Christianity in To Kill a Mockingbird

Christianity in To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee displays many acts of generosity and understanding, but most importantly, the novel sends out a positive notion towards Christianity. The fact that Atticus, a white man, is defending a Negro in a racially segregated community brings a sense of equality for all races to Lee's novel. This idea is a foundation on which many Christian parishes build their beliefs. The most important belief of a Christian is that God creates all humans equally and instructs them to accept each other with warmth and kindness. Because of Lee's exemplification of this belief, the novel is very deserving of its award given by the 1961 Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.One of the cardinal rules in Christianity is to love others as thy brother or sister. Atticus definitely shows his Christian views of equality and justice as well as his psychological stability when he decides to take the case of Tom Robinson.Gods and sodasNot only is Atticus able to cope with the unreasonable, highly emotional views of the white society around him, but is also able to deal with the Negro population of Maycomb both honestly and justly.Atticus causes great controversy between himself and practically the entire society of Maycomb. Women begin to talk of his unethical ways and the preposterous idea of him defending and believing the word of a Negro against the word of Bob Ewell, a man of his own race. All of this conversing of a man who is going against the grain eventually leads to the unlocking of the prejudice and racial minds of the citizens of Maycomb. Some begin to think of Atticus' gesture as a baby step towards racial equality not only in Maycomb, but perhaps the whole southern part of the...

5 Things You Didnt Know About Using Et Al.

5 Things You Didnt Know About Using Et Al. 5 Things You Didnt Know About Using Et Al. The phrase et al. is an integral part of many referencing systems, but it is also commonly misused in academic documents. Read on to find out more! 1. What Does Et Al. Mean? The phrase et al. is Latin for et alia, which means and others. It is therefore used in some referencing systems when there are too many authors to name in a single citation. 2. When Should I Use Et Al.? This depends on the referencing system used by your college, so remember to check your style guide! In most systems, however, it should  only ever be used when you are citing a source with more than three authors. The exact number of authors required before you should use et al. varies between referencing systems. In addition, some systems only use this term for repeat citations of sources with several authors (with all authors named in the first citation). 3. Should I Use It in the Bibliography? Not usually. As above, this may depend on the referencing system youre using, but typically the only place to use et al. is in the main text of your document. This is because most referencing systems specify naming every author in the bibliography or reference list. Some systems make an exception to this rule if the work you are citing has more than six or seven authors. APA referencing, for instance, specifies listing the first six names for sources with more than seven authors, followed by an ellipsis and the final named author. For a journal article with ten named authors, then, APA would require naming the first sixth and the tenth in your reference list. You have to feel a little sorry for authors seven through nine. 4. Do I Need the Period After Al.? Yes! Al. is a shortening of alia and always  needs a period to show that the word has been shortened, in the same way that we use a full stop for etc. and other Latin phrases. 5. Do I Need to Capitalize the Et? No! It is not a proper noun and would not usually appear at the start of a sentence. As such, it would be odd to capitalize it. It can be tricky to get little details like this right all the way through your essay. As such, if you want some help checking it over, just get in touch! We can help with all aspects of your work, including  proofreading,  formatting and checking the consistency of your references.

International Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Human Rights - Essay Example Responsible social behavior could have minimized the scale of the recession; businesses have to learn that maybe, the only thing that is important is the bottom line, that there is an interconnectivity with other factors within and beyond the business environments (Amnesty International, 2008). International co-operations have been accused of gross human rights abuse when they are established abroad more so in third world countries where poverty levels are high. This is because poverty drives workers in these countries to work extremely long hours for minimal wages under deplorable working conditions. This is exploitation at its worst and the governments tend to turn a blind eye because they benefit from the presence of such companies (Amnesty International, 2008). A group that has fallen prey often times to exploitation by corporations are illegal migrants and refugees. Rooted from their own homes in foreign lands where they cannot rely on the government for assistance, these are a vulnerable group. Their only target is survival and since most live in abject poverty, they are willing to work for extremely low wages just to help them get by. This is most unfortunate because migrant populations do contribute to the economies of the countries where they are hosted. Hence, equal working rights for migrants and fighting other discriminations of migrants should be made a priority (UNOG, 2008)2. Another challenge to upholding human rights where transnational corporations and other business enterprises are concerned is the dire poverty mostly inexperienced in third world countries where poverty drives people to accept any kind of work. It is known that multinational corporations that are involved in labor intensive industries choose to do locate their factories where wages are much lower for unskilled workers. Furthermore, those living in countries where there is extreme poverty also do without basic human rights

Milt Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Milt Jackson - Essay Example As a member of a Gospel Quartet, Milt got the first chance to perform in public in which he sang tenor. Dizzy Gillespie was instrumental in bringing this great jazz artist to the forefront and Gillespie, hearing his performance at a Detroit night club, brought Milt to New York to perform with his sextet and later with his big band. Milt also had the opportunity to work with great artists such as Howard McGee, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker and Woody Herman in the late 1940s. Again he worked with Dizzy between 1950 and 1952, while also recording some Quartet sides with John Lewis, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke. The big band, renamed as The Modern Jazz Quartet in 1952, played a major role in the next twenty-two years Milt's career and the quartet, which recorded over thirty albums and toured all over the world, also had a prominent place in his career. "By 1974 the MJQ disbanded, and Jackson started a career as a leader of his own groups, performing blues and gospel-oriented Jazz, away from the musical policy of the MJQ. He became associated with producer Norwman Granz, and recorded some twenty albums with some of the finest musicians associated with the producer's label, like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, etc. In 1981 the MJQ was reunited to perform in Japan and since then Jackson has been combining his own projects with occasional touring with the MJQ." (Milt Jackson: Biography) Therefore, the career development as well as biography of the vibes player Milt Jackson centered on his accomplishments in jazz and this paper undertakes such a biographical account of this great vibraphonist, focusing on his achievements in jazz. As the first vibraphonist to use a slow vibrato, Milt Jackson revolutionized and extended the limits of the vibraharp. The use a slow vibrato helped him in the creation of impulsive outbursts of short notes as well as a better control of the dynamics. "He discovered new possibilities in his instrument, influencing every vibraphonist to follow. With his gift for melodic improvisation Jackson is a master of ballad interpretation, and remains one of the most soulful players in the history of Jazz." (Milt Jackson: Biography) Born in Detroit and Died as one of the most soulful players in the history of Jazz, Jackson had become a conspicuously importantmusician by the middle of his teen-age years and he started to learn guitar at the age of 7, piano lessons at11, and mastered drums, tympani, violin,guitar and xylophone by the time he reached his high school. Milt was such a talented young man that he also sang in the choir and picked up the vibraphone by the age of 16. Later he established himself as one of the most prominent figures of the jazz quartet called the Four Sharps. All through his career, Milt's came from Charlie Parker, rather thanHampton, his most prominent precursor on the instrument. He also attempted to attain a hornlike legato with his mallets, while he adopted many ofParker's rhythmic traits. Through his sheer quality as a vibraphonist, Milt became the first authentic bebopmusician on the vibraphone, and was one of the greatest musicians of Gillespie'sown band.His career with The Modern Jazz Quartet which began in 1952 had a prominent place in the development of Milt Jackson's achievements in jazz. "The group wore tailored suits and practiced every aspect of their publicpresentation, from walking on stage to making introductions to thepowerfully subdued arrangements in their playing. They wanted to bringback to jazz the

