Process Improvement Application and Quality Improvements Assignment

Process Improvement Application and Quality Improvements - Assignment Example Most organizations use the quality improvement story, mostly the quality improvement tools to improve service delivery and systems. For example, most hospitals and clinics often collect and use data about the health services being delivered, and statistically analyze the data to report to health authorities. Quality improvement methods are designed to study processes and help in improvement of systems. For instance in health care, students will be familiar with the goal of scientific research, but this only helps in discovering new knowledge but they are less familiar with the quality improvement which is aimed at changing performance. Recently medical students are always encouraged to join teams undertaking improvement activities. Quality improvement activities require managers’ to collect and analyze data generated by processes used in the activities involved and measure improvements. For example, a student cannot study changes in his study habits and the environment he lives in affects him. He will need to data to analyze his study habits problems, and decide the information he needs to measure improvements made by him. Measurement is an important component of quality improvement because it forces managers to look at what they do and how they do it. They commonly use the total quality management tools such as; flowcharts, cause and effect diagrams, Pareto charts and run charts. In the past years, quality improvement methods have been emphasized. This includes the identification of a process that has less than ideal outcomes, attaching measures to key performance attributes, analyzing devise approaches, integrating redesigned approaches the process and having checks to determine if the process was successful. Apart from total quality management, other quality improvement strategies are; international organization for standardization ISO 9000, Zero defects, Six Sigma and Toyota production system.

The purpose of sampling Essay Example for Free

The purpose of sampling Essay DQ 1: What is the purpose of sampling? What are some concerns and dangers of sampling? How important is the sample design to data validity? Explain. Provide an example where a sample might misrepresent data validity. DQ 2: What are some examples of operational definitions in research design within your profession? General Questions General General Questions QNT 561 All Week 2 Assignments – Business Research Methods Part 1 Includes: Week 2 Discussion questions 1, 2 Week 2 Learning team assignment Week 2 practice problems Week 2 Central Limit Theorem and Confidence Intervals Week 2 Business Research Methods, Part I as described below Identify and analyze a research question that applies to your organization. Prepare a 350- to 700-word milestone. Choose an organization with which your team is familiar. Develop a research question arising from an organizational dilemma. Make sure you define the problem. Determine an appropriate research design. Describe its characteristics, such as independent and dependent variables, operational definitions, and so forth. Identify a sample design to use for collecting data. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Be careful about submitting your initial draft. Allow yourself sufficient revision time. Rather than just proofreading, create a second draft. Then, proofread this draft and make any needed changes. This will ensure that no errors have been overlooked and that the quality of the writing is high. In this pack of QNT 561 Week 2 Discussion Questions you will find the next information: DQ 1: What is the purpose of sampling? What are some concerns and dangers of sampling? How important is the sample design to data validity? Follow the link to get tutorial https://bitly.com/10tANTB Be careful about submitting your initial draft. Allow yourself sufficient revision time. Rather than just proofreading, create a second draft. Then, proofread this draft and make any needed changes. This will ensure that no errors have been overlooked and that the quality of the writing is high. General Questions General General Questions QNT 561 All Week 2 Assignments – Business Research Methods Part 1 Includes: Week 2 Discussion questions 1, 2 Week 2 Learning team assignment Week 2 practice problems Week 2 Central Limit Theorem and Confidence Intervals Week 2 Business Research Methods, Part I as described below Identify and analyze a research question that applies to your organization. Prepare a 350- to 700-word milestone. Choose an organization with which your team is familiar. Develop a research question arising from an organizational dilemma. Make sure you define the problem. Determine an appropriate research design. Describe its characteristics, such as independent and dependent variables, operational definitions, and so forth. Identify a sample design to use for collecting data. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Urban Design for Community Development | Case Study

