When So Becomes Annoying

When So Becomes Annoying When â€Å"So† Becomes Annoying When â€Å"So† Becomes Annoying By Maeve Maddox The tiny English word so has numerous uses. Merriam-Webster gives it separate entries as adverb, conjunction, adjective, and pronoun. Most of the time, little so goes about its business unnoticed, but one of its functions has been provoking heated discussion on the Web: the use of so as â€Å"a discourse marker.† The term â€Å"discourse marker† was coined in the 1960s to describe â€Å"a word or phrase whose function is to organize discourse into segments and situate a clause, sentence, etc., within a larger context.† Here are some words and phrases commonly used as discourse markers in speech: well you know like now I think you see oh I mean OK actually These are words we all interject into speech for reasons that have nothing to do with grammar. For example: Well, I was a little worried. Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet. You know, not everyone shares your opinion on that. OK, let’s take a vote. I think I’ll go now. These markers serve no grammatical function, but they do advance discourse in various ways. As a discourse marker at the beginning of a sentence, so may do any of the following: initiate discourse So, how was the interview? mark a shift in topic or activity So, what should we do now? begin an explanation So, disconnect the power cord and remove the back panel. preface the response to any question Interviewer: What is the focus of your research? Interview subject: So, I study samples of creek water to track pollution. avoid giving a direct answer Interviewer: Why did you lay off so many workers? Interview subject: So, our sales have been stagnant for some time. The use of so as a sentence-starter has provoked numerous discussions on the Web. Business consultant Hunter Thurman gives three reasons for avoiding the practice of beginning a sentence with so: 1. â€Å"So† insults your audience. 2. â€Å"So undermines your credibility. 3. â€Å"So† demonstrates that you’re not 100% comfortable with what you’re saying. PR consultant Cherry Chapell, on the other hand, sees this use of so as â€Å"a good way of giving yourself time to think.† Linguistics professor Penelope Gardner-Chloros suggests that a speaker who starts an answer with so â€Å"is saying what he wants to say, like a politician- but trying to make it sound like it’s an answer to the question.† Like many linguistic targets of criticism, so as a sentence-starter draws extreme reactions from the general public. I’ve seen comments that question the intelligence of speakers who begin sentences with so and accuse them of defiling the language. I’ve seen other comments that cite the fact that Seamus Heaney translated the opening â€Å"Hwaet† of Beowulf as â€Å"So!† as proof that so must be all right in any context. The reality is that sometimes so is an appropriate sentence-starter, and sometimes it is an irritant. When a speaker habitually begins sentences with so, listeners may react in one of two ways. Some are able to filter out the so’s and concentrate on content. Others, however, are distracted by them and may tune out the content as they count the so’s. When beginning a sentence with so becomes a verbal tic, it has lost its usefulness as a discourse marker. 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:100 Mostly Small But Expressive Interjections"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?10 Varieties of Syntax to Improve Your Writing

Prime Marks

Prime Marks Prime Marks Prime Marks By Maeve Maddox A reader commenting on a recent post about the En Dash introduced me to a punctuation term that was unfamiliar to me: â€Å"the prime mark†: Heres one for you: teaching about the apostrophe versus the prime or foot mark. Same with the quote marks versus the inch marks. I can only guess that this reader must teach students in specialized fields like mathematics, science, or linguistics, in which prime marks serve important purposes. Like the apostrophe, the prime mark (or two or three) is placed at the upper right of a number or other symbol. Unlike the apostrophe- which is vertical- the prime slants in the direction of the French accent aigu in the word à ©levà ©, but it doesn’t lean as far to the right. Now that I know what a prime mark is and how it differs from an apostrophe, I plan to continue using apostrophes and quotation marks on the rare occasions I want to abbreviate feet, inches, hours, or minutes. I can think of only two common uses of prime marks that one might see in a general publication: 1. To indicate feet and inches, as in this example from a feature in The Telegraph: At 6’5† [sic] Gareth May is no stranger to the giant jibes.   2. To note latitude and longitude, as in these coordinates for the city of San Francisco, California: Latitude: 37 °46†²29†³ N Longitude: 122 °25†²09†³ W A third use that I am familiar with is to indicate hours and minutes. For example, when timing a speech, I use the notation 1’15† to indicate â€Å"one hour, fifteen minutes.† In this context, seconds don’t concern me. Then there’s the ditto mark. Apparently it differs from the double prime in some way because Unicode defines them differently, but most people use quotation marks when they want to use ditto marks to repeat items in a list: Item 1 ream paper red blue green In specialized contexts, distinguishing between apostrophes, quotations marks, prime and double prime may be crucial. In general usage, however, apostrophes and quotation marks work just fine. One concession a writer can is to use straight apostrophes and quotation marks instead of the curly ones. For all you can possibly want to know about the significant uses of the prime mark, explore the Wikipedia article â€Å"Prime (symbol).† 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 Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)3 Types of HeadingsPlurals of Proper Names

