Personality Theories

102 Causes and Effects Professor Ramos Blog

102 Causes and Effects Quick Write Quick Write What monster or category of monster are you thinking about researching for your Causal Analysis? Understanding Causal Relationships Causality: the relationship of cause and effect You should identify the types of causal relationships on your charts (you might use different types of arrows, different colors, or simply labels to show what kind of cause is being mapped). Necessary Cause: any factor that must be in place for something to occur. Sufficient Cause: is a condition that always produces the effect in question. Precipitating Cause: the proverbial straw that breaks a camel’s back. Proximate Cause: nearby and often easy to spot. Remote Cause: may act at some distance from an event but be closely tied to it. Reciprocal Cause: you have a reciprocal situation when a cause leads to an effect that, in turn, strengthens the cause. Contributing Factors: add to the causes to bring about the effect. Why is society so fascinated with serial killers? The Survival Of The Slasher Film 1. Emphasizing Causes Cause asks: Why did X happen? Why does X happen? Why will X happen? Example: Why did Ed Gein kill those women? Cause 1 ____________________________ Cause 2 ____________________________ Cause 3 ____________________________ Produced: Event ______________________________ 2. Emphasizing Effects Effect asks: What did X produce? What does X produce? What will X produce? Example: What impact did Ed Gein have in pop culture? or What is the lasting impact of Ed Gein? Event _______________________________ Produced: Effect 1 ______________________________ Effect 2 ______________________________ Effect 3 ______________________________ 3. Causal Chain Cause Effect 1 Effect 2 Effect 3 Example: Ed Gein Psycho novel Psycho movie Slasher Films Silence of the Lambs Developing your Essay Present a reasonable thesis statement. Make it logical Make it supportable Dont use absolutes, instead use may be a contributing factor main reason Limit your discussion to recent and major causes or effects. Organize your essay clearly. Use one of the formats above Convince your reader that a causal relationship exists by showing how the relationship works. Use specific details and examples to show the relationship. Phrasing the Questions All good research begins with a purpose and a question. For this next assignment, your question has to be clear and your topic needs to be clear. Once you have decided on a monster or monster category to study, it is time to come up with an appropriate question to help guide you. Monsters are a very popular topic in our society, what we are doing in this class is thinking of them in context with the culture that produces them. A clear research question will help guide your research and analysis. What monster are you going to research and study? Decide if you want to investigate the cause or the effect. Write your research question. Example: Vampires Causes What led to the development of the vampire myth? If you remember, we previously saw a TED educational video that addressed this question. Pick a monster we have not done at length in the class. DO NOT pick Dracula, or Ed Gein. Causal Analysis video

Analysing Media Output Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysing Media Output - Essay Example In effect, reliability of the study was affected. In another study where quantitative study was also used, the need for the researchers to rely solely on primary data prevented them from collecting secondary data that could answer statistical questions that the respondents in the primary research could not answer. Internal validity was therefore affected in the research. In effect, when the two approaches are combined, there is a better unification of the merits of undertaking content analysis than when only one of the approaches is used. 2. Media content can be used to map long-term social and cultural change. Discuss, mentioning the main challenges for this kind of research in your answer. Generally, the media is described as the eye of society, meaning that the media is an institution that is designated to reflecting on the happenings of society in a manner that entertains, educates and informs the populace (Machin, 2007). The media is also seen as a third party critic of society as the media is expected to belong to a line of argument that is devoid of subjective judgment but rather filled with objective criticism (Fairclough, 1995). Once the latter is done properly, the media should be referred to as an authoritative source for decision making on issues that affect society. Meanwhile, the media carries itself to the populace or audience through the content that it carries, and thus media content. If any reference is being made to the role of the media in society therefore, one could be referring directly to media content. In a recent study, it was identified that the media content has so much power when it comes to influencing social and cultural changes because of the generalized influence that the media has on the society (Riffe, Lacey and Fico, 1998). By this relation, it will be pointed out that society is made up of the social and cultural dynamics of people and so if media content can influence society, then it can easily influence social and cultura l change. There are indeed a number of ways that media content can influence social and cultural change but one of the commonest of these has been found to be the manner in which long term strategic changes are made based on media content. Through means and theories such as framing theory and agenda setting theory, the media can constantly use its content to champion certain key social and cultural issues that it deems as befitting for societal adherence. Once this happens, media content will be directed towards these issues that the media is seeking to champion. The ultimate effect of the application of such theories has also been that society comes to accept the issues that the media sets aboard (Humphrey, 2001). In effect for all long term social and cultural changes that are sought, the likelihood of inculcating the view points of the media content is higher. All the discussions above notwithstanding, there are a number of challenges that can met in

Information Systems for Accountants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Information Systems for Accountants - Essay Example As the project progresses, some of these tasks may change due to unforeseen or miscalculated circumstances, therefore the original task duration, and its sequence must be modified. These methods diverge in intricacy from simple to-do lists to GANTT charts, to a more complicated network scheduling techniques such as CPM or Critical Path Method, PERT or Program Evaluation and Review Technique, and Precedence Diagramming. CPM and PERT charts consumes a lot of time to create manually thus outshine the real work to be done by the method used to represent the work. Precedence Diagramming is like CPM and PERT but it let different logic relationships to be signified in graphic form and it allows relationships to be represented in various ways making it more illustrative of the real life construction process. All of the above techniques when done manually are unfortunately very difficult. Project tracking or monitoring involves registering these various changes throughout the project, and making suitable changes to the projected schedule. Making constant schedule revision throughout the life of the project is an arduous task for the planner and the result may not be accurate and probably will not meet the deadline. Nevertheless, there are tools available to help plan and track projects more efficiently like Microsoft Project. Microsoft Project is a computer program designed to automatically plan, schedule, and track the progress of the project. An easy, powerful, and flexible project management tool that puts you in command of your projects, helps you keep everyone up to date and involved, and is well suited with the working style of today. Manage simple or multifaceted projects by scheduling and tracking all your activities so you can stay on top of their development. Sets up your plan swiftly, initialize your plan by creating and arrange your task list so you can simply validate details and overall