Urban Design for Community Development | Case Study Introduction Urban design is considered the practice of influencing and managing the urban environment. Its role and potential for creating better places in areas with community issues shall be discussed with reference to Hulme, an area one mile south of Manchester city centre. During the late 80s Hulme fell into a state of inner city decay, it became a marginal area notorious for crime, social deprivation and poor housing. However, during the early 90s an ambitious urban regeneration plan covering an area of 240 acres was created, the programme was entitled The Hulme City Challenge Initiative. This was managed by a joint venture company, Hulme Regeneration Limited consisting of Manchester City Council and AMEC Plc; over the years a host of other public, private and community interests have been involved. Hulme is an extreme case of an area with community issues some of which remain unresolved. However, more than 12 years since the programmes launch and with over  £250 million invested into numerous regeneration projects it provides a wealth of information for making clear points throughout the essay. Hulmes new qualities and past deficiencies will enable genuine connections to be made with urban design theories while highlighting possible measures one could consider when addressing areas with community issues. How do community issues arise? When addressing community issues one of the first roles is to understand how the existing problems have arisen. A rigorous transparent analysis should be conducted so that previous errors are not repeated because areas swept away in wholesale redevelopment are often the very areas which today are failing and undergoing significant change (CABE 2005, p.12). This occurred to Hulme during the 60s,. When different social and ethnic underprivileged groups live together in marginal areas like Hulme they all generally have limited access to resources and rights while various communal tensions can arise from sparse public spaces. These limited public spaces experience pressures from various patterns of use; from people living in flats without gardens, to those who spend a long time outdoors, like the homeless, drug addicts, loitering teenagers with nothing to do and migrants with nowhere to socialise. This causes friction and competition between these groups who in turn intimidate others who want pass through or use these areas. Those intimidated usually withdraw themselves from these group dominated spaces; they tend to be the elderly, disabled and young children. Incidentally, the 1960s Hulme design discouraged permeability through the public realm; it lacked diversity of space and available institutions, which created defensible areas and isolation. These past issues imply Hulme suffered from placelessness (Jacobs Appleyard 1987), whereby people withdraw from community involvement to enjoy their own private and limited worlds (Jacobs Appleyard 1987, p.115). Neglect and decline of space is common in marginal areas, but why is it we find litter ridden streets, vandalised outdoor furniture, tip heaps in parks, empty business units, areas of poor maintenance, and so forth. Some blame can be directed towards the local authorities for the latter; however in this case one will address neglect shown from local residents. When residents allow their environment to fall into a state of decline it highlights their lack of attachment to place. Alternatively, the concerned minority believe any attempts to maintain the area will only be in vain. The lack of attachment with place can result from transient inhabitants who feel no responsibility in looking after or respecting short-term, low-quality accommodation and surrounding public spaces. As an area declines over time so does the quality of life, it portrays a sense of abandonment within the community. For Hulme it became stigmatised with a negative perceptual image presented through dilapidated bui ldings and its depressing environment. This can have a knock on effect by deterring local businesses who fear no returns on their investment and are sceptic about security. This not only degrades public areas through reduced street activity and social integration but it reduces self-policing, increases unemployment levels which fuels localised crime from the resulting low levels of social organisation (Wilson, 1997 p.21). Hulme managed to force those with any aspirations out of its area through defining itself as an estate via its rigid zoning of activities and housing tenure. Its unstable and declining local population not only weakened community bonds but assisted the process of residualisation in Hulme and hence crime figures rose. Working with and resolving community issues Having scratched beyond the surface of some common community issues, one will discuss potential methods of approach suggested by urban design theorists. These will be cross referenced with several socially healing developments in Hulme. Selected Preservation Firstly one should strive to understand the collective social meanings and values communities place on their existing physical environment via extensive consultation with residents. This allows one to distinguish the character and uniqueness a specific place presents; this may be through specific buildings, public spaces or landmarks. Calthorpe and Fulton state that conservation and restoration are practical undertakings that can besocially enriching (Calthorpe Fulton 2001, p.48). Therefore the urban designer should seek to maintain these focal points weaving them into future development, thus strengthening the communities urban identity. Through preserving some familiar settings it provides a psychological comfort for long term residents; specifically the elderly. One of the main and incidentally oldest buildings conserved during Hulmes regeneration was the congregational Church for Zion Institute, built in 1911. This iconic building was maintained and converted in 1997 into a mult i-arts facility for young people; its success has helped provide creative opportunities for youngsters as well as delivering socially enriching communal events. It is these constant events and public performances that have reinforced and created group connections within Hulme. This hub for young people has tempted idol children off the street and assisted with the reduction in juvenile crime. Connecting People to Places At a macro scale communities suffering from a sense of entrapment and abandonment can be