Jet Li as Transnational Actor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Jet Li as Transnational Actor - Essay Example He has taken different career paths such as martial arts, film production, martial arts and acting. He started training for martial arts when he was still a young boy. He trained rigorously in Wu Bin and this helped him in winning a championship in the Wushu competition. This was the turning point of his life. He retired from Wushu when he was 19 years old. He now started acting in several Chinese martial arts film. Later he performed in other Hollywood movies the Expendables being on of the movies that hit the box office movies list. This article is review of Jet Li development in his career an actor, how his various roles in varied cultures have grown him and the overall public reception he has had. Jet Li Careers in Martial Art at Wushu Li was born the last born of a family of five children. When he was only two years, his father died leaving his mother with the huge responsibility of raising the children alone. Jet Li joined Wushu when he was very young. At the age of 8, his trai ners realized the talent that he possessed and he was enrolled for classes. He participated in the sports performed by the Wushu teams. This team would perform in the all Chinese games and this gave him the exposure he needed in martial arts. During this time, he was coached by Wu Bin and Li Junfeng. The coaches realized the talent in this young man and would even go an extra mile to ensure that he did not miss on practice and that he performed well. Jet Li came from a poor family background. The coaches would buy Jet Li family meat as this was the diet recommended for a fighter. A diet with meat as a predominant content was crucial to keep an athlete physically fit. As a member of the wushu team, He traveled to 45 different countries to perform. In 1974, he performed together with the Wushu team before the former president of America Richard Nixon. Nixon was deeply impressed by Jet Li prowess that he requested him to be his personal body guard. Jet Li turned this offer down because he said that he was not meant to protect an individual but hoped that when he grew up he would be able to protect a billion Chinese citizens. During this performance, he won the All Round National Wushu Championship a title he continued to hold for the next five consecutive years. When at Wushu, Jet Li trained on several Wushu martial skills. Among them include praying mantis fist, drunken fist, eagle claw fist, shape intent fist and northern long fist style (Ushan, 2011: 182). He retired from Wushu when he was just seventeen and this is the time he began his acting career. Acting Career Chinese Films Li releases his first film in 1982 and it was called the Shaolin Temple. This movie became a hit in china and opened him to Chinese film. He later relocated to Hongkong where he acted in several Chinese martial arts movies. He got his screen name in 1982 when a publicity company in Philippines though that his real name was hard to pronounce. They likened his new career with a jet whic h takes off very fast. The name jet Li was born and was placed on his movie poster. Soon, people started referring him with his new name which is stuck and he has used it ever since. In 1991, he acted in another Chinese film called the Once Upon a Time in China. Here, he assumed the role of a legendary hero who fought against invaders thereby safeguarding and protecting the lives and property of his countrymen (Leon, 2005: 216). Later he acted in the movie fist of Legend which was a