The Bermuda Triangle Essay Example for Free

The Bermuda Triangle Essay The Bermuda Triangle is one of the biggest mysteries in the world. Since Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1492, there have been numerous airplanes, ships, and vessels to â€Å"disappear† in the middle of the triangle. There are many theories about what could have happened to these missing ships, but no one really knows what is out there for sure. Some say that the lost city of Atlantis is at he bottom of the Atlantic Ocean; some say there are Aliens. Others believe it is just as simple as mother nature and is all just over exaggerated. This all leads to the million dollar question: is the Bermuda Triangle just a living legend, or is there really something paranormal out in the â€Å"Devils Triangle†? Many know that the Bermuda Triangle is a triangle is the Atlantic Ocean, but would like to know who discovered the Bermuda Triangle, and how it was became discovered. There are many myths and legends about the triangle, but many do not know a lot about them. This paper will look more into each myth; the Atlantis myth, the underwater electromagnetic field, and the UFO attacks. Many people ask which myths are real and which ones are fake, but no one will ever know for sure. Some of the myths seem a bit far fetched, such as the aliens, but the electromagnetic fields at the bottom of the ocean seem a little bit reasonable. The triangle is also known for getting many typhoons, so maybe that has something to do with the missing airplanes. Another frequently asked question is how many ships have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle? There must be a lot if it is a worldwide myth. What happened during Flight 19?. When did it happen and how? The biggest question that people may ask is if the Bermuda Triangle is real or not. It is a very frequently asked question when the subject comes up. Is there any strong evidence towards one side or another? The vicinity of the Bermuda triangle is known, however the exact spot where people disappear is not known. Where the Bermuda Triangle is located, is subject to three way water currents. These currents are capable of causing storms powerful enough to damage ships and aircrafts. The boundaries of the triangle cover the straits of Florida, the Bahamas, and the entire Caribbean island area and the Atlantic east to the Azores. There are over sixty-six airplanes and ships that have passed through the Bermuda Triangle and have never been found. The Bermuda Triangle is not known for any specific season. It is sunny, but there are usually winds. Some of the accidents that have been told to have happen in the Bermuda triangle did not, the happened in other locations but somehow get added to the list of accidents in the Bermuda Triangle over time. Christopher Columbus and his crew was the first people who discovered the Bermuda Triangle. He first documented dancing lights on the horizon, and bizarre compass readings. It was said that Christopher Columbus documented these sitings on October 11, 1492. There are several disappearances and several myths about the Triangle. In 1872, a large vessel called ‘Mary Celeste’ was spotted by a ship call Dei Gratia sailing awkwardly. The Dei Gratia decided to stop by and take a look and saw no one was on the ship. The life boat was missing and they left the ship vacant and in perfect condition. Another weird myth and mystery that happened in the Bermuda Triangle happened on December 27, 1948. Commercial flight called NC-16002 DC-3 was flying to Puerto Rico. The pilot radioed Miami when they were fifty miles out to receive specific directions. Once they received the directions, Miami never received a response back, making it a missing ship. Yet these are known as myths, they have really happened. (Bermuda Triangle Facts, Mystery, Myths Theories Surrounding Bermuda Triangle) One of the first myths about the Bermuda Triangle was the disappearance of USS Cyclops in 1918. The ship was launched in 1910, and carried coal for the Navy in World War I. The ship was on it was from Salvador to Baltimore, but the ship never made it. The ship had to make an unscheduled stop in Barbados on March 3rd, but after this stop it vanished without a trace. No traces of this ship were ever found, no wreckage or distress signals were received. There were 306 people’s lives lost on this ship, the most lives lost in Naval history that did not involve combat. Not only is Cyclops being a missing is a mystery, so is where it went missing. This ship could of gone missing anywhere from Barbados to Baltimore. Communication was unreliable in 1918 making hard to tell what happened, and they might not have had time to call before sinking. Flight 19 is another mystery about the Bermuda Triangle, a training mission that took off from Fort Lauderdale on December 5th, 1945. The leader of Flight 19 was Charles Taylor, an experienced crew member. Twelve of the people on the plan were students. About 2 hours after takeoff Taylor messaged the base stating he was disorientated. He stated, Both my compasses are out. Im over land, but its broken. Im sure Im in the Keys, but I dont know how far down and I dont know how to get to Fort Lauderdale. If the flight had gone like it was supposed to, the flight should have approximately been over Great Sale Cay, 200 miles from the keys. For the next two hours, the crew flew north and east with little communication. The base was under the belief the flight should have been over the Gulf of Mexico and soon be back over Florida. One the final things the base heard from the flight was, All planes close up tight we will have to ditch unless landfall. when the first man gets down to 10 gallons we will all land in the water together. Immediately a boat was launched to find the men, but had to return when its antenna iced over. Another boat took off and within an hour and a half, a tanker observed an explosion. A patch of oil and wreckage was found boat is believed to have exploded. A five day search was sent out, and 250,000 square mile was searched. Not even a trace of Flight 19 was found. Over the years the story of Flight 19 has been changed and exaggerated. Some sources say UFOs were spotted, none of which was recorded. Although it seems bizarre that Taylors compasses failed, where the landed it also questionable. Bahamas look similar to Florida from the air, after a five hour flight not knowing where they were headed, means it could of landed various places. It seems very possible that the flight ran out of gas before the men had time get on the rafts. Along with many myths and mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle, there are also a lot of theories. Some theories about the triangle are that it could have something to do with UFO. Steven Spielberg used this theory in his Hollywood film called ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. This site explains some supernatural theories just to explain why things disappeared in the vicinity of the triangle. It also says that it is also known as one of the two places on earth where a compass will not point to true, magnetic north. Another theory that the world has come up with is Atlantis and its mysterious crystals. This theory has become popular by a man named Edgar Cayce, who claims to see the future and spirits from the past life in Atlantis. Cayce says that they had remarkable technologies such as powerful â€Å"fire crystals† which helped them produce energy. He believes that those crystals went out of control and sunk the whole city of Atlantis. It is believed that the crystals are damaged, therefore sending out their nuclear power beneath the ocean waves. The nuclear power interferes with the ships and planes going through the Bermuda Triangle. Dr. Ben Clennell is the man who brought the â€Å"methane gas† theory to the eyes of the public. He believes that the methane gas locked in the bottom of the ocean has to do with the missing ships and planes in the Bermuda Triangle. He says that subterranean landslides can possibly release the methane gas into the oceans making it dangerous for ships to pass through. A large amount of methane would reduce the density of the oceans water, making ships sink like nothing. After it sunk that Gulf Stream could have the ability to move the wreckage miles from where it sunk. The gas is also highly combustible and can ignite, sending planes shooting into the ocean. These explosions can be very violent. Another theory is that the Bermuda Triangle is a portal to another dimension. A number of witnesses have reported UFOs in this area. There is thought that the government is conducting tests in the Bermuda Triangle, but what they are looking for is a mystery. National Geographic is investigating reports of an underwater city near Cuba, but have not made any announcements on what they have learned. The Bermuda Triangle is known for geomagnetic fields. These fields could cause the compass readings. Geomagnetic fields are common throughout the world, making this very possible. The planes could also go missing by methane rising into the air and causing them to blow up. There is no proof what really happens in the Bermuda Triangle and still remains as one of Earths biggest mysteries Lawrence David Kusch did an investigation to the Bermuda Triangle. Kusche frequently requested information from the library about the Bermuda Triangle, but he discovered there was very little reliable information available. Him and group of librarian formed a group, and began researching the area. Kusche tried to find the answer to the mystery and legends that had been created about the Bermuda Triangle. He had a good background that helped him understand the research that he was conducting. Kusche explains his research by presenting each myth, followed by the known facts. He then states the source of which he got his information. One of the legends Kusche researched was the one that involves Air Force C-124. This flight disappeared on its way to Ireland. This legend happened in March 1950. The Air Force has no recorded of ant missing C-124s that month in the Atlantic. In March 1951 there was a report of an aircraft that went down in route to England. This aircraft did not go missing within the next 24 hours pieces of this aircraft showed up. In conclusion, whether or not the Bermuda Triangle is real or fake has never truly been discovered. There is a lot of evidence on both sides, but some of which cannot be proven to be true or false. Scientists know for a fact that there is something bizarre about the triangle and what happens inside, but some of the occurrences may not be truly paranormal activity. Some of the disappearances may only be mother nature and nothing more. The Bermuda Triangle still is one of the worlds biggest mysteries.