helped through increased permeability and connections to the city. One of the first major actions in Hulme was the re-instatement of Stratford Road which provided a vital link to Manchester city centre; this allowed the communities to feel integrated with the wider context and thus reduced their restriction to resources. Additionally, the completion of the landmark Mancunian Way Footbridge in 2002 symbolically linked Hulme Park with Knott Mill and the City Centre. It was significantly designed for pedestrians and cyclists to be able to cross the busy Mancunian Way, but how can designers encourage pedestrian and cyclist movement in an unsafe environment? Incidentally, various design measures can be employed to increase public realm safety while collectively reducing the impact of the car; incidentally the car dominated Hulmes 60s design, ideally the most important public places must be for pedestrians, for no public life can take place between people in automobiles (Jacobs Appleyard 1987, p.119). Public and private space should be clearly defined (Jacobs 1961). A variety of well-lit routes that pedestrians or cyclists can choose should any problems arise. Routes should not be isolated; they should be self-policed with sufficient eyes on the street through shops and housing which increase a sense of safety (Jacobs 1961). Street layout should be clear to minimise the distance from A to B. The grain of the street should become thin around nodes of activity to influence permeability of the space. At a localised scale increasing social integration amongst a diverse community is difficult. Designing physical space has its limitations when trying to inform where and what types of social interaction will occur. What can be provided to communities are areas that encourage chance encounters which in turn may create group formations. There are generally two types of group formations, formal and communal. From an urban design perspective the former group type can be encouraged more because they have a prescribed purpose with defined patterns. It is the communal groups which have to evolve themselves, however design can allow social patterns to be easily recognised via unrestricted access to activities within public spaces. It is through repeated activities such as markets that friendships can be made over time between existing and new residents. Furthermore, areas designated for specific activities, for instance sports can support group relations. Observing other people and their act ivities, like watching a local football match, can make others, such as new residents feel a temporal sense of belonging without actually participating in the activity themselves (Carr et al. 1992). This reinforces the argument that public spaces must be accessible to all groups to enable observation as well as verbal interaction. Hulme Park is a prime example of how a public space can have a positive impact on a community. It not only brings people together but improves their quality of life and projects a confident image of the area. The respective brief was to deliver a safe and appealing park to attract a variety of groups. Psychological barriers rather than physical installations were employed to create a public but secure park. Firstly its width never exceeds 70 metres, this allows users to recognise one another and subconsciously not feel anonymous within the space. Secondly the new surrounding houses provide natural surveillance, also an existing road and perimeter parking increase nearby activity which creates a sense of security. Community Engagement Identity When a neighbourhood neglects their own environment it is important as a designer to try and restore a sense of pride and public ownership of the suffering area through community engagement. Building a rapport with residents from the offset can be advantageous during the development process and local input can positively influence design decisions. User participation in the design process and management of space provides communities with a feeling of control over their own neighbourhood (Carr et al. 1992); this can increase their attachment to place resulting in a revived interest in their surrounding environment. Providing opportunities for personalisation of space can also reinforce this goal. The development of Hulme Park involved a series of meetings with residents from the area so its design could appeal to its potential users. Due to diverse requests from a range of age-groups, the designers, Landscape Projects went with a popular theme which arose during the consultation proce ss; swimming and surfing. The design theme reflected the communities interest and stamped their identity and involvement on the project. This generated a high level of respect for the space and has resulted in minimal vandalism of the park. Additionally, accurate decisions can be made by working with the community when determining suitable functions for a space. It is the function or activity within a space that can become meaningful to individuals, groups and communities. One can create meaningful space based upon understanding the residents lives and patterns of use (Carr et al. 1992). Public space incorporating various functions can be designed by categorising site characteristics and linking them to desired activity settings suggested by the community. The facilities within Hulme Park were strategically located in order to gain maximum social integration. For instance, the sports area was specifically located next to the existing Proctors Youth Centre so coaches could train and observe the whole team. Local requests for a skate park were integrated into the design too, thus increasing its diversity and user appeal. New developments always ignite some form of opposition, usually from long-term residents as the thought