The Progressive View and the Challenges of a Flawed Democracy Research Paper

The Progressive View and the Challenges of a Flawed Democracy - Research Paper Example Democracy as an American idealism for better services and transparency has been wanting in other sectors. The political party competition championed the spirit of democracy and the freedom of the people in the early 20th century. In 1912, the presidential contenders campaigned on a platform of respect for people’s right and democracy. They urged voters to consider electing people who agitated for the democratic right. Winston won the presidency because he had a progressive agenda. He won the election fighting for a progressive democracy given the country was undergoing difficulties brought by the Industrial Revolution (Milkis, 2012). The political party during the early 20th century were grappling with the threat of democracy. According to Tocqueville, the local government was the groundwork for democracy (Milkis, 2012). However, the federal government was flawed by the influence of large corporations. The corporations influence the day to day running of government because their candidates run over the government. It is these flaws that political parties viewed as a threat to democracy. They rallied their supporter on the promise of introducing trust laws that checked on their activities. The industrial revolution came with the emergence of prominent businessmen who were opulence and connected to political leaders. This period referred to as the ‘Gilded Age’ left the industrial workers and subsistence farmers vulnerable to exploitation. The businessmen corrupted the methods of government and neglected the plight of workers. This was a threat to democracy and Democrats leaders as well as Republicans were viewed to be irresponsible and pursuing their own interest (Milkis, 2012). Democracy has been practiced since the ancient Greeks.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Essay Example for Free