Nils Christie: Theory on Causes of Crime

Nils Christie: Theory on Causes of Crime It is postulated that the phenomenon crime does not exist, although we can study its negative consequences of it upon society through acts. Many definitions of crime have been developed, the most simplistic definition of a criminal act being; acts that break legislation outlined in law however this differs from that of a normative perspective; crimes are acts which can offend against a set of norms similar to a moral code. When trying to understand the notion of crime it is paramount to understand what acts are and why certain acts are criminalised but not all. A Utilitarian standpoint would be that laws should be focussed towards achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, a principle known as the greatest happiness principle a theory developed by Philippa Foot (1978). Law under capitalism would be geared to protect property rights and affirm the social order. With this philosophical theory in mind, one can contend that acts are crimes for the reason they hav e negative effects on society. I will use a collection of examples to give explanations to comments from Norwegian criminologist Nils Christie focussing on its implications for explaining crime. In addition to this I will briefly outline what criminology is and its connection with the concept of crime. Crime as a concept is relatively recent. Crime was not known by its name in the 16th and 17th centuries, the word was current but it lacked precise meaning, (Elton 1977:5). However from having no sense of crime, we now have a global sense of the subject. Since the emergence of crime as a concept it has always been a highly contested term which has been debated within studies ever since, with criminologists, sociologists and philosophers all creating new theories for it. As mentioned crime does not exist, law constructs crime for us. In a sense we actually create crime; by producing law we then in turn make crime, without legislation there would be no sense of criminality. A world with no criminal system would mean no courts, prisons or criminals. It important to remember that criminal law is not the only form of law as there is also civil law. Criminal law can be is punitive where as civil law is based on restitution. If crime does not exist some might question what criminology is. My personal favourite and one of the most detailed explanation is that of D. Garland; I take criminology to be a specific genre of discourse and inquiry about crime a genre that has developed in the modern period and that can be distinguished from other ways of talking and thinking about criminal conduct. Thus, for example, criminologys claim to be an empirically grounded, scientific undertaking sets it apart from moral and legal discourses, while its focus upon crime differentiates it from other social scientific genres, such as the sociology of deviance and control, whose objects of study are broader and not defined by the criminal law. Since the middle years of the twentieth century, criminology has also been increasingly marked off from other discourses by the trappings of a distinctive identity, with its own journals, professional associations, professorships, and institutes, (Of Crime and Criminals 2002, p8). Thi s quote affirms what I mentioned earlier regarding the emergence of crime as a concept over the last couple of centuries or so, especially how we have developed new ways to deal with behaviour deemed criminal. He also highlighted the studies unique outlook and strong holds on the studies development of theories concerning criminal deviance. I will now concentrate on the main theme of my essay; using examples to explain the comments of criminologist Nils Christie assessing their implications for explaining crime. The University of Oslo criminologist disliked the term crime, I dont like the term crime-its such a big, fat, imprecise word, there are only unwanted acts. How we perceive them depends on our relationship with those who carry them out. Here Christie is very critical of the term describing it is as in accurate and stating that there is no such object it is merely acts. Nils Christie also believes; how we observe these acts depends on our association with those who have carried the out the act. Furthermore Christie supports D. Garlands view; crime is not a tangible idea, thus it does not exist. Only acts exist, acts often given different meanings within various social frameworks. Acts and the meanings given to them are our data. Our challenge is to follow the destiny of acts through the universe of meanings. Particularly, what are the social conditions that encourage or prevent giving the acts the meaning of being crime? (Christie, 2004: 3). Here he has taken his previous idea I stated earlier; acts do not exist, then added another aspect to it by suggesting the meanings given to them can aid us as social scientists in our research into the phenomenon. He is hinting that the social frameworks within society lead people to commit crime, the reasons for committing a crime can be economical, personal or politically motivated. Christie was mainly concerned with crime control and prison populations. He believed there was an unlimited supply of crime; that crime as a concept would never become extinct in a sense as there would always be motives for individuals to be deviant such as political or financial rewards, this new situation, with an unlimited reservoir of acts which can be defined as crimes, also creates unlimited possibilities for warfare as against all sorts of unwanted acts, (Crime control as industry: towards gulags, western style, Nils Christie). This statement by Christie can be affirmed by examining unwanted acts; those made by the Provisions Irish Republican Army. There are a multitude of factors which create conditions for and exasperate what has come to be interpreted as crime. These are through a number of social frameworks such as class and nationality. These are all social constructs and are integral parts of capitalism and prevailing capitalist ideology. The Norwegians analysis can be applied to many situations; a political example of this is conflict between the Provision Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the British Government. The issue first started in the 1920s during the Irish war of independence, when the Republican Army launched guerrilla warfare over British rule in Ireland. There was little conflict between the two sides until 30 January 1972 now known as bloody Sunday. On the day mentioned British soldiers shot twenty-seven civil rights protestors, killing thirteen while patrolling, as a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march took place. This created uproar as the civilians whom were shot were Catholics, restarting the tension between Northern Ireland and British Government. Although the Provisional Irish Republican Armys movement against the partition of Ireland in fact started two years previous to the tragic day the intensity and media coverage of the deaths led to member levels of the group rapidly escalating. T o refer back to Christies ideology this example can be described as under the umbrella of nationality and religious social frame works. British Government viewed the IRA as terrorists after several planned attacks within Britain including a Bank robbery on a bank in Belfast in 2004 where they escaped with  £26.5 million. The Provisional Irish Republicans felt they were protecting their nation from British involvement in addition to gaining revenge for oppression they faced during British occupancy of Ireland. This was a crime born of social circumstances, as crime does not exist; only acts they thought of their acts as justifiable. If this is the case then were their acts unlawful? Here is a great example of how implications on explaining crime due to different ideology and theories can create a dilemma. Despite the oppression and hardships the Provisional Irish Republican Army felt they received due to the British Government, I feel it is morally wrong to take the life of another individual so their attacks on Birmingham and various other places in Britain was legally unjust. Christie argues throughout his work that crime is a fluid and shallow notion stating that acts may perhaps be constructed as criminal and unlimited thus making crime an endless concept. This links back to the argument that the concept of crime is socially constructed, we create crime. Crime could not continue to exist without legislation; we tell the legal system what is right and what is wrong, legal, illegal, just and unjust. To further this idea, in a sense we as a society increase and decrease crime rates, by making an act unlawful we are ever-increasing the chances of someone then committing a crime. Capitalism has been another major motivator for people committing crimes or as described by Christie unwanted acts, (A Suitable amount of Crime, P7). Firstly capitalism promotes a false material world in which people feel they must have the finest mobile phones, televisions, cars and housing. This is hypocritical as in actual fact it develops a more unequal society in terms of distribution of power, wealth and resources with a lower chance of social mobility. As a result of this some individuals caught up in the longing for material goods; due to the scarcity they feel they may begin stealing as a means to allow them to afford objects they desire. However Nils Christie believed for all acts including those seen as unwanted, there are dozens of possible alternatives to their understanding; bad, mad, evil, misplaced honour, youth bravado, political heroism or crime, (A Suitable Amount of Crime, P7). Christie demonstrates that an act deemed illegal may be committed due to a variety of r easons. The example where someone feels they have no alternative than to thieve can come under the social frame work of inequality; economically disadvantaged. It would be wrong to say this comment from the criminologist has had a vaster enough affect on how crime is explained however perhaps if a few more social scientists were to entertain this idea there might be a small shift in the way we define the concept. If this were to happen we may see a change in how the legal system deals with acts similar to that capitalism discussed above. The economic system produces inequality which leads to crime. This could have a knock on affect with capitalism; in a capitalist society most laws exist to protect the status quo therefore crimes which do not go against capitalism are normally a by product of it e.g. power crime from the hierarchy which it creates. Labelling theory can be brought into the argument of there not being a concept of crime, only acts. The theory states deviance is not a quality of the act because but; the result of traits associated with committing deviance. References: Philippa Foot, The Problem of Abortion and the Doctrine of the Double Effect in Virtues and Vices (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1978) (Elton 1977:5). Look up, references on mole.. Crime control as industry: towards gulags, western style, Nils Christie page 23. Page 3. A Suitable Amount of Crime

