The Cold War Essay examples - 2552 Words

The Cold War When World War II in Europe finally came to an end on May 7, 1945, a new war was just beginning. The Cold War: denoting the open yet restricted rivalry that developed between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, a war fought on political, economic, and propaganda fronts, with limited recourse to weapons, largely because of fear of a nuclear holocaust.1 This term, The Cold War, was first used by presidential advisor Bernard Baruch during a congressional debate in 1947. Intelligence operations dominating this war have been conducted by the Soviet State Security Service (KGB) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), representing the two power blocs, East and West respectively,†¦show more content†¦This organization had fallen into the disfavor of many involved in the federal administration at this time. This included the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), J. Edgar Hoover, who did not like competition from a rival intelligence organization. With the death of Roosevelt in April of 1945, the OSS was disbanded under Truman and departments were either relocated or completely dissolved. Soviet intelligence began with the formation of the Cheka, secret police, under Feliks Dzerzhinsky at the time of the revolution. By 1946, this agency had evolved into the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), and the Ministry of State Security (MGB) both ruled by Lavrenti Beria. This man was undoubtedly the most powerful man in the Soviet Union with a vast empire of prison camps, and informants to crush any traces of dissent. Of considerable importance to Beria was the race for the atomic bomb. The Soviet Union and the United States both plundered the German V-2 rocket sites for materials and personnel. In 1946 the MVD was responsible for the rounding up of 6000 scientists from the Soviet zone of Germany and taking them and their dependents to the Soviet Union.2 The political conflicts of the 1930s and World War II left many educated people with the impression that only communism could combat economic depression and fascism. It was easy for Soviet agents to recruit men who wouldShow MoreRelatedThe War Of The Cold War1644 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cold War was a state of political and military tension stemming from World War II fought primarily between the United States and the Soviet Union. Although the start and end dates of the Cold War are frequently disputed over, it is generally accepted that the conflict started at the conclusion of the Second World War and stemmed from the social climate and lingering tensions in Europe and the increasing power struggles between the Soviet Union and the United States. Along with economic separationRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War Essay1525 Words   |  7 PagesOne major war ended and another to begin. The Cold war lasted about 45 years. There were no direct military campaigns between the United States and Soviet Union. However, billions of dollars and millions of lives were lost. The United States emerged as the greatest power from World War 2. (Give Me Liberty 896) The country boasted about having the most powerful navy and air force. The United states accounted for about half of the world’s manufacturing capacity, which it alone created the atomic bombRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War757 Words   |  4 PagesAs tensions continued to augment profoundly throughout the latter half of the Cold War period, they brought forth a movement from a previous bipolar conflicting course, to one of a more multipolar nature. These tensions were now not only restricted to the Soviet Union and United states, but amongst multiple other nations of the globe. It became a general consensus that a notion of ‘peace’ was sought globally, hence, the emergence of dà ©tente. The nature of this idea in the short term conveyed itselfRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe U.S. learned greatly after having been declared the victor of the Cold War. Retired four-star U.S. Army general Colin Powell said, â€Å"The long bitter years of the Col d War are over. America and her allies have won; totally, decisively, and overwhelmingly† (Reed 343). The Cold War started after World War II in 1947 and ended in 1991. The U.S. underwent a political war with the Soviet Union in hopes of advancing more rapidly in certain fields, such as nuclear weapons and space crafts. Avoiding nuclearRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War886 Words   |  4 Pagesin an infamous battle against ideologies: The Cold War. Even though war took place during this time, both powers were not involved in battle directly, hence the name cold war. The war mainly consisted of assumed and implied threats of nuclear attacks and political control over states in Europe. Even before 1945, the beginning of the Cold War, tension brewed between the U.S and the U.S.S.R. Both sides had differing views on Europe s state after the war. For instance, programs like the Marshall PlanRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War961 Words   |  4 Pages1945, beginning year of the Cold Wa r. The development of cold war just started after the end of world War ||. The cold war was the result of conflict between two powerful country Soviet Union and United State. The war was regarding to the lead the world after the World War ||. The Soviet Union wanted to emerge its power to the world and so do the United States too. The research paper mainly focused on various reasons of opposition of two great power of the world Soviets and United States of AmericaRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War Essay1075 Words   |  5 PagesDuring World War II, the United States, Britain, and Russia all worked together to take down Hitler. Although after the war, the coordination between the U.S. and Russia became extremely tense which inevitably lead to the Cold War. The U.S. was worried that Russia would spread communism after World War II. Russia was concerned with the U.S. arms increase and intervention in international affairs. The distrust between the two nations resulted in the Cold war wh ich lasted until 1991. In 1946, WinstonRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War1052 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cold War was a result of what happened at the end of World War 2. At the end of World War 2, the Soviets held a grudge against the U.S for their delayed entrance in the World War resulting in deaths of thousands of Russians resulting in the appearance of the Cold War .The Cuban Missile Crisis was a significant flashpoint in the Cold War because it was the moment two superpowers came closest to nuclear conflict. This crisis, while posing the very real threat of global annihilation, also led toRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War1737 Words   |  7 Pages Cold War The Cold War, which is often dated from 1945 to 1989, was a constant state of political and military tension between powers in the West, dominated by the United States with NATO among its allies, and powers in the East, dominated by the Soviet Union along with the Warsaw Pact. The development of Nuclear Weapons and long range shooting missiles by the United States gave a lot of fear and caused mass destruction. The Cold War came about after World War II when America used their atomic bombsRead MoreThe War Of The Cold War1123 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cold War consist of tensions between the Soviets and the U.S. vying for dominance, and expansion throughout the world. Their complete different ideologies and vision of the postwar prevented them from working together. Stalin wants to punish Germany and make them pay outrageous sum of money for reparation. However, Truman has a different plan than Stalin. Truman believes that industrialization and democracy in Germany and throughout th e world would ensure postwar stability. Stalin also wanted

The Language Of Silence By Maxine Hong Kingston - 1249 Words

Language is much more than a method of communication. Permeated within it are traditions, customs, and legacies of one’s culture. The identity of an entire population is in the distinct vocalizations of their native language. Unfortunately, as a wave of immigrants enters the United States at young ages, many face language barriers that pose significant challenges. Language barriers affect a multitude of immigrant populations to different degrees. This, in turn, causes many of them to abandon not only their native tongue but a piece of their ethnic identity, as well. In Maxine Hong Kingston’s personal narrative,â€Å"The Language of Silence,† she describes the difficulties she experienced throughout her childhood with a language barrier as a†¦show more content†¦Spanish is my native language, however, my mother advised my siblings and I to speak only English. This was because she was afraid that we would be rejected from professional careers if our Englis h wasn t unaccented, fluent, and similar in refinement to the working class whites. With time, I became a fluent English speaker with a developed Central American accent but like, any other young girl, I thought nothing of it. That is until one event, in particular, occurred that would cast a shadow of embarrassment onto my Spanish language. This event not only led me to desert my entire native language but a sense of my cultural identity, as well. Every afternoon, my mother would take my siblings and I down to the community park. It was a tradition of sorts. The leaves on the trees were brown, only days past Halloween. I sat under the dappled afternoon sun and played in the sand. On this particular day, however, a young girl approached me. Confused, I offered her a friendly smile but was, instead, greeted by the sand she kicked in my direction. Once my mother took notice of this, she came forward and placed a hand over the young girl’s leg without physically touching her. †Stop,† she said. With this one word, the girl ran off. After a minute or so, an older woman approached my mother and I, with a string of curse words. It was the parent of the girl from earlier. Her husband attemptedShow MoreRelatedThe Language Of Silence By Jimmy Santiago Baca And Maxine Hong Kingston788 Words   |  4 Pagesspecific language? Ever been in a situation where you felt no one could understand you? Do you remember how it made you feel in that moment? Imagine feeling that way all the time; alone, isolated, and misunderstood. Jimmy Santiago Baca and Maxine Hong Kingston do a great job of conveying these feelings in their articles. In the article â€Å"Coming into Language†, Jimmy Santiago tells his story as a troubled young man who never saw the value in reading and writing. And in the article â€Å"The Language of Silence†Read MoreCommunication And Silence In Maxine Hong Kingstons The Woman Warrior1609 Words   |  7 Pagesat a committee meeting? You are a drone† (Cain 189). Though the world today certainly knows of Gandhi, his peers once saw him as a drone as a result of his silence. Cultures linked with silence can conflict with other, more vocal cultures: a prominent example is the silence of Asia in contrast with the openness of America. Maxine Hong Kingston delves into this clash in her 1976 memoir The Woman Warrior, throughout which a young, insecure girl develops a voice of he r own, gaining an increased appreciationRead MoreReflection on Readings Using Comparison and Contrast Maxine Hong Kingston (Tongue Tied); Richard Rodriguez (Aria); Gloria Anzaldua (How to Tame a Wild Tongue)1358 Words   |  6 Pagestheir own language, thus, emphasizing onto the lives of linguistic minority students around the world and how they struggle to cope in school and at home. Audience: Class HUM-111 and Dr. Connelly Purpose: To highlight the difficulties students have at school and at home when it comes down to learning a language which they aren’t acquainted to and the consequences of such, depending on their social background. Reflection on readings using Comparison and Contrast Maxine Hong Kingston (TongueRead MoreMaxine Hong Kingston By Maxine Kong1199 Words   |  5 Pages Maxine Hong Kingston prides herself on her personal strength and character, as well as the ability she developed to assert herself into a culture that is not accepting of her differences. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants living in the US, she was tasked with living a double life, straddling the line between her traditional Chinese upbringing and the environment outside of her home in 1960’s California. She was in many ways a perfectly normal and intelligent child. Through her writing sheRead MoreThe Woman Warrior By Maxine Hong Kingston Essay1557 Words   |  7 PagesRichard Potter ENC 1939 16 November 2016 The Woman Warrior Language is a system of communication used by humans either written or spoken to communicate our thoughts and feelings. Our thoughts and feelings we want to communicate to our loved ones, to our friends, to people we work with or go to school with and even to strangers. Maxine Hong Kingston in her memoir The Woman Warrior explores language and the use of language to express what Kingston finds as several conflicts. The conflict of the immigrantRead MoreAmerican Ethnic Literature Differs From American Literature1378 Words   |  6 Pagesconsidered to determine which category is fitting. American ethnic authors include immigrants who have arrived in the United States and become a citizen or first-generation Americans. American ethnic authors write in English, but sometimes use original language and speech. American ethnic literature often depicts life before America, as well life after arriving. American ethnic literature is important because citizens of all nationalities can s hare and learn about different backgrounds. Many ethnic authorsRead MoreOn Mother-Daughter Relationship in the Women Warrior6552 Words   |  27 Pagesdetails 2.1 Analysis of the relationship between mother and daughter in details The arts are used to address both aesthetic and serious societal issues such as Maxine Hong Kingston s The Woman Warrior, the story of a woman s struggle with identity as a minority in American culture. The Woman Warrior was written by Maxine Hong Kingston and published by Vintage Books in 1975. It is semi-autobiographical, incorporating many elements of fiction. In any case, her work stands as an example of postmodernismRead MoreNo Name Woman By Maxine Hong Kingston1046 Words   |  5 PagesChinese-American, Maxine Hong Kingston is familiar with this dilemma. In her piece â€Å"No Name Woman†, Kingston explores this struggle by sharing the tragic story of her aunt’s pregnancy. Within her piece, she journalistically reports her aunt’s story in her mother’s words and fictionally narrates some of her aunt’s possible behaviors because of its lack of detail. She also explains several Chinese customs and reflects on how they have impacted her. By combining several established modes of writing, Kingston providesRead More Comparing the Role of the Ghost in Morrisons Beloved and Kingstons No Name Woman972 Words   |  4 PagesThe Symbolic Role of the Gho st in Morrisons Beloved and Kingstons No Name Woman The eponymous ghosts which haunt Toni Morrisons Beloved and Maxine Hong Kingstons No Name Woman (excerpted from The Woman Warrior) embody the consequence of transgressing societal boundaries through adultery and murder. While the wider thematic concerns of both books differ, however both authors use the ghost figure to represent a repressed historical past that is awakened in their narrative retelling of theRead MoreAnalysis Of Maxine Hong Kingstons The Woman Warrior1229 Words   |  5 Pagesthemselves as the Other. The immigrant’s struggle to find and understand their identity is seen throughout the works of many writers and artists, such as Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior, which depicts her struggle of understanding how she had ignored her own culture in order to attempt to fit in American society. Within her memoir, Kingston often depicts the concealment of her Chinese culture as an attempt to fit in and not be seen as the immigrant Chinese girl. Part of her motivation to conceal