Exercise vs. Diet in Weight Loss Essay Example for Free

Exercise vs. Diet in Weight Loss Essay INTRODUCTION It is estimated that 55% of the adult population in the United States are either obese or overweight (National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute, 1998). Obesity substantially increases an individual’s risk of suffering from chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. Those with excess fat in the abdominal area are at increased health risk (National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute). In an attempt to define the role of exercise in the treatment and prevention of obesity, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) held a scientific roundtable to address this subject. Following the meeting, several consensus statements regarding physical activity and public health were released. Two statements are of particular interest to the applied exercise professional. The first statement declares that the addition of exercise to a diet with restricted caloric intake promotes fat loss, while maintaining fat free mass. The second statement claims that physical activity, without caloric restriction, minimally if at all affects fat loss. The statements suggest that to optimize weight loss, a combination of diet and exercise is best, and that exercise alone will not suffice. Although it is well established that a regimen of diet and exercise is the best way to control body weight, a recent review by Ross, Freeman, and Janssen (2000) challenges ACSM’s statement that exercise alone is not an effective method of weight loss. This review suggests that the studies this statement was based upon do not effectively compare caloric restricting programs to increased energy expenditure programs. They conclude that if these factors were equal, exercise alone can be as effective as caloric restriction for weight loss. The purpose of this article is to present Ross et al.’s argument contrasting the ACSM consensus statement. EXERCISE VS. CALORIC RESTRICTION In their review, Ross et al. (2000) report that few randomized control trials equally compare diet only to exercise only weight loss programs. For example, in a twelve-week study, Hagan, Wong, and Whittam (1986) compared the amount of weight lost through diet only to the amount of weight lost through an exercise program. The obese women and men in the diet only group (n=24) that reduced their caloric intake lost 5.5 kg and 8.4 kg, respectively. To achieve this degree of weight loss, women decreased their average caloric intake by 945 kilocalories a day while the men decreased their average intake by 1705 kilocalories a day. The exercise only group (n = 24 obese men and women), performed a 30-minute walk/jog program 5 days/week. On average, the women expended 190 kilocalories per session while the men expended an average of 255 kilocalories per session, which resulted in a total weight loss of .6 kg and .3 kg for women and men, respectively. The women in the diet only program decreased their body fat from 35% to 29%, where as the women doing exercise only went from 35% to 33% body fat. Additionally, the men in the diet only group decreased body fat from 26% to 21% where as the exercise only group experienced no change in their body fat. This study clearly illustrates that weight loss through diet only was not equated to energy expenditure through exercise only. Therefore, equal amounts of weight loss should not be expected. In contrast, Sopko et al. (1985) in a twelve-week study, with obese men, reported that when the negative energy balance created by diet only and exercise only are equal, the two treatments produce similar results. The participants in the diet only group (n=10) experienced a weight loss of 6.1kg by restricting their caloric intake 500 kcal/day. The exercise only group (n=6) lost 6.2 kg by performing a treadmill walking program in which they expended 500 kcal/day. The men in the diet only group went from a body fat of 31.4% to 25%, where as the exercise only group went from 26.7% to 19%. These results show that equivalent amounts of weight loss can be obtained when the energy expenditure from exercise is similar to the amount of calories restricted through diet. This is contrary to the results of Hagan et. al., as well as the ACSM consensus statement that exercise without caloric restriction minimally affects weight loss. Table 1 summarizes some diet versus exercise weight management studies, further validating when energy expenditure is matched, weight loss is similar. EXERCISE WITHOUT WEIGHT LOSS: THE HEALTH CONNECTION Excess fat in the abdominal area independently increases an individual’s risk of insulin resistance and high blood lipids. This distribution of body fat is also a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease (Grundy et al., 1999, National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute, 1998). It has been shown that weight management programs resulting in a loss of total body fat also reduce a person’s amount of abdominal fat. This loss of abdominal fat is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it has been shown that exercising individuals, who do not experience any overall weight loss still decrease their risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease (Ross Janssen, 1999). The current research suggests that exercise without weight loss is actually linked to reductions in visceral fat (Ross Janssen 1999). In two similar studies, Ross et al. (2000) and Sopko et al. (1985) showed that exercisers who did not lose weight experienced improved insulin sensitivity and an increase in their ‘helpful’ HDL cholesterol. These findings are important because in the event that weight loss is not achieved, a person who is at increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), or its comorbid conditions (i.e., high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance), still benefits from regular aerobic exercise participation. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The applications from this review article are consequential to the personal trainer and fitness professional for two important reasons. It is well established that exercise and diet modification is the best method for weight loss. However, Ross and colleagues and Sopko and associates also show the efficacy and worth of exercise only programs for promoting weight loss (in overweight and obese populations). Also, from a health perspective it is quite meaningful to emphasize that aerobic exercise independently decreases the risk of CAD and related comobidites. For health benefits, Ross et al. (2000) confirm established recommendations of regular, moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week. The also suggest that â€Å"substantial reductions in obesity and related comorbid conditions will result when daily exercise is performed at a moderate intensity for 45 to 60 minutes a day without deceasing caloric intake.† However, since most of this health benefits research has been done in predominantly male populations, more research is needed with overweight and obese female populations to validate these benefits in women. References: Grundy, S.M., G. Blackburn, M. Higgins, R. Lauer, M. Perri, D. Ryan. Roundtable Consensus Statement: Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of obesity and its comorbidities. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 31: S502-S508, 1999. Hagan, R.D., S.J. Upton, L. Wong, and J. Whittam. The effects of aerobic conditioning and/or caloric restriction in overweight men and women. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 18:87-94, 1986. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence Report. Obes. Res. 6(Suppl 2), 1998. Pate, R.R., M. Pratt, S.N. Blair, W.L. Haskell, C.A. Macera, C. Bouchard, D. Buchner, W. Ettinger, G.W. Heath, A.C. King, et al. Physical activity and public health. A recommendation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. JAMA. 273:402-407, 1995. Ross, R., D. Dagnone, P.J.H. Jones, H. Smith, A. Paddags, R. Hudson and I. Janssen. Reduction in obesity and related comorbid conditions after diet-induced weight loss or exercise-induced weight loss in men: A randomized controlled trial. Ann. Intern. Med. 133:92-103, 2000 Ross, R., and I. Janssen. Is abdominal fat preferentially reduced in response to exercise-induced weight loss? Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 31: S568-S572, 1999. Ross, R., J.A. Freeman, and I. Janssen. Exercise alone is an effective strategy for reducing obesity and related comorbidities. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev. 28: 165-170, 2000. Sopko, G., A. Leon, D. Jacobs, N. Foster, J. Moy, K. Kuba, J. Anderson, D. Casal, C. McNally, and I. Frantz. The effects of exercise and weight loss and plasma lipids in young obese men. Metabolism. 34:227-236, 1985.