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-five

WE COULD ALREADY HEAR footsteps thundering through the house and knew we were seconds from the army downstairs heading up to the second floor. The three of us backed away, and to my surprise, it was Sydney who reacted first. â€Å"Get out. I'll distract them.' Her distracting them would probably just mean momentarily blocking their way until they pushed her aside, but those extra seconds could make a huge difference. Still, I couldn't stand the thought of abandoning her. Dimitri had no such reservations, particularly when we heard feet on the stairs. â€Å"Come on!' he shouted, grabbing hold of my arm. We raced down the hall to the farthest bedroom, Victor and Robert's. Just before we entered, I yelled back to Sydney, â€Å"Get Jill to Court!' I don't know if she heard because by the sounds of it, the guardians had reached her. Dimitri immediately opened the room's one large window and looked at me knowingly. As always, we needed no vocal communication. He jumped out first, no doubt wanting to take the full brunt of whatever danger waited below. I immediately followed. I dropped onto the first floor's roof, slid down it, and then made the longer drop to the ground. Dimitri caught my arm, steadying my landing–but not before one of my ankles twisted slightly in on itself. It was the same one that had taken the brunt of the fall outside Donovan's, and I winced as pain shot through me, pain I then promptly ignored. Dark figures moved toward us, emerging from evening shadows and hidden spots around the backyard. Of course. Guardians wouldn't just come busting down a door. They'd also have the place staked out. With our natural rhythm, Dimitri and I fought back-to-back against our attackers. Like usual, it was hard to incapacitate our foes without killing them. Hard, but necessary if we could manage it. I didn't want to kill my own people, people who were just doing their job to apprehend fugitives. The long dress didn't do me any favors either. My legs kept getting caught in the fabric. â€Å"The others will be out any minute,' Dimitri grunted, slamming a guardian to the ground. â€Å"We need to move–there. That gate.' I couldn't respond but followed his lead as we made our way to a door in the fence while still defending ourselves. We'd just taken out the backyard squad when more spilled from the house. We slipped through the gate, emerging onto a quiet side road flanking the Mastrano house, and ran. It soon became clear, however, that I couldn't keep up with Dimitri. My mind could ignore the pain, but my body couldn't make my injured ankle work properly. Without missing a beat, Dimitri slid his arm around me, helping me run and take the weight off the ankle. We turned off the road, cutting through yards that would make it more difficult–but not impossible–for them to track us. â€Å"We can't outrun them,' I said. â€Å"I'm slowing us down. You need to–‘ â€Å"Do not say leave you,' he interrupted. â€Å"We're doing this together.' Snick, snick. A flowerpot near us suddenly exploded into a pile of dirt and clay. â€Å"They're shooting at us,' I said incredulously. â€Å"They're actually shooting at us!' With so much hand-to-hand training, I always felt like guns were cheating. But when it came to hunting down a queen-killing murderer and her accomplice? Honor wasn't the issue. Results were. Another bullet zinged by, dangerously close. â€Å"With a silencer,' said Dimitri. â€Å"Even so, they'll be cautious. They don't want the neighborhood thinking it's under attack. We need cover. Fast.' We might've been literally dodging bullets, but my ankle wouldn't last much longer. He made another sharp turn, completely immersing us in suburban backyards. I couldn't look behind us, but I heard shouting voices that let me know we weren't free yet. â€Å"There,' said Dimitri. Ahead of us was a dark house with a large glass patio reminiscent of Sonya's. The glass door was open, though a screen blocked the way inside. Dimitri tugged on its latch. Locked. But a screen was hardly a deterrent for us. Poor, trusting family. He took out his stake and slashed a long, vertical line that we hastily slipped through. Immediately, he jerked me to the side, out of view. He put a finger to his lips, holding me close to his body, shattering me in his warmth. Seconds later, we saw guardians coming through and searching the yards. Some kept moving on in case we'd run farther. Others lingered, investigating places that made good hiding spots as the evening grew darker and darker. I glanced at the screen. The cut had been clean, not an obvious hole, but it was still something our pursuers might notice. Sensing this as well, Dimitri carefully moved off into the living room, doing his best to avoid windows and keep out of sight. We cut through to the kitchen and found a door leading to the garage. In the garage was a red Ford Mustang. â€Å"Two car family,' he murmured. â€Å"I was hoping for that.' â€Å"Or they're out for a walk and about to come home when they notice a SWAT team in their neighborhood,' I whispered. â€Å"The guardians won't let themselves be seen.' We began searching for obvious key locations. At last, I found a set hanging on the side of a cupboard and scooped them up. â€Å"Got â€Å"em,' I said. Since I had the keys, I think Dimitri actually would have let me jump into the driver's seat. Thanks to my right ankle, however, I had to toss him the keys. The universe had a sick sense of humor. â€Å"Will they spot us in this?' I asked, as Dimitri opened the garage door and backed out. â€Å"It's, uh, a bit flashier than our usual stolen car profile.' It was also awesome. Sydney, car geek that she was, would have loved it. I bit my lip, still guilty that we'd left her behind. I tried to push the thought out of my head for now. â€Å"It is,' agreed Dimitri. â€Å"But other cars will be driving down the street. Some guardians will still be searching the yards, and some will be guarding the Mastranos. They don't have infinite numbers. They can't watch everything at once, though they'll certainly try.' I held my breath anyway as we drove out of the subdivision. Twice, I thought I spotted stealthy figures by the side of the road, but Dimitri was right: they couldn't check every car in a busy suburban neighborhood. The darkness also obscured our faces. Dimitri remembered the way we'd driven in because a few turns later, we were merging onto the freeway. I knew he had no destination in mind, except foraway. With no obvious indications that we'd been followed, I shifted my body and stretched out my throbbing leg. My chest had that light, nebulous feeling you got when too much adrenaline was pumping through you. â€Å"They turned us in, didn't they?' I asked. â€Å"Victor and Robert called us in and then took off. I should have kept watch.' â€Å"I don't know,' Dimitri said. â€Å"It's possible. I saw them just before I talked to you, and everything seemed fine. They wanted to go with us to find Jill, but they knew it was only a matter of time before we turned them over to the authorities. I'm not surprised they came up with an escape plan. They could have used the feeding as a distraction to call the guardians and get rid of us.' â€Å"Crap.' I sighed and pushed my hair back, wishing I had a ponytail holder. â€Å"We should've gotten rid of them when we had the chance. What'll happen now?' Dimitri was silent for a few seconds. â€Å"The Mastranos will be questioned †¦ extensively. Well, all of them will, really. They'll lock Sonya up for investigation, like me, and Sydney will be shipped back to the Alchemists.' â€Å"And what will they do to her?' â€Å"I don't know. But I'm guessing her helping vampire fugitives won't go over well with her superiors.' â€Å"Crap,' I repeated. Everything had fallen apart. â€Å"And what are we going to do?' â€Å"Put some distance between us and those guardians. Hide somewhere. Wrap up your ankle.' I gave him a sidelong look. â€Å"Wow. You've got everything planned out.' â€Å"Not really,' he said, a small frown on his face. â€Å"That's the easy stuff. What happens after that is going to be the hard part.' My heart sank. He was right. Provided the Mastranos weren't indicted by Moroi authorities for helping criminals, Emily now had no one forcing her to acknowledge Jill's heritage. If Sydney was being hauled back to her own people–well. She couldn't help either. I was going to have to tell someone else, I realized. The next time I made contact with Adrian, I'd have to divulge the truth so that my friends could do something about Jill. We couldn't sit on this secret any longer. Dimitri took the next exit, and I tuned back into the world. â€Å"Hotel?' I asked. â€Å"Not quite,' he said. We were in a