Throsel-Teskey Drilling free essay sample

Lack of synergies from purchasing Difficult to standardize completely with one supplier because of specific needs Suppliers experienced delivery problems and extended lead-time resulting from demand increase Bottlenecks occurred on equipment and employee How to achieve the target that shareholders expect 25% return on capital? How to renew the awkward information system? How to update inventory records to get timely data? How to reduce inventory levels of the company? Tasks: ? What should Alison do? Develop plans to improve the inventory management o Develop time-based supply strategies to bring competitive advantages to the organization ? Identify the functions and forms of inventory ? What are alternatives for inventory management? o ABC classification o Supplier-managed inventories (SMI) o Just-on-time or Just-in-time (JIT) o Enhance the forecasting system (factor correlated with inventory variation) ? Provide training programs for current and new hiring employees 1 ? Improve info rmation and management systems o Implement a new ERP system to provide accurate, timely data; reinvestigate MRP system What are root causes for inventory variance? 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Throsel-Teskey Drilling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page How to motivate employees after the merger? 3. What management approaches will lead two different supply organizations work well together? Actions: ? Recommend John to develop systematical educational programs ? Improve forecasting systems to in turn eliminate inventory variance o Incorporate qualitative and quantitative forecasting techniques o Collaborate planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) ? Inventory control o Assign a special staff to update inventory records as soon as possible o Determine order quantities and inventory levels; analyze related costs o Reduce in inventories investment; then lower inventory holding, handling, and disposal costs o Consider what service level is appropriate for buffer or safety stocks ? Evaluate the inventory levels with respect to flexibility, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction ? Develop Kanban control techniques Results: ? If improve forecasting system o Provide more accurate data to inventory replenishment o Help the company to make good decisions. Ex. How many materials to be purchased? ? If adopt new inventory management system o Inventories are kept at a minimum level; improve inventory turnover o Better control on inventory process and capability o Suppliers take over inventory responsibility and ownership o Reduce lead times and costs o Consolidating inventory management.

On Cultural Relativism and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) free essay sample

A critical analysis of the interaction of Western cultures social values and the practice of female circumcision. This paper discusses the theory of cultural relativism as it relates to gender and sexuality from an anthropological cross-cultural perspective. It discusses how the Western perspective, as the dominant culture, defines the experiences of women who have experienced FGM in certain ways, namely in terms of Western medical discourse. This definition neglects to address the subjective experience of the women and how they define themselves and their own experience, thus giving an incomplete picture of the socio-cultural framework in which FGM takes place. Included also is a discussion of the problems of applying sociological theory to the intricacy of real-world human affairs. From the paper: Cultural relativism states that what is morally good and bad is collectively defined by the people in a culture, and therefore there is no objective way to judge between cultures. We will write a custom essay sample on On Cultural Relativism and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thus, an act in one culture that seems barbaric to an outsider such as female circumcision cannot be thus judged, because the outsider has his own value system that is not relevant to the culture. In this paper, I will examine the theoretical and ideological underpinnings of this perspective, the problems that arise when it is applied to actual cultural diversity, and alternative ways of looking at the space between cultures. I will specifically investigate the controversial topic of female genital mutilation, and explore the problems involved in approaching the practice from outside the culture it is practiced in.

Jerry Garcia essays

Jerry Garcia essays Jerome John Garcia was born on August 1st 1942 in San Francisco. His father was a swing musician named Jose, and his mother was a nurse named Ruth. At four years old, Garcia lost the middle finger from his right hand when his older brother chopped it off with an axe while the boys were splitting wood. A year later, Jerry watched as his father drowned while they were out fishing. His grandparents then raised him while his mother worked. In 1957 he received his first guitar for his 15th birthday and began taking classes for painting at a nearby college. Garcia played a little country, jazz, folk, blues and whatever else appeased him. Garcia dropped out of high school in 1960 and enlisted in the Army. He didn't really last long because he was stationed in San Francisco so he often would sneak off base and go jam with his friends. Garcia was discharged from the Army after receiving 2 court marshals and 8 AWOLs. For a while, Garcia and a poet named Robert Hunter teamed up to cre ate some music. Later, Hunter would become the main lyricist for the Grateful Dead. Garcia spent all of his time in Dana Morgan's Music store in Palo Alto, San Francisco. This is also where Jerry met Pigpen (Ron McKernan). Jerry and Pigpen played together as early as 1961 and continued to play together for the next 11 years. At first, they had an acoustic jug band, but by1965, Pigpen was able to convince Jerry to put an electric band together called the Warlocks. They used that name throughout 1965, until they realized another band already had that name. That's when Jerry opened up the dictionary and found the words The Grateful Dead. Both of them pretty much lived life on the wild side and Palo Alto was definitely the place for them. Ken Kesey was there along with LSD experiments that were going on at both Stanford University and at Menlo Park. In 1964, Jerry took LSD for the first time when Robert Hunter told Jerry he had to try it. Si...