Mary Robinson and Her Many Masks Essay -- Poet Poem Actress Essays

Mary Robinson and Her Many Masks Mary Robinson’s public image as an actress and at times transgressive female are inseparable from her identity as an author and poet. Having begun her public life as an actress, Robinson remained keenly conscious of the power of audience. She intentionally re-scripted her own past, using her lurid fame to launch her successful writing career. Written at the end of her life, The Haunted Beach represents a culmination of efforts to make a serious impact on the world of poetry. Among other daring moves, Robinson's poem effectively engages with a known poet, in its recognizable similarities to Coleridge's Rime, and makes a social commentary on a murder she witnessed. The poem’s vaguely defined relationship with audience mirrors Robinson’s own multiplicity in voice. Just as The Haunted Beach is told by an unidentified observer, ultimately Robinson’s own identity remains unknowable; at best she is a fusion of her many pseudonyms, stage characters, and ideas pres ented in her written works. Much has been written on Robinson’s complicated relationship with the public, as well as her intriguing rapport with contemporary artists such as Coleridge and Wordsworth. In considering â€Å"The Haunted Beach,† one of the last poems Robinson wrote before her death, one must pay with attention to her complex path to artist and public figure; both the poem’s conception and its reception are affected by her public persona and her artistic and social connections. Robinson crafted multiple identities as actress, author and poet, all of which play into her constantly developing poetic project. Poetry became for Robinson not only a forum for earning income and salvaging her damaged reputation, but also a form of self-expre... ....clayfox.com/ashessparks/reports/miles.html>> Feldman, Paula R, Ed. British Women Poets of the Romantic Era: An Anthology. Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press, 1997. Griggs, Earl Leslie. â€Å"Coleridge and Mrs. Mary Robinson.† Modern Language Notes, 45 (1930): 90-95. Kramer, Lawrence. â€Å"Gender and Sexuality in the Prelude: The Question of Book Seven.† ELH 54 (Autumn 1987): 619-637. Mellor, Anne K. â€Å"Mary Robinson and the scripts of female sexuality.† In Representations of the Self from the Renaissance to Romanticism. Ed. Coleman, Patrick et al. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, England, 2000. Ockerbloom, Mary Mark, Ed. A Celebration of Women Writers. Pascoe, Judith. Romantic Theatricality: Gender, Poetry and Spectatorship. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997.

Was the Use of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Truman’s Best Option to End World War Ii

The goal of the investigation is to determine whether the use of nuclear weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by U. S. President Truman was the best option to end World War II. The investigation will begin by researching other options available to President Truman, which were debated during the war. Then Truman’s options will be analysed for limitations, such as real-life practicality, as well as reliability of the source which presented the options.Some of the issues which will be examined in this investigation are why both the naval blockade and continued bombing was not an option and why the nuclear bomb was the logical choice over an invasion. Two sources that will be evaluated due to their large amount of usable information and relevant data are Hiroshima and Nagasaki-Fire from the Sky and an article from the Kemble Kollection found at http://www. mikekemble. com/ww2/downfall. html entitled Why America Was Right To Drop The Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima ; Nagasaki, both of which will be analyzed in part C for validity and limitations.Word Count: 173 Part B: Summary of Evidence The war for the United States has gone on for four years; public opinion was starting to decay. When the European theatre was still seeing bloodshed the average civilian could follow along because the locations of Europe were well known to the average American. The Pacific theatre was different in this regard; civilians had no concept of how or where the war was being fought, it is not a huge surprise it was a nuisance to the average person.However that’s not all, advertisers were marketing new and wondrous products that would come after the war ended, along with rationing and the increasing death toll that would reach over three hundred thousand lives before the war was done. With the recent defeat of the Nazis most of the world believed that the war was won; Japan would easily be shoved aside and the war was now a distant annoyance preventing soldiers from returning home and holding back new items from consumers.Because of the pressuring demands of public opinion, President Truman had to find a way to end the war, quickly and cleanly, or he would face the end of public support. Options such as a great naval siege of the Japanese main islands and continued bombing of Japanese cities were considered useless by American Generals, they thought of it as â€Å"choking, but not killing†. Preparations and planning begun on what would have been the largest invasion of all time, code named ‘Operation Downfall’ it would be an amphibious invasion of the Japanese islands involving millions of American soldiers and marines.The first invasion of Operation Downfall was named Operation Olympic and was chosen to arrive on the southern beach on the island Kyushu. However, a new report on enemy troop strength on the island, specifically the southern edge, indicated that the Japanese were quickly reinforcing the southern side of t he island and that troop strength increased from approximately eight thousand to over two hundred and six thousand. The Japanese had figured out what the American military was planning. To make matters worse the Japanese government ordered civilians to take up arms and to defend to the death.With these two issues arriving the estimated death toll arrived at up to a million. With these horrifying odds, the whole goal of Operation Downfall to produce a quick surrender was now even in debate, the fighting on the Japanese Islands may last a very long time. However with a naval siege or B-29 bombing possibly dragging on for years the invasion was still the only considered option. However even the land invasion could cause long term issues; if Japan wasn’t defeated quickly the Soviet Union may also invade setting up even more tension.Thankfully for the United States government, the Manhattan project succeeded in producing the world’s first nuclear bomb, and on August 6th 194 5 atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ was dropped on Hiroshima. Over eighty thousand people died in the first few seconds, yet the Japanese still refused to surrender on American terms. It took a second nuclear bomb, ‘Fat Man’, being dropped on Nagasaki before they surrendered. Word Count 517 Part C: Evaluation of Sources The two sources of evidence to be critically examined are Hiroshima and Nagasaki-Fire from the Sky by Andrew Langley and The Kemble Kollection by Mike Kemble.Hiroshima and Nagasaki-Fire in the Sky is a novel of the events leading up to and repercussions that followed the dropping of the two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Published