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Essay John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected the president of the United States of America in 1960 at a young age. At that time, the General Eisenhower was ageing. He was known for his frequent heart attacks and his love for golf than he was, for his opposition to the military industrial complex especially among the young people. At the same period, the young generation had a sense of optimism, that nothing was impossible and that no problem could go unresolved. The time had come for the older generation who had made mistakes to move over and let the new comers find solutions to the problems that faced Americans. They did not want to repeat the mistakes that the older generation had done, like the wars and the crusades against the ‘red menace’. These ideas motivated their white supporters and the black students from the South who were fed up with the policies that ruled them before. As a young catholic politician, JFK, together with a young black Baptist minister, Martin Luther King, expressed their high hopes and the dreams for the era of the young generation to rule. William Terence says that it was this young generation that had loyally pledged allegiance to the flag each morning in school, and it was in the schools across the nation that they were told of the unique promise of America. While the adults were concerned with leisure, the young generation, who had been constantly reminded in high school of their fortunate status as citizens of the wealthiest democratic society in the world, was determined to make the American dream become a reality. (William T. M. R. , 1997, pgs 57-58) President Kennedy’s cause on civil rights According Garth E. Pauley in the book, â€Å"The modern presidency and civil rights†, President Kennedy was known as the champion of civil rights and the leader of a ‘second reconstruction’. His attitude towards the civil rights has been considered irrational. It is said that he was not knowledgeable on the civil rights because they were alien to most of his experience. He was from a privileged lifestyle that did not provide him with a deep knowledge or feelings about the racial prejudices that his fellow citizens possessed. He also had little interaction with black people in Boston or in Hyanisport except as servants. However, meetings with the African Americans leaders seemed to advance the president a little in his own commitment to human rights. He was sympathetic of the many problems confronting the blacks, and therefore worked to ensure the passage of the housing, employment, tax and education measures to help improve the circumstances for the black people. (Pauley Garth E. , 2001, pgs 105-112) In 1963, Kennedy ultimately took strong action on civil rights and spoke about the moral imperative of racial inequality. In doing so, he needed to satisfy the score of Americans, who protested against prolonged federal inaction, reduction in the potential for racial violence and attempt to maintain the shred of confidence that the African Americans still had in the federal government. President Kennedy also wanted to aid the moderate civil rights leaders like Roy Wilkins, Martin Luther King, Jr. and James Farmer in securing their objectives lest the movement be taken over by radicals. He also led the fight for civil right in order to prevent the isolation of black leadership and the embitterment of the African American people. (Pauley Garth E. , 2001, pgs 105-112) JFK’s core beliefs President Kennedy was a man with core beliefs concerning certain issues surrounding humanity. An example of such beliefs is his stand on war and the Cuban missile crisis in 1943. His aversion to war was more pronounced during the first decades of the nuclear era. As early as 1947, the 29 year old freshman and congressman was gripped by the escalating suspicions of the cold war, which drove him to warn of the nuclear apocalypse publicly. In his own words, he said that, â€Å"The greatest danger is a war which would be waged by the conscious decision of the leaders of Russia some 25 or 35 years from now. She will have the atomic bomb, the planes, the ports, and the ships to wage aggressive war outside her boarders. Such conflict would truly mean the end of the world and all our diplomacy and prayers must be exerted to avoid it. † His words show his core belief on war, that it is immoral and inhuman. Stern Sheldon M. , 2003, pg 40) In the book Averting the ‘final failure’, Sheldon says that in all of president Kennedy’s life, he had a high regard for personal courage and toughness, but at the same time, he loathed the brutality and the carnage of war. He also had a profound historical paradox; that human beings had never been capable of building a peaceful and stable world, but at the same time, war, especially between nations possessing nuclear weapons, was no longer a rational option. The president was also an anti-communist just like his missile crisis advisers, but he understood that once military conflict was unleashed between the nuclear superpowers, all bets were off. (Stern Sheldon M. , 2003, pg 41) The Cuban missile crisis provided the supreme test of President Kennedy’s capacity to have an open mind and, at the same time, to hold fast his core beliefs about war in the face of unyielding pressure from the experts around him. (Stern Sheldon M. , 2003, pgs 41) The president also believed in liberty and in doing what one wanted to do. He was an athlete, a family man, and the Pulitzer Prize- winning author. He did anything he wanted to do, and hence his decision to engage himself in politics at such a young age. (Gramm Kent, 2001, pg 183) Effect of Catholic background to JFK’s rule Religion is one of the critical elements emphasized especially by the Democrats in presidency, who confess that they must retain the trust of God fearing Americans. In 1960, The Democratic Party appointed John. F. Kennedy as their presidential candidate, despite him being a catholic, but most of his supporters Protestants. He was the second catholic to receive the presidential nomination after Alfred E. Smith of New York, thirty two years earlier. Smith suffered a devastating defeat after a campaign that was marred by vicious religious bigotry. Given this history, JFK addressed a speech before hundreds of Southern Baptist religious leaders in Houston, Texas, on September 12, 1960. In his speech, he expressed his regrets in the necessity of religion to the American presidential candidates. He said that there were other more important issues that could be considered to help decide who the president should be, like hunger, disease and inequality. (North David, 2004, pgs 97-99) He added that issues like war, hunger, ignorance and despair knew no religious barriers. But since his catholic background had had made religion an issue in the campaign, Kennedy said that, â€Å"it is apparently necessary for me to state once again- not what kind of church I believe in for that should be important only to me, but what kind of America I believe in. † He also said, â€Å"I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be a catholic) how to act and no protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote†¦. † He further stated that his conception of America was one in which â€Å"no public official either requests or accepts instruction on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source† and â€Å"where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials. † President Kennedy believed that religion should be a president’s own affair and should not affect American policies or the way he rules. (North David, 2004, pgs 97-99) JFK’s death and its effect on the civil right movements On November 22nd, 1963, the civil right movement received a crushing blow of JFK’s death. The president was solidly behind the civil right efforts and was actively pushing Congress for the passage of a major rights bill. This bill would make possible full equality among the African Americans and the Whites. On a visit to Dallas, as President Kennedy rode with his wife Jackie in a convertible in a parade, three shots rang out, hitting Kennedy in the head and neck. The president died shortly after. The death of the president made the future of the civil rights legislation uncertain. It was however ironical that the death of the president strengthened the proposed civil right bill, an advantage to the civil rights movements. Prior to his death, any civil rights legislation would have required significant compromise to pass both houses of congress. After his death, President Johnson (his successor) refused to compromise. The civil right Acts were also boosted by the fact that the presidential election was upcoming, and Johnson strongly endorsed the Civil Rights Act. With key Republicans emerging as allies and other law makers less inclined to squabble over a bill an assassinated president supported, the bill passed both houses of Congress with no significant changes. Later on, President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act into law. Effect of John. F. Kennedy’s presidency in the 21st century Today, the values of John F. Kennedy are evident, an example being the election of President Barack Obama. President John, F. Kennedy fought for equality among the African Americans and the Whites. In the 1960, it was impossible for a black man to become the president. All this started to change when President Kennedy pushed for the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His assassination was a boost to passing of the bill, signaling the beginning of equality among all. The election of president Obama was definitely a reaping of fruits from the seeds sown by President JFK. The policies of President John F. Kennedy are seen in effect today, where equality reigns among all Americans, regardless of their cultural background, race or color. The fact that President Obama became president at 47 years could also be an inspiration by President Kennedy. In 1960, when John Kennedy was elected president, he received a lot of support from the young people. The old leadership had failed; the policies used then were fair. John F. Kennedy’s era was the start of the young leadership’s rule. He gave hope to the young and to the black African Americans, and was determined to attain the American dream. This was the case with the recent election. Most people preferred a young president to being ruled by an elderly person. President Obama gave America a hope, and promised to push America to achieve the American dream. Just as the youths supporting President John F. Kennedy believed, that nothing was impossible, so did the election of president Obama prove. The election of Obama’s election was also boosted by the fact that the Americans were fed up with Bush’s policies, which were also similar to those of John McCain. (Curtis Mark, etal, 2009, pgs 107-108) References 1) Curtis Mark, Owens Ronn, Age of Obama: A Reporters Journey with Clinton, McCain and Obama in the Making of the President, 2008, Nimble Books LLC, 2009, pgs 107-108 2) Gramm Kent, November: Lincolns elegy at Gettysburg, Indiana University Press, 2001, pg 183 3) North David, The crisis of American democracy: the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, Mehring Books, 2004, pgs 97-99 4) Pauley Garth E. , The modern presidency civil rights: rhetoric on race from Roosevelt to Nixon, Texas A M University Press, 2001, pgs 105-112 5) Penrice Ronda Racha, African American History for Dummies, For Dummies, 2007, pg 169 6) Stern Sheldon M. , Averting ‘the final failure’: John F. Kennedy and the secret Cuban Missile Crisis meetings, Stanford University Press, 2003, pgs 40-41 7) William Terence Martin Riches, The civil rights movement: struggle and resistance, Palgrave Macmillan, 1997, pgs 57-58