Free Essays on School Rules

In the book The Battle for History, John Keegan, talks of the many different views on World War II. He takes into account other historical works such as Robert M. Kennedy’s The German Campaign in Poland, Christopher Duffy’s Red Storm on the Reich, The Struggle for Europe by Chester Wilmot and many others. He has already analyzed these other works. He has summarized the authors’ major points and used them to support his own theory, although Keegan’s theory about the written history of the war is quite unclear. The only theory that I could derive, is that â€Å"[it] has not yet been written.† (30) What does he mean by this? The works cited in the back of the book number over one hundred fifty. Numerous references are made to the works of other authors. Keegan does not seem to tell anything from his perspective, but state what he has read. All good and well considering this is history, but are the past events so clearly set in stone? Keegan seems to br ing up questions throughout the book such as: did Roosevelt know of the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened? â€Å"There have also been explorations of the allegation that Roosevelt had foreknowledge but chose not to act on it, as a means of bringing the United States into the Second World War on the anti-Axis side.† (17) Keegan does not do much to answer these questions, simply brings them into the picture. The book gives no feel of ending or resolution to most of the questions he brings about. Maybe this was his purpose. Topics in the book up from one place to another. In one paragraph Keegan may be discussing the use of the Enigma, a commercial cipher machine; in the next Keegan might begin discussing the use of U-boats. Although there is some logical flow through the book, for the most part the subjects are jumpy, causing the work to be choppy and cluttered babbling. It seems like the author is trying to squeeze as much as he can into as few pages as possible. Keega n does, how... Free Essays on School Rules Free Essays on School Rules In the book The Battle for History, John Keegan, talks of the many different views on World War II. He takes into account other historical works such as Robert M. Kennedy’s The German Campaign in Poland, Christopher Duffy’s Red Storm on the Reich, The Struggle for Europe by Chester Wilmot and many others. He has already analyzed these other works. He has summarized the authors’ major points and used them to support his own theory, although Keegan’s theory about the written history of the war is quite unclear. The only theory that I could derive, is that â€Å"[it] has not yet been written.† (30) What does he mean by this? The works cited in the back of the book number over one hundred fifty. Numerous references are made to the works of other authors. Keegan does not seem to tell anything from his perspective, but state what he has read. All good and well considering this is history, but are the past events so clearly set in stone? Keegan seems to br ing up questions throughout the book such as: did Roosevelt know of the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened? â€Å"There have also been explorations of the allegation that Roosevelt had foreknowledge but chose not to act on it, as a means of bringing the United States into the Second World War on the anti-Axis side.† (17) Keegan does not do much to answer these questions, simply brings them into the picture. The book gives no feel of ending or resolution to most of the questions he brings about. Maybe this was his purpose. Topics in the book up from one place to another. In one paragraph Keegan may be discussing the use of the Enigma, a commercial cipher machine; in the next Keegan might begin discussing the use of U-boats. Although there is some logical flow through the book, for the most part the subjects are jumpy, causing the work to be choppy and cluttered babbling. It seems like the author is trying to squeeze as much as he can into as few pages as possible. Keega n does, how...

Sociology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology - Assignment Example Knowledge of sociology also helps the career pursuer. One pursuing a career, regardless of the career field, should be aware of how humans interact. This is true since almost every career goal requires a certain type of human interactions. Positive human interaction can mean a successful career. Every individual has their own political and economic philosophies. These philosophies are important to consider. Sociology teaches how others make decisions. Becoming a dental hygienist involves the use of economic decisions. One may choose to become a dental hygienist for the income level. The income level of a dental hygienist allows the one pursuing the career to reach a mid income level and become a part of the sociological class of individuals that receive moderate income. Individuals in a mid class income level are not considered wealthy but have plenty of money to get by and take care of a family. These individuals also are likely to share similar political beliefs since they will sha re the same struggles. Learning sociology has helped to learn which career goals will bring in certain income levels and which groups of people are associated with certain income levels. Although not everyone is the same, knowledge of sociology helps create an image of certain classes of individuals.

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Study - Essay Example Additionally, the educational, training or developmental factor is also expressed within this forecast. Training for law enforcement personnel is an important process in mitigating future forecasts of computer crimes (Richard & Roussev, 2009). This is due to the fact that training will provide police officers and crime investigators with skills and knowledge of detecting and mitigating crimes in digital communication in an efficient manner. More importantly, professionals within the legal system must be trained to ensure effective application of the rule of law as related to digital crime and terrorism and as a result prevent occurrence of these crimes in future and mitigate future forecasts. Second Forecast The second forecast predicts that internet or digital fraud via electronic media which emanate from the theft of user identity by system attackers will be the largest and most significant of the computer crimes. This forecast is reflective of computer security issue in which the privacy and confidentiality of personal and private data is accessed by attackers of computer systems through loopholes in the internet communication. This can be exemplified by the hacking into financial systems and accessing credit card information of customers which leads to unauthorized access to their accounts by the system attackers (Ionescu, Irea & Blajan, 2011). Monetary loss is the major issue or factor which is represented within the second forecast. This forecast is important to the law enforcement departments, agencies and systems because it motivates them to put preventative measures of reducing the incidence of digital fraud. This can be achieved through strict enforcement of the law against digital fraudsters. Third Forecast The third forecast is predictive of more advanced digital crime and terrorism which involve virtual attacks of computing systems. The forecast specifically predicts that the advancement of computer networking systems such as social networking site s will cause virtual crimes to grow at a faster rate as compared to previous periods when computer networking was less advanced. The networking factor is expressed as the cause of the predicted growth of virtual crimes which are forms of hybrid computer crime. This form of crime can be illustrated by the psychological warfare which is mediated by electronic communication and internet based exchanges among individuals and groups (Agustina & Insa, 2011). It is apparent that this forecast acts as an important consideration of the law enforcement system because of the need to design and implement laws which are concerned with dealing with virtual crimes. Fourth Forecast The fourth forecast on the future trends in digital crime and terrorism is reflective of its advancement to the developing nations. The forecasters predict that the future of electronic communication and computer systems in developing countries will be characterized by the emergence of system attackers and hacker groups. The factors which are considered as the motivation for the forecast future trends include religious, economic and political intentions for digital crime and digital terrorism. This form of digital crime can be exemplified by terrorist groups who hack into computer systems within security department to illegally acquire intelligent cables and use them for organizing their terrorist activities (Lim,

Police System In Japan Essay Example for Free

Police System In Japan Essay In Japan, police system generally enjoy wide community support and respect. The system, so called keisatsu seido consists of approximately 220,000 police officers who are organized into prefectural forces coordinated and partially controlled by the National Police Agency in Tokyo. Concerning the historical development, during the Edo period we are talking about the years 1600 1868 here, the Tokugawa Shogunate ( the form of those days governing the country ) developed elaborate police system based on town magistrates who held samurai status and served as chiefs of police, prosecutors and criminal judges. The system was extended by citizens  ´s groups such as five-family associations ( gonin gumi ) . These groups were composed of neighbours, collectively liable to the government for the activities of their membership. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the main change in the whole Japanese history, the Home Ministry was established in 1873. With jurisdiction over the Police Bureau, it effectively controlled the police. This new, centralized police system had wide-ranging responsibilities, includng the authority to issue ordinances and handle quasi-judicial functions. It also regulated public health, factories, constructions, businesses and issued permits, licenses and orders. In 1911 the Special Higher Police was established to help control proscribed political activities. Later in 1928 it was strengthened with the introduction of the Peace Preservation Law. When the Sino-Japanese War began in 1937, the police were given the added responsibilities of regulating business activities for the war efforts, mobilizing labour and controlling transportatioon. Also regulation of publications, motion pictures, political meetings, and election campaigns came under police direction. After World War II, Japan as a defeated country was under strong pressure and influence mainly from the U.S., on all branches of life, including the police system. The National Diet the highest organ of state power was required to enact a new Police Law. This 1947 law abolished the previous  Home Ministry. It decentralized the system by establishing about 1,600 independent municipal police forces in all cities and towns with population of over 5,000 smaller communities. These were served by the newly created National Rural Police. General contol of the police was supposed to be ensured by the establishment of civilian public safety commissions. As to present structure, today the Japanese police system is based on prefectural units that are autonomous in daily operations yet are linked nationalwide under the National Police Agency. Prefectural police headquarters, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, control everyday police operations in each prefecture. In effect, the prefectures pay for the patrol man on the beat, traffic control over domestic security units, which are funded by the national government, as are the salaries of senior national and prefectural police officials. Prefectures are divided into districts, each with its own police station under direct control of prefectural police headquarters. There are about 1,250 of these police stations nationwide. Districts are further subdivided into jurisdictions of urban police boxes ( koban ) and rural residential police boxes ( chuzaisho). The mainstay of the Japanese police system is the uniformed patrol officer (omawari san ). The patrol officers supply the police boxes and patrol cars and comprised 40 percent of al incidents and crimes and then move them to the specialized units for further investigation. The sphere of police resposibilities remains broad. Besides solving ordinary crimes, criminal investigators establish the causes of fires and industrial accidents. Crime prevention police hold added responsibility for juveniles, businesses and the enforcement of special laws regulating gun and sword ownership, drugs, smuggling, prostitution, pornography and industrial pollution. Public safety commissions usually defer to police decisions. Police contact with the community is extended by the requirement that koban based police visit every home in their jurisdiction to gather information,  pass on suggestions regarding crime prevention and hear complaints. Neighbourhood crime prevention and traffic safety associations provide another link between police and community, further promoting extensive public involvement in law and order.