in 2006, and written by accomplished historical author; Andrew Langley. One thing to note about Andrew Langley is that he specializes in writing children’s novels. Although that fact doesn’t compromise the truth behind the writings, it does however indicate that the novel is no t as in-depth as other sources could be, instead providing a broad overview of the events.However despite being oriented towards children it does not hold off on the cruel hard facts such as eighty thousand dead in the blast alone. Although the novel is considered a secondary source it does use real quotes from thoughts of the men dropping the bomb, people involved in making the bomb and from the people being bombed, as well as numerous real pictures. Andrew Langley, using the pictures and the narration makes it very clear that everyone involved with the bomb regretted it –a clear bias, which brings onto the topic of limitations.The novel seems more oriented to educate children on the horror of nuclear war, rather than to educate on the reasons why it was chosen. In fact it does not explore other possibilities that were considered by generals involved and by President Truman himself. The reader would come out of it believing that the only plan was to use the terrible bomb, wh en in reality it was almost not considered. The second source to be evaluated is the Kemble Kollection, here author of On a Sailors Grave (No Roses Grow); Mike Kemble writes about a large variety of different aspects to do with World War II.Mike Kemble makes it clear on his main page that his articles are ideal for education and referencing. The article of particular interest for this assignment is titled U. S. Plans to Invade Japan in World War 2. Why America Was Right to Drop the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima ; Nagasaki. In this article Mike Kemble details operation Downfall, Olympic and numerous other options that were considered by President Truman’s military advisors and generals at the time, as well as the inevitable result of using the atomic bomb. His site is very popular with over 1. 3 million views and all his articles include references to external sites and sources.One thing to question is who Mike Kemble actually is; his site does not mention anything about his crede ntials or any education he may have. Further research says he’s a retired ex-army NCO now working for Legion Security, part of the Royal British Legion. When it comes to limitations on his work, there are very few. Besides some form issues such as poor in-article referencing there really isn’t that much to say he covers most aspects of a topic and explains the reasons for the decisions made. One possible limitation for the particular article used is that most of the ources he references in his collection are not primary ones; however, it is not a huge issue. Word Count 545 Part D: Analysis President Truman, like all presidents, was bound by the demands of the public; they wanted a quick end to the war for numerous reasons. However that statement alone is not necessarily the case, an article for a newspaper written by Admiral William V. Pratt makes it clear that there was another option to invasion and the bomb, a simple navy war of attrition, one with few casualties th at will simply last longer a slow and steady sort of approach.Of course at this point there are clear lines as to who supports what, each branch of military supporting its own particular route to victory. Then there’s the bomb itself, today there is still debate as to whether it was the morally sound way of ending the war. Historian Ralph Raico (a senior scholar of the Mises Institute) argues the what-if scenario. He points to the fact that if the Nazis used an atomic bomb, and the allies still won, then the use of the weapon would be considered a war crime and the Nazis would be hanged –not that they weren’t already.That is undoubtedly true, however an article written by Matthew Seligmann (reader in history at the University of Northampton, and author of Does Peace Lead to War? ) for The Guardian argues the opposite, he states that Japanese controlled territory was suffering from starvation and that four hundred thousand Asians died each month, meaning that the use of the bomb was the morally right thing to do. For the invasion the range of casualties is extremely broad, anywhere between a million to two hundred thousand. Of course each number has its own uses especially if the three military branches were each striving to be the one that ended the war.Former army-man and author Mike Kemble argues that Japan’s population would have been able to survive a navy siege, using its farms and that the bombing could only damage the cities. His main support for this argument is that over half of Japan’s population was in rural areas and even within cities residents often had gardens for fruit and vegetables, often even wheat. With public support for the war slowly dying, Truman had to find a way to quickly end the war. Both a naval blockade and continued bombing were considered ineffective.The only viable solution besides the atomic bomb is the invasion; however with potential for a million casualties and the Soviet Union invading Ja pan, it would have simply not been fast enough. The end of the war was a question of speed, what would force the Japanese to quit, and what would do it the fastest. The fact that two of Japan’s cities had to be destroyed is further proof that carpet bombing, blockades or endless city combat would not have brought the war to a close. President Truman’s best option was to use the two atomic bombs; Fat Man, and Little Boy. Word Count 486 Part E: ConclusionTiming was key for President Truman; all the options presented to him would take too long to end the war and would only bring further complications. The only option he had was to use the two atomic bombs to force the surrender of Japan. Andrew Langley’s book Hiroshima and Nagasaki –Fire from the Sky, because it is directed at the younger audience, it provides an excellently summarized view of the events leading up to the droppings of the atomic bombs. Andrew Langley himself is a well experienced author with plenty of publications and the book from which this investigation takes evidence is filled with primary sources.The bias against the bombs is due to the nature the bombs played in the Cold War, not against the use of the bombs themselves. The Kemble Collection, by Mike Kemble goes in-depth at answering the whys of history, not documenting the flow of history itself but looking at the other options of the times. His work provided some of the greatest plethora of knowledge on the different options Truman faced, and despite the sources that Kemble uses being mostly secondary, his sources are plenty and well founded, and he makes a point of making it well referenced for the sake of education.List of Sourcesâ€Å"The Decision to Use the Bomb†, Book Mice. Net. December 2008.[online] http://www. bookmice. net/darkchilde/japan/atomic. html Seligmann, Matthew.â€Å"The alternatives to bombing Hiroshima were not morally superior†. Guardian. Friday 15 August 2008. Guardian News and Media Limited 2009.[online] www. guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/15/nuclear.japan Langley, Andrew. Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Issues in the Mock Negotiation Problem Essay