Essay --

The American Red Cross The American Red Cross is an organization which has been helping people for many years. They take donations and put them toward helping people in times of need. They are a valued institution in the US. This paper will discuss the causes and effects of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross started in Geneva Switzerland. It provided nonpartisan care to wounded and sick starting in 1863. Clara Barton started a branch of the Red Cross in the US in 1881. It is called the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross takes donations and uses them to help the victims of disasters, wars and other times of need. The American Red Cross now responds to about 63,000 disasters every year. The American Red Cross has some paid employees as well as many volunteers. (American Red Cross). Human societies of different nations and culture contain people (also social members and actors) that constantly interact with social institutions and organizations, primarily because these institutions achieve a common goal that is desirable and agreeable to an individual or group. The American Red Cross is an example of such organization, which is a humanitarian organization centering on volunteerism, and provides "relief of victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. This is one the biggest Red Cross relief operation in the past five years, and we are so grateful for the generosity of Walgreens and its customers in support of our work said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the Red Cross. (Gail McGovern) â€Å"This non-profit and independent organization offers humanitarian services such as blood donations, financial/monetary donation and funding, tissue donation, volunteerism, planned... ...Over 116,000 individuals and families were affected. The American Red Cross also operated over 470 shelters. The hurricane destroyed 16,500 dwellings and damaged 140,000 others. It killed at least 65 people and disrupted the area’s water and electricity. In the Caribbean over 300 paid staff and disaster specialists were assigned to help and 230 paid employees were assigned in the US. This hurricane cost 64 million dollars’ worth of damage. The American Red Cross helped rebuild homes, clean up damage, provide shelter for those who lost homes etc. 30 days after Hugo hit an earthquake rocked North Car! The Red Cross has helped many people and the Red Cross will hopefully continue contributing to the US and other parts of the world for many years to come. They have been working very hard since the 9/11 tragedy. They deserve a lot of credit for all of the work.

Context reflects values Essay

Context is a clear reflection of the values of any era, especially in Shakespeare’s canonical play Hamlet. The events and characters in Hamlet embodies the historical context of shifting religions and political uncertainty that lead to a society imploding. Composed in the 1600s, the murder of a king and the encroachment of foreign power would have had particular resonance for the audience as there was an innate failed invasion of Britain by Spain and an attempted assassination in the Court of Queen Elizabeth I. Additionally, the character Hamlet in this Elizabethan era represents the uncertainty of Christian values and the Renaissance need for restoring the ordained hierarchy. Hamlet was composed in a time of great political uncertainty in English history in which the Queen Elizabeth I had withstood an assassination attempt, a foiled uprising and a failed invasion by Spain. The events of Hamlet , in which a King is murdered and a country ultimately forfeited to foreign power, would have had particular resonance for an Elizabethan audience. This disorder can be seen through the garden imagery woven through the play: â€Å"unweeded garden in two months dead†. The disorder of the country is also seen through the incongruity of Gertrude and Claudius’s reunion: â€Å"Funeral bak’t meals are coldly furnished forth the marriage tables† The period in which Shakespeare wrote was one of explosive growth in knowledge. The Renaissance has seen a revival of Classical learning (reflected in references to Vigil in Hamlet), world exploration was challenged and revolutionising peoples’ conceptions of the universe with Ptolemaic heliocentric (sun-centered) model. Though Hamlet is an appropriation of a story told by Saxo Grammaticus, the ‘Revenge Tragedy’ prototype of Thomas Kyd and the Senecan Tragedy, Shakespeare transcends other tragedies by creating a protagonist that is more complex as Hamlet is a revenge hero that is reluctant to avenge. Through his inner conflict arising from his tragic flaw- procrastination, Hamlet represents the dichotomy of Christian values and the Renaissance need for order in the Elizabethan era. This conflict is crystallised in the Prayer Scene (III,iii)  when Hamlet is passing through to his mother’s room when he comes upon the kneeling Claudius and recognises that he has an opportunity to kill him. He decides not to since, he reasons, if he kills his uncle at prayer Claudius will go to heaven and not to hell – that would be poor revenge. However, according to A.C. Bradley, this is Hamlet’s fatal flaw – procrastination as Hamlet tries to convince himself that this is his duty: â€Å"Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge†, yet is moral code prevents him from avenging. To this point, the audience is convinced that even if Hamlet was to kill Claudius at prayer, Claudius would not go to heaven like what Hamlet had thought because of Claudius’s ironic couplet: â€Å"My words fly up, my thought remain below/ Words without thought never to heaven go†. Hamlet’s conflict is also caused by his humanitarian self, denoted through his soliloquies and paralleling the age of enlightenment. In his soliloquy, he debates the medieval doctrines that demand for a son to absolve his father’s ‘murder’ with conflicting Christianity. In a bitter tone, his despair is denoted through self-laceration: â€Å"lecherous, kindles villain†. Yet this is again an excuse for procrastinating as his frustration at ‘thought’ prevails over any kind of ‘resolution’. In conclusion, it is obvious that the values of any era are reflected through its context. The events and characters in Hamlet mirrors the innate instability and religious upheaval of the 1600s.

Learning Team Collaboration Worksheet Essay

1. What are the advantages of having diversity in a collaborative learning environment? The point of any collaboration is to bring together different ideas for one solution. By exchanging opinions, everyone can decide what works best for the group. When too many like minded people come together, they dole out the same product. If a group contains all organizers or thinkers, they might have a 10 page paper of all conflicting ideas because they couldn’t agree on one topic. History’s bloodiest events usually started with one group of likeminded people pushing their ideas onto the rest of the world. 2. How might factors such as learning and work styles affect your team’s collaboration? Having a diverse set of people in a group can only improve it. Thinkers can look at a topic from all sides, which can help a team anticipate arguments and have an answer ready. Givers can be the voice of reason, helping the group stay on task when an organizer or thinker is stuck on a non consequential detail. Adventurers think outside the box, they may come up with the topic itself or can be counted on to liven up a stale presentation. Organizers are decisive; choosing what information stays, what gets tossed, where it fits, and how to best unify a paper. Like Henry Ford’s assembly line, each person has a role that has to be met for the product to be finished. 3. How can critical thinking improve your team’s collaboration? Being in a team can generate original and creative ideas, making for an interesting project. Critical thinking is the research and facts to uphold those ideas. This involves finding credible sources with valid facts. This question is kicking my butt! I’ll get it eventually. 4. What are methods for improving team writing? Prewriting is the longest step in the writing process, involving the overall topic of a project and all the research. This is where a team can contribute ideas and opinions, and a rough draft is formed. After this process is finished, the actual writing should be simple. The second draft could be written by one person to ensure that it stays in one voice throughout the paper. Then the team can review the draft and make changes as needed.

Abortion, Religion, and the Death Penalty essays

Abortion, Religion, and the Death Penalty essays In this paper, I will argue against the most controversial things that exist, including religion, the death penalty, and abortion and try to find consistency in people that are in favor of it and in their arguments. These are things that should be handled with common sense and not with the mindset that everything has some type of divine intervention or religious answer. Furthermore, I will take a stance that will show that religion is used as an excuse for people in this world to believe that life is something worth living for because of the after-life. First off, I would like to start with a term we have all heard that is referred to as the Sanctity of Life. Personally, I think its a crock of nonsense. Life is sacred? Who said so? God? If you read history, God is one of the leading causes of death, has been for thousands of years. Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus all killing each other because God said it was a good idea. Some of the most brutal wars have been fought over religion, the Crusades for instance. Even if you do try to talk about the Sanctity of Life you cant try and blame it on God because we made it up. You know why? We are alive, thats why we made it up. Living people have a strong interest of promoting that life is sacred. What does Richard Nixon have to say about the Sanctity of Life? Whats the latest from JFK? What do the victims of the World Trade Center attack have to say about it? Nothing! Thats because Richard Nixon, JFK, and the victims of the World Trade Center are all dead. Last time I checked, dead p eople could care less about the Sanctity of Life; only living people care about it. Therefore, it grows out of a completely biased point of view. It was a self- serving man-made bunch of garbage. Its one of these things we tell ourselves to make us feel noble. If everything that ever lived is dead, and everything that is living is going to die, then wh...

