Richard Branson Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Richard Branson - Research Paper Example to reduce risk in their business choices. There are also leaders who do not follow existing leadership practices; rather, they develop their own leadership style avoiding to be influenced by the traditional perceptions on leader’s role. Such case is Richard Branson, the founder and Chairman of Virgin Group. Since the establishment of his first enterprise, the Virgin Records in 1972, Richard Branson has been made popular for his style of leadership, which is considered to be unique. The aspects of the leadership style of Richard Branson are analyzed below. It is made clear that the success of Virgin Group is not related only to the carefully planned strategies on which its activities are based but mainly to the leadership style of Richard Branson. The management practices of Richard Branson have become a valuable example for leaders worldwide; in fact, it is primarily the entrance of Richard Branson in the business sector that has proved his capabilities and skills as a charism atic leader. In his first involvement in business activities, Richard Branson did not show signs of a strong willingness for success; maybe it was exactly this fact that led to his differentiation from other entrepreneurs worldwide who focus only on the profit. Even now, Richard Branson supports that there are many values and interests in life and the achievement of profits should not be a priority (Dearlove 2010). The entrance of Richard Branson in the business sector can be identified in 1971 – when the first Virgin Record store was established in order to respond to the relevant needs of students (Murray, Poole and Jones 167) – before this initiative Richard Branson has been involved in the publication of ‘a magazine for students’ (Murray, Poole and Jones 167). Because at that period the trends of the market regarding the buying of records were rather negative, Richard Branson introduced certain strategies aiming to attract the attention of young people ; free coffee and extremely friendly environment were the two main parts of Branson’s strategy in order to attract customers (Murray, Poole and Jones 167). The above strategies had positive results; indeed, the company managed to achieve an important growth proving Branson’s capabilities to establish a successful enterprise in a market sector, which was underdeveloped. One of the most important characteristics of Richard Branson as a leader is his ability to handle crises. This fact was revealed in the crash of one of the firm’s highspeed trains in Northern England, in 2007 (Reuters, February 24, 2007). The investigation developed by the local authorities revealed that Virgin could not be held responsible for the crash since the accident was caused because of a faulty track (Reuters, 2007). During the period that the case was under examination, Richard Branson had to face a strong criticism regarding the measures taken for the safety of Virgin trains. This issue is analyzed in the study of Regester & Larkin (2008); reference is made to the exceptional ability of Richard Branson to cover all issues highlighted by the journalists; in fact, the day of the crash Richard Branson was in holidays and he returned immediately in order to check the situation closely. The media welcomed the specific initiative noting that ‘even the chief executives avoid being involved personally in cases of crises’

The privacy of your medical records Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The privacy of your medical records - Essay Example However, many have come to accept that their employer has the right to essentially do the same thing by monitoring emails. Is wrong always wrong or do employers have a widely agreed upon caveat to intrude on the privacy of American citizens? Some believe that because the Constitution forbids illegal searches which are the precedent for disallowing the wiretapping of citizens, this should apply to businesses as well. Computer networks are especially susceptible to employer scrutiny. According to a Privacy Foundation study (Privacy Foundation, 2001), 14 million U.S. employees are subject to this type of surveillance on a constant basis. Employers use specially designed software for this purpose. They are able to scrutinize employee e-mail by randomly reading communications or by selecting key ‘damaging’ words or phrases in order to flag e-mail. The software evaluates a company’s e-mail messages by selected term of phrase and makes a determination regarding whether a message is genuine and non-threatening corporate business. These programs are becoming ever more sophisticated using algorithms to evaluate communications patterns and relay this information to employers. Many employers are always just a click or two away from viewing every e-mail message that employees send or receive on computers included on the network. These employers give a variety of justifications for spying on their employees’ communications including the protection of trade secrets, the prevention of internal problems or excess e-mails clogging networks by using too much bandwidth. Another popular reason given for monitoring personal e-mails is to prevent employees from using company time for personal communications. Checking for quality of work would violate few people’s idea of crossing the privacy boundary but that is seldom a reason given for such monitoring. According to the American Management Study (2001), close to â€Å"two-thirds of all companies

Impact of Feminism on Social Work Practice

Impact of Feminism on Social Work Practice The emergence of feminism and its impact on social work practice This research considers the application of feminist thought in social work practise. Specific areas of consideration include the gap from social workers’ personal acceptance of feminist constructs and their use of such constructs in daily practise, the effects of perpetuation of hegemonic gender roles by social workers, and domestic violence victims perceptions of the effectiveness of social work based on the perspectives of their social workers as considered above. This research further describes a focus group of college social work students who are also domestic violence victims. It records their perceptions of social workers’ worldviews and the impact of such on service. Conclusions include that there is significant gap between the understanding or acceptance of feminist constructs amongst social workers and its application in daily field practise, that social workers are often likely to perpetuate hegemonic gender roles, and because of such perpetuation view domestic violence situations as individual occurrences rather than part of a greater societal pattern of oppression, and that domestic violence survivors feel best served when work with them uses a feminist theoretical framework. Introduction Feminism and social work have been associated for many years; however, although many social workers personally espouse working from a feminist perspective, the systems of social work still favour work from a traditional or patriarchal perspective. This research, therefore, seeks to first consider findings from previous study regarding this phenomenon and the theoretical frameworks for both social work and feminist thought. In this light of information gleaned from these findings, it became apparent that hegemonic gender roles, a common topic of feminist research, play a relevant part in work with survivors of domestic violence. Specifically, domestic violence survivors are often directed, either explicitly or implicitly, that their situation is personal and should be considered and dealt with from a personal and pathological perspective rather than applying the tenets of feminist thought that view such situations as manifestations of structural and power problems in our greater society. This study then seeks to document whether this gap between social work theory supportive of feminist worldviews and social work application of practise exists, and if so, how prevalent a gap it is. This is accomplished through use of a focus group of college students, all of whom have taken at least one course in social work theory and are themselves domestic violence survivors who have been served, to whatever level of quality, by social workers. Discussions within the focus group involved ideas of gender roles and social worker advocacy of hegemonic gender roles, whether explicit or implicit. The