Being a member of the Local 5000 in this whole project I could point out numerous things that make the employees at Auto Products Corporation want things better. There seems to be issues at the Indianapolis plant concerning overtime, premium pay, and even subcontracting instead of using their own employees to do the work. What I have also gotten from this mock negotiation is that in the past, the union and management have been satisfactory. Different viewpoints: I have not had a very good experience with my teammates on this project. I agree that this should’ve been a fun project but it has been very stressful to me. As far as different viewpoints I feel again as though I’ve done this whole project by myself because everything I posted the only response I received most of the time is â€Å"sounds good†, â€Å"I agree†, â€Å"good idea†. I could go on and on about how my views differed from my teammates or how I feel like I had no help in the negotiation. I also feel as though I played the role of secretary and chairperson in this project but overall I am satisfied with the final results on our issues raised to management. Research Provided: Research was provided for my team by me concerning the current seniority clause, required overtime, and the issues concerning the company’s right to subcontract. The union wanted to stick to the current seniority clause, which management agreed, because it isn’t fair that junior employees can come in before a senior at the company to take the place of a job when a senior employee is qualified to fill the position. I provided the following research to my team from the textbook: In many contracts, seniority governs promotions when a senior employee is â€Å"qualified† to fill the position in question. Under others, seniority becomes the determining factor in promotions when the senior has the ability for the job in question equal to that of all other employees who may desire the better job.(Text page359) Sticking with the current seniority clause will ensure that positions are filled properly. Also, in the Mock Negotiation it states that the company has the right to require overtime in the existing contract but there was an issue raised by the employees that the supervisor isn’t fair and that they have been giving their friends the opportunity to earn the extra money and discriminating against the other employees. For this issue I provided the following research from the textbook: The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 places no restriction on employees to work more than 40 hours in a workweek, other than the employees who work more than 40 hours must be paid at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours in excess of 40 hours. The textbook also states that when a supervisor makes an error in the regard of offering his/her friends to work overtime and discriminating others; the employer may be faced with a grievance filed by the employee and ask for the amount of money he/she would have earned if he/she would’ve worked. Also, the situation of paying for the same work twice at overtime rates.(text pages288-290) This could be a major disaster if the company doesn’t fix this and if it isn’t then many possible grievances can still be filed. On the issues concerning the company’s right to subcontract, in the negotiation it stated that for many years each skilled tradesperson has worked only within his or her trade and five months ago the company required a mechanic to do a job normally performed by a plumber. A grievance was filed and the arbitrator sustained the position of the union on the basis of the â€Å"past practice† principle. I provided the following research from the textbook for my team: The union should ask the the company add a subcontracting section in the labor agreement. The textbook gives an example of a subcontracting section in a labor agreement that states whenever the company contemplates contracting out any type of work normally performed by a maintenance employees, it shall inform the President, Chairman, and Grievance Committee and the affected Shop Steward of its intentions prior to making a decision to award the contract.(text page389)This would be great considering for many years the company had each skilled tradeperson working only within his or her trade. When the company required a mechanic for a job that normally was performed by a plumber the employee and union filed a grievance. The company should stick with â€Å"past practice† and continue to keep their tradepeople working only within his or her trade. If not then workrightspress.com states that stewards can do the following: Past practices grievances are well suited for group action. Unions can: †¢ Encourage numbers of workers to file grievances on the matter †¢ Distribute leaflets about the dispute †¢ Circulate petitions †¢ Hold meetings during breaks †¢ Picket before or after work or during breaks (being sure not to interfere with employees, suppliers, or shippers) Also in the textbook, the example also states that the union retains the right to examine any existing or new subcontracting agreement for the purposes of checking wage scales and the specific work contracted.(text page389) These are great things we could put in the subcontracting section of the labor agreement. Also in the subcontracting section in the labor agreement, I think the union should also ask that limitations be put in place such as: 1. Requiring the employer to have an agreement that subcontractors will be used only on special occasions ( where specialized equipment that isn’t on company premises is required or where special skills are needed ) 2. No-layoff guarantees to current employees (as in â€Å"no employee of any craft, which craft is being utilized by an outside contractor, shall be laid off as long as the outside contractor is in the plant doing work that employees in such craft are able to do.† 3. Provisions giving the union veto power over any or all subcontracting 4. Requirements that the management prove to the union that time, expense, or facility considerations prevent it from allowing current employees to perform the work. (text page388) The Local 5000 Union Demands: After reading the Mock Negotiation the union decided on the following demands mainly on the issues raised in the negotiation. The union has developed the following demands concerning the Mock Negotiation at Auto Products Corporation for the Indianapolis plant: 1. The union will not permit any change in the medical insurance program. The union wants to fight for better benefit packages, which would include a 401K and also better medical insurances. In the current contract, the medical insurance program does not cover employees that are laid off for more than 30 consecutive days and 80% of the employees laid off, have been laid off for longer than 30 consecutive days. We would like to ask that management remove this and also; still cover the employee’s on layoff, visits to physician offices, hospitals, and emergency rooms up to 60 days. 2. The union would also like to ask the company add a 401k, the union would ask that the company match dollar for dollar what the employees decide to put into their 401k.This will help employees’ retirement. We would also like to administer an Employee Stock Ownership Program which entitles employees’ 5 shares of company stock yearly. 3. The union would also like to stick with the current seniority clause that provides for promotions based on length of service and ability. If the company says that promotions are bid for on a departmental basis then the department that has the position open should be available to the candidate within the company that has seniority based on length of service and ability before a junior employee. 4. The union would also like to discuss the current contract about r equired overtime. The union insists on paying employees time-and-a-half while working these days and insisting that the company use a volunteer method when selecting the employees to work on these days. 5. I think that the union should also place a restriction on the company’s right to subcontract. No subcontracting can occur when skilled trades are available to do the work. When the company contemplates contracting out any type of work normally performed by a company employee, it shall inform the President, Chairman, and Grievance Committee and the affected Shop Steward of its intentions prior to making a decision to honor the contract; allowing the company to subcontract only if, all of their own personal resources have been exhausted. 6. As part of the union, I would also like recommend placing demands on management to allow for a supplementary unemployment benefit program to help dislocated workers. The first is supplementing the unemployment benefits of various state unemployment insurance systems. Second is allowing further income to still unemployed workers after state payments have been exhausted. Without sub pay, laid off workers will start looking for new employment and will most likely be unavailable to return to their original position when an opening occurs. We would also like to remind you that a sub pay clause can catch the attention of the most talented people looking for jobs, people like to work for companies that take care of their employees. Also asking management to supplement the union employee’s unemployment benefits (while laid off through no fault of their own) and allow for up to 90% of their original pay for a maximum of 52 weeks’. 7. I would like to recommend the union demand the removal of the no-strike clause because grievance procedures in some cases seem to not work like they should. I believe a strike or slowdown might help convince man agement that something needs to change. 8. The union would also like an annual wage increase for all workers along with adjusting the escalator clause in the current contract. The current contract provides for a $.03 increase in wages for each .4-point increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). We as the union ask that the company provides a $0.10 increase in wages for each 0.5-point increase in the CPI. I feel these demands were adequate for negotiations because these demands will benefit our employees and fix the problems that are going on at the plant. Although not all were agreed on the only demand that didn’t even get a second look would be adding a supplemental unemployment benefits for dislocated workers. Which I understand this is due to APC’s current costs due to the current loan the company has just borrowed. The Bargaining Zone: Going into this negotiation the union, in all, knew that APC would try and change the medical benefits for their employees. Our demand states that we weren’t going to accept any change to the medical benefits but our plan was to ask for this and negotiate in permitting the company to only pay 80% of medical costs throughout the new contract. Management and the union chairperson, Ziaria, agreed that the company pay for 65% of medical costs throughout the course of the new contract. Our final result was close to what we were original to in the first place so I’d say we accomplished what we wanted in the bargaining zone for this demand. Another demand in which we knew that management would counter on would be the current No-Strike Clause in the current contract. The union requested that this clause be removed and management wouldn’t accept this claiming â€Å"Auto Product Corporation is a production company. Feasibly, we are not able to produce the volumes of quality parts for our vendors when the company is being disrupted with strikes and work slowdowns. Our Local unions file grievances for their members and they go through the process. The contract contains a standard grievance procedure and provide for arbitration for all disputes arising under the contract. The company, with the help of its 3800 employees wants to remain vital to the community, vendors and families of our employees; we can only be effective, if we are producing quality parts.† But, the entire time, the union knew this wasn’t going to work and Paul had mentioned a No-Sue section to be added which management had no problem with. Our bargaining limits on this were accomplished with ease considering management said they had no problem adding this as long as the union was not directly involved or instigating a strike or slowdown. The Negotiation Process: Overall I would have to say that the negotiation process was somewhat difficult in the beginning because management was unsatisfied with our demands refusing pretty much all of them. I feel like the union was more willing to negotiate but that could be because our goal was the employees and the managements goal was reducing costs. For example, the union and management went back and forth on decreasing the amount of stewards to job families, trying to reduce stewards from having 60 to 20 and decreasing the amount of time they have to do grievance work daily. The union and management also went back and forth on non-productive time. Management wanted employees to clock out for lunch and then only have a 5 minute paid wash up at the end of their shift. The union agreed on clocking out for lunch but wanted to keep the 10 minute wash up and management wouldn’t accept this until the very end of negotiations. Besides these two matters, the negotiation process went rather smoothly. My personal thoughts: There are things that I wish would have went differently. For example, my teammates should’ve contributed more to discussions. I feel as though I was constantly waiting on a response from them and more than half the time I would only hear from Paul and as I discussed earlier he would respond mainly with â€Å"I agree† which gives me no other viewpoints or if I should have done things differently. Or, the would respond after deadlines to where I couldn’t change anything. Then, Ziaria, not being in hardly any of our discussions goes in the boardroom and conducts negotiations without even consulting with me or Paul. I understand though that you can’t always choose your teammates. Conclusion: Before conducting these negotiations I went into this thinking I wanted to be on a management team because I have always had this view of unions being dramatic. Instead, my views now are more pro-union because this negotiation has taught me that unions are there for your rights as an employee. When management tries to change the contract, you as an employee, should want the union there to try and get the best possible outcomes for all employees because management is just going to try and cut costs any way they can. Overall I found this project to be interesting and informative on the things that actual companies negotiate on. References: â€Å"The Mock Negotiation Problem.† Sloane, Arthur A., Witney, Fred. Labor Relations. Prentice Hall- Pearson Education, 2012. 435-440. Work Rights Press. How to Win Past Practice Grievances. n.d. 16 November 2012 .

Equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth

Equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth Introduction Equal opportunity in the workplace entails the act of treating employees fairly without prejudice and discrimination. The notion of equal opportunities in the workplace is based on the principle that all employees should be given a level playing field in the workplace irrespective of their gender, race or attribute.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth as many organizations have not fully embraced the concept. The art of managing employees in the organization is mainly about managing their diversity. Each employee is usually different with different ethnic background, gender, age and race. Whether the employee is disabled or not, he or she has different skills, values, attitudes and expectations and therefore equal opportunity in the workplace is aimed at maximizing the potentials of ind ividuals (McKenzie Baker, 2006, 14). Why equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth The following explains why equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth rather than a reality in many organizations today; In many organizations, employment equity is lacking i.e. many organizations have not fully embraced the practice of hiring minorities or women. Many organizations worldwide do not hire, promote, support or value female employees equally to men. Instead, these organizations do not take into account an important resource in a business environment that is competitive. Many companies have chosen to disregard women or the minority and only a few companies have extended their recruitment pool to embrace women in the workplace. The lack of employment equity among organizations implies that these companies lacks a competitive edge due to the fact that they fail to select the most experienced, talented and creative employees as a result of their gender. Diversity in organizations is as sociated with a cost reduction, increase in productivity, an increase in the market share and improved management quality.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The few companies that have realized the importance of diversity in the workplace has initiated new equity plans. Employment equity is however least in many developing countries as only a few proportions of women hold managerial positions. In addition, only a few women in these countries have access to learning opportunities to train them for the managerial jobs. In industrialized nations, women aspiring to hold managerial positions face barriers with regards to full participation such as lack of access to resources particularly to jobs that offer wages and promotional opportunities similar to men. In most instances, women face barriers in participating in management as a result of such factors as race and ethnic ity and the employing industry (Kainer, 2006, 25). Equal opportunity is a myth due to the fact that many organizations across the globe have hired unqualified workers and thus locking out qualified employees. Many organizations have resulted into hiring workers who are not qualified for the sake of reaching some numerical objectives. Equal opportunity is not all about placing a person in a job due to the association that he or she has but it is all about encouraging recruitment and retention of persons who have qualified. Most organizations have adopted affirmative action programs in an effort to ensure that there is equal opportunity in the workplace. Whereas affirmative action has the effect of ensuring that there is equal representation, it has some limitations such as hiring unqualified individuals. Organizations thus ends up hiring individuals who are unqualified as a result of the protected class status and this is illegal since qualified people ends up being not considered fo r the same positions. Therefore, equal opportunity is a myth and not a reality since affirmative action often leads to preferential treatment in employment as it does not consider ability and competence characteristics of a worker. Although affirmative action increases the number of women in sectors where they are underrepresented, the individuals who are hired under the affirmative action programs are usually perceived by others as less competent (Weston, 2002, 8-10). Equal opportunities in the workplace are a myth as most organizations are faced with the challenge of accommodating employees with disabilities. Most organizations particularly in low developed countries have not structured their workforces so that it is representative. People with disabilities have not benefited by securing employment opportunities in greater numbers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Also, there are inequalities with regards to the incomes earned by people with disability as opposed to the salaries that is earned by their counterparts who are not disabled. In developed nations, diversity has not occurred in the workplace too and people with disability are usually not treated the same with the rest of the employees. The rate of unemployment among the persons with disabilities has remained relatively high over the years. The truth of the matter is that organizations fears that their insurance costs will rise if they hire persons with disabilities. Other organizations refrains from accepting working with disabled persons as they consider them to be unsafe workers who are accident prone. Other employers consider these persons to be unproductive as they have high rates of absenteeism.Persons with disabilities are usually not given equal employment opportunities in such jobs as medicine, nursing, dentistry and allied health professions, eng ineering, law, teaching among others. Therefore, the equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth and not a reality as people with disabilities are not accommodated in many organizations across the globe (Anderson, 2010, 5). Also, the equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth due to the biographic influences, family experiences, personal characteristics and the number of hours worked that causes people to experience an imbalance between home and work life. The biographical influences that affect the work-life balance include gender and family characteristics. Usually, women experiences work-life conflicts than men. The personal characteristics that have an effect on work-life balances include life and job involvement. The number of hours worked also contributes to the imbalance between home and work life. Imbalance that exists between home and work usually occurs in three main areas i.e. life and job satisfaction, physical and psychological health and desire to leave and organiza tional commitment. A clear balance between home and work requires to be maintained. Many organizations lacks a clear cut between home and work and this leads to job dissatisfaction among the employees. This also causes physical and psychological health problems. Many organizations fail to assist their employees to manage the balance between work and home. Most employers do not recognize the impact of maintaining a balance between work and home life on their employees. In many organizations, work-life policies are not developed evenly. Also; organizations are concerned that the compulsory leaves that are required for everyone will be used for leisure activities. The equal opportunity in the workplace is therefore a myth as many employers do not maintain a balance between work and home life on their employees particularly the women workers and thus causing job dissatisfaction (Reddy, 2007, 11).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth due to the fact that there is too much bullying and work-related stress among organizations. Many organizations across the globe have reported cases s in stress and depression amongst their workforce. Usually, employees in their mid thirties in high stress jobs are likely to experience anxiety or depression as compared to those who are in low-stress jobs. Many human resource departments do not put policies aimed at countering the work-related stress. There is lack of consistency as some staff is provided withy better support than others. Employees who are supported usually have a feeing that their issues are addressed by their managers and so, they have lower rates of developing work-related stress. Most organizations do not take demonstrate a just and fair approach when supporting their workforce and hence equal opportunity in the workplace is just but a myth. With regards to bullying, many people are bullied everyday and this has contri buted to stress-related sicknesses amongst the employees in most organizations. Many employees results to committing suicides as a result of being bullied by others in the workplace. Bullying results to an abuse of position and power and so, it signifies that there is a problem within the organization (Lutgen-Sandvik, Sypher, 2009, 1-3). Many human resource managers fail to intervene early and hence a person tenders his or her resignation or he or she goes off sick (Laura Reese, 2004). Bullying in the workplace occurs in various forms among them blocking developments and job opportunities, being excluded from meetings, malicious actions and rumors, victimizing and undermining employees, setting unrealistic expectations, setting workloads that are unrealistic, setting unachievable timescales among others. As a result of being bullied, a large number of employees suffer from stress and depression and are thus unable to continue serving in the organization. Their mental and physical health as well as their financial circumstances is also affected and hence the notion that equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth (Leka, Griffiths, Cox, 2003, 8). The other aspect that shows that equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth is through discipline and grievance. In many firms, the procedures for handling disciplines and grievances seldom go hand-in-hand. In most cases, the procedures of airing grievances address quite different aspects and thus, the employee’s performance in relation to his or her role is affected. For instance, an employee’s efficiency may be impaired following a long-standing sickness which is exclusively out of his or her control. In many organizations, the overall objective of discipline and grievance is punitive rather than encouraging appropriate behavioral changes so that the employees can improve in their workplaces. Therefore, disciplinary procedures do not help in promoting fairness regarding the way the employees are tr eated in the workplace and hence the notion that equal opportunity in the workplace is just but a myth (Lowenstein, 2001, 7). Also, employees are usually not informed of the complaints against them and so, they are deprived of the opportunity to narrate their cases before certain decisions can be concluded. Most employees are usually dismissed for their first disciplinary offences even if their case does not result to gross misconduct. They are also not provided with an opportunity of appealing and so; equal opportunity in the workplace is just but a myth. Grievance procedures forms important components of human resource processes as they ensure that the employees are given an opportunity of bringing to notice cases where they feel that they have not been treated in a fair manner. Very often, organizations do not consider the grievances that are raised by the employees. With regards to grievance procedures, there are various issues that do not amount to equal opportunities in the wo rkplace such as; many employees lack confidence as far as the grievance system is concerned. The employees do not believe that their issues will be taken into consideration once they raise them before the management. Most people lack confidence as they hold the view that they will get punished as a result of raising their issues and hence the notion those equal opportunities in the workplace are a myth. In many organizations, employees with disabilities do not have an equal access to the grievance procedures as they are not supported. This is so especially where the grievances require being in writing. The situation is even worse as they find it hard to express them in a case where English is not the first language of employees with disability. Therefore, equal opportunity in the workplace is just but a myth (Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, 2008, 6-7). The other reason as to why equal opportunity in the workplace is a myth is the failure by many organizations to embrace the cultu re of performance management. Organizations that fail to embrace the culture of performance management in their workplace do not provided their workforce with an opportunity to work at optimum level. Also many organizations do not set objectives at employee’s level and thus the employee is not rewarded as a result of his or her achievements in the organization (Martinez, 2000, 3-5). Conclusion However, there are few organizations that have ensured that there is equal opportunity in the workplace is a reality and not a myth. For instance, the past few years has seen female workers entering the labor market in larger proportions. Employees with disabilities have also been accorded a level playing field with those who are not disabled. Despite these, most organizations have not fully embraced the culture of equal opportunity in the workplace and therefore, the concept has remained a myth (Nielsen, 2006, 5). Reference List Anderson, T., 2010. Ability Matters: Gaining the Competit ive Edge by Achieving  Diversity in the Workplace. A guide to employing qualified people with disabilities. California: The Arc of California. Kainer, J., 2006.Gendering Union Renewal: Women’s Contributions to Labor  Movement Revitalization. California: Gender and Work Database. Laura, G Reese, A., 2004. Equity in the workplace: gendering workplace policy analysis. California: Lexington Books. Leka, S, Griffiths, A Cox, T., 2003. Work Organizations Stress: Systeatic  Problem Approaches for Employers, Managers and Trade Union Representatives. Issue No.3. Nottingham: University of Nottingham. Lowenstein, D., 2001.Violence in the workplace: American Psychological  Association.  Web. Lutgen-Sandvik, I Sypher, B., 2009. Destructive Organizational  Communication. Nottingham: University of Nottingham. Martinez, J., 2000. Assessing Quality, Outcome and Performance  Management. London: The Institute for Health Sector Development. McKenzie, S Baker, B., 2006. Worldwi de Guide to Termination, Employment  Discrimination, and Workplace Harassment Laws. Available at https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/lawfirms/14/ Nielsen, J., 2006.The leaderless organization. Axminster: Triachy Press. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority., 2008.Discrimination and Diversity  Policy.Vol.1.Issue No.15.EDRMS. Reddy, K., 2007.The Opt-Out Revolution by Women in Management: Myth or? Pretoria: Graduate School of Business Leadership University of South Africa. Weston, P., 2002.Workplace Sabotage. Workplace Bullying: Causes,  Consequences and Corrections. New York: Rouledge, Issue No.2 Vol.5.STP