Biography of the Great Newspaper Publisher Joseph Pulitzer

Biography of the Great Newspaper Publisher Joseph Pulitzer Joseph Pulitzer was one of the most influential figures in the American journalism in the late 19th century. A Hungarian immigrant who learned the newspaper business in the Midwest following the Civil War, he purchased the failing New York World and transformed it into one of the leading papers in the country. In a century known for raucous journalism which included the introduction of the penny press, Pulitzer became known, along with William Randolph Hearst, as a purveyor of yellow journalism. He had a keen sense of what the public wanted, and sponsoring events like the around-the-world trip of intrepid female reporter Nellie Bly made his newspaper extraordinarily popular. Though Pulitzers own newspaper was often criticized, the most prestigious award in American journalism, the Pulitzer Prize, is named for him. Early Life Joseph Pulitzer was born April 10, 1847, the son of a prosperous grain dealer in Hungary. After his fathers death, the family faced grave financial problems, and Joseph chose to emigrate to America. Arriving in America in 1864, at the height of the Civil War, Pulitzer enlisted in the Union cavalry. At the end of the war, Pulitzer left the Army and was among the many jobless veterans. He survived by taking a variety of menial jobs until he found a job as a reporter at a German-language newspaper published in St. Louis, Missouri, by Carl Schurz, a noted German exile. By 1869 Pulitzer had proven himself to be highly industrious and he was thriving in St. Louis. He became a member of the bar (though his law practice was not successful), and an American citizen. He became very interested in politics and ran successfully for the Missouri state legislature. Pulitzer bought a newspaper, the St. Louis Post in 1872. He made it profitable, and in 1878 he purchased the failed St. Louis Dispatch, which he merged with the Post. The combined St. Louis Post Dispatch became profitable enough to encourage Pulitzer to expand to a much larger market. Pulitzers Arrival In New York City In 1883 Pulitzer traveled to New York City and purchased the troubled New York World from Jay Gould, a notorious robber baron. Gould had been losing money on the newspaper and was happy to be rid of it. Pulitzer was soon turning the World around and making it profitable. He sensed what the public wanted, and directed the editors to concentrate on human interest stories, lurid tales of big city crime, and scandals. Under Pulitzer’s direction, the World established itself as the newspaper of the common people  and it generally supported the rights of workers. In the late 1880s, Pulitzer employed the adventurous female reporter Nellie Bly. In a triumph of reporting and promotion, Bly circled the globe in 72 days, with the World documenting every step of her startling journey. The Circulation Wars During the era of yellow journalism, in the 1890s, Pulitzer found himself engaged in a circulation war with rival publisher William Randolph Hearst, whose New York Journal proved to be a formidable challenger to the World. After battling with Hearst, Pulitzer tended to draw back from sensationalism and began advocating for more responsible journalism. However, he tended to defend sensationalist coverage by asserting that it was important to catch the public’s attention in order to make them aware of important issues. Pulitzer had a long history of health problems, and his failing eyesight led him to be surrounded by a number of employees who helped him function. He also suffered from a nervous ailment which was exaggerated by sound, so he tried to stay, as much as possible, in soundproof rooms. His eccentricities became legendary. In 1911, while visiting Charleston, South Carolina aboard his yacht, Pulitzer died. He left a bequest to found a journalism school at Columbia University, and the Pulitzer Prize, the most prestigious award in journalism, was named in his honor.

Marketing Conference - Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Conference - Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Interaction, responsibility to the community and employee satisfaction Competition analysis: Understanding where our products rank in the market place is important to better determine how to improve our market share among consumers thus improve our revenue. A comprehensive analysis of the activities of our potential competitors is an ever going business objective. Government grants are funded by tall money. They therefore require very strict compliance and reporting measures to ensure that the money given is well spent. Unfortunately grants are never given away indiscriminately. However, other sources of funding are available. Nonetheless, it is still important that to research the target market, in order to ensure that customers will pay for the product. The cost of starting up of a business can be mitigated through: Bank Loan: This is another option for funding once target market is ascertained. The bank will need a realistic cash flow forecast, and proof that the loan will be paid back with interest. The bank may require provision of securities against the loan such as a house or car in case you don’t pay. This requires stringent risk analysis. The targeted market is often defined in terms of demographics and psychographics. In demographics, the target market is considered using variables such as gender, age, education, house-hold income, marital status, employment status, residence and the number of children in the house-hold. For example, Kick Covers could target consumers aged between 26-to-50 years old with yearly house-hold income of $50000 or more, or house-holds with children aged six years or younger. Psychographic: This is a general term for consumer’s personality traits, beliefs and attitudes about social issues (opinions) personal interests (sports, music or movies),and shopping orientations(price sensitive shoppers, recreational shoppers, convenience