Illiteracy in America Essay -- Education Reading Writing Essays

Illiteracy in America Walking into a class room full of seniors, one might not suspect that some of the students can not read above a third grade reading level (Mcmaster). In fact one million teenagers from the ages of 12 and 17 do not have the reading ability of a third grader. Literacy among American people is important because it affects our economy greatly. Not only that but it also affects the lives of the American population. Illiteracy is a large problem within the United States that can be reasonably solved using different tactics. Illiteracy is detrimental to any society. First people must know what it is before the problem can be fixed. Illiteracy can be defined as the inability to read or write. Lately illiteracy has been moved up to the ability to comprehend what one reads or writes. There are 40 to 44 million adults alone in the United States that do not have the ability to comprehend words that they are reading. This is an enormous problem that can lead to even more devastating effects. Another step before solving the problem is that one must also know the roots of it. One of the many sources of illiteracy is right in the home. Many parents do not take the time to read to their children when they are at an early age. This introduces them to phonics and reading. It has been proven that children who have had their parents read to them have been known to have higher literary abilities (Sachwitz). Children who start learning about reading at an early age have a head start when they begin to have formal education. This leads to better acceptance of received material which in turn helps for a much better education. Another problem was a program inserted into the schooling system called the â€Å"Who... ...r America to live in. Literacy is a catastrophic problem around the world. With the information age coming in at blazing speeds, literacy is needed among every one in the nation. To solve literacy’s problems must effectively the United States must go the roots of where illiteracy begins. When this starts to happen nation wide, all able will be able to have the ability to read. How else would a nation survive in a literate world with out being literate itself? Works Cited Mcmaster, Scott. â€Å"Illiteracy†. http://bvsd.k12.co.us/schools/cent/Newspaper/dec97/p7/stories/mcmaster.html. December 1997 Roberts, Larry. â€Å"Illiteracy on the Rise in America†. http://www.wsws.org/news/1998/oct1998 /ill-o14.shtml. October 1998. Sachwitz, Jennifer. â€Å"Illiteracy in America: Past, Present, and Future†. http://www.uah.edu/colleges/liberal/education/S1998/jen.html. 1998

Informatics Needs Assessment Essay

The selection of an electronic health record (EHR) is a very important decision that an organization must complete to keep up with today’s technology. An informatics needs assessment is a critical point in the decision-making process for an EHR. (Hebda & Czar, 2013). The needs assessment helps in the selection of an EHR that best fits the needs of the organization. There are basicly four areas that need to be focused on during the needs assessment phase. They include the organization itself, the people who will be involved and use the HER, the financial resources and the technology. We begin our needs assessment by taking a look at the organization. The stakeholders of the organization need to know the readiness of their group. The best way to assess the needs is to have open communication with the physicians, administration, nursing staff, and heads of departments such as radiology, laboratory, and any other ancillary group that will use the EHR. The discussion will be whether to improve processes or improve current computer systems. According to the American Medical Association, the purpose for the needs assessment is to understand what the organization needs to maximize the positive impact of an EHR while minimizing the risks of negative effects. The next thing we will address with the needs assessment is the stakeholders. This will begin as a small committee to include nursing administrator, representatives for the physicians, heads of ancillary departments, hospital administrators that know about financial things and the head of technical support. This committee will facilitate feedback from all involved, and it will create a sense of ownership and involvement in the process. This also helps keep conflict to a minimum and it will also help gather volunteers during the implementation phase. After the initial meeting has set the ground work,  each leader will go back to their department and gather information from staff that will need to be included with the new electronic health record. Some of the things needed will be documentation for the physicians and an easy ordering system. The nurses will need proper documentation that talks with the different sections of the chart, so the nurse only has to enter the information into one screen. The record needs to be communicating with the laboratory and radiology departments for orders and results. All the pertinent information about the patient can be entered and stored safely and privately according to HIPAA regulations. As with any system, financial considerations need to be assessed.

Christian Foundations By: Kathleen Fischer & Thomas Hart Essay

Many people would agree that without faith, the world would be in chaos. The book Christian Foundation by Kathleen Fischer and Thomas Hart gives an interpretation on faith in our time. Many people would question the definition of faith. Faith is a gift, which is given by God to have trust in him and belief in him. This book is a great entry in anyone’s life that has speculation on his or her own faith. The book has many ways into understanding ones own religion. It discusses the Bible, Jesus, Church, God’s existence and Images of God. All of these chapters helped me get a better interpretation of what my religion entailed. To understand God you must first get a decent understanding of the bible. The bible has been translated from the original languages of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. It now exists in every language known to man. It also remains to be the best selling book in the world. In the book they ask the question, â€Å"Why is this book so important?† (Pp. 47). Well to fully understand that question, you have to know what the bible entails. The bible is divided into two major parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word Testament means covenant. Both books are extremely different. However, they both help develop a better understanding of faith. The Old Testament is composed of six historical books, three Major Prophets, twelve Minor Prophets, thirteen writings and seven books of the second canon. These books are all part of a revelation unlike any other. The Old testaments purpose is to give us focus. God wants to reveal what we could never discover on our own. It also gives us heroes who helped believers see that God did exist. One major story, that everyone has probably heard a million times, is the story of Moses. Moses is recognized for the saving of his people from Egypt. The Old Testament also shows how God created the world and how he wants us to act in his world. In the New Testament the main focus is on the four gospels, which take place in the life span of Jesus. It is written by four disciples of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The New Testament focuses on Jesus’ life, how he was sent to be our Savior, his healing miracles and teachings of his father. The first three gospels show a huge resemblance to each other. They  are called â€Å"synoptic gospels†. The book defines this as being able to line them up in parallel columns. The fourth gospel by John has a character of its own. He only has about eight percent of synoptic material. John is set to be the only one of the four to have a distinctive interpretation of Jesus. The book uses this example when John describes Jesus’ washing of the feet at the last supper. John’s description of the last supper goes on for five chapters, enabling him to be the most distinctive. Another great part of this book is the breakdown in the importance of Jesus. Jesus has great significance in religion. To me, Jesus is the key element to understanding religion. He was very different from other heroes in the bible. For Jesus is the essence of a major part of religion’s creation. He has been called other names such as Christ or the Messiah. Jesus was sent by God to deliver us from evil. Through Jesus’ preaching, he stated that he was the reign of God that had been sent to be our savior. He was executed for political charges of Blasphemy by Roman authorities. Blasphemy is claiming the power of God. He was crucified through Pontius Pilate, who was convinced that Jesus was harmless, and gave his people a chance to declare Jesus innocent. Under the pressure of the crowd, Pilate sends Jesus to his death. Jesus was crucified with an inscription over his head that read † Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews†. After his death, he was laid to rest in the tomb of a wealthy friend. The real revelation takes place a few days after his death where he is seen alive by many witnesses and individual groups of people who grieved his passing. People who witnessed his resurrection believe that God raised him from the dead to be glorified, and that his message was to be preached to the ends of the earth. Jesus’ death was an act of love that represents his final testimony to his trust in the faithful and loving God he proclaimed as his father. The beginning of church is said to have risen from the resurrection of Jesus. In fact after the Pentecost, the disciples were celebrating the blessing given to Moses at Mount Sinai in which he experienced the presence of God. After this experience, the disciples were believed to be bold, understanding and Courageous. These characteristics till this day are still celebrated on Pentecost Sunday and are used for the sacrament of Confirmation, which is  receiving the responsibility of a Christian and accepting the Holy Spirit. Church has been the backbone of people’s faith. It has given them a comforting home to pray and be one with God. Today, however, more people are practicing faith outside the church. The majority of followers believe in God and life after death, however, many have lack of interest in the church. Church must be looked as a community of disciples. The book uses a suggestion from a Roman Catholic theologian Avery Dulles. He suggests, â€Å"that most appropriate image of the church for our times is the church as a community of disciples†(pp. 157). I totally agree with his suggestion. In order for Christians to find fulfillment in ones faith, one must help others understand their faith. We need to be grounded in grace; by being a Christian community your focus on believing is responding freely to a personal call and reminds us that we ourselves are the church. Church should be places where any one could feel comfortable praying and receiving Christ. It is so amazing to know that even at an early age you believe in God. We start believing in the existence of God as early as the age of two. As we get older and realize the other eras in life that have occurred, such as science and other advancements, we start to develop curiosity and doubt. We have the desire for questions to be answered. Is there truly a greater life out there for me? Does God truly exist? There are three beliefs in God atheism, agnosticism, and theism. Atheism is the belief that there is no God. Agnosticism is a person who simply doesn’t know if there is a God. And last but not least, theism, which is a person that believes that God does truly exist. Although there are many evidences that God exist, there are many hints in which lead to an existence. Some examples of God’s existence are the testimony of Conscience, where we feel ourselves bound by certain moral obligations (pp. 21). It’s interesting when we obey them how we feel at peace. We don’t feel guilty or troubled in any way. Another example is time, in which the Hebrew scripture’s record a period of almost 2000 years (pp. 22). We have seen countless generations of various circumstances and belief in the same God. Faith in some people is so recognizable that it has made an extreme impact on their lives. Images of God come from the fact that no one has ever physically seen God.  Although many people have claimed to experience God, he remains a mystery. Jesus shared images of God with his disciples when he preached but never gave a description of his appearance, which leaves us to use our imagination. He just paints pictures by presenting images of action. Biblical images of God are presented in two different aspects theologians have used personal ones, which are masculine and Feminine. In a masculine image God is presented as a King, Lord, Warrior, Master and a Judge, and Father, which have all predominately been traits of a male. When they describe God of a feminine image, they present God as a women giving birth. Sometimes the Holy Spirit and Christ are reflected in female images as well (pp. 34). There are also impersonal images where God is described as a rock, shield, fortress, water, mountain, light, or as a great protecting bird. Reading this book gave me a great explanation to my own faith. Some of my own questions were in the book and helped me answer them clearly and concisely. Recently I have found doubt in my own belief. In fact coming to the realization of that, it is very natural for a college student to have doubts in their own faith. It gave me hope that one day I will understand religion. Religion must come naturally and can’t be forced on any individual at any time. The sad thing is that the majority of the time people instill faith and interpretation on individuals, thinking that this will bring them salvation and peace of mind. However, it leaves people confused and doubtful. The book made me see that each individual will have their own quest for meaning and purpose of their own faith. When you read this book you will also know that the understanding of God will not only come out of one book and that Jesus’ life and teaching is an on going challenge and process of interpretation. As you grow the meaning of certain scriptures become different. Every time you read the bible you will incorporate a new meaning or a new interpretation. The bible reflects our own life and destiny. Therefore it becomes inevitable that any person will read the bible and get the same meaning. God made us all to be different and that I guess is his true acknowledgment to us. Individuality! In conclusion faith is the most important part of religion. Christian Foundations helps you see what faith is, it helps develop and answer your  own struggles in religion. And gives you a balanced foundation of what being a Christian entails. The book is very clear reading and is very knowledgeable. It will help you see a new light in the path to God and his existence. In order to live productive religious lives, one must have spiritual guidance and wisdom. I believe this book is a great first step to this challenge.