focus group then built on this foundation to consider group participants ‘experiences with social workers and whether they presented an individual / pathological perspective of domestic violence, or whether they presented a perspective that consider the wider influence of society and its systems. This was further related to the effect of such perceptions on the understanding of and service to group participants at the time of intervention. Literature Review Feminism has emerged in the past thirty years as a viable worldview. Dietz (2000), quoting Bunch (1980), defined feminism as â€Å"transformational politics that aims at the dismantling of all permanent power hierarchies in which one category of humans dominates or controls another category of humans† (372). â€Å"In the feminist and empowerment traditions, the personal is political, and individual change and social change are seen as interdependent† (Deitz 2000,372). Feminism contends it is not adequate to simply include women in the world’s political and power systems, as these were designed by and for men and therefore favour a highly masculinised mechanism for responding to issues and require women working within these systems to-do the same (Scott 1988, Moylan 2003). Simply including women is not enough; society must give women’s experiences equal time and consideration, eventually recasting the very meanings of the topics it considers (Scott 1988). Rather, feminism argues women must be engaged in both the system development and decision-making processes that shape our society (Moylan 2003). Consequently, one area where feminism has particularly challenged traditional views is in the area of gender roles. For example, Dominelli and McLeod (1989) examine the way in which social problems are defined, recognising gender as particularly important in understanding client groups, and stress egalitarian relationships between therapists and clients. Gender is also an important consideration of social work due to the patriarchal society that still dominates most of our world. This power framework rests on a basis of hegemonic masculinity (Cohn and Enloe 2003). Connell (1995) created the term ‘hegemonic masculinity’ to describe the valued definition of manhood in a society. He argues that whilst there are multiple possible masculinities in a culture, only one or a few are most valued or considered ideal (Connell 1995). This gender definition is constructed both in relation to femininity and to other, subordinated masculinities, and is used to justify both men’s domination of women, and the hegemonic ally masculine man’s power over other men (Cohn and Weber 1999). Whilst women are increasingly being included in world systems, the systems themselves still were designed for and operate by and for men. Therefore, women who participate within the system must do so from male paradigm, even if it is sometimes at odds with their own preferences for how to go about dealing with a situation (Cohn and Enloe 2003). Feminism historically is a â€Å"critique of male supremacy, the belief that gender order was socially constructed and could not be changed† (Cott1989,205). Masculinity is often defined as what is not feminine, and femininity as what is not masculine, although understanding the dynamics of one requires considering both the workings of the other and the relationship and overlap between the two (Cohn and Enloe 2003). Masculine definitions are often based on strength, domination and violence, whilst feminine on weakness, nurturing, compassion and passitivity (Rabrenovic and Roskos 2001). The result is pressure omen adhering to a hegemonic definition of masculinity to view forms of addressing conflict other than a physical or masculine response as feminine and a threat to their manhood (Moylan 2003). The popular concept of gender holds that masculinity and femininity â€Å"are unchanging expressions based on the chromosomal male and female bodies (Butler 1990). â€Å"Gender is assumed to be ‘hard-wired,’ at least in part† (Hawkesworth 1997). Masculine actions and desires for men and feminine actions and desires for women alone are normal, these masculine and feminine traits are not a matter of choice, and all individuals can be classified as one or the other (Hawkesworth 1997). However, whilst our society men are considered strong and dominant, and women passive and nurturing, â€Å"the meanings of male and female bodies differ from one culture to another, and change (even in our own culture) over time† (Connell 1993, 75). For example, there have been â€Å"periods in Western history when the modern convention that men suppress displays of emotion did not apply at all, when men were effusive to their male friends and demonstrative about their feelings†(Connell 1993, 75). â€Å"Masculinities and felinities are constructed or accomplished in social processes such as child rearing, emotional and sexual relationships, work and politics† (Connell 1993, 75). Feminism, however, contends gender is a constructed by each culture, and as a social practice involves the incorporation of specific symbols, which support or distort human potential (Hawkesworth 1997). Gender is created through â€Å"discursively constrained per formative acts, â€Å"and the repetition of these acts over time creates gender for the individual in society (Butler 1990, x). People learn to â€Å"act† like women or men are supposed to; women are taught to behave in a feminine manner, men are taught to act in a masculine manner. This is often reinforced by authority figures, such as social workers. Barnes (2003)cites a number of studies which find social workers often assume the â€Å"disciplinary gaze† of notions of â€Å"what and how to be woman, â€Å"perpetuating traditional gender roles (149). â€Å"Armed with rigid codes of gender appropriate behaviours, social workers often sought to regulate and mediate women’s interactions with the soci al, economic, and political world† (Barns 2003, 149). Feminism and social work share a number of similarities. Both believe â€Å"in the inherent worth and dignity of all persons, the value of process over product, the appreciation of unity-diversity, the importance of considering the person-in- environment, and a commitment to personal empowerment and active participation in society as a means to bring about meaningful social change† (Barrette 2001, 266-267). Similarly, both feminism and social work address multiple approaches to handling situations, challenging the institutionalized oppression common in manpower structures and supporting â€Å"the reconceptualization and redistribution of that power† (Barrette 2001, 267). It follows that one impact of feminism on social work practise is the consideration of issues from a societal rather than personal perspective. For example, this might include viewing a domestic violence situation not from the perspective that the family is dysfunctional, but from the perspective of the society that created the family. The psychology-based focus of clinical social work â€Å"often leads to individualizing social problems, rather than to viewing themes the result of relations of power, primarily oppression and abuse†(Deitz 2000, 369). As such, individuals experiencing such difficulties are â€Å"taught† that their particular experiences are inappropriate, rather than addressing the systems that created the difficulties in the first place (Deitz 2000, 369). Nominally and McLeod (1989) re-evaluate social work practice from feminist perspective, considering the functions of social work such as therapy, community interaction, and policy making not from pathological standpoint but from one of defined roles endorsed by societal conditions. As such, they contend that working from feminist perspective allows the social worker to address the causes of social issues, rather than the symptoms played out in individual’s lives (Nominally and McLeod 1989). One area of difference in social work practise between those operating from a feminist framework and a traditional framework is the concept of distance. Traditionally, the â€Å"patriarchal bias against relationality and connection† is intended to lead to â€Å"connection without harm, love without power abuse, touching without sexual abuse in psychotherapy†(Deitz 2000, 377). Unfortunately, in practise it often results in â€Å"power over† relationships where those receiving services feel â€Å"less than† those providing them. â€Å"Healing happens when someone feels seen, heard, held, and empowered, not when one is interpreted, held