of change unsettles them. Generally they are in search of assurance that their community and the environment in which they live have a future and most importantly that they are part of that future. Territoriality can be a sensitive issue when community groups develop strong feelings about their rights to have a space developed; this can create tension between the designer and can instigate neighbourhood disputes as a result of a groups claim over a space. From an urban design perspective indistinct boundaries are the typical cause of such disputes, therefore delineating spaces that are collectively owned can minimise conflict while strengthening a sense of public ownership. Physical installations can help unify communities and reinstate a sense of identity; public art can portray shared social values of a neighbourhood while iconic landmarks can make a positive statement of change, which helps revitalise an area through nullifying previous stigmatisations. This has been achieved in Hulme with Wilkinson Eyres striking Arch Bridge, its key location (a major route from the City Centre to the main motorway network) helps highlight and reinforce the positive transformations occurring within Hulme. It is one of many new landmarks which have attracted more people and businesses to the area, thus building a stronger community which contributes to more eyes on the street and increased local employment results in lower crime levels. Diversity Flexibility According to Calthorpe and Fulton (2001), diversity is one of their fundamental elements for improving communities. Providing a range of local activities within close proximity enables community identity resulting in a strengthened urban quality. New diverse buildings should be visually interesting if people are to enjoy experiencing their environment, if a citys streets look interesting, the city looks interesting. (Jacobs 1961, p.27). Fig 2 displays how Hulme has become a more attractive place to live with its dramatic diversification of housing stock and its replacement of the notorious Hulme Crescent with modern housing. Additionally, Carr et al. (1992) state how nature not only adds diversity to an area but develops bonds between people and places. The best public spaces are the most flexible ones (Madanipour 2004, p.285), hence why spaces deliberately left undefined in Hulme allowed new uses to evolve over time. Through not overdesigning a place it enables users to adapt space to their needs. Incidentally, the Hulme horticultural society was officially revived through local adaptable space; it also reinforces the fact that nature can bring disparate individuals and groups with various interests together. Conclusion To summarise, the Hulme case study has demonstrated how quality urban design has the potential to resolve community issues and make a place better. Despite some remaining troubles in Hulme one was keen to focus upon the positive urban design elements which healed many of its community problems. The social benefits realised in the development and revival of Hulme is summarised under the following key urban design elements: Preservation; maintaining key buildings like the Zion Art Centre have sustained the historic identity of Hulme which comforts long-term residents, while those regenerated have created nodes of social integration. Permeability Accessibility; connectivity with the wider environment of Manchester has removed the sense of entrapment and abandonment within Hulme. Communal institutions Public Space; the revival of Stratford Road as a shopping destination and the success of Hulme park are examples of how Hulmes urban environment has been activated, with increased social activity and group formations. Safety on the streets; through logical street design, increased facilities and communal opportunities the greater number of eyes on the street have made the area safer. Neighbourhood involvement; through community consultation during developments, residents now feel a sense of ownership, well-being and respect for their environment this has helped reduce vandalism in the area. Landmarks; Hulme Arch bridge has helped promote Hulme in a positive light which has resulted in an increase in residents and local businesses; resulting in its stronger community spirit and reduced crime rates due to local employment opportunities. Diversity Flexibility; the diversity of housing and public space has made the area a more attractive place to live thus increasing the communities quality of life. Flexible space has provided the opportunity for further positive developments when community interests and desires change. What is apparent is that all the above are interwoven and affect one another in some way therefore they must be purposefully combined to support one another. It is also obvious that environmental and economic factors have an underlying effect on the success of such design elements. However, one should strive for a complementary economic, environmental and social strategy to maximise community benefits. Bibliography Carr, S. et al., 1992. Public Space. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Calthorpe, P. Fulton, W., 2001. The Regional City Planning for the end of sprawl. London: Island Press. Jacobs, J., 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities The Failure of Town Planning. New York: Vintage Books. Wilson, W.J., 1997. When Work Disappears The World of the New Urban Poor. New York: Vintage Books. Jacobs, A. Appleyard, D., 1987. Toward an Urban Design manifesto. Journal of the American Planning Association, 53, pp.112-120. Madanipour, A., 2004. Marginal Public Spaces in European Cities. Journal of Urban Design, 9 (3), pp.267-286. CABE, 2005. Creating Successful Neighbourhoods Lessons and Actions for Housing Market Renewal. London: CABE.