The Judging Mindset Professor Ramos Blog

The Judging Mindset Who are we to judge? Nobody is perfect. People are judged all the time for the color of their skin, race, and beliefs why is this the case? So many times are minds become fixed for that split second and you realize what you did the second you start feeling guilty. Many times it’s a single perspective parents teach and spreads to their kids impacting many generations to have that fixed mindset (where people believe their basic qualities are everything and there’s no room for improve whatever skills you have at that point are all you have) (Dweck). Unlike in a growth mindset (where people believe they can improve their skills by putting forth the effort to improve.) (Dweck). In the movie Blindside telling a true story about a football player Michael Oher many scenes show case how fixed mindsets play a huge role in Michael’s struggles. Multiple people judge Michael as â€Å"a huge black man† when they know nothing about him just his skin color and appearance. Michael Oher goes through multiple challenges so he can try to better his life when the Tuohy family found him walking on the side of the rode one night so he could be warm because he’s been bouncing around foster homes and usually sleeps on peoples couches. Michael comes from a family of eleven, a father who was in and out of jail, and a mother that was addicted to drugs but this didn’t stop the Tuohys from helping Michael even though both sides have extremely different backgrounds and mindsets. The Tuohys have money and are able to get things that Michael has never had for example in the movie Blindside Michael was poor in poverty so he didn’t have essentials to live so when Leigh Anne Tuohy got him his own room in their house the scene shows them both in his new room with a fresh new bed, dresser, nightstands you name it. Leigh Anne starts talking about what she got for him in his new room explaining how difficult it was to get a bed frame for him and Michael says â€Å"I’ve never had one before† with Leigh Anne’s quick reply being â€Å"What? A room to yourself† then with Michael replying â€Å"No. A Bed.† Leigh Anne lost for words for a moment finds a smile and says â€Å"well you have one now† then rushing out of the room into hers to sit down and take in what she just heard. This scene shows the difference in lifestyles these two have Leigh having everything she has ever needed and Michael not having basic living essentials because Michael grew up so poor he wasn’t able to have something as simple as a bed. The pure emotions this scene attacks it makes you feel for Michael that up to that point he’s never had a bed making you want to see him succeed even more even though he had a terrible up bringing you want to see the best for him. Nobody has a fixed mindset about Michael anymore he’s accomplished so much after having so little and becoming an idol for kids that grew up the same way he did and help them realize the mindset that they aren’t stuck have a growth mindset and fight through all the bad in your life to earn a life that is better for yourself. In another scene when Michael starts attending school at Briarcrest Christian School he has to attend classes to catch up on his credits to graduate (he had a .06 GPA when he started at Briarcrest) as he struggled in his classes the scene shows the teacher talking about his performance in each of their classes when one of them pulls a piece of paper that Michael crumbled up and threw away on it titled â€Å"White Walls† where he wrote â€Å"I look and I see white everywhere. White walls, white floors and a lot of white people. The teachers do not know, I have no idea of anything they are talking about. I do not want to listen to anyone especially the teachers. They are giving homeworks and expecting me to do the problems on my own. I have never done homework in my life. I go to the bathroom and look in the mirror and say â€Å"this is not Michael Oher.† As the teachers react to their colleague’s reading of Michaels writing they all start to put their heads down in shame and pity. The thought they should’ve done more to help him and hearing he’s never done homework shows he needs their help and guidance more than other students. The teachers mindset towards Michael was different then they had on other students they knew he has struggled before that’s why he’s in these classes in the first place they should’ve been helping him more so he could be more comfortable I this new environment for him. Throughout the rest of the movie it shows Michael studying more with his teachers and it’s helping him. Michael then has his GPA increase to a 2.5 from his original 0.06 just enough to graduate. The scene shows the teachers now with smiles on their faces because grew to like Michael and now graduating they realized they had fixed mindsets toward Michael then learning to be happy for his successes which gave them a better understanding of who Michael and not just the black kid that nobody knows how to talk to also they grew as teachers teaching someone such as Michael from a drastically different lifestyle then the rest of the students attending Briarcrest so the teachers have to change what they’ve always done to try to help Michael. In this scene in shows how differently Michael was being portrayed nobody was helping him and setting him up for failure but after the teachers and coaches starting seeing him improve his skills they started to adore him for conquering all his challenges to get his high school diploma also a football scholarship to Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) watching Michael grow from the black kid that nobody wanted to be around to a being loved around the country as an elite athlete. This movie shows a much bigger issue Michael was given a chance to make a huge difference in his life and with hard work, dedication, and support from his new family the Tuohys who took him in as one of their own. Michael went through so many struggles through the film from the racism, gangs, violence, drugs and still overcame all of it to become a professional football player. So who are we to judge? https://www.npr.org/2011/02/08/133590180/beyond-the-blind-side-michael-oher-rewrites-his-own-story Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset (What Characteristics Are Critical to Success) historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/blindside.php

The 3 Types of Cubicles

The 3 Types of Cubicles Ive worked in a menagerie of cube environments. The closely packed closet-sized bullpen, the waist-high pens, the shoulder-height screens, the office with an actual DOOR, the glorified conference room with an open plan. and at different times, I have made all of the choices discussed by Ceren Cubukcu over at PersonalBrandingBlog.So whats going on in your cube? Is it the image you want to project to your office?The Blank and Bare CubicleMaybe it is a haven of Zen-centered calm, maybe youre just on the quiet side, but also maybe youre a serial killer. Or as Ceren puts it much more nicely, a bare space may be sending the message that youre new, not planning to stay long, or halfway out the door already (impending departure is the only reason I have ever had a clean desk, ever).If  youre easily distracted, or prefer to keep your personal life separate- I get it! But perhaps  theres a picture or two you could hang up just to give your eyes somewhere to rest and reassure your neighbor that youre not a flight risk.The Fun CubicleThis was ALWAYS me. At once point, at my first job, I had an entire wall of Mets paraphernalia, a zen rock garden, a candy bowl that I had painted, a ninja turtle, two modern art calendars, a slinky, a couple of beanie babies, and pictures of my family, my cat, and the Manhattan skyline (which could be seen from any conference room window). At the time I thought it showed coworkers that I was fun and friendly and encouraged people to stop by and chat. Also it kept my easily distracted brain moving forward, somewhat counter-intuitively, by giving me things to fidget with.But in retrospect it also made me look immature and unfocused (plus, after a few months, the candy bowls presence was seriously compromised by the coffee breath of the office rambler). So by all means, make your desk a reflection of who you are- but a gentle, tasteful reflection.The Post-It Notes CubicleThis is the high-powered cube of a person with a plan. Or an action-pac ked schedule. Or a workaholism issue. To avoid a cube that looks like the shed of a conspiracy theorist, consider breaking up your organizational tools with more personal photos or restrict the planning to a whiteboard or bulletin board. There are also some great apps that may help you translate your paper clutter to digital clutter- and integrate it into your calendar too!

Read the Ethnography Shadowed lives (undocumented immigrants in Essay

Read the Ethnography Shadowed lives (undocumented immigrants in American society) by Leo R. Chavez and use it to discuss social institution supported by case studies - Essay Example The paper refers to the case studies mentioned by Leo Chavez (1997: 121-140), in which the author has discussed the pathetic financial condition of the people of South America and the methodologies they adopt to escape financial miseries. In his work â€Å"Shadowed Lives†, Chavez has also pointed out the efforts and struggle made by these individuals in order to come out of their pecuniary embarrassments by migrating towards North America by hook or crook. He has indicated towards the illegal migrants living in the USA for financial purposes. He views that Mexicans have highest proportion of migration to San Diego and other states of the USA. Chavez is of the opinion that since man maintains strong and unconditional emotional ties with his family; he is always determined to work for the uplift of his family members. Since man cannot live far from his family for long, he also strives to bring his family in the same prosperous areas and states of the USA, where he has gone for job or labor. The rapid migration leads to cause social and cultural imbalances in the population statistics of the entire region on the one hand, and accelerates the level of struggle and miseries of the undocumented immigrants on the other. The illegal or undocumented population faces unabated problems in society, and has to bribe the security personnel for re-crossing the state boundaries to meet their family members. It has aptly been stated that family has been the most fundamental institution of every society and culture of the globe at large since ever, which is responsible for the fulfillment of man’s all basic needs and desires. Man is born and dies in family, and obtains food, clothes, shelter, protection and emotional support from this basic institution of society. The family is a social institution found in all societies that unites people in