at distance, and pathologies† (Deitz 2000, 377). Deitz (2000) finds that social workers often institutionalize a â€Å"power over† stance from professional training and discourse that constructs the identities of clients as somehow disordered, dysfunctional or impaired. â€Å"Whether between parents and children; physicians and patients; social workers and consumers of services; Whites and Blacks; or heterosexuals and lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered persons, power over relationships give the dominant partners or group the right to define the meanings of subordinates’ experiences (including their resistance)and thus their opportunities for self-affirmation† (Deitz 2000,373).This creates professional relationships that ignore the environmental, historical, and social contexts of the problem, discount people’s strengths and resilience in assessment and intervention, and lead â€Å"to the objectification of people as diagnoses, rather than to empowerment† (Deitz 2000, 370). â€Å"The keys to empowerment in feminist micro practice are reconnection and transformation through political activity; survivors of oppression and abuse experience reconnection through relationships based on mutuality, collaboration, and trustworthiness† (Deitz 2000, 376). Theories from social work, psychology, and particularly developmental psychology describe empowerment as primarily a process, with the personal transformation of the individual becoming empowered at its foundation (Carr 2003, 8). Barriers to empowerment and problems of disenfranchisement caused by powerlessness are primarily political, rather than psychological. Powerlessness is defined as the inability to effectively manage one’s emotions, knowledge, skills, or resources; it is â€Å"derived from the absence of external supports and the existence of ontological â€Å"power blocks† that become incorporated into a person’s development† (Carr 2003, 13). As such, many survivors also work to reconnect to others in their communities, often seeking political activity that â€Å"emphasizes the empowerment of others, such as by organizing Take Back the Night marches or speak-outs, volunteering for crisis hot lines, seeking legislative changes, or becoming social workers or human service professionals† (Deitz 2000, 376). For example, feminist work with abuse survivors â€Å"emphasizes the relationship between abuse and oppressive social relations (Deitz 2000,374). On the other hand, the dominant clinical social work approach to oppression and abuse relocates the problem of oppression in victims. Psychological theories are typically employed, which â€Å"locates pathology in individuals, rather than in oppressive relationships and systems, and considers the long-term effects of oppression to be symptoms of individual pathology† (Deitz 2000, 374). Unfortunately, whilst many social workers have been exposed to or even personally support operating from a feminist framework, the systems in which they work prevent them from actively utilising feminist insight in their daily practise. Research Plan This research seeks to study the prevalence and impact of traditional and feminist practitioner constructs from the perspective of those served. Specifically, a focus group study will be conducted with a group of college students, all of whom are currently studying social work and therefore have some concept regarding social work practice, feminist and traditional worldviews. In addition, all students in the focus group will have experienced domestic violence and have been provided the services of a social worker in some form during their teenage years. Three areas of discussion will be undertaken by the group. These will be provided to individual group participants in writing several days before the group in order for students to have time to consider what they would like to share regarding their opinions and own experiences. The first group activity will involve creating definitions of â€Å"masculine† and â€Å"feminine† from the perspective of a typical social worker based on the students’ teenage experiences. Students will then be asked to discuss where, if at all, they personally feel they and their family members who were involved in the domestic violence situation(s) â€Å"fit† regarding these preconceived definitions. It is anticipated some students will have been uncomfortable with societal constraints they or their family experienced as teenagers. As all are studying social work, they are also anticipated to make more connections between societal power issues, hegemonic gender roles, and their influence on domestic violence than a focus group without such background. The third area of discussion will centre on how the students’ perceptions of their social worker(s) understanding of gender roles influenced their and their families reception of adequate service. The researcher will both tape record and take notes on the group discussions. Data gathered from the group will then be compiled and analysed. In addition, students from the focus group will be given the option to write a response to the group activity, if they so desire. These will be further included in the group data. Methodology Data collection involved four means. Prior to the group starting, each participant was given a questionnaire (see Appendix 3) to gather basic demographic information. The questionnaire also asked for brief summary of their abusive situation. Regarding data collection of the group proceedings, as described above the focus group session was tape-recorded and the researcher took notes to supplement the recording of group discussion. The recorded sessions were then transcribed into print form, with research notes added in at the chronologically appropriate points of the transcription to provide a more complete written overview of the focus group discussion. In addition, group participants had an option to write a response the group to be included in the group data. Four participants wrote responses, which were considered with the group data following analysis of the focus group discussion. Participants were provided with the three areas of group discussion several days prior to the actual focus group meeting. They were not given any directions or guidance regarding the optional written responses to the group activity. Data analysis first involved dividing and coding group data. Responses to the first topic of discussion were divided into three categories: those representing a traditional worldview, those representing feminist worldview, and those that did not clearly represent either worldview. From these groupings, overall findings regarding the worldviews typically experienced by the group participants were summarised. This was then further compared with the definitions of traditional gender roles identified by the group. Data from the second topic of discussion were also broken down into those representing a traditional worldview, those representing feminist worldview, and those that did not clearly represent either worldview. It was important to then note participant perceptions and emotional responses to these coding, and in which worldview grouping they and their families were reported to feel best served and empowered. Data from the specific discussion regarding service were then similarly analysed, and combined with previous findings to present a picture of the impact of traditional versus feminist worldviews on social work practise, emphasising work with teenage domestic violence survivors and their understanding of gender roles in society. It was anticipated at the conclusion of such research, a view could be asserted as to whether feminist perspective has a significant impact on the practise of social work as it is currently undertaken and whether this impact, if any, leads to improved service. As the focus group involved a relatively small number of participants(nine total) and data from their interactions were primarily qualitative in nature, it was decided not to perform any complex statistical analysis on focus group data. It was felt that such types of analysis would neither reveal findings that could be considered statistically significant nor provide a more accurate understanding of the issues under consideration than a more qualitative analytical approach. In consideration of space and relevance portions of the discussion were used to support conclusions in the findings and analysis sections of this dissertation, whilst an overall summary of the most relevant portions of the discussion are included in Appendix2. Implementation Project Nine students meeting the criteria laid out in the research plan agreed to participate in the focus group. They were primarily organised by one group participant, who had discovered other domestic violence survivors through classroom discussions and through participation in a survivors’ group in the local community. All nine students were currently studying social work or had taken at least one social work course as part of a related course of study, such as education or criminal justice. There were six women and three men, ranging in age from nineteen to twenty-seven. Racially, seven were Caucasian, one was Black, and one was Asian. All present as coming from upper working class to middle class backgrounds. All had experienced domestic violence as teenagers, making their experiences fairly recent and therefore providing a relatively current depiction of social work practise. Five students (three women, two men) had been removed from their biological parents at some point during their teenage years. All had been involved in interventions into the family by a social worker representing either a government organisation, or in the case of one woman, a local church. Some of the participants previously knew each other and were somewhat aware of each other’s experiences, which should be considered in group analysis. Five regularly participated in a survivors’ support group in the community. One man and one woman were cousins. In addition, two of the men had known each other as teenagers from intervention through the school system. Jennifer, a twenty-four year-old Caucasian woman, was chosen to be the moderator, as she had been the one who had assisted the researcher by arranging for most of the participants to become involved in the study. The group then moved almost immediately into discussion of the topics provided. The group had been provided a whiteboard for its use, which Jennifer implemented to organise individual comments and ideas. It is surmised that the easy manner with which the group undertook the discussion was based on the fact that they were all students and therefore used to having study groups, group discussions, and the like, and that all of them had at least publicly shared their experiences previously, either as part of a classroom discussion or survivors ‘group, or both, and were therefore more comfortable in engaging in such discussion than might be typical for a focus group dealing with such experiences. Findings and Analysis The first finding of this research is that the majority of social workers in service or domestic violence survivors to not consistently employ feminist constructs in practise, despite the likelihood of having been exposed to such constructs. This manifested itself in three significant ways. First, families were overwhelming dealt with as individuals with problems. That is, the abuser was described as making poor choices or having some type of pathological issues that led to his or her decision to abuse (in one participant’s family, both parents were abusive). As such, the abuser was described from psychoanalytical standpoint by the social worker(s), and his or her behaviour labelled as individually deviant. The survivors of the domestic violence situations, particularly them others, as the majority of abusers from the groups’ experiences were male family members or boyfriends of the mother, were also reported tube consistently dealt with from an individual perspective. In this sense, their behaviour was also reported to be categorised by the social workers involved as unhealthy, pathological, and coming from some sort of unresolved personal issues, such as low self-esteem. In the case of only one participant did the social workers involved in either intervention or therapy consistently relate the domestic violence situation to broader issues of oppression, societal power structures and the related hegemonic gender roles, or patriarchal norms of society. It is of note that this participant received service from progressive women-helping-women organisation, rather than a traditional government-organised social work programme. Group participants also repeatedly described their family situations as unhealthy, and they certainly were, but from the perspective that both the abuser and abused were reacting or displaying emotion inappropriately, rather than that the motivation or norming behind the behaviour was at fault. For example, Trent described his mother as drawn to violent, alcoholic men. â€Å"She always seemed to go for these guys that didn’t know how to express anything except by breaking stuff, yelling, hitting, you know.† His further descriptions of his mother’s ‘boyfriends indicated an assumption that if these men had been raised with or taught proper means of dealing with their frustrations and emotions, the abuse to him and his mother would have been lessened or eliminated. This idea was supported by at least one social worker, who suggested counselling for Trent, his mother, and the then boyfriend as one possible way of addressing the abusive situation. Several participants did bring feminist theory and thought into group discussion, pointing out, for example, that dominance or aggression by men in any form was unhealthy, and questioning why it was only seen as unhealthy by most of the social workers they had encountered, and bothers they knew in the community, when physical violence was actually involved. There was a related discussion, albeit brief, about the unwillingness of neighbours, relatives, and others in the community, such as members of the same church, to intervene in the domestic violence situation. Participants indicated their perception that whilst this was often due to a fear of getting involved or knowing how to help the situation, there were repeated occurrences in everyone’s experience where an unwillingness to intervene derived from others’ implications that the man of the house had some right to choose the way in which the household operated, or that he had a right to discipline his wife /girlfriend and children as he saw fit. Wendy reports hearing an aunt state â€Å"Well, it’s his family, their kids, she wants to stay with him, â€Å"and dismiss the on-going violence as therefore an acceptable family lifestyle, or at least one in which none of the rest of the family should be expected to intervene. Participants then acknowledged this and several other systemic situations that perpetuated their abuse, such as reluctance of authority figures to continue questioning when initially told nothing was wrong, and unwillingness of police to intervene repeatedly. Similarly, regarding gender roles, discussion indicated a belief by most participants that their social workers believed a traditional stereotype of what was appropriate behaviour for a man and a woman, and that these behaviours were different. There were reports of acceptance of physical response as an appropriate masculine reaction, but the level of physical response not being considered appropriate. Male participants were encouraged to talk about their experiences, but report never being given permission to express fear, or an emotional response such as crying. One male participant reported starting to cry as part of a group experience, and being discouraged rather than encouraged to continue, whilst female members of the group were allowed to and even supported in such emotional expression. There were similar reports of various hegemonic ally feminine expressions, such as crying, fear, and nurturing behaviours, being supported and encouraged by social workers for male family members but not female, as well as an acceptance or assumption of weakness on the part of adult females who chose to remain in an abusive situation. The discussion then moved to the effect of traditional and feminist perspective on social work service. Participants overwhelmingly reported feeling better served when social workers sought to empower them and their families. This did usually involve practise of methods derived from a feminist view, such as the use of reflective journaling and support groups, as well as encouragement from the social workers tithe mother that she could, indeed, survive and prosper outside the domestic violence situation, that she did have the inner reserves to address the situation and move to a healthier lifestyle, and that societal pressure to be with a man, either as a romantic partner or as a father / father-figure for