busy, commercial area, not far from Ann Arbor, I thought. One of the Detroit suburbs. Restaurants and stores lined the road, and he turned us toward a twenty-four-hour superstore that promised to carry â€Å"everything.' He parked and opened his door. â€Å"Stay here.' â€Å"But–‘ Dimitri looked meaningfully at me, and I glanced down. I'd come away from our fight more scuffed up than I realized, and the dress had torn. My ragged appearance would attract attention, as would my limping. I nodded, and he left. I spent the time turning over our problems, cursing myself for not having found a way to turn in the brothers once Robert had restored Sonya. I'd been bracing myself for betrayal in the form of some magical attack. I hadn't expected something as simple as a call to the guardians. Dimitri, ever the efficient shopper, returned soon with two large bags and something slung over his shoulder. He tossed it all in the backseat, and I peered back curiously. â€Å"What's that?' It was long and cylindrical, covered in canvas. â€Å"A tent.' â€Å"Why are we–‘ I groaned. â€Å"No hotel, huh?' â€Å"We'll be harder to find at a campground. The car will especially be harder to find. We can't get rid of it quite yet, not with your foot.' â€Å"Those poor people,' I said. â€Å"I hope their car insurance covers theft.' Back on the freeway, we soon left the urban sprawl, and it wasn't long before we saw advertisements for campgrounds and RV parks. Dimitri pulled over at a place called Peaceful Pines. He negotiated with the man working in the office and produced a number of crisp bills. That was another reason we couldn't get a hotel, I realized. Most required credit cards, and Sydney had had all those (in fake names, of course). We were living off cash now. The clerk gave us directions along a gravel road that led to a spot on the opposite end of the campground. The place was busy with vacationing families, but no one paid much attention to us. Dimitri made sure to park as close to a cluster of trees as possible, in order to obscure the car and its plates. Despite my protests, he wouldn't let me help with the tent. He claimed he could do it faster without me and that I should stay off my feet. I started to argue until he began assembling the tent. My jaw dropped a little as I watched how quickly he put it together. He didn't even need the directions. It had to be some kind of record. The tent was small and sturdy, giving us both room to sit and lie, though he had to hunch just a little when we were sitting. Once inside, I got to see the rest of his purchases. A lot of it was first aid. There was also a flashlight he propped up, a kind of makeshift lamp. â€Å"Let me see the ankle,' he ordered. I stretched out my leg, and he pushed my dress's skirt up to my knee, fingers light against my skin. I shivered as a sense of deja vu swept me. It seemed to be happening to me a lot lately. I thought back to all the times he had helped me with other injuries. We could have been right back in St. Vladimir's gym. He gently tested the ankle's mobility and did a little poking and prodding. His fingers never ceased to amaze me. They could break a man's neck, bandage a wound, and slide sensually across bare skin. â€Å"I don't think it's broken,' he said at last. He lifted his hands, and I noticed how warm I'd been while he touched me. â€Å"Just sprained.' â€Å"That kind of thing happens when you keep jumping off roofs,' I said. Jokes were my old standby to hide discomfort. â€Å"You know, we never practiced that in our training.' He smiled and took out bandaging material, wrapping the ankle until it was supported and stabilized. After that, he produced– â€Å"A bag of frozen peas?' Dimitri shrugged and rested the bag on my ankle. The coolness instantly made me feel better. â€Å"Easier than buying a full bag of ice.' â€Å"You're pretty resourceful, Belikov. What else do you have stashed away?' The rest of the bags' contents turned out to be blankets and some food. I gave him a big grin when I saw he'd gotten me sour cream potato chips and a bar of chocolate. I loved that he remembered such little details about me. My smile faded when another problem quickly popped up. â€Å"You didn't buy any clothes, did you?' â€Å"Clothes?' he asked, like it was a foreign word. I gestured to my torn dress. â€Å"I can't wear this for long. What am I going to do? Make a toga out of a blanket? You're such a guy, never thinking of this stuff.' â€Å"I was thinking of injury and survival. Fresh clothing's a luxury, not a necessity.' â€Å"Not even your duster?' I asked slyly. Dimitri froze for a moment and then swore. He'd had no need to wear his coat indoors at the Mastranos'–honestly, he didn't need to outside either–and had left it there in the ensuing fight. â€Å"Don't worry, comrade,' I teased. â€Å"Plenty more where that came from.' He spread blankets over the tent's floor and laid back on them. There was a look of woe on his face that was almost comical. Raids, bullets, criminals †¦ no problem. A missing duster? Crisis. â€Å"We'll get you another one,' I said. â€Å"You know, once we find Jill, clear my name, and save the world.' â€Å"Just those things, huh?' he asked, making both of us laugh. But when I stretched myself out beside him, both our faces sobered. â€Å"What are we going to do?' I asked. Tonight's most popular question. â€Å"Sleep,' he said, clicking off the flashlight. â€Å"Tomorrow we'll get a hold of Abe or Tasha or †¦ someone. We'll let them handle it and get Jill where she needs to be.' I was surprised how small my voice sounded when I spoke. â€Å"I feel like we failed. I was so happy back there. I thought we'd done the impossible, but it was for nothing. All this work for nothing.' â€Å"Nothing?' he asked in astonishment. â€Å"What we did †¦ this is huge. You found Lissa's sister. Another Dragomir. I don't think you still really understand the weight of that. We had almost nothing to go on, yet you pushed forward and made it happen.' â€Å"And I lost Victor Dashkov. Again.' â€Å"Well, the thing about him is that he doesn't stay hidden for long. He's one of those people who always has to be in control. He'll have to make a move eventually and when he does–we'll get him.' The smile returned to my lips, though I knew he couldn't see it. â€Å"And I thought I was the optimistic one here.' â€Å"It's contagious,' he replied. Then, to my surprise, his hand found mine in the dark. He laced our fingers together. â€Å"You did good, Roza. Very good. Now sleep.' We touched in no other way, but his hand held all the warmth in the world. This was hardly a perfect moment, like in the library, but our familiar connection and the understanding between us burned brighter than ever, and it felt good. Right. Natural. I didn't want to sleep. I just wanted to stay there and savor being with him. It wasn't cheating, I decided, thinking of Adrian. It was just enjoying this closeness. Still, sleep was essential. We worked out a schedule where each of us took shifts. He would stay awake now while I rested, and I had a feeling if I didn't sleep, he wouldn't either when the shift change came. I closed my eyes, and it wasn't my heart I had to slow down this time. It was my mind, the hamster wheel that went nowhere trying to figure out what to do next. Just get Jill to Court. Just get Jill to Court. That was all that mattered. We'd contact someone who could reach Jill. Dimitri and I would lie low, everything would soon fix itself†¦. â€Å"Thank God.' I spun around, not even realizing I'd fallen into a spirit dream. I was back in Sonya's garden with all its sunshine and color, and she sat back in a chair, looking expectant. â€Å"I was afraid you'd be up all night, watching your back,' she continued. â€Å"I would if I had my choice,' I replied, strolling over to her. She wasn't quite whom I'd expected to see in my dreams, but at least I'd made contact with the outside world. I wore the black-and-white dress here, but unlike reality, it was clean and intact. â€Å"Dimitri thinks we're in a secure location–though he's awake, of course.' â€Å"Of course.' There was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes, but it was brief. â€Å"Where are you?' I asked. â€Å"Did the guardians put you in holding?' â€Å"They didn't get me,' she said smugly. â€Å"You were their priority, and a little compulsion made sure they didn't see me. I took off †¦ I hated to leave Emily, though.' I empathized but was too excited at Sonya's escape. Good news, finally. â€Å"But you can get Jill to Court. You're free.' Sonya looked at me as those I'd just spoken French. â€Å"I can't get to Jill.' I frowned. â€Å"Is she under that much security?' â€Å"Rose,' said Sonya. â€Å"Jill isn't with the guardians at all. Victor and Robert took her.'

Comparison of the Death Penalty: China vs United States Essay

The United States of America is one of the few countries that still impose death sentences regularly. The People’s Republic of China is also one of these countries. Both are similar in that they are among the top executing countries in the world. Yet they differ in many ways such as, types of crimes that are death penalty eligible, the number of people that are executed, trial processes, and methods of execution. I consider these to be the biggest differences between The People’s Republic of China and the United States of America. One of the most shocking things I came across when researching was the wide range of crimes punishable by death in China. The most shocking of which, is those of non-violent nature. A type of non-violent crime that is routinely charged as a capital crime is economic or â€Å"white-collar† crimes. In China’s Criminal Law, there are specific instances where economic crimes can be charged as capital crimes. In the article, â€Å"On Limiting and Abolishing the Death Penalty for Economic Crimes in China†, the author Bingzhi Zhao wrote, â€Å"it is normally specified in China’s Criminal Law that the death penalty is only applicable when the crime is ‘of a particularly enormous amount’ or ‘of a particularly severe nature’†1. A â€Å"particularly enormous amount† or â€Å"of a particularly sever nature† refers to the amount of money stolen or number of people â€Å"hurt† by the crime. What I consider to be a great parallel would be Bernie Madoff, who stole billions from investors and was sentences to 150 years in jail, which is the maximum sentence he could receive2. This leads me to believe if Bernie Madoff lived in China, he would’ve been executed. Although his crimes were particularly extreme in the amount of money he stole, he was not violent in any way shape or form. In America this simply has not happened in the last century. It is my personal belief that crimes other than murder shouldn’t be capital crimes, but I think it is plain wrong for a â€Å"white-collar† crime to be charged as a capital crime. There are even accounts of drug dealers and people who fund-raise illegal3. I personally know somebody arrested for dealing drugs, if he received a death sentence for his crime, it would be completely and utterly shocking. It is my belief that a non-violent crime shouldn’t be punished in a violent way. The People’s Republic of China use of capital punishment is shrouded in secrecy. In an article in the Washington Post, the author(s) writes, â€Å"The Chinese government has a long-standing policy of not commenting on the death penalty and keeps the number of executions secret†3. This rings true because it is impossible to find a true figure for executions in China. All figures that can be found are estimates. The Dui Hua Foundation estimates that China carried out 5,000 to 6,000 executions in the year 20073, while Amnesty International estimates there were at least 1,718 known executions in 2008 and also states that there are likely many more4. Amnesty International also states that in 2008 the United States of America executed a total of 37 people4. Using Amnesty International’s figures this means that the People’s Republic of China executed more than forty-six times more people than America. With populations of 1. 3 billion and 310 million (estimates), respectively, China executed at least 1 out of every 750,000, and the United States of America executed about 1 out of every 8,375,000 people. This adds up to China executing about 11 times as many people per capita than the United States. One must also keep in mind that the figure of China executing 1,718 is also the â€Å"at least† number; the Dui Hua foundation estimated 5,000-6,000 executions in one year alone. If China indeed executed 5,000, this would raise their per capita execution rate three times higher, to 33 times more executions per capita than America. While there are countries who execute more than the United States of America besides China, they aren’t countries that America would like to be placed with. In descending order the ten countries with the highest executions are, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Pakistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Japan4. Interestingly enough, American soldiers have fought wars within the borders of six out of nine of these countries since World War II. The United States of America and China are the two most powerful countries in the world right now, yet they are in a list with the likes of under-developed countries like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia. China kills enormous amounts of people as compared to every other country, and they also do so in a manner that the American Criminal Justice system would consider extremely unconstitutional. In the United States we use grand juries and/or preliminary hearings as a screening device to make sure there is enough evidence to go to trial, whereas in the People’s Republic of China, there is one person, called a Procurator, who screens cases5. This causes the decision to go to trial extremely unfair, because the standard of evidence in China is â€Å"sufficient† as opposed to American standard of â€Å"beyond a reasonable doubt†. Also in the case of a grand jury, there has to be more than one person agreeing the case can go to trial, whereas in China, just one person decides whether a case is trial worthy. The largest difference between the two countries processes however, is not the use or lack thereof grand juries, but the difference lies in how trials are conducted. China uses the Inquisitorial Model, where a judge dominates the questioning and debating, and a panel of judges, not regular citizens, decides facts and applies the laws5. This could either seem like a terrible idea, or a great idea. Keeping the same group of judges instead of a jury, there is a sense of consistency. There is no unfair jury selection like in the American system that can usually be based on picking people of certain races who are more likely to convict somebody of a certain race based on statistics. Yet at the same time, these men are judges and see all sorts of criminals, and are very likely to think that anybody arrested, is arrested for a just reason. These judges are also more likely to impose the law harshly, since they are government officials of a country whose government is known to violate numerous human rights. Another huge difference between the two nations lies within the appeals process. In China, not only can the accused appeal, but the Procurator can appeal as well if he or she feels that the sentencing wasn’t done correctly. The accused is only given 10 days to initially file an appeal. If the accused appeals and loses, his sentence can only be lessened, but if a Procurator appeals, the sentence can be made more severe. In the United States, only the accused may appeal, the prosecutor is unable5. This process of Procurators appealing could never happen in the United States, based on the Fifth Amendment. It would be considered â€Å"Double Jeopardy†, since even if a court (aside from the Supreme People’s Court) finds him innocent, the procurator may appeal for a new trial. All of these difference cause many more injustices in China than America. There are even more injustices in the Chinese system. Amnesty International states, â€Å"In China those facing capital charges do not receive fair trials. Failings include the lack of prompt access to lawyers, a lack of presumption of innocence, political interference in the judiciary and failure to exclude evidence extracted through torture†6. These â€Å"failings† pose a particular issue in China. One of the mentioned â€Å"failings† is lack of presumption of innocence. When a person in China is arrested, they are presumed guilty, and therefore a trial is almost only to prove his innocence, whereas in America we presume innocent until proven guilty and in trials, the prosecutor must prove guilt. Another â€Å"failing† is if the accused doesn’t get access to a lawyer quick enough, he could be put to death very rapidly because after a death sentence is approved; the execution is carried out within 7 days7. The United States of America has long stays on death row, which take a lot of effect out of the execution, but also gives the accused time to appeal, and file all sorts of motions and requests for clemency. Amnesty International also states that China uses information that is extracted through torture. While in the United States this does happen, it is never done so legally, and if a judge finds evidence was extracted through torture, that evidence in unusable. These factors; lack of access lawyers, unfair trial processes, and lack of presumption of innocence, all cause China’s capital punishment statutes to seem extremely unjust and I would think that quite often even Chinese citizens are unsure of the reliability of their own system, but then I remember that a lot of what the government does is shrouded in secrecy so citizens don’t really know. The general method of execution in The People’s Republic of China is single gunshot to the head. Although China officially uses Lethal Injection as an option, it is still not used as much as gunshot to the head. An article in USA Today about methods of execution states, â€Å"Prior to 1997, China’s main form of execution was shooting. According to a 1998 report from Amnesty International, the Chinese press reported 24 lethal-injection executions in that year, but the exact number is unknown†8. This quote to me shows, that they have started to use lethal injection, but one must remember that China regularly executes well over 1000 people, so 24 by lethal injection is a start, but not nearly a majority whereas in America lethal Injection is the main method. Under post-Furman statutes there have been 1,070 executions in the United States. 01 of these executions were by lethal injection, followed by 153 of them by electrocution9. Lethal Injection accounts for 84. 2% of American executions (American Statistics were as of April 12, 2007) whereas Lethal Injection in China only accounted for at most, 2. 5% in 1998. These figures may be from different years but 2. 5% versus 84. 2% is a huge difference. The reason China would use gunshot to the head, in my opinion, is it saves money. The Chinese trial and appeals process, which is very fast in nature, saves money compared to the long and drawn out American process. Add to that figure that executions are carried out within 7 days of sentencing10. The Chinese definitely spend nowhere near the figures that Americans spend on Death Row, since Chinese executions occur in less than 7 days post-sentencing. Although I am just speculating on cost savings since these figures cannot be found due to China’s secrecy on the subject of capital punishment. I think there is much to learn from the Chinese system when it comes to saving money and efficiency, although I strongly disagree with their lack of rights for defendants. While the differences outlined in this paper are not the only ones, they are the differences that I felt really separate the American and Chinese use of capital punishment. While the American government wastes tons of money on capital punishment, I think our higher standard of evidence and longer proceedings allow us to be surer that the right person is being executed, and although our system has many issues, I still would stand behind it over the system used in The People’s Republic of China.

Escape From A Dollhouse essays

Escape From A Dollhouse essays We have all felt the need to be alone or to venture to places that our minds have only imagined. However, we as individuals have always found ourselves clutching to our responsibilities and obligations, to either our jobs or our friends and family. The lingering feeling of leaving something behind or of promises that have been unfulfilled is a pain that keeps us from escaping. People worldwide have yearned for a need to leave a situation or seek spiritual fulfillment elsewhere. The need for ones freedom and their responsibility to others can make or break a person. Henrik Isbens inspirational characters of Nora Helmer, Kristine Linde, and Nils Krogstad have all had to suffer for their right to be individuals and to be accountable for their actions. A woman of the tough Victorian period, Nora Helmer was both a prisoner of her time as well as a pioneer. In her society women were viewed as an inferior species and were not even considered real human beings in the eyes of the law. Nora and other women soon discovered that it was a mans world and they were just not allowed to participate in it. Women of that era though, were allowed to stay at home and adhere to their tired, overworked spouses needs, not to mention their constant obligation to their children. Women in those days were only allowed to work solely at home or to have minor jobs such as maids or dressmakers. Nora was a free spirit just waiting to be freed; her husband Torvald would constantly disallow the slightest pleasures that she aspired to have, such as macaroons. Nora lived a life of lies in order to hold her marriage together. She kept herself pleased with little things such as telling Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde; I have such a huge desire to say-to hell and be damned! (Isben 59) Just so she could release some tension that was probably building inside her due to all the restrictions that Torvald had set up, such as forbiddi...

Reasons to Write Properly

Reasons to Write Properly Reasons to Write Properly Reasons to Write Properly By Michael Why is it important to write correctly, to use standard grammar, spelling, and punctuation? Because you want people to understand you, thats all. Why are the picky details important? If my headline had said Write Good, wouldnt you understand that I meant Write Well? Maybe so, but its less distracting and easier to understand if I say it correctly. For a split second or longer, part of your mind would be confused, wondering if I was encouraging you to write about good things or something. Certainly part of your mind would wonder why you were seeing bad grammar in Daily Writing Tips. When my colleague Mark tried it as a joke, people noticed. Are you seeing my point? Scholars talk about prescriptive grammar and descriptive grammar. Prescriptive grammar means the way people are supposed to write. That has sometimes been misguided. As recently as the 19th century, some scholars taught that English should follow the rules of Latin because I cant think of a good reason now. On the other hand, descriptive grammar means the way people actually write, and thats hard to argue with. But isnt there a connection? Youre supposed to write the way people actually write, because its easier to understand that way. And because grammar changes over the centuries, grammar books do change as the language changes. Where students and teachers get into disagreements is when the young people insist that the way they write is now correct. Older teachers can recall saying the same thing when they were young, but in retrospect, being wrong. The slang of their youth didnt become a permanent part of the English language. Some students might say, I dont have to follow no made-up rules! If they say that, they are using a double negative, which was correct in Old English, before 1000 AD. After that, it was no longer correct. My advice: if English speakers have been following a rule for a thousand years, you might want to follow it too. People are probably used to it. Recognizing a pattern makes reading easier, and that includes patterns of grammar and spelling. Of course, we recognize letters from their shape. Its possible to read a line of text thats missing the bottom half of each letter, but difficult to read it without the top half. But research also suggests that the shape of a word helps us to recognize it. Even without my glasses, I can see that loop begins with an ascending letter and ends with a descending letter it slopes down while pool slopes up. When you type in ALL CAPS, every letter is the same height, so it not only looks like youre shouting, it also makes it much harder to read. Certain parts of contracts are legally required to be conspicuous, so they are often capitalized. But why? After all, putting them in bold or larger type is also conspicuous. Attorney Matthew Butterick, the author of Typography for Lawyers, says, All-caps para ­graphs are an example of self-defeat ­ing typog ­ra ­phy. Readers inevitably skip over the most important parts because they’re so hard to read. I hope lawyers dont write Terms of Service in all-caps to keep us from reading them. My point: our brains understand things more easily because they fit our expectations. The reason I try to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation is not to impress my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Cascales. Alas, her jazz piano has been silent for many years, and she is no longer checking my writing for mistakes. No, I try to write correctly because its easier to read, because youve seen it written that way (AKA written correctly) before. Sometimes even minor grammatical choices can make reading slower or faster. I gave one example in my article Is That a Noun or a Verb? I’m Confused. When you dont have to struggle with understanding my spelling or punctuation, you can focus on understanding my meaning. People judge you by your language. In an article in the Harvard Business Review, Good Grammar Should Be Everyone’s Business, Brad Hoover of Grammarly studied 100 LinkedIn profiles, all native English-speakers, all working in the consumer packaged goods industry, with three employers or less in the first 10 years of their careers. He discovered the ones with fewer grammar errors in their profile were promoted to director level or above within those 10 years, while the other half were not. In the musical My Fair Lady, Professor Higgins points out a lower-class flower girl and tells Colonel Pickering, If you spoke as she does, sir, instead of the way you do, why, you might be selling flowers too. When you leave out features in your writing that children learn in grade school, such as punctuation and capitalization, your readers will assume that you didnt complete grade school. Im not arguing for exalted language, but for clear communication. Big words can be as imprecise as little words. Some academic writing styles dont communicate more clearly, but only prove that you are an academic. Teachers and professors have to fight against spreading it. The improper use of passive voice is the best known symptom: It has been been demonstrated by Jenkins that instead of Jenkins proves that Weve written several articles to help you manage your use of passive voice, such as Passive Writing and 7 Examples of Valid Passive Construction. When I was working for a phone company, an older physician called about an unexpected bill he received. He said, This will not be disbursed. I couldnt resist saying, Oh, you mean you wont pay the bill? Apparently and unfortunately, he had been taught to use language as a barrier, to keep his patients in their place so they wouldnt question the bills he sends. Theres nothing wrong with short words. Some long words are used specifically to keep from stating the truth directly. Comedian George Carlin pointed out that what was called shell shock in the First World War became battle fatigue in the Second. Four syllables now, says Carlin. Takes a little longer to say. Doesn’t seem to hurt as much. Fatigue is a nicer word than shock. A corporation does not fire an employee; it arranges a negotiated departure or makes a workforce imbalance correction. Little things can have large consequences including punctuation. Lynne Truss, English author and broadcaster, notes that the 1905 October revolution in Russia began when Bolshevik printers demanded to be paid the same rate for punctuation marks as for letters. Truss hosted a BBC Radio broadcast about punctuation, Cutting a Dash, which led to a best-selling book in 2003. The title of the book, Eats, Shoots Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, comes from a joke: A panda walks into a bar. He orders a sandwich, eats it, pulls out a gun, and fires two shots. The shocked bartender asks him why. The panda throws him a poorly-punctuated wildlife manual. Im a panda, he says, Look it up, and walks out the door. Sure enough, the entry for Panda reads, Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves. Here you see that an extra comma can lead to increased gun violence. Truss also wrote childrens books: Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why, Every Punctuation Mark Counts (2008) The Girls Like Spaghetti: Why, You Cant Manage Without Apostrophes! (2007). Notice that in each title, removing two punctuation marks completely changes the meaning. Only after Eats, Shoots Leaves went to press (naturally), Truss found details on another story she wished she could have included in her book. It concerned New England merchant Timothy Dexter (Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1748-1806), who wrote a pamphlet called A Pickle for the Knowing Ones, using his own unique spelling and no punctuation. At the back of his second edition, he included this note: Nowing ones complane of my book the fust edition had no stops I put in a Nuf here and thay may peper and solt it as they plese I cant be certain, but think he meant, Knowing Ones complain of my book. The first edition had no stops [periods]. I put in enough here, and they may pepper and salt it as they please. It was followed by a page of punctuation marks for their use. The problem is that proper punctuation, spelling, and grammar are not condiments that can be added or left out on a whim. Not bothering to get them right may be easier on the writer, but harder on the reader. I think Dexters note proves my point, though I cant be certain, because Im not completely sure what he was trying to say. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)Rules for Capitalization in Titles13 Theatrical Terms in Popular Usage

Attracting and Retaining Talent in the Current Environment Research Proposal

Attracting and Retaining Talent in the Current Environment - Research Proposal Example The current business environment or the e-world is about the opportunities that globalization and mobility offer to employees. While in the previous era, people seeking a ‘job for life’, the current world that is enabled with information technology provides a host of opportunities for the employee and the employer. Clearly, information technology and the widespread use of Internet along with globalization have broken down barriers and borders. A person from the UK would probably not hesitate if a suitable offer and position came up in the US or any other country. At the same time, employers also have the option of a much wider talent pool and an HR person from the UK would not hesitate to recruit someone from the US (Martinsons, 2009). Considering all the issues and opportunities, the thesis looks at ISS as an enabler and would find ways and means to link it with SHRM thus creating a competitive advantage for a firm. The paper would be using both primary and secondary re search with extensive literature review and survey to link the two areas. Â  Competitive advantage for organizations is obtained by managing and maintaining key resources that are scarce and are difficult for other firms to imitate and which provide a firm an advantage over its rivals. Among the key resources available, human resources are regarded by many firms as irreplaceable. Being ‘irreplaceable’ is very true in the case of hi-technology firms such as Intel or Pharmaceutical companies that have a high worth of intellectual capital. Other firms also regard skilled technicians, good instructors, a good sales team or even excellent programmers as valuable and these employees help in retaining a competitive advantage (Youndt, 2006). Â  

The UK yoghurt market (marketing plan) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The UK yoghurt market (marketing plan) - Essay Example Yoghurt is used to supplement the main diet. Various developments have been registered in the production and marketing of this product in different markets across the globe. Different production companies have developed different brands of the product leading to an increased competition in the market. Besides, other related milk products give stiff competition to yoghurt in the market. The company that is to succeed in the market has to be sensitive and able to respond to the changing market trends. It has to develop a product brand that meets the changing needs of the clients. The organization should develop a marketing strategy that ensures proper brand positioning in the market. There has been a significant growth in the UK yoghurt market in the recent years with 21% increase in the period 2006- 2011 (UK-June 2011 Report, 2011). One of the players in the UK yoghurt is Yeo Valley Organic. This is a farming and dairy company situated in the Yeo Valley of Somerset, England. The company deals in a variety of dairy products and other desserts. Initially starting with the natural yoghurt, the company has expanded its operations to produce more brands of the products to meet the customer needs in relation to tastes or costs of the products. Other companies offer similar products in the market leading to increased competition in the UK yoghurt market. The organization is then faced with the challenge to develop products that rank above those produced by the competitors in customer satisfaction. A good market plan will help the company to position its brand above the competing brands. This calls for an analysis of all the market forces in the UK yoghurt market and id entifying procedures of overcoming the forces. Due to the changing customer needs, the organization has introduced a new product that is of better medicinal value. Apart from the normal ingredients, this new product has a component that makes it suitable for relieving mid pain. The company is in the process of marketing this new product. This paper illustrates a market plan that is to be adopted by Yeo Valley Organic to help achieve its marketing objectives. It is a one-year program to market the new yoghurt products by the company. 2. Mission and Business objectives The management at Yeo Valley Organic has noted that the quality of the products can be improved through proper care given to the dairy animals. This requires proper environmental conservation initiatives. Thus, the organization is committed to providing quality products to customers while reducing the adverse effects of their operations on the environment to ensure sustainable production. The organization has set a numb er of objectives that are concerned with management of environment. It is concerned with ensuring sustainable production in order to survive in the future market. To reduce the production cost