Jews and Slavery Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jews and Slavery - Term Paper Example In ancient times, Jewish laws and society permitted slavery (Schorsch 37). Slaves made up a significant part and property of a Jewish household. This paper will discuss the Jew’s involvement in slavery and the slave trade. Religious literature on Judaism contained in the Hebrew Bible, also known as Tanakh, contain various laws on the ownership and handling of slaves. The initial Israelite slavery laws as seen in the Tanakh have a resemblance to the slavery laws of the 18th century (Faber 21). The Passover, which is a holy time among the Jews, relates to freedom from slavery. In the middle ages, the Jews, just like their Muslim and Christian neighbors, owned slaves and took part in the slave trade (Schorsch 37). When Portugal and Spain expelled their Jewish subjects, the Jews involved themselves in all types of trade, including the slave trade. Their first participation in the slave trade was recorded in the 5th century after Pope Gelasius allowed them to bring slaves into Ital y from Gaul (Faber 19). Later, in the 8th century, a king called Charlemagne gave the Jews authority to act as the sole mediators in the slave trade. The Spanish Jews then sold slaves as body guards to the Caliphs of Andalusia. Jews formed the key traders in the sector of Christian slaves in the medieval ages (Shavit 24). They financed the trade and plotted to enslave, convert and sell non Jews on routes previously created by Muslims and Christians, rarely creating their own routes. They were active in North Africa, Slavonia, Eastern and Central Europe. Their most significant territory was in Portugal and Spain between the tenth and fifteenth centuries (Shavit 20). During the colonization of the Americas by Europe, Jews owned Latin American and Caribbean slaves, most notably from Brazil, Jamaica, Barbados and Suriname. Slave trade was their key occupation and became the region’s largest slave holders (Shavit 12). In that period, the Jews owned large plantations in these count ries. Later, in the 17th century, North African Muslim states were more tolerant to the Jews than were the Christians of Spain and Britain. This led to many Jews living in the North African region and establishing business contacts with the people. The most notable buyers of Christian slaves were the Jews from Algiers (Shavit 31). Their counterparts, the Jews from Italy were the key planners of ransom negotiations for the Christian slaves in Algiers and their subsequent freedom and return to their home countries. Following the expulsion of Jews from Portugal and Spain, they heightened their activities in the Atlantic slave trade (Shavit 19). The discovery of the New World further fuelled the activities. In the Atlantic slave trade, the Jews moved African slaves to the New World from Africa in exchange of sugar and manufactured goods (Schorsch 14). There was also a significant participation in the slave trade, in Brazil, by Jews and their descendants who had converted to Christianity , also known as New Christians. The Jews dominated the trade to such an extent that the Christians of Brazil became envious of the plantations owned by the Jews in the Pernambuco river valley (Schorsch 15). In the southern regions of the United States, Jews were not significantly active in the slave trade, and they only represented less than 2 percent of all slave owners in that region. Rather than Judaic laws, the practice of slave

Food Day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Food Day - Essay Example This was an effect or evidence that I was actively listening. During the preparation and at the event, we worked in a team. For example, our team composed Libby, Katie and I. Libby led the team most time and working together, we followed, monitored the progress, and met deadlines throughout the pre and post event activities. The events of the Food Day enlightened me on my profession. From the event, I have understood many facts and perspectives regarding human nutrition. It was very exciting when people inquired about economical and be environment friendly. Additionally, I realized that people are ever interested to learn things regarding living healthy and economically sound or viable. It was my first time address a public gathering. However, at the beginning, it seemed difficult, but after a while I got used to it and I loved this experience. At the end, I was very happy with confident and composure I learnt from this experience. Yes, my efforts made a different both to the occasion and my life experience. For example, most of the attendances were interested in our teams and inquired more about our stuff and how they can obtain it. In addition, I felt most of them were very interested on our displays and they wanted us to information more on how they can save more. I liked the samples we displayed on our information table because it helped us to provide accurate information. Furthermore, I liked our handout because it had simple and easy information. Lastly, I liked how we organized our table; we divided it in two sides. On one side, we placed the green sample and the other side there was the bottle water, Ziploc bag, coffee cup, and plastic bag. I would add more examples of green samples and have a calculator to let them calculate the difference prices of the green samples and the other stuff. The calculation would have help them know how and how much to save. All

Holfstede’s Cultural Constraints Essay Example for Free

Holfstede’s Cultural Constraints Essay In his article â€Å"Cultural Constraints in Management Theories,† G. Holfstede (1993) argues his main point that there is really no universal management theory, such that the means to manage organizations greatly vary across countries and cultures. For instance, the concept of management in the United States is different from, say, Asia or Europe, let alone apply to the two latter regions. A specific management concept or practice may be accepted in America but it does not mean that it is also accepted in some other part of the world. Holfstede begins by exploring the origins of the concept of management in cultures in varying times and notes the differences in the management theories. For example, managers are said to be cultural heroes in British and American regions while Germans see the engineer as the one having a heroic role precisely because German presidents and CEOs already have mastered their specialized skills and, hence, does not call for a manager. In Japan, the permanent worker group bears the ‘heroic role’ and that these workers are controlled not by managers but by their group. French people, on the other hand, do not have the notion of managers as Americans know of them. Rather, French workers think of one another as cadres, cadres being a social class obtained by learning at the proper schools and a social class maintained for a lifetime. Another case is that of Holland where the practice of managing people rests on the need for a consensus among all the involved individuals. These practices are established neither by contractual relationship nor by class distinctions but by an open-ended balancing of interests and exchange of views. In essence, Holfstede firmly maintains that the American concept of management theories vary from nation to nation and culture to culture. That being said, no management theory unique to a certain country or culture can perfectly apply to another culture and country precisely because of the variations among these cultures and countries. Reference Holfstede, G. (1993). Cultural Constraints in Management Theories. Academy of Management Executive, 7(1): 81-94.

Is Politics the Preserve of Government? Essay -- What is Politics?

  Ã‚  Politics is a very emotive word and is used by different people to mean different things. There is no unifying theory of politics and hence no set boundaries of what can and cannot be said to be political. It is this ambiguity that makes it impossible to argue that politics is the preserve of government. This is so since preserve is such a precise word and there is always going to be a perspective that can illustrate an example of politics that is outside the governmental sphere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order that a meaningful conclusion to this question can be gained it is essential to initially define what the question is asking by laying down what definitions of the terms within are to be used. The key word in the debate that the question encompasses is â€Å"preserve;† although this could be taken to mean, does politics maintain the existence of government, in the context of the question the use of â€Å"preserve† that fits more fully is whether politics is solely found within government. Government in this case being taken to mean the specialised leading component and institutions of a society that are responsible for the decision making processes of that society as a whole. (Hague et al, 1992, p.20) It is however the definition of politics that poses the greatest difficulty in the question because, as McLean states, the definition: â€Å"is highly, perhaps essentially contested.† (1996, p.388) This contested nature of politics is key in respect to the question because the conceptual model of assumptions and beliefs with which a person tackles politics will influence the interpretation of politics that they attain. (Hague et al, 1992, p.3) Therefore an individual who uses one model, and hence definition of politics, will come to a different conclusion about whether politics is the preserve of government to someone who utilises a different model. It is then essential that the perspectives from which politics is viewed be outlined so that the debates between them can be analysed in respect to their strengths and weaknesses and a conclusion formed over whether indeed politics is the preserve of government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The important area of debate in the definition of politics is where the political world ends and the other areas of the world start; if it is made clear where each perspective views this barrier to occur then by evaluating a perspective against its competitors a conclusio... ...the preserve of government can be said to be incorrect due to the definition of preserve. If preserve, in the context, is taken to mean that government has the monopoly on politics then anyone arguing to prove this point will fail as even one example where politics can be found outside government will destroy the argument as a monopoly is all encompassing. As it has been concluded that such an example can always be found then subsequently it can also be concluded that politics is not the preserve of government as there is always another area where politics exists as perceived by another theory. Bibliography Books: Heywood, A. (1999), Political Theory: An Introduction (Palgrave) Vincent, A. (1992), Modern Political Ideologies (Blackwell) McLean, I. (Editor), (1996), Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics Hague, R. Harrop, M. Breslin, S. (1992), Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction Edited Books: Marsh, D. Stoker, G. (1995) Theory and Methods in Political Science – Rhodes R. The Institutional Approach - Ward, H. Rational Choice Theory (MacMillan) Web-sites: Cloonan, M. (1997) What is Politics? http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/poli/casestud