Child Development Essay -- Psychology, Locke, Rousseau, Piaget, Watson

There have been many visionaries that have developed theoretical frameworks which give a basic, general approach to understanding the ways in which children develop. Doherty and Hughes (2009) recall that early childhood progression is most commonly presented in terms of specific periods of time. Therefore, this tends to relate to the idea of fixed and limited stages that are strongly linked with chronological age, moreover, providing a very specific ordering of change. The most frequently identified periods of development are prenatal, infancy and toddlerhood, early childhood, later childhood and adolescence. Generalised theories on child development came about in the 17th century, with John Locke’s ‘Some Thoughts Concerning Education’ (1693) forming a foundation where a child was born as a â€Å"blank slate.† Contrastingly, Jean- Jacques Rousseau’s ‘Emile’ (1762) explored the idea that children were born with a sense of morality. These two theorists provide the origins of generalised development, meaning that within these theories, children develop in the same way. However, using Gewirtz and Pelaez-Nogueras’ (1992) criteria for evaluating theories, generalised theories do not take account for individual differences that exist as children grow and develop. Thus, it could be suggested that these broad patterns are not likely to be very helpful. Behaviourism, on the other hand, asserts that development of the individual can be achieved through observation of, and experiences in, the environment. It stipulates that development has to be based on observations rather than speculations about cognitive processes, which are by their nature unobservable. One early proponent of this theory was John Watson, who, in 1913, published a paper ... ...t reflects slow and steady change over time, or it goes through distinctly defined stages. Arguably, development should be considered as being largely continuous but having certain stages characterised by ‘milestone’ stages such as beginning to walk, where this new skill is clearly different from the child’s previous abilities. The development within early childhood can be seen to be due to many factors that have some clear effects upon some aspect of their progression, such as diverse environments and social settings. Every child experiences a unique combination of genetic and environmental influences that show how children have their own distinctive abilities, suggesting that generalised patterns are not very helpful indicators in considering the development of an individual child except as a loose framework within which to child’s development can be monitored.

Film Inception Analysis

So, the long awaited film ‘Inception', written and direction by Christopher Nolan, in which Leonardo DiCaprio stars, was finally released. And after weeks of procrastination, I finally sat down and watched it. I had heard from my friends that it was an enthralling movie, with a great plot and truly magnificent acting, but of course I had to decide for myself. The film starts with a memory, or a vision from the future, no one is quite sure. We are then quickly taken back to a time before that memory, and the characters are introduced. We first meet Dom Cobb, a slightly unstable and troubled, but undoubtedly clever, ‘dream thief.' His job, unsurprisingly, involves infiltrating the minds of people and stealing their dreams, to gain an idea of their thoughts and motives. Now at first he seems to be a rather normal man, which a rather abnormal job. However, we are soon introduced to his many flaws and weaknesses. For instance, he often warns his colleagues to never use personal feelings when in a dream, but he constantly takes around the guilt he carries. He feels guilty because his wife committed suicide, and he blames himself. He was trying to extend the idea of mere dream entering, and begin a world changing concept, inception. This means that they would have to plant an idea in someone's mind so that it grows into a feeling and they act upon this feeling, scary stuff really. He did this to his wife successfully, but he made her believe that she was in a dream however she was in reality. We are told that the only way to be released from a dream is to die in the dream, and so she kills herself to return to her ‘reality.' Dom Cobb blames himself for this and so, whenever he enters a dream, she follows him around, attempting to sabotage the whole operation. We are then acquainted with Arthur, Eames, Mr. Saito and Ariadne, and these are all accomplices of the main man. Arthur and Eames are his assistants they support him by acting as his friends or enemies inside the dream. The plot is, to say the least, baffling. Dom Cobb and his buddies decide to enter the mind of one Robert Fischer, to stop him from taking over his father's company and becoming a multimillionaire and providing energy to half the world. Mr. Saito is the man who gives them the job of planting an idea inside Robert Fischer's mind, and so he insists on going into the dream with them. They then go through different levels or phases of dreams, such as level 1, 2 and 3. Level 1 is merely a dream. Level 