How To Communicate Effectively With Your Blog Readers

How To Communicate Effectively With Your Blog Readers How about writing your blog posts in a language the majority of your readers dont speak or understand? Yet thats what we bloggers do, sometimes. We write in a way that doesnt communicate well with our readers. Its understandable, really. A  huge communication barrier writers face is that they cant tap into the power of non-verbal communication. We use tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions to evaluate the meaning behind the words. We can tell if someone is being sarcastic, or is disinterested. But when the only communication tool you have is the written word, you have to learn to pull extra weight. Writers must learn to communicate clearly with their blog readers. Thats especially true if they want to keep their blog readers, and want those readers to do something. How To Communicate Effectively With Your #Blog Readers via @JulieNeidlinger1. Don't Assume People Understand Acronyms And Initialisms One of the more helpful habits I picked up as a newspaper reporter was the practice of always writing out the words that make up an acronym before referring to it only with the acronym in the rest of the article. You would include the acronym after the words, in parentheses, alerting the reader that from here on out, you'll just be using the acronym. Example: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Content marketing copy can be full of acronyms. SEO, CTA- heck, I often stumble on a few that I don't know the meaning of. The field is changing so quickly, and buzzwords and phrases develop at a similar rate. I find if I'm not constantly reading blog posts on the topic, I am soon out of the loop. We've had readers who have asked, in the comments, what an acronym meant. They shouldn't have to do that. Even if you're certain your readers know what the acronym is, try to write it out the first mention so they don't have to feel stupid for not knowing. Don't make your readers guess what your acronyms mean. #blogging2. Don't Make Your Reader Feel Stupid I mention the importance of defining acronyms because they are a part of the way we make our readers feel stupid. This is not a good thing. We can make blog readers feel stupid by assuming they have the backstory, the background knowledge- it's being in a group and realizing you're the only one who doesn't get the inside joke. Don't assume your #blog readers know your backstory. It can alienate them from reading your content.You can help your blog reader avoid feeling stupid without having to re-explain yourself every time you blog by providing links to past posts that will help provide better background. We often include "recommended reading" or "for further reading" boxes in posts at appropriate places in the content. This way,  the reader has a kind of organized guided tour of the content that will bring them up to speed. Recommended Reading: The Communication Barriers You Put In Front Of Your Reader Whatever you can do to make your blog reader feel safe about asking or finding the information to fill in the blank spots will help you retain the reader in the long run. 3. Stop Over-Communicating For some of us, the fear of not communicating causes us to over-communicate. Why tell a story in five sentences when you can tell it in five paragraphs? I know this problem well, believe me. When trying to make a point, I want to be sure I hammer it home, and instead of using one concise example, I figure about ten will do. Sometimes explaining isn't necessary and weighs down the message. Over-explaining isn't necessary nearly every time. This can be true in both your blog copy as well as your responses on social media or in blog comments. Never complain. Never explain. - Katharine Hepburn The Brains On Fire blog shared a few tips to avoid over-communicating and, true to the point, they did not mince words: Wait. Don't respond immediately if you're involved in a conversation. Sleep on it. Time provides a new perspective. Figure out your one thing. If you were only allowed to say one thing, what would it be? Embrace silence. Silence is only uncomfortable for those who have not taken the time to understand it. Breathe. Don't fill the air with talking and noise. Don't fill the screen with meaningless words. Allow you and your reader to breathe. 4. Use Imagery That Has A  Purpose Content marketers know the drill: Have a hero image with all content because images will get noticed and shared more. Unfortunately, that can lead to sloppy image choices just to have an image. Ask yourself if the image or images you are going to use serve a purpose: Does the image contradict the message of the content in any way? Does the image help illustrate the message of the content? Am I using too many images in my copy? Images that contradict what the post is about are like clickbait headlines. They lie. They annoy readers. Your images should support your copy without distracting and making it difficult to read. Images should support your content  without distracting. #blogging5. Emotion Is For The Reader To Feel Because you do not have the ability to show your reader the emotion you are feeling through your facial expressions or tone of voice, you have a bit more work to do to get them to feel the emotion you want from them. Think of a movie or show that makes you tear up. The music, the dialogue, the way the characters are behaving- these all help cue up sad feelings. When I write this post, I can tell you up and down that there's a soundtrack in a minor key playing, but it won't help. So I have to use words that trigger particular feelings. In the March 25, 2015, edition of the Wall Street Journal, an article highlighted how the words used on restaurant menus were aimed at attracting male or female diners. "The word 'hearty' is not a good thing for a woman," she says, "but it's a great thing for a man." Meanwhile, a dish described as "delicate" is likely to be a turnoff to a man craving meat. If a menu describes a meat entree by naming specific animal parts, it is apt to sound gory and unappetizing to many women, Dr. Capaldi Phillips says. Like a space-starved tweet on Twitter, the restaurant menus have to find the words that stir the emotion in the diner. They can't waste space and time telling the diner how they will feel if they eat it. You can tell your blog reader she should feel really good and excited about  your blog post, but telling people how to feel is the best way to get them to feel... nothing. Even if you feel excited, your copy won't necessarily translate that well without work. The reader feels the emotion, not you. Don't tell her how to feel. #bloggingThe reader feels the emotion, not you. Don't tell her how to feel. 6.  Approach  Your Thesis Honestly In most cases, your blog posts begin with a thesis or problem, and then the rest sets about solving or supporting that thesis. Lack of research and logical fallacies can become a problem in some posts that  are contentiously asserting a strong opinion or plan of action. Logical fallacies crop up everywhere online, particularly in heated discussions among random people. When you have a lot riding on proving your point, it's easy to take any shot you can, even if it's a low shot. Frankly, I slip into logical fallacies all the time. Periodically reading about them and practicing the identification of them is helpful to me in my own writing as well as spotting them elsewhere. There are so many of these logical fallacies, and they are so common online and on TV (just watch any episode of The Daily Show) that we are used to hearing them to the point that they become a way we think. They often sound clever and we struggle to contradict or disprove them. When you set out to state a theory and prove a point, be honest about it. If you cannot prove your theory with great research or reasoning, it doesn't mean you can't still write. You simply must write in a way that doesn't try to insinuate and insist that your theory is solid. Avoid logical fallacies to build credible content. #bloggingThe more concrete data you have to back up your thesis  (and the ability to interpret that data accurately), the better. If you're not a data junkie, though, you can still write. The difference will be in the ability to say "green is the best color" or "green is the color I prefer". 7. Clarity Is For More Than Just Diamonds Clarity is the god of writing. Clearly stating your goal. Clearly stating your thesis. Clearly telling your reader what to do. Clearly proving a point. Clearly summing up research and outside links for the reader who decides to trust and not verify. Do you know what the best indicator is for a blog post that won't get to the point? It's a blog post where you don't actually know the point. One of the nice things about using as a team is that there is the ability to discuss and comment on the idea of the post before it actually goes into draft. That way, I know before I write where I am headed. Sometimes it veers. Sometimes I can make that work. But I always have an end goal in mind to work toward. "I'm gonna write about writing" is not a useful thought to have in mind when headed into a 2,000 word blog post. Clarity is achieved through great editing, great language- all of the usual suspects- but it's also heavily reliant on a close-ended idea. You know where you want to go. You write in that direction. You get there. 8. Think Of Reader's Digest Reader's Digest has been popular for more than  80 years. While it might not make prestigious lists, this little magazine has made its way into homes for almost a century and has brought with it stories and articles of all types. I grew up in a house that received Reader's Digest, and I would read it cover to cover, from when I was young until I was an adult. How did this magazine communicate so well across such a broad range of readers? According to Internet Evangelism Today, you can break down their success as follows: It is written at the level of a 13-year-old, but does not talk down to adults. It has a high percentage of stories that are about people. These stories are told dramatically, and use plenty of quoted speech. It addresses practical problems (felt needs), helping improve people's lives. There is humor mixed in with serious articles. How can you use this in your own blog content? Can you add people into your posts through testimonials or anecdotes? Are you addressing practical problems? Do you have a little humor mixed in? People like people. People like solutions to problems. People like to laugh. Simple as that. How Will You Communicate Better With Your Blog Readers? This is by no means the end-all list of how to communicate with readers in your writing, and you might not even put all of them to use in one post. I'm willing to bet many of you have your own tricks and tips. What do you consider to be the most problematic writing technique that keeps readers from latching onto content? And, what do you think is the best way to communicate with your blog readers? As a reader myself, I choke on posts that seem too similar or too salesy. I want to feel that what I am reading is genuine and not contrived for my benefit. I don't want to feel stupid and, consequently, excluded. I want to feel like I'm reading a blog where I belong, where the author is talking to people like me. These tips are just a few ways I try to do that in my own writing.