Pay Structures and Internal Alignment Essay

Martin Straight Compressors employ 4600 people worldwide. MCS’s Chatham location is a small Canadian company that focuses on manufacturing compressors for heavy industries. Chatham employees approximately 70 salaried and 50 hourly employees. Beginning in 1999, Martin Straight Compressors Chatham had begun facing numerous compensation issues and conflicts. Some of the issues included: Having 7 authorized but unfilled middle-level management positions Manager-employee relationships broken Documentation not up-to-date with objectives, processes, progress, performance plans Hourly staff don’t respect the owners Increased workload with no compensation Loss of commitment, motivation, and job security among employees New management brought it while problems are still effecting the day-to-day functions of the organization Merit process isn’t liked Restrictions on merit raises by head office Union involvement Flawed gain-share plan Merit raises go to salaried, non-union staff Merit raises for one employee depend on other employees Executive incentive plan uses different formulas for different employees This consultation report will begin with identifying the two main problems MSC faces and how to resolve them. Next we will apply the Equity Theory and investigate why certain employees are unhappy about the current compensation system. We will look at the company’s standpoint from a competitor’s point of view, and what methods to use to ensure fast, accurate, and acceptable results to ensure MSC continues to grow and be profitable. The 2 Main Problems After analyzing the process and theories used by Martin Straight Compressors, two main issues become precedent: 1. MSC doesn’t have a fair or efficient compensation method. The processes and ideologies used in making decisions in regards to pay are flawed. There is a gap between pay levels due to different formulas that are used for different employees. Merit increases given to employees depend on other staff members within the organization. When companies adopt processes that are unfair, employees lose motivation. As well, inefficient practices puts production at a standstill and costs the organization a great deal of time and money. 2. Employees are not a part of the decision making process. They become uninterested in the events going on within the organization because dedication and commitment are lost. These employees may not fully understand the whole picture, like restrictions coming from head office. When employees feel they are not an important part of the organizations decision-making, they become alienated and their involvement decreases. They become unwilling to develop solutions to problems. Resolution of Problems Encourage employee involvement as much as possible. It is important for employees to have a passion for the work that they do and the organization they belong to. Encourage feedback by holding monthly meetings where everyone is invited to express any questions or concerns they have. Develop a team of cross-functional representatives that meet on a regular basis to discuss issues that are important to the staff. If the high-level managers empower employees to be involvement and provide feedback, the organization will be â€Å"more likely to achieve commitment, trust, and acceptance† (Milkovich, Newman, Gerhart, Cole & Yap , 2013) of a revised compensation structure. Developing a new compensation method is costly and timely. However it is essential to the functioning of an organization. MSC needs to begin with reviewing the compensation budget (Heathfield, 2001). This way management understands how much they are allowed to spend without putting the organization in debt. Analyzing the current job structure should be done on a regular basis to ensure the organization is able to adapt to internal churn, internal succession planning, and external market factors. When looking at a job structure, a few things should be in mind: reliability, validity, acceptability, currency, and usefulness (Milkovich, Newman, Gerhart, Cole & Yap , 2013). This will help the final structure satisfy both the employees and the employer. Equity Theory The Equity Theory explains that employees compare their job and pay to other positions within their internal environment, as well as jobs in their external environment. The more knowledgeable the employee is about their responsibilities, there position and pay, and the organizations structure, the more satisfied they will be. Martin Straight Compressors needs to establish this equity theory throughout the company because right now there is no equality felt among employees. My advice to MSC is to develop a Team Site where important information can be displayed for internal eyes only. Display organization charts to show the levels of progress within the company – and the corresponding pay levels – so employees feel motivated to move up the chain of command. Establishing these reporting relationships would benefit MSC because a positive communication flow would evolve. Keeping Employees Onside Martin Straight Compressors needs to focus on building employee-management relationships. Currently there is a lot of conflict occurring in the workplace and, according to employees, this has resulted form management breaking promises to their employees. This results in a loss of mutual respect. Below are 3 ways to mend professional relationships: Keep everyone informed and involved Develop 2-way communication Instill a sense of decentralization Change is a scary reality for employees because it makes them feel vulnerable and they lose their feeling of job security. While MSC slowly makes changes to their compensation system, the above 3 points will ensure employees adapt with the company. If employees continue to voluntarily resign, MSC will lose a great deal of knowledge and assets, which will make the change even more difficult. It’s important to keep valued employees so they are able to pass on their knowledge to new employees along the way. Competitive Advantage Martin Straight Compressors currently does not have a competitive advantage within the marketplace. Although salaries and wages are at par with external competitors, other factors hinder MSC: employees are expected to increase their responsibilities and workload due to the number of unfilled positions, without getting extrinsic compensation for it. Also, merit raises are mostly given to salaried, non-union staff. This discourages front-line workers because there is no incentive. Performance evaluations should be taken place on an annual basis to ensure employees are aware of their objectives and areas for improvement. A major problem I see with MSC is that employees either get merit raises, or they don’t. Every company should want their employees to succeed, so, in turn, the organization succeeds. I advise MSC to instill a mentoring/coaching program to guide their employees to achieve the best they can. By telling, teaching, and showing employees how to perform functions and tasks, the employee will become empowered. It will become easier to link performance and pay because benchmarks will be set and every employee will know what is expected of them, and how to achieve those expectations. Becoming Internally Aligned In 1999, performance management records did not identify key objectives for employees. Merit raises focused solely on the results from the employee, department, and company. Rather, MSC should be looking at the individuals’ skills and competencies, and how they are applying them to accomplish their tasks. Ensuring every employee understands what is expected of them is extremely important; it ensures that they are proactive within the company so they’re not just going through the daily motions. Annual performance evaluations and proper documentation is essential to becoming internally aligned because it ensures everyone is on the same page and employees know what is expected from them. It also allows the company to look back on the trend of the employees to see if improvements are being made, and if they aren’t, why. Recommendation Evidently, MSC is in need of a change. My recommendation is to have a short-term goal and a long-term goal. 1. Job Evaluation: Ranking Method (used during first 3 years) This will provide fast and accurate results. Using the paired comparison method would allow MSC to use a matrix to â€Å"compare two jobs in each cell and indicating which is of great value, then ranking jobs on the basis of the total number of times each is ranked as being of greater value (pg 87)†. The reason this is the first step is because MSC is in need of a quick fix to ensure no more positions are left voluntarily and that production continues. This method will serve as a â€Å"band-aid† until further down the road a permanent solution can be decided upon. 2. Job Evaluation: Point Method (developed by the end of third year) This method requires a lot of time and costs because it goes into the breadth and depth of each job. This is what MSC’s end goal should be. The point method provides accurate and acceptable results just like the ranking method but it takes a lot more time to investigate. The point method should be set as a long-term goal and would be beneficial for MSC to invest in. Once all positions are individually broken down to determine their compensable factors, they can be scaled and then weighted so points can be assigned and a plan can be made. This will become the foundation for MSC’s compensation structure for years to come; only reviews and evaluations would be needed after this to ensure employees are satisfied and methods are efficient. References (APA Format) Gondzio, J. , & Grothey, A. (2009, May). Exploiting structure in parallelimplementation of interior point methods for optimization. Retrievedrom http://link. springer. com/article/10. 1007/s10287-008-0090-3. Retrieved on October 6, 2013. Heathfield, S. (2001, June 05). Compensation strategies and structure. Retrieved from http://humanresources. about. com/od/compensationstructure/compensation-structure. htm. Retrieved on October 6, 2013. Milkovich, G. , Newman, J. , Gerhart, B. , Cole, N. , & Yap , M. (2013). Compensation. (4th ed. , p. 01). McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. Retrievedon October 6, 2013.