children was not necessary for successful life. Participants also report feeling personally empowered by such encouragement, and therefore able to support their mothers in attempts to leave relationships. From their own study in social work theory, focus group participants were able to briefly discuss the ramifications of the patriarchal societal power structure on a woman’s decision to stay in a violent situation. One issue brought up included the perception that society will view a woman as a failure and undesirable if she does not have aromatic relationship with a man in her life. A number of women participants in the group reported feeling similar pressure to maintain romantic relationship with a man in their life, regardless of their other commitments or interests, and an expectation that they would not be successful women if they did not ultimately get married and have children. When questioned by other participants, the three male participants reported not feeling such pressures. Another issue raised was the mothers’ perception that they needed a father figure to successfully raise children, particularly boys. This was perpetuated in the life experiences of group participants even though the men occupying these roles were viewed by the male participants as destructive, rather than constructive, influences. Issues of supporting disciplining children and managing household operations were also indicated, as was the financial support provided by the bitterer. The group indicated all these issues were societal, rather than individual, and lack of addressing of them affected the effectiveness of the social services they had received. Overall, the participants were generally positive about at least one social worker with whom they had a relationship during their teenage years. Participants typically felt feeling most encouraged and best served by those social workers who did not present themselves as being distant or above the participants and their families, and who did not overly emphasise their family’s issues from a perspective of individual dysfunction. These findings indicated that a feminist interactive construct, which avoids â€Å"power over† methods and practise is perceived to be most effective by domestic violence survivors. Recommendations It is recommended from findings of this study that social workers are first provided greater exposure to and training in feminist methods and theory as it relates to their practical, day-to-day practise. For example, all participants reported some positive experiences in response to reflective methods such as reflective journaling and survivor support groups. Considerations of ways to more greatly include such methods in typical practise are therefore indicated. Of greater concern are the systems in which social workers operate. Whilst most of the social workers in these focus group participants ‘experiences had some familiarity with feminist theory or methods, as indicated by their emphasis on empowerment or use of specific strategies, there is something within the government-sponsored social services structure that prohibits practise truly based on feminist tenets. A sharp contrast was provided by the young woman served at a progressive, private service, where feminist theory was the obvious framework on which service was based. She was by far the most positive about her experiences and workers, and reported insights, understanding and empowerment to change not consistently reported by other focus group participants. It therefore recommended that more research be pursued as to what factors

Fran Dorn :: essays research papers

Fran Dorn, the host of our video, is an intellectual person who holds a special appreciation for all forms of literature. She graduated with a master’s degree in theatre from a New York school and is now an actress who enjoys reading in her spare time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fran views each work of literature as a gift. She states that literature is very hard to define and that although each reader must find his or her own definition of literature, we can examine how and why literature works. Throughout the video, many views on literature are offered. Fran concludes that although literature comes in many forms, it must have a written quality to it. She believes that this creates a relationship between the author and the reader of the piece. As the reader makes his or her way through a piece of literature, Fran feels new worlds are opened and the reader is enriched through the experience of literature. All literature has meaning, but it means different things to each person because we each bring in different experiences. Fran concludes that literature has great meaning because it is written not only from the author’s mind, but also from the author’s heart; the whole person is involved in writing. I feel Fran would have us regard literature in the same way that she does. Fran desires for us to consider the meaning and value in each piece. She would like us to appreciate the value of literature and to discover the joy in it that she treasures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The critics on our videotape offer three different interpretations of Nicki Giovanni’s poem â€Å"Woman†. I found the first critic’s viewpoint to be the most reasonable, logical interpretation. Alvin Aubert, a professor of English at Wayne State University, feels that the poem was written in a satirical tone with an emphasis on how women are not taken seriously in the world today. However, he also concludes that at the end of the poem, the woman has decided to accept this. Even though she is not taken seriously as a woman, she will still continue to be a woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I agree with Aubert’s point of view because I feel there is evidence in the poem to support his interpretation. Throughout the poem, each time the woman wanted to be something, the man rejected that role for her, thus not taking her seriously, nor recognizing her value in that rule. Fran Dorn :: essays research papers Fran Dorn, the host of our video, is an intellectual person who holds a special appreciation for all forms of literature. She graduated with a master’s degree in theatre from a New York school and is now an actress who enjoys reading in her spare time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fran views each work of literature as a gift. She states that literature is very hard to define and that although each reader must find his or her own definition of literature, we can examine how and why literature works. Throughout the video, many views on literature are offered. Fran concludes that although literature comes in many forms, it must have a written quality to it. She believes that this creates a relationship between the author and the reader of the piece. As the reader makes his or her way through a piece of literature, Fran feels new worlds are opened and the reader is enriched through the experience of literature. All literature has meaning, but it means different things to each person because we each bring in different experiences. Fran concludes that literature has great meaning because it is written not only from the author’s mind, but also from the author’s heart; the whole person is involved in writing. I feel Fran would have us regard literature in the same way that she does. Fran desires for us to consider the meaning and value in each piece. She would like us to appreciate the value of literature and to discover the joy in it that she treasures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The critics on our videotape offer three different interpretations of Nicki Giovanni’s poem â€Å"Woman†. I found the first critic’s viewpoint to be the most reasonable, logical interpretation. Alvin Aubert, a professor of English at Wayne State University, feels that the poem was written in a satirical tone with an emphasis on how women are not taken seriously in the world today. However, he also concludes that at the end of the poem, the woman has decided to accept this. Even though she is not taken seriously as a woman, she will still continue to be a woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I agree with Aubert’s point of view because I feel there is evidence in the poem to support his interpretation. Throughout the poem, each time the woman wanted to be something, the man rejected that role for her, thus not taking her seriously, nor recognizing her value in that rule.

American public attitude on science and technology

Throughout history, the public perception on science and technology has not been stable. It has changed constantly and the fluctuation on the attitudes is still evident today. It is important to note that the public perceptions on scientific and technological advancements vary from one society to another. Since the end of the Second World War, the first war to make use of sophisticated scientific technologies such as atomic bombs, there has been several scientific advancement and consequently changes in the public perception in the United States.This is as a result of the massive research that was prompted by the events of the Second World War and the subsequent tensions of the cold war era (Mindell, pg 1). The attitudes of the Americans on scientific and technological advancements have always had far reaching impacts (National Academy of Engineering, pg 1). It affects the level to which the federal government funds for scientific research and development, the number of people especi ally college student willing to pursue careers in research and development the application of the new and better technologies that have been developed and the improvement of existing technologies.There are varies factors that have been found to influence the perceptions and attitudes of the Americans towards certain technologies. These factors includes that knowledge about the specific technology held by the general public, optimisms of the technological advancement and the general public attitude towards the profession dealing with the technology. These factors have made comparison of attitudes and perceptions of societies from different backgrounds on certain scientific advancement difficult (Liao, pg 1).In the 1970s, there was a growing concern in the United States due to the increased negative perception of the public on science and technology. The public were slowly losing confidence on research and development when compared to the situation in the Second World War where the Am ericans had full confidence on the ability of science. These increased concerns were prompted by the increased environmental awareness. The public was increasingly getting aware of the impacts of air pollution and the negative consequences of technological advancement.There were reports on the mass media on the dangers associated with increased research and development of nuclear weapons and power plants, biotechnology research especially on the DNA, disposal of toxic industrial waste and massive use of pesticides and fertilizers in the plantations. Protests against science and technology were witnessed in the 1970s. This created a need for the National Science Board to embark on strategies of reducing the general cynicism towards science and technology in the United States (Pion and Mark, pg 303).Despite this, compared to other societies around the world, the American society’s attitude favor science and technology. Most of the Americans believe that technological advancemen t makes them healthier and comfortable. Majority of the Americans today believes the scientists’ main aim is to make life easier for the ordinary Americans. Moreover, they believe that advancement in technology and its applications in their daily lives are interesting and create more opportunities for the future generations.However, about half of the Americans believe that the modern society is over-dependent on science and technology. It is interesting to note that the more the public learn about the improvement in technology and become aware of its positive and negative effective, their attitude shifts towards favoring technological development. This explains the increased perception that though technological advancement may have harmful effects on the environment or degrade the sanctity of human life, the benefits outweigh the negative effects (Science and Engineering Indicators, Para 5).However, this does not mean there are no concerns among the public on the increased de pendence of science and technology among the Americans. The increased debates on climate change and global warming has been blamed to be associated with technological advancement in the second half of the twentieth century. But a good number of Americans believe science and technology is the solution to the environmental problems responsible for climate change.The confidence held by the Americans on science and technology is due to the perception that technology was essential in the establishment of the United States as a world superpower. The supremacy of the United States military in the Second World War, the Vietnam War, and the confidence during the cold war, the gulf war and the current 21st war in Middle East has been attributed to science and technology. Americans therefore consider research and development as their greatest achievement in the 20th century (Miller, pg 274).Despite the increased debate on the biotechnology especially genetically modified organisms, Americans a re still weighing the options with majority being opposed to adoption of biotechnological advancement in food production. Biotechnology is not the only field of technology where the Americans are keenly listening to scientists to weigh their options. They are also closely monitoring research on global warming, space exploration and nuclear energy. In conclusion, the public perceptions on science and technology in America have changed progressively since the end of the Second World War.It is important to note that the Americans are more confident with science and technology compared to other societies in the world. Moreover, the perception of the public largely depends on the knowledge about the technology. Work Cited Liao, Dan. , Jiang, Lingrui. , Palmer, David. , Liu, Xiaoming and McCutcheon, Allan. Attitude towards Science and Technology in European New Member Countries: A Cross-National Study. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Public Opinion As sociation, Fontainebleau Resort, Miami Beach, FL,Mindell, David. The science and technology of World War II. Retrieved on 7th June 2010 from: http://www. learnnc. org/lp/editions/nchist-worldwar/5. 3. Miller, J. D. â€Å"Public understanding of, and attitudes toward, scientific research: what we know and what we need to know. † Public Understand. Sci. 13 (2004) 273–294 National Academy of Engineering (2002) Technically Speaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More About Technology. Washington, DC: National Academy Press Pion, Georgine M. and Mark, W.Lipsey. â€Å"Public Attitudes Toward Science and Technology: What Have the Surveys Told Us? † The Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 45, No. 3 (1981), pp. 303-316 Science and Engineering Indicators. Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding, (2004). http://www. nsf. gov/statistics/seind04/c7/c7s3. htm. Sturgis, P. I. Brunton-Smith, and C. Fife-Schaw. â€Å"Public attitudes to genomic science: an experi ment in information provision† Public Understanding of Science, 19(2) (2010): pp 166 – 180.

As I Lay Dying 9

May 10, 2010 013 Child Relations In the book â€Å"As I lay Dying† by William Faulkner the character that is dying name is Addie Bundren, the mother of five children. She was also the wife of no good Anse Bundren. Anse is lazy, selfish, no good farmer, who can hardly be called a farmer because he does almost none of the work himself. Out of an act of lust Addie and Anse married and ended up giving birth to Cash and Darl soon after. After the birth of her two sons Addie was bent on not having any more children. The birth of Cash confirms her feeling that words are irrelevant and that only physical experience has reality and significance. Through the act of giving birth she becomes part of the endless cycle of creation and destruction, discovering that for the first time her aloneness had been violated and then made whole again by the violation† (Vickey 54). Anse wanted as many children as possible so that he would have as many hands a possible to work for him, but Addie w as determined to have no more. This made their marriage very rocky and lead to Addie requesting to be buried with her blood relatives in town. In this time period this was hard because of the lack of transportation that they had as well as a lack of money. Her determination to not have any more children was brought to an end because she had an affair with Whittfield, which lead to the birth of Jewel. Anse did not know of this affair so he thought that jewel was his child. Addie decided to make it up to Anse by giving him two more children. â€Å"She consciously and deliberately gives Anse Dewey Dell to negative Jewel and Vardaman to replace him† (Vickey 55). Among the five children that she had Addie treated them all in a different way. Addie especially treated Cash, Darl, and Dewey Dell very differently. The relationship between Cash and Addie is magnificent for many reasons. Out of the five children that Addie had she liked Cash’s personality the most. Cash is the oldest of the five children. In addition to being the oldest, Cash is also a man of very few spoken words. He can be considered a very simple character compared to the others of the novel. For example, in his first narrative excerpt from As I Lay Dying Cash speaks in list form. {draw:custom-shape} This is one of the most simplistic forms of communication known. As a skilled carpenter, Cash, went and built his mothers coffin, especially to her liking in front of the window in which she was slowly dying. Cash and Addie had a relationship based off very few spoken words. â€Å"Her blissful union with Cash exist beyond body language: Cash did not need to say it [love] to me nor I to him† (Clarke 38). Clarke is explaining in this passage how there are no words needed in the relationship between Addie and Cash. As Cash built his mothers coffin, for each piece that he completed he held up for her approval. â€Å"She’s just watching Cash yonder† (Faulkner 9). This shows how Addie was continuously looking out the window to check on Cash’s progress on her coffin. Cash is extremely determined to complete the coffin. â€Å"With Cash all day long right under the window, hammering and sawing at that——â€Å"(Faulkner 19). This is proof of their strong relationship because he spends all his time doing this strenuous task. â€Å"Work is Cash’s way of communicating with Addie, his means of getting and holding her attention, and thereby assuring that unspoken understanding that has always existed between them†(Bleikasten 179). Bleikasten is showing that Cash rarely speaks unless it is through his actions such as building the coffin. Although Addie and Cash did have a very good relationship, Cash still needed something to help him cope with the death of his mother. For him this would be his carpentry skills. â€Å"The carpentering itself is an activity in which Cash can immerse himself sufficiently to insulate himself from the harsh reality of his mother’s imminent death† (Powers 56). This is simply saying that Cash is using carpentry to replace his mother after her death. The work of mourning begins before death has actually occurred† (Bleikasten 178). The mourning begins early because Cash already has a strong feeling that his mother is about to pass on so he begins to work on her coffin. â€Å"The building of the coffin should become for Cash the object of a manic counter investment. If he cannot be the jewel, he can at the very least be the jewler, the maker of the perfect shrine in which the mother’s precious body is preserved. In nailing Addie into the coffin, Cash encloses himself with her, burying his desire and pain† (Bleikasten 179). Cash making the most perfect coffin possible is his special way of mourning and the completion of the coffin with his mother’s body in he is enclosing his pain. â€Å"The infant loved by his mother grows to be a man of deeds; and Addie, in the absence of Jewel, calls out to him at the moment of her death—and he continues that relationship in his silent agony on the wagon†(Williams 117). Addie and Dewey Dell did not have the best relationship but at the same time did not have the worse possible relationship. Addie felt indifferently towards Dewey Dell, meaning that she didn’t particularly care what happened with her. She didn’t really care because Dewey Dell was only meant to negate Jewel because it was her illegitimate child that Anse did not know of. Addie purposely gave Anse Dewey Dell and Vardaman to make up for the birth of Jewel. Dewey Dell clearly did not have the strongest relationship with her mother though. â€Å"Dewey Dell is not so clearly disturbed by her mother’s death, yet her activity with the fan at Addie’s bedside may be seen as similar in protective function to Cash’s carpentry†(56 Powers). Dewey Dell too had something to substitute for her mother’s death. Dewey Dell, terribly preoccupied by the bud of life within herself- the result of going to the woods, the ‘secret shade,’ with Lafe- can scarcely attend to Addie’s death†(Powers 56). Dewey Dell quickly became pregnant after an agreement that she had with Lafe. Lafe manipulated the agreement and found a loop hole and ended up picking cotton into her basket. As she lost her virginity under the secret shade and realizes soon after that she is pregnant â€Å"Dewey Dell admits that ‘the process of coming unalone is terrible’† (Williams 105). It quickly became clear that â€Å"Dewey Dell has no need to replace the mother figuratively, for she replicates the mother in her own pregnancy† (Clarke 41). This shows that Addie and Dewey Dell really did not have a close relationship because even through her pregnancy she should have been attending to her mother’s needs as she left this world. Further more as they took the casket into town, Dewey Dell’s intent to go to town was so that she could try to find some abortion medicine, because like her mother she did not necessarily want her first child at that point in time. So the daughter goes through the same experiences as her mother: in pregnancy Dewey Dell discovers as Addie did her destiny as begetter, and like her mother she is snatched from aloneness only to be thrown back to it†(Bleikasten 180). Although Addie and Dewey Dell have many similarities when it comes to their pregnancies they are also different. â€Å"Unlike Addie, she is determined, if possible, to effect their separation. Thus, she will not name her condition even to her self because to do so would be to transfer her pregnancy from her private world of awareness to the public world of fact† (Vickery 61). Darl and Addie on the other hand had the worst possible relationship ever. This was proven several times throughout the novel As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. Darl had said â€Å"I cannot love my mother because I have no mother† (Faulkner 95). This shows exactly how they have a bad relationship, but it is not just a one way street, Addie in turns hates Darl also. â€Å"Addie claims to have been tricked by a word in Darl’s conception; she says that my revenge would be that he would never know I was taking revenge. And when Darl was born I asked Anse to promise to take me back to Jefferson when I died† (Williams 115). This is the beginning of the dislike on Addie’s behalf because she did not want another child to begin with, so she intended on getting revenge on Anse. â€Å"He too must finally cast the son most like him (Darl, the one that folks say is queer, lazy, pottering about the place no better than Anse, the one who most resembles his father looking out over the land†¦with eyes [that] look like pieces of burnt out cinder†(Williams 115). In this passage Williams describes why Addie actually hates Darl. She hates Darl because she hates Anse with a passion, and Darl acts just like Anse in the sense that he is lazy like his father. Because Addie accepts the fact that she and Anse live in different worlds, her second child, Darl, comes as the ultimate and unforgivable outrage† (Vickey 54). Since Darl receives no love from his mother he makes it his duty to terrorize everyone else in the Bundren family minus Anse. â€Å"Never having had a mother, Darl is more surely poss essed by her than any of his brothers. Darl’s eyes, as Dewey Dell describe them, are full of the land dug out of his skull and the holes filled with distance beyond the land†(Bleikasten 188). Darl is known for his abilities to communicate without words, â€Å"at times, a kind of nonlinguistic â€Å"feminine† intuition† (Clarke 35). Using this ability he continuously terrorized Dewey Dell because he was the only one whom knew of her pregnancy in the Bundren house hold. In one of Dewey Dell’s narratives she said â€Å"He said he knew without words like he told me that ma is going to die without words, and I knew he knew because if he had said he knew with words I would not have believed that he had been there and saw us† (27). What Dewey Dell is explaining is that Darl speaks to her without words and knows of all things that are happening and only the most important things Darl says with no words, such as the death of their mother. Darl also takes it upon himself to confuse his youngest brother Vardaman even more than he already is. For example, Vardaman says â€Å"My mother is a fish† (84). This shows how confused Vardaman really is. The conversation that Darl and Vardaman had concerning Vardaman’s mother being a fish and the horse being Jewel’s mother really left Vardaman confused. As if this little part was not confusing enough for the five year old, Darl then confesses that he does not have a mother. â€Å"I haven’t