2 is a dream within a dream, which is confusing, and then Level 3, which is a dream within a dream within a dream, and by this point I was truly bewildered. Although the plot is extremely confusing, it is very well written. The acting is phenomenal, with a special mention going to Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performance was exceptional. It had been said that this film was one which had to be watched twice to gain the full experience and understanding of the plot, and I agree with this wholeheartedly, although it did leave me scratching my head even after the second viewing. The choice of music is also quite good and I was usually left thinking to myself that that song summed up the scene perfectly. The same has to be said with the costumes, they were generally well chosen. The suits were all immaculate, and the snow suits were also quite a nice touch. My favourite scene was definitely the one which confused me the most. The final scene is set in Leonardo DiCaprio's house. He returns, thinking that the children will run away like they normally do, but instead they run towards him. He takes a small object with him, like every other dream thief, to distinguish between dreams and reality. Dom Cobb takes a spinning top, which spins forever when he is in a dream. The viewer thinks he is in a dream, as his children are running back to him, but the spinning top ceases to spin. This, I think, is the scene that confuses many people and it is the reason that many people have to return to see it once more. I hope that ‘Inception' signifies the beginning of a new wave of futuristic films, and if it has paved the way for other similar films to arrive, then I will be glad. This film is definitely worth watching, and I would highly recommend it. While the film is slightly unrealistic in the way that they jovially jump from dream to dream, it is most certainly a film that will stick in my mind for a long time.

Haroon Siddiqui

The pages human history daubed in bloodshed of violence in the name of religion, territorial gains etc. are asking the crying question. How to make this Planet Earth heaven-like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, heart full of love and the life that refuses conflicts—enough! These alone are enough! In the recorded history of humanity in the last five thousand years, politicians, kings, military generals, religious leaders have miserably failed to solve the important question of achieving peace for mankind. Most of them have acted like proverbial Tom.The teacher asked, â€Å"Tom, why are you answering every question with another question? † â€Å"Why not? † was Tom’s reply—again a question! If the purpose of the book is to tender some facts related to the Muslim population of the world in the light of the post 9/11 calamity, it has achieved some success. In terms of contribution to cementing understanding between other comm unities and the Muslims, it has failed. On issues related to Faith, arguments and counter-arguments have not solved and will never solve the differences. The root cause of deep misunderstanding lies elsewhere.Haroon begins the book with a complaint. He writes, â€Å"The approximately 27 million Muslims living in Western Nations have been targeted in other ways. They have been victims of social profiling and frequent identity mix-ups at air-ports and border crossing, where they may be harassed and sometimes detained. Monitored by both the secret services, and the media, they must be careful about what they say in e-mails, phone conversations in public. †(Siddiqui, 2006, p, 11) This complaint doesn’t carry much weight. These are normal procedures in cases of emergency, in war-like situations, and even during normal times.The 9/11 attack was an extraordinary, war-like act. There is no doubt, the perpetrators of this dastardly act are Muslims—to which terrorist outf it they belonged, is altogether a different issue. In such situations this has happened with all the communities in the world and any student of history can quote examples in abundance in support. Statistics convenient to his view point are presented by Haroon and his language is grudging and full of malice. His opinions are sometimes comparable to that of a fanatic Muslim Preacher sermonizing during the Friday prayers at the mosque but Haroon is talented and educated.The first 2 chapters contain anti-American and anti-Jew propaganda. It is pure political stuff, no literature. Haroon should have no complaints about his childhood. (Most of the Muslim children have). He hailed from an affluent family. He was born in Hyderabad, India, where Muslims very well know the meaning of living in peace and brotherhood. He enjoyed the career in journalism, in an environment of totally free press in a democratic country. He migrated to Canada in 1967, and the authentic start to his international journalistic career began when he joined the Toronto Star, as the foreign affairs analyst.Soon, he was one of Canada’s most honored journalists. He is a human rights specialist, has covered important events like hostage crisis in Iran, Iran-Iraq War, and has traveled to 35 countries. He has interviewed top political leaders of the world. To draw the readers to his point of view, Haroon provides in the book the listing of historical events that angered Muslims and continue to anger them. He reminds the readers that Muslims are 1/5th of the population of the world. He harps on the demerits of the Iraq War, and the psychological and physical tortures of Muslims in USA.To substantiate his claims, he cites serious cases of individual injustice. He writes, â€Å" The administration also fingerprinted and questioned 50,000 Muslims from or associated with Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq and Sudan†¦Among those arrested was James Lee, a 1990 West Point Military Academy graduate and a Mu slim who was appointed the Muslim Chaplin at Gyantanama Bay. He was hounded because he had warned against mishandling of Muslim prisoners there. In September 2003, he was thrown into solitary confinement and charged with mutiny, sedition, espionage and aiding the enemy. † (Siddiqui, 2006, p. 16)From the academic perspective, this is a good book for the debate class, as it has the potentialities for endless and hot discussions. The contents of the book, like Politics, European Muslims, The Faith, Women, Jihad and terrorism, and the Future provide an array of topics for arguments and counter-arguments. To be fair to Haroon, he condemns with equal vehemence the Islamic fundamentalists, for fanning flames of Islamophobia. He defends the tenets of Islam—and that is what is expected of a good Muslim. He blames the local cultural traditions for the poor conditions and backwardness of the Muslim women, not the Islamic teachings.He advocates for rapid economic reformations of th e Muslims and advocates their rehabilitation, the need to protect their essential dignity and honor. He pleads to go into the root causes of Muslim-misery. He describes with objectivity and depth, what it is to live in post 9/11 America if one is a Muslim. Haroon’s interpretation and comments on Jihad will startle any Realized Soul. Such is his deep understanding of the Jihad concept. Jihad is a struggle, a crusade, he says. From the pure perspective of Muslim religion, it is to strive on the path of God by observing the five essentials of Islam.It is striving to live as a good human being. Haroon talks about the jihad against oneself, ipso facto, the Self-Realization mentioned in the Hindu Scriptures. Jihad is understood in terms of war by most of the Westerners. The common Muslim also understands the concept of Jihad as per this connotation. Actually it is something different says, Haroon. According to him, the jihad is the struggle against the ego, the devil, the jihad of the tongue (propagating the religious tenets of Islam) to spread the word of Islam, of charity, of the pen to spread of knowledge. Viewed from this angle, Jihad seems to be the most benevolent word.When the Westerner thinks about the word jihad, he mostly thinks about as the blood-dripping sword for the cause of spreading Islam and for the destruction of other faiths. But Haroon convinces one that it is the fragrant rose spreading peace on all counts. So bi it! But Muslims as well as non-Muslims need proper counseling about the correct connotation of the word Jihad in the light of explanations given by Haroon. So, Jihad against cleanliness, Jihad for literacy, Jihad against corruption, Jihad against drugs, Jihad against atrocities against women, Jihad against child-labor—why not!Muslims praying five times a day seems an unnecessary exercise for many. But the actual significance of namaz is highlighted by Haroon thus: â€Å"Prayers are designed to raise God-consciousness five times a day, throughout one’s life. Prayers also provide regular exercise – like yoga or Tai Chi or Qigong built into the day – and serve as a calming retreat from the daily demands of life. Muslims thus learn to balance deeni wa dunyavi (the spiritual and the worldly). They can’t abandon one for the other; that’s the essence of their faith. †(Siddiqui, 2006, p. 121) Conclusion:Haroon Siddiqui is a mind-level intellectual and any literary work by such individuals stop at the mind-barrier. But the Truth they are desperately trying to reach is available not for knowing, but for experiencing once one transcends the mind. All the fights, misunderstandings between the Politicians, Preachers of different faiths, Scholars are related to the level of reason. The thought processes of an individual change not by the repetition of scriptural revelations, not by reading or studying more and more books. Experiencing is the ultimate spirituality.It is the lesson beyond all lessons, when the thought processes of an individual change. When the thought processes change, the action process will also change. Misunderstanding of all types will vanish. Such changed action processes will change the society whether it is the Muslim society or the Western Society. Haroon, on many issues elucidated in the book, knocks desperately at the last barrier of the mind, but he is unable to cross it. ============= Works Cited: Siddiqui, Haroon: Book: Being Muslim Hardcover: 144 pages Publisher: Groundwood Books (Aug 17 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 088899785X ISBN-13: 978-0888997852