A Whole New Mind – Essay

A Whole New Mind Almarene Lowndes EDL 546 – Summer 2012 May 31, 2012 A whole new mind is a must read for ALL teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders. This book has inspired me to seriously think about my own teaching practices as I strive to prepare my students and I for professional success. After reflecting on the concepts in Daniel Pinks’ book I have asked myself if my school District and I are effectively preparing my students for the future?With budget cuts, high stakes testing, and pressure to raise student test scores have we failed to foster activities that enable students to utilize their brains right hemisphere ultimately, leaving them unequipped for our future? We have reduced the amount of time elementary students spend in Art, Music, and PE. In my own Kindergarten classroom I often struggle with allowing my students to build their creativity because of the pressure of time constraints and adhering to learning schedules/pacing guides.In the introduc tion, Pink gives background knowledge on the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain and clears up misconceptions that many people hold. Pink tells us that the left and right hemispheres of the brain work together. However, the left hemisphere is sequential which gives it the capability to analyze details and the right hemisphere is simultaneous which aids in synthesizing the bigger picture. This information can easily be related to teaching. When teaching my kindergarten students concepts of print, phonemic awareness, and phonics I am tapping into my students left hemisphere.For example, teaching my kindergarteners that we read from left to right, learning the alphabet, and decoding are activities that utilize their left hemisphere. The use of lower to higher level questioning requires students to utilize their left and right hemisphere as well. For example, after reading a story to my class, we discuss and answer questions about the texts we have read. When I ask my students to recall information from a story the left hemisphere is more active. However, when I ask my students higher-level questions that require them to think beyond the story their brains are eliciting help form the right hemisphere.Examples, of these types of questions are: how do you think the character feels, what is the most important part of the story, and what personal connections can you make to the story? Even things such as speech, fluency, and cadence of a story require students to utilize their brains right hemisphere. In a cleverly titled section called: Fear and Loathing in My Amygdales n Pink describes, â€Å"the two almond-shaped structures that serve as the brain’s Homeland Security. † They are called amygdalas. The function of these structures is to process emotions particularly fear.He explained that the left hemisphere is more active in processing this information. I found it interesting when he stated that the right amygdala is stimulated whe n processing faces. It is able to analyze the parts of a face as a whole to come to a conclusion about how one feels. Pink mentioned that this idea transcends to any culture. As an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) certified teacher, I most often receive students who do not speak the English language. One strategy that I use is facial expressions to convey meaning which I now know requires support from our brains right hemisphere.According to Pink our culture has always held L-Directed Thinkers such as lawyers and engineers in high esteem. He points out that now value is being placed on the R-Directed Thinkers such as artist, counselors, and inventors. While I would argue, that both types are thinkers are needed. In my own classroom I would like to make a conscious effort to foster both types of thinkers so that my students can successfully integrate both ways of thinking into their lives. According to Pink teachers live R-Directed lives. However, in my organization I f eel our way of thinking is not supported in the way that the school system is currently structured.There are some key points that I feel our school system should adopt. Furthermore, these same themes can be used in my own classroom to produce learners who are L and R- Directed Thinkers. The themes that resonate with me the most are: Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. â€Å"Symphony†¦ is the ability to put together the pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than to analyze; to see relationships between seemingly unrelated fields; to detect broad patterns rather than to deliver specific answers; and to invent something new by combining elements nobody else thought to pair. Empathy is defined as putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Play is the idea that work is not just about being serious it is about play as well. Meaning focuses on seeking purpose and the greater good. I would like to think of myself as a sympathetic teacher like Mr. Bomeisler. I am very encouraging as I touch every child while I am working. In my own classroom I strive to help my students reach the highest level of learning, which is synthesizing. Conversely, I have fallen short because while I help my students see relationships between related fields, I need to strive to help them see the relationships between unrelated fields.In many ways I have missed those opportunities to help my students develop their powers of Symphony through simple tasks like drawing, listening to classical music, and celebrating amateurness. I feel that many K-12 teachers struggle with this in their teaching. An example of this is in team teaching. In team teaching a group of teachers, working together, plan, conduct, and evaluate the learning activities for the same group of students. In practice, team teaching has many different formats but in general it is a means of organizing staff into groups to enhance teaching.Teams generally comprise staff members who may represent different are as of subject expertise but who share the same group of students and a common planning period to prepare for the teaching. To facilitate this process a common teaching space is desirable. Team teachers and teachers alike must begin to see the connections between subject areas themselves in order to help students to achieve this. Most often you will hear someone who teaches Science say, â€Å"I do not teach Reading. † This as you may of guessed is untrue since teaching Science is teaching the components of nonfiction text.I also feel, that most schools don’t allow teachers the opportunities to plan together and discuss the relationships between their fields. Many administrators are not empathetic to the idea that if we really want students to be successful they must allow us the time to engage in conversations and planning with each other. Most often team teachers as is the case at my school do not even have the same planning time. We can improve this at my school by al lowing time for us to plan together not only as teammates but as grade levels. In our mailroom it would be cool if we had an inspiration board.This simple idea will help us to expand our minds. Lastly, I suggest that we read and discuss books as grade levels such as: Dialogue, Metaphors We Live By, and No Waste. We always are given professional development books to read when we are given the time to get together. How powerful would it be for the R-Direct Thinkers in my organizations if we were allowed the opportunity to read and discuss these books? You would think that in my organization everyone is empathetic and in turn teaches students to empathize with one another.I am very empathetic and must say that I do wonderful job of guiding my students as they develop relationships with one another. I model this as I develop relationships with not only my students but my parents as well. On the other hand it saddens me to say that every teacher is not empathetic. My mom always told me t hat, â€Å"students don’t learn until they learn that you care. † When you build valuable relationships with students and parents it increases students achievement. In my school environment I feel that we should start with being empathetic with each other.Very few principles show empathy for their employees, which make it hard to foster caring relationships with colleagues at work. Recently, school climates have shifted from working together to competing against each other. As odd as it may sound I would argue that many teachers do not even trust each other. For example, First grade teachers do not trust that Kindergarten teachers have effectively taught their students. Second grade teachers do not trust that First grade teachers have done their jobs. This trend goes from grade to grade.As a result, teachers spend valuable instructional time re teaching information to students. Instructional time should be fun to students. At times I often forget this simple concept. A s a teacher I have found it my personal goal to find creative ways to put the fun back into teaching and learning. On my quest to fulfill this goal there are several suggestions from Pink that I will use to do this. One thing that my group members at JU and I are studying is how can we use gaming to increase students’ achievement? According to Pink, gaming plays a significant role in learning.James Paul Gee argues that games can be the ultimate learning machine. I might also add that games are fun and engaging for students. Next year, I plan to bring my Wii to school and allow students to play games such as Reading Rabbit and Sesame Street in my classroom. Another way that my organization and I can foster the idea of play is being humorous with our students and us. The pressures of high stakes testing, time management, and top bottom pressure exerted on teachers have caused us to become less and less humorous and joyful.There are things that we can do to bring humor and joy i nto teaching. Some immediate ideas that come to mind are simply playing with our students. It is so fun to play on the playground with my students. Not only does this bring me joy but also it brings my students an equal amount of joy and humor in watching me do things that are out of the box for adults. Not only should we play with kids but we should also play with each other. I remember one year some colleagues and I decided to form a kickball team to play on this kickball league one of us had heard about.Not only did allow me to forget about the pressures of teaching it allowed us to empathize with each other through the simple act of playing. Which in turn made us more pleasant at work. Another idea that the educational organization should adopt is getting our â€Å"game on. † Not only should we utilize gaming in the classroom we should participate in gaming ourselves. Lastly, I feel that administrators and facilitators should start meetings by dissecting jokes. This is so mething that I can immediately implement when I facilitate myself.I can also do this with my kindergarteners by using simple jokes starting with knock-knock jokes. Developing happiness through play can add meaning to not only learning but our jobs as well. It is said, that we â€Å"are born for meaning† and live for self-expression and an opportunity to share that which we feel is important. I believe that at some point in time every teacher is passionate about his or her job and are often looking for the opportunity to share his or her expertise. Somehow this passion fades as we stop looking inside ourselves to make meaning out of our jobs.Something that my grade level has done to build meaning is utilizing teardrops. Every teacher on my grade level purchased a small pail to place teardrops in. Each of us was given paper made teardrops that we use to show our gratitude for things that we have done, or modeled, or shared with one another. For example, I was once given a teard rop for staying late to help the people who were new to my grade level fill out student snapshots after I was already done. I gave a tear to another teacher for allowing me the gift of observing her teach a lesson to her students on connections.In my opinion this simple act can add a sense of purpose to our job. This can be implemented on all grade levels and adapted to our students. Pink states that Right-Brainers will rule the future. As teachers we can equip our students for this new era. Administrators can help R-Directed thinkers such as ourselves by creating an environment that is conducive to the way that we think. By implementing simple strategies suggested in A Whole New Mind we can once again find joy in teaching as we strive to increase student achievement.There are many pearls that I have taken from this book. One of the pearls I have taken from this book is that the simple act of empathizing can help to increase student achievement. Another is the idea that play is esse ntial to my classroom and environment as it brings happiness and joy. Also, it is important to look at things from the bigger picture and lastly, seeking purpose and the greater good seems to define us uniquely as humans. Reference: Pink, D. (2005). A Whole New Mind. New York: The Penguin Group.

Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing

Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing Seven Things To Do When You Dont Feel Like Writing By Ali Hale Sometimes, you’ve got an hour or two free – but you don’t feel like writing. All the advice in the world on becoming inspired or getting self-disciplined just isn’t helping you. For whatever reason, you know your ability to string together a new article or story is temporarily absent. This needn’t be a problem: there are lots of writing-related activities that you can usefully get on with whilst waiting for the muse to reappear. Here’s just seven of them: 1. Grab your notebook and start brainstorming Sometimes, a lack of ideas can cause you to get stuck. Maybe you want to write, but you’re not sure what to start on. Find your notebook and a pen, and start scribbling. Mind-map, write a list, use pretty colors – it doesn’t matter. Just get as many ideas down as you can. Once you’re past ten or twenty, you’ll start reaching the creative, original ones. 2. Read some great writing advice Daily Writing Tips is a good place to start. 😉 But there are lots of other blogs out there devoted to all aspects of writing – and hundreds of different books that could help you. Look for something aimed at writers in your genre (poetry, science-fiction, article writing, academic journals, etc). Don’t just skim through a load of advice, though: take a note of any points which make you think â€Å"aha!† and scribble down ideas of how you can apply them to your own work in progress. 3. Organise your writing files This is one writing chore I always put off: organising my files. If you have bits of your novel in a dozen different places on your computer (emails to yourself, Word documents, notes in your journal software, bits you keep online in Google docs†¦) then get it all sorted out. If you’re a freelancer and write for dozens of different markets, start a folder for each. That way, you’ll know exactly what you need to invoice for at the end of the month. 4. Create a portfolio of your writing If you don’t already have one, start a portfolio of your writing. Get together some of your best pieces from the past few years (published or unpublished) and, ideally, put them into one folder on your computer. If you have the online rights to them, you might want to put them onto your website or blog. Now, when you’re writing to editors and agents, you’ll be able to respond straight away if they ask to see samples. And if you’re applying for college-level courses, you’ll have some great examples of your work to include with your application. 5. Research some markets If you’re aiming to be published, you need to do some homework to find out which magazines, websites or publishing companies might be interested in your work. There are lots of ways to do this. You could search on Amazon for books in your genre and see who published them (Amazon lists the publisher on the book details page). Or you could use one of the many websites devoted to writers’ markets – try Jacqui Bennett Writers Bureau for short stories and Ralan’s Webstravaganza for a huge listing of markets. Also check with Writers’ Market or, if you’re in the UK, the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook to make sure that company is accepting submissions. 6. Send out some short stories or articles For those of you who know the markets you have in mind – send them some of your work. Proof-read that story languishing on your hard-drive, print it out (double spaced, nice white paper), write a cover letter to the editor, include a self-addressed envelope with return postage, and pop the whole lot in the post. Many markets accept emailed manuscripts, but check the submission guidelines first. 7. Read some great fiction Finally, if all else fails, just put your feet up with a good book. Choose an author who you love, and luxuriate in their prose – but keep half your mind on figuring out why exactly you love their writing, and spotting what techniques they use. Alternatively, pick up something you wouldn’t normally read, and cast a critical eye over the ways in which the style differs from your usual favourites. You’ll almost certainly learn something. What writing-related activities do you get on with when you’re lacking the energy to write? 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 General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?The Difference Between "will" and "shall"Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns