumers in the U.S, as Dr. Delichatsios says, “At some fairs in the United States, people consume fried Twinkies, fried cheesecake, and even fried butter.” Because of that, consumers should deal with it correctly or the huge rates of obesity and people who have blood pressure will increase. In order to keep enjoying fried food and decreasing the side effect of it, consumers should follow the ways to make it, and fry it at home.

Briefly, there are major issues that fried food causes them. These issues might have stopped consumers from eating it. Fried food, is like any other food, needs to be cooked properly in order to benefit from it; otherwise, it will be harmful. Oil is the most significant part in frying food. The oil should be fresh oil or at least appropriately processed oil; also, it had better be vegetable oil to the results that a study had gotten. Vegetable oil is healthier based on a study that was conducted in Spain, where vegetable oil is used, Dr. Delichatsios says “the results of this study do not apply to most fried foods available in the U.S. population and other countries.” Fried food is a good source of good fat and protein which human body needs in certain amounts. To sum up, fried food will never be a cause of the issues that most people nowadays have. People should enjoy eating fried food in a health way and they should never stop eating it.

(Work cited)

"Healthier Oils Make Fried Food Safer." Harvard Health Letter 37.9 (2012): 4. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Feb. 2013.

“Is reusing cooking oil safe?” Originally Published: November 8, 2002 - Last Updated / Reviewed On: March 16, 2012.web. 2/6/2013 <http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/reusing-cooking-oil-safe#.URFznxDXSSk.email>

“Linoleic acid” From Wikipedia, web 2/6/2013<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleic_acid>

Why cross the Atlantic - Analyzing of Tori Murden story By Hisham.

2013-03-20T14:19:00.001-07:00

Why cross the Atlantic?
In every nation, men at some points are looking at women as a second-class citizen, and that they are not able to do or achieve what men can do and achieve. Tori Murden McClure, the woman, who crossed the Atlantic, has proved that women can achieve whatever men can achieve. She had been through a lot of drama during her childhood, but that had not stopped her from taking care of her little brother, obtaining degrees, and what most importantly, crossing the Atlantic Ocean. In this new world, Tori Murden is one of the women who have an influence on the way people think of women. She had the tools to succeed and she used them, but what made her exactly do what she did? Was Tori trying to prove that women ability to do what men can do, trying to get over the idea of helplessness when she was not able to help her brother, or was just trying to break a record?
As a point of view, that combination of reasons, made Tori decide to cross the ocean. Feelings of helplessness is a harsh feeling and it has an impact on us; as a result, people would react to get over it. In order to get over that feeling, everybody chooses a way to do that; for instance, I decided to take a risk and study abroad just to get over that feeling that I was not an active member in my society, and that I was not capable to achieve my goals by the degree that I had. Tori’s reaction to helplessness become passionate in overcoming it “Learning to joust with helplessness became my passion” (26). She decided to compete with her feeling of helplessness since that event; as soon as she had the opportunity, she took advantage of it. Now, she became a motivating example for people who have hopelessness and helplessness feelings.
Even though Tori knew that every accomplishment she had done would not be recognized like if it’s done by a man, she did not give up. Nevertheless, she decided to keep going and to put her life on the edge. When Tori decided to cross the Atlantic, she might or might not have thought that she will be the one who will change many men’s thoughts about women. Many men think that only males have the ability to do such a hard job like rowing for twelve hours a day for three months, having been in the worst hurricane ever, and surviving. She almost lost her life. She sacrificed her life and left her friends and family just to prove what she wanted to prove without even looking for the fame. The way she thought was very astute, when she said “like men, we could be independent and internally motivated” (4).
As human beings, we are always looking for what makes us be noticeable in our community, Also we want to be looked at as successful individuals. Therefore, each individual has his own ceiling of ambitions. For example, I feel that my ambitions will not stop until I have my own discovery and it should be a discovery that will help to cure a disease and save lives. Although Tori had degrees in three different fields, she did not feel that she had found everything she was looking for.” I am, after all, a woman until my boat dropped off the edge of the world” (4). After that, she gained what she wanted to gain. A personality filled with ambition, passion, and leadership. She got to the ceiling.
During our short lives, we have been influenced by other people like scientists, actors, artists, parents… etc. Moreover, we admire those people and we think that what they are doing or saying is right. Tori worked with the boxer Mohammed Ali and he is known as a successful boxer. He told her that she did not want to be called as the women who nearly rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, and because she admires him, she did it again. She believed in what he told her as well as she believed in her skills and abilities and that she could make it.
The love of the adventure exists in everybody’s mind. Also, taking risks is desirable and all human beings like to take risks. Though crossing the Atlantic was extremely dangerous, it did not stop Tori from taking it to fulfill her desires. She was brave enough to be alone in the middle of the ocean. Having been away from family is an adventure, yet having been in a hurricane is a brave adventure and that is what she proved to everybody.
True researchers for love are the people who believe that love comes without a date, but we have to look forward for it. In addition, any person who is looking for stable and sound love will wait until the time comes. As I said, the love will last when it is the time. In order to have that kind of love, our lists of things have to be achieved and done. Tori had cleared her list of things and achieved what she wanted to achieve, and then she had the time to love and be loved at the age of thirty-five. She wants her love to last forever. This is what everybody should do; we should try to achieve what is in our wish lists to become ready to expose our feelings and look for our lovers.
Trying to change our lives to the best and make them better is something we always want. People would change jobs or migrate to different countries and leave their friends and families just to change the reality. However, some times the reality fortuitously changes. After having been alone in the ocean, Tori’s life changed for the best. She became a president of a university, a married women to a man she fell in love with, and a chair of the National Outdoor Leadership School, where she helps youth to change to the best. She found the stability after having been looking for it.

In conclusion, Tori is a woman who all women should be proud of; especially, American women. What she has done is a proof that males and females are equal at some points, and that gender does not matter as long as we are educated. By reading her story, we can see her passion and how she was trying to get to what she wanted. What we should learn from her story is to use our skills and the tools that we have to achieve our goals and ambitions. Moreover, we should learn that our dreams should not have limits and that we should achieve as much dreams as we possibly can. That is exactly what she did; she did not give up.
To sum up, the reasons that I stated might have been what made her do that or she might have had other reasons. The feelings of helplessness, feelings of the inequality, the drive to show the world women have capability, and are adventurous. Tori had waited ten years before she decided to write her story. She has done a great job describing every single detail about it. Even though she wrote that amazing story and talked about great a mission, she had not thought that what she did is such a great job.” I had to get comfortable with a life defined by something as small as a rowboat” (289). Reading her story is very motivating for women and men. It also teaches us how to be brave and not to give up. Using every means that we have in order to get to what we want. Finally, Tori put her name with heroes and famous people, and now she has an imprint in the history of women. She is brief, smart, and great woman.

Work cited

Tori Murden McClure: A pearl in the storm: how I found my heart in the middle Ocean. NewYork: Harper 2010.

Turkey's Death

2013-01-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

Turkey

's Death

Human beings are full of emotions. These emotions can be held within in many situations no matter how rough these situations are; however, some others cannot be held within in many situations. In 2010, I lost my cousin in a serious car accident, and when that incident happened, I could not hide my emotions from anybody; on the contrary, I cried and cried until my eyes dried, and that is how hard the incident was. Therefore, that incident has not just exposed my emotions; it has also gotten me closer to my aunt and my cousin Suliman, who is

Turkey

’s older brother.

It was around 7:00PM when we gathered together to have a dinner in my parents’ resort home, and

Turkey

was with us. We had such a delicious dinner, and then we had dessert that

Turkey

brought with him. He gave everybody some of that delicious dessert. Meantime, we were watching TV and having a fabulous time together talking, laughing, and enjoying being together. After all of this,

Turkey

told us that he was going to leave to meet his friends, so he gave them a ride in his new car that his mother just bought.

A few hours later, everybody went outside to the field to play volleyball and left their phones around me while I was watching the TV. I could hear them screaming at each other. Suddenly, Suliman's phone start ringing, ringing, and ringing. It was his older brother; I did not answer, but he kept calling, so I decided to answer; and I wish I had not.

“Suliman?”

“No, this is Hisham, Suliman is playing outside.”

“Tell him that Turkey just had an accident with two of your cousins and their friend.”

I was shocked when he told me; I did not know what to do or how to tell Suliman. Later, I called him and told him that we ought to go to the hospital right now. As soon as we arrived to the hospital, I felt that there was something keeping me from entering the emergency room, and my feet could not hold me. Finally, I gathered my courage and entered to the emergency room where my cousins were. The room was packed, and everybody was trying to find out what had happened to him since the other passengers, who were with him in the car, had only minor injuries. Since the room was packed, I had to walk among everybody to get the nurse and ask her about the situation.

“I am here for

Turkey

he was just brought here.”

“Yes,” said the nurse, “he is inside the resuscitation room, and the doctors are doing their job in order to stop the bleeding.”

“Is he going to be alright?

“We do not know yet, but let's hope that.”

While he was inside the room, we were outside hoping and praying that he would get well. As we were praying, the resuscitation's door opened and the doctor came out. “He is in a coma. Now they are going to take him to the intensive care room everybody should leave, and we will contact his father if anything occurs," Said the doctor. Then, we saw that moving bed being pushed through us heading to the intensive care room. Everybody left except for me I could not leave, I did not want to leave, all what I wanted was to see him. Consequently, I asked the nurse for permission to see him, so let me. I entered the intensive care room. It was very quiet room, and was dimmed lights, was full of patients, and the nurses were walking around checking on them. Furthermore, when I entered there I could feel the sadness, hear the devices beeping, and smell medications. I looked around in order to find him, and I saw him. He was

on that bed surrounded by many devices, and his left arm was wrapped to his chest because he had a bruise on his elbow. He was also breathing by a respirator, and a tube was hooked up to his throat.

When I saw that, I could not hold my tears I put my hand on his head and talked to him "He might be listening to you now, but I do not think he can talk to you. “He is in a coma." The nurse said. I tried to spend as much time as I could staring at his peaceful and smiley face, and then I left that room. He had to be transferred to an advanced hospital in order to have better care, and he was put in another intensive care room. At that time, I was visiting him every day and spent some time sitting next to his bed. Asked the nurses if he had gotten better, but the answer was always no, he had not. After five days, and while I was sleeping in the house, I received a call from my sister.

“Have you been told?

“About what?”

“

Turkey

has been announced dead.”

It was a strong shock that made me jump out of the bed and act like a mad. As I said, sometimes a person has to expose his or her emotions and that what happened. I locked myself in my room and started crying like a baby, and remembering every moment that we had together. The next day, I went to the mosque to take a last look at that wonderful, amazing, and tolerant face before taking the body to the cemetery and buried him. Again, I could not stop crying when I saw him being covered and carried to the cemetery.

All in all, every year on the same day which he passed away, I remember him. I remember that sense of humor that he had, and when I remember that, I just smile. He had extremely gorgeous soul. To sum up, because of his beautiful character, and his personality that everybody loved, I had to show my emotions in front of all people who were at the cemetery. I will be remembering and he will never be forgotten.

Innovation impact

2013-01-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Blackberry

People have been alwayslooking for innovations in the world of technology, like phones, computers, andmusic players. One of those innovations that people use it all the time is the phone.Nowadays, phones are not only used to make calls; they are used to play games,texting, taking pictures, videotaping, and for browsing the internet. Anexample of those phones, which is used for many purposes, is the BlackBerry.Back home, the BlackBerry is the most used among people of different ages, andI use it here, as well. The BlackBerry has affected my life abroad in both wayspositive and negative, and it also has affected the community there.

While I am living awayfrom my family and friends, I need a means of contact so I can communicate withthem. Phone calls are not always possible due to the cost of internationalcalls and the time difference. Consequently, I had to get a BlackBerry and geta data plan so I can use the BlackBerry messenger. BlackBerry messenger is anapp where any person can have his list of friends, and can engage with themeither by private conversations or sending broadcasts to the whole list. As Isaid, that the BlackBerry has affected me in a positive way. Now, I can text myfriends at any time. I can also share my pictures and video with them. Inaddition, I receive the essential news and a new feed every day by my friends.The most significant influence is that I am able to chat with my friends and mysiblings any time without any extra fees, even though they do not live here. Forexample, I used to text all my friends and my family members during ourholidays, or if any one of them had any occasion like a birthday or wedding,but it had been difficult due to the cost of text messages until I got theBlackBerry. Now, I can text them and send them my greetings at any time, and wecan share our happy moments together no matter where they are.

On the other hand, theBlackBerry has a negative effect. The most negative thing that the BlackBerry hasis that people start using it to report rumors and inaccurate news. Forinstance, two weeks ago I received a broadcast that said the minister of foreignpassed away and the source was a well known newspaper. In order to make sure, Itook a look on that newspaper website, but I could not find that; finally, itturned out that it was rumor which bothered me. Additionally, many links that containinappropriate contents, such as images and videos are being sent to the kids,even though the kids are not supposed to watch them, so it became a tool thatimmature people use to spread these things among the kids. Last but not least,the BlackBerry became a distraction to me. When I am studying or eating, I stopseveral times to read a message or start chatting with a friend.

As I said, theBlackBerry has also affected the community. People used to sit together andtalk a lot and do not pay any attention to their phones, but not anymore.Nowadays, you can barely see a person who does not check his phone at leastevery five minutes if not all the time. Now, when I go to see my friends, Ifind them so quiet; everybody is busy chatting or doing something with hisphone. The BlackBerry has decreased the social life and reduced directcommunication between people.

To sum up, we were taught that any new innovationis a gift, and it is like an empty glass; if we put water in it, it becomespermissible, and we can drink it, but if we put alcohols it becomes forbidden,and we cannot drink it. In order to make the technology beneficial to us, wehave to know how to deal with it, and we have to be aware of what it willhappen if we misuse it. I was affected by the BlackBerry in a positive and anegative way as well as my community. I use it for chatting and sharing myphotos and videos with my friends and my family; also I use it to access to theinternet. However, the false news that I have been getting from time to time makeme think of getting rid of it. Lastly, the inappropriate links that some peoplesend to the kids have made this phone unwanted. As I said, we should know howto use it, and we should know how to protect the kids; otherwise this we willregret this gift.

What if she were a man?

2013-01-15T16:32:00.002-08:00

What if she were a man?

"Sen-jo and her soul are separated". Story is about a girl and her cousin. Chokan, who was Sen-jo's father, had told his nephew Ochu and his daughter when they were children that they would be a perfect couple. As a result, Sen-jo and Ochu were growing up with a feeling that they were a couple until they fell in love. Sen-jo had had that feeling for a long time then suddenly her father told her that she had to marry another man named Hinryo. Ochu, therefore, was sad to hear that, so he decided to move away from his lover. Sen-jo followed Ochu and went away with him then got married. Later, after they had two children, they decided to go back home. Once they arrived, Ochu decided to go by himself to Sen-jo's father to apologize for what they did, but he was shocked when he saw another Sen-jo there. It turned out that her soul was separated from her body, and either her body or her soul followed Ochu, but the one that did not follow him was so sick because he left her. From this story, Sen-jo was wronged and treated unequally by her father and her lover. Nowadays, women are being treated unfairly by fathers, lovers, and society.

By going back and reading Sen-jo's story, we can see that she was treated unfairly by her father and how that would match what is happening nowadays. Even though Sen-jo was supposed to obey her father, he also was supposed to let her choose the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. To connect Sen-jo's story with what is happening currently, we can see in some communities; for example, my community that there are females being forced to marry their cousins just because they are socially equal, and from the same family. Without even looking for his manners or behaviors some females are being forced to marry old men because they are rich. If they were men, they could marry whoever they. In other words, men have the choice to choose whoever they want to marry, but women do not.

In the story, we may assume that Ochu had nothing to do with Chokan's decision and we cannot blame him. That is totally wrong; both Sen-jo and her soul were faithful with Ochu, but he was not faithful to her. What Ochu did was just walking away. If she had not followed him, he would have been married to another woman. It was easy for him to walk away because he was a man and he could have run away, and forgotten about her, and then married any woman. That is not only, ancient it is still happening in my society. For example, when a man and a woman fall in love, then decide to get married, but are rejected either by of their family, the man will not fight for his lover. The only thing he will do is find another woman and then marry her and forget about his past relationship. However, the woman would suffer from that love, and she would not forget it even if she marries another man; moreover, she would name her child after him.

Women are punished unequally when they commit a crime or go to jail for some reason, and that is because of some traditions in my society. For instance, when Sen-jo was asked to wait and Ochu went to her father to apologize because he is the man, he would not be blamed for taking Sen-jo and being a man, and mistaken at the same time is not a problem. It is a problem and shameful if a woman were mistaken. That explains what is being done in some societies. For instance, some prisons are full of women who have already finished their sentences, but are rejected and refused by their community because they are females. Nevertheless; in my community, they celebrate when a man finished his jail time and being released. Even though he had committed a crime or was a drug dealer, they party like he is a hero. Both genders should be punished and treated equally; not because he is a man and she is a woman it is because they are human beings.

Briefly, what happened in the story gives parents and men in general some lessons. For the parents, your sons have rights and obligations on you. Also, if you do not want them to act like Sen-jo, let them marry whomever they choose as long as they have strong morals and behaviors, and their families are known as respectful families. The other lesson is for men who are in relations with women now. If you are in love with her, stand with her and stay with her if you love her.

The biggest risk I have ever taken

2013-01-15T16:30:00.001-08:00

The Biggest risk I have taken

Human beings have been always looking for what makes their lives better. Some of them would change their jobs in order to get better incomes while others would start a business to make money in order to obtain better futures. Furthermore, some others would migrate and leave homes and families in order to have a decent life, or just to fulfill desires that they have had for a long time. All those things, which people would do to make their lives better, are called risks. Risks have consequences, and they might be a positive or negative. Taking a risk has never been something easy, yet it is something we need to think about before we take it, and we ought to address the reasons and make sure that any risk is valuable. I took an enormous risk when I decided to resigned my job then come to the U.S. Before I made my decision, I had determined the risk, the reasons, and whether the risk is worth taking it or not.

In the first place, I had gotten a diploma degree in 2008, and then I got a job in a good position and a very good monthly income. When I got hired, my job was a health inspector, and then I got a promotion after my first year there to be the supervisor of the health inspection department. Therefore, more than eighty four employees were working under me in that department, and most of them were older than me. Even more, I have invented forms and came up with ideas that are still used by the department. Even though I had all these features and success in my previous job, I was not fully satisfied about myself, and an associate degree was not enough for me, and I needed more. Thus, I started preparing myself while I was working. I applied for school admission, and then applied for a visa. After I had all those done, I packed my luggage then purchased my plan ticket. After all, I took the eight days I had in my vacation balance, and then flew to the U.S. with a hope of getting a scholarship. As soon as these eight days passed, I got the scholarship and then I resigned from my job by e-mail. If I had not obtained the scholarship, I would have been unemployed now. Additionally, the only negative probabilities that I imagined were a failure, and then return to home without achieving anything.

I have been asking myself, and I have been asked by others what were my reasons for doing what I did. Seeking and looking for the knowledge were my main reasons to take that risk, as well as my ambition to get another degree. Another reason, I believe that seeking knowledge and education has no age or limits. It begins from the day of birth and ends the day of death. Moreover, my parents want me to have at least a bachelor's degree and encouraged me, and they still encourage me to achieve my goals. In addition, my sister, who has a master's degree, has been always encouraging me as well as my other sister, who has just gotten her bachelor's degree. All those reasons pushed me to make my decision and risk my job.

From time to time, I ask myself if what I am doing now has a valuable or it is a worthless. Because I am always positive and optimistic, I say indeed it is a valuable risk. My friends always tell me that if I had kept my job, I would not have been thinking of school and homework now, and I would have been working and making money. What makes me think that it is worth it is what I will be in the future; I will have a terrific job; for instance, working in a hospital laboratory or starting my own business as a laboratory technologist. I will be a person that I have been always dreaming to be. Also, I am from a culture where somebody's accomplishment is everybody's accomplishment, so that makes this risk worth a lot because it is going to make everybody around me happy and proud of me. Last but not least, my family who is my inspiration and who always wants me to have the best, makes that risk worth more than anything else, and motivated me to attain my goals. In other words, I sacrificed my job and took that risk just for me, but also for the happiness and pride of my family.

In a word, everybody has the desire to be the best, and that sometimes can be

achieved by taking risks. Before taking any risk, the effects and purposes from that

risk should be known and addressed. Although the risk might have negative effects,

we might want to ignore them and go for it; similarly, think of what and how lives will

look like in the future. My risk was mountainous and has both effects. Working hard

will make the probability of getting negative effects is declining. Also, by being

positive helped me to overcome them, and looked for the bright side of it. Taking risks

teaches lessons. My father asked me one time if I had ever felt lonely here my answer

was yes, so he said what he always says,” who looks for the best in his life has to

work hard to get it because nothing comes easily. However, who wants to be lazy

does not need to do anything but sleeping.” I have learned from my risk that in order

to achieve what we are looking for, we need to challenge ourselves, but at the same

time to be careful so that we get the result we wanted. Finally, for the sake of achieving

your goals, be brief and take the risks that will help us achieve them.