The Customer-Service Agent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Customer-Service Agent - Essay Example Bill Ryan who acts as a customer-service representative or agent in an online marketplace that is owned by the renowned eBay Inc., an internet auction company, it can be stated that the day diary does not include sufficient information. The day diary only depicted limited job responsibilities of a customer-service agent i.e. Mr. Ryan within the online marketplace settings. Moreover, the day diary did not provide a detailed understanding about the core functions as well as the essential qualifications of a customer-service agent. According to the article which deals with Mr. Ryan, the information of the work as well as the activities which he performed acting as a customer-service agent in an online marketplace is quite useful. This article would largely support the different customer-service agents working in dissimilar organizations to get an inclusive along with a systematic job description particularly of a customer-service agent. In relation to the usefulness of the information which is mentioned in the article, it can be stated that the article broadly emphasized upon valuing the demands of the customers by a considerable extent. Moreover, the article also revealed the information that it is quite necessary to settle the arising disputes of the customers for the motive of accomplishing significant returns. In addition, the article also affirmed the valuable information that a customer-service agent should remain calm and composed when the buyers or the customers are upset due to their any kind of dissa tisfaction relating with the products. There lies the requirement of certain extra information as the day diary does not encompass sufficient information about the detailed functions or responsibilities of a customer-service agent. Moreover, the day diary does not describe the qualifications of a customer-service agent in order to execute their various assigned job tasks. In this regard, the other core

Analysis of a management practitioner article using relevant Essay

Analysis of a management practitioner article using relevant organisational behaviour theory - Essay Example Taylor to a certain extent stressed that just monetary reward will motivate workers to perform better. Even though production dramatically increased, resentment and anger towards management ran high. The biggest impact that changed the outlook of the management world was the Hawthorne Studies (1923 - 1933), which indirectly established that workers motivate to other factors other than money and that they will perform better when they are appreciated. From then on theories that specifically stressed employee behaviour emerged. There is a marked difference in the approaches of the early theorists, and modern thinkers. While the early theories stressed that workers were motivated by money and that there were no conflict of interest between the goals of the workers and the organization. Now it is universally recognized that organizations are social entities and not just economic ones, workers are not motivated by money alone, there can exist conflict of interest between the employees' and organizational goals, employees need not always behave logically and existence of informal groups affect employee behaviour. "These studies added much to our knowledge of human behaviour in organizations and created pressure for management to change the traditional ways of managing human resources. The Human Relations Movement pushed managers toward gaining participative support of lower levels of the organization in solving organization problems. The Movement also fostered a more open and trusting environment and a greater emphasis on groups rather than just individuals" (Wertheim). A theory known as Theory Z has incorporated American and Japanese Management practices was propounded by Mr. William Ouchi in 1981. The salient points of this theory is efforts to provide long term employment, a hand in decision making, individual responsibility in the place of collective responsibility, slow evaluation of work and slow promotion and a concern toward the not only the employee but his family as well. "In 1981, William Ouchi came up with a method that would combine American and Japanese managing practice together to form Theory Z. In order for him to accomplish this, he had to learn about the Japanese culture. He had to find out why the Japanese quality and productivity were much higher than the American" (Colon). Literature review Organisational behaviour is the study of the behaviour of the human resources and its impact on the organisation. "Organisational Behaviour (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations" (Organisational behaviour. 2007). Organisational behaviour is the sum total of the behaviour of the employees in the organisation. The attitude of the management has great influence over the organisational behaviour. A better interpersonal relationship is very essential for a better organisational be