got ere one, Darl said, Because if I had one it was. And if it is was, it can’t be is. Can it† (101)? This conversation leaves Vardaman in a world of confusion. He now starts to doubt if Darl and Jewel are really his brothers. â€Å"Darl, who seems to float through a world of words, passing into peoples minds and crossing vast spaces at will† (Clarke 46). Darl was able to make everyone miserable because he had no substitute for his mother’s death unlike everyone else in the family. Vardaman had the fish to replace their mother, while Dewey Dell had her pregnancy to occupy her mom, Jewel had his horse, and Cash had his carpentry to replace the emptiness left by their mother’s death. Darl had no substitute â€Å"because he never had a mother to replace† (Clarke 46). Darl said this several times throughout the novel in many variations. For example, â€Å"I can not love my mother because I have no mother† (95). There is a reason why Darl feels this way and Addie in turn hates Darl also. Darl’s feeling that he is not a part of his mother is more than just an expression of sibling rivalry. Addie’s rejection of him is absolute; it is the most terrible thing she does. † The rejection by his own mother makes Darl feels that he has no mother especially as a support system. In turn Addie rejects him because he is just like his father Anse of whom she despises as said previously. As a resulting factor â€Å"for Darl, the constant e xception, the journey is a continual nuisance, and he wants only to see his mother- distinctly dead- buried and out of the way†(Powers 61). Darl is constantly suffering emotionally throughout his life due to the absence of his mother, and continues to be affected by his lack of motherly guidance once Addie actually passes away. â€Å"His brothers, as we have seen, all end up some how displacing their grief and replacing Addie: Jewel with a horse, Vardaman with a fish, Cash with a coffin. But Darl’s mother is literally irreplaceable† (Bleikasten 188). Darl’s mother is irreplaceable because all his life he never had one because he was despised by Addie. In conclusion Addie Bundren had very different relationships with her children. After her death all her children had different ways of coping with her loss also. The relationship with Addie varied greatly from her children Cash, Dewey Dell, and Darl. Cash, her oldest child, she had a great relationship with. They loved and understood one another through the minimum use of words possible. Often times they communicated through body gestures and other types of movement. To substitute the emptiness in Cash’s heart due to the death of his mother, he focused on carpentry. Cash hand built Addie’s coffin to her approval as she looked beyond the window as she lay there dying. Addie and Dewey Dell had a relationship in which they felt indifferently about one another. They basically coexisted within the same house hold. Addie brought Dewey Dell into the world with a purpose: to â€Å"negative† Jewel because he was Addie’s illegitimate son. Dewey Dell also had a replacement for her mother after her death. At the time of Addie’s death, Dewey Dell is pregnant with her first child. This pregnancy takes the focus that Addie would have had on Addie and redirects towards an illegitimate child of her own because she is not married. And then there was Darl. Addie and Darl had the worst relationship possible between a mother and a son. They hated each other. Addie despised Darl because he was just like her husband Anse of whom she also despised. Darl also was her second child who she really did not want to have at all. This was the point in which she vowed to seek revenge upon Anse and made Darl an outcast. As for Darl, he hated Addie because she never mothered him his whole life, which left him broken emotionally causing him to terrorize the rest of his siblings especially his younger ones. Darl did not have a substitute for the death of his mother. In Darl’s eyes he had no mother so the mourning of her would be pointless for him. Work Cited Bleikasten, Andre. _The Ink of Melancholy_. Requiem for a Mother. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. 1990 Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying. New York: Vintage, 1990. Powers, Lyall H. Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha Comedy. : The University Of Michigan Press. Ann Arbor. Vickey, Olga W. The Novels of William Faulkner: A Critical Interpretation. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. Print Williams, David. _Faulkner’s Women: the Myth and the Muse_. University of Toronto Press. 1977.

Be a Ruthless Editor

Be a Ruthless Editor Be a Ruthless Editor Be a Ruthless Editor By Michael Hard rules are a good thing for writers sometimes. The sonnet is one of the strictest forms of poetry, but some of the worlds greatest poems are sonnets. A haiku form is even stricter, seventeen syllables in three lines. Hard word counts force a writer to overcome his or her natural laziness by editing ruthlessly. Because writers have no choice but to keep on ruthlessly editing and shortening until the piece is short enough, their job becomes easier, paradoxically. With fewer choices, decision-making becomes faster. There is only room to make one main point, and once you decide what it is, theres no need to struggle to fit any others in. Tighten Your Writing Ruthless editing becomes a necessary skill because some short writing opportunities have very hard word count limits. For example, each of my monthly allotment of academic journal abstracts could never exceed 150 words, After I completed them, they were loaded into a searchable database your local library may have a subscription to it. The database included fields for the author, title and publication, each with limited lengths, but the abstract field in the database could only hold 150 words. So I had to keep editing and reediting until my abstract was less than 150 words. It was a hard rule that could not be broken. Builders talk about load-bearing walls. When youre remodeling your house, if you want to open up the floor plan or provide more space, maybe you decide to remove a wall. Thats fine, unless the wall is a load-bearing wall. If you remove a load-bearing wall, part of the building will fall down. As you remove sentences or words, parts of the sentence or paragraph that used to be cosmetic become load-bearing. This is a good thing: it makes you pay more attention to what youre writing. It requires your writing to be more efficient. And that makes your writing easier to read, because there is less fluff to read through, and it makes your writing more powerful. Ruthless editing can lead to honest evaluation. Summarizing your work in a shorter form, as in a pitch letter or synopsis, provides you a reality check on what you wrote. If you cant briefly present your work without sounding ridiculous, maybe (I gently suggest) maybe it is ridiculous. Help the Reader Besides the invigorating, astringent benefits to the writer learning to edit ruthlessly, brief writing benefits the reader too. The human mind can only hold so many thoughts and words at once, just as a computer screen or the page of a book can only hold so many words. So for example, academic researchers need abstracts to be brief so that several can be compared on a single page or computer screen. Short summaries let readers get a taste of the writers ideas or many writers ideas in a small space and time. By limiting the number of ideas in the summary, the writer also limits the number of ideas that need to fit into the readers head at one time. With fewer ideas to focus on, the reader has more room to think about them. With fewer words to move around in your head, words can be moved around more easily, compared, pondered and felt. Which is more effective: a single powerful, precise word or a string of twenty words that mean exactly the same thing and add nothing more? Here are some tips for editing ruthlessly: Cut Riskily Set a goal for yourself, if your editor hasnt already, to cut 10% from your draft. But why stop there? Choose a paragraph and cut out one-fourth. Or take a risk, let the adrenaline flow and cut it down one-half. Youll be surprised at how often the passage still works. (Often it wont thats why its called a risk.) If it doesnt work, simply restore the cut passage from your recently saved draft. Some reasons why such ruthless cutting often works: You may find you had more fluff than you thought. The passage still works because the cut part never did. You may find that the cut part wasnt as necessary as you thought. Only when its gone do you realize you can live without it. It was pulling some weight, but not so much. If you want, take the best words from it, use them elsewhere, and move on. You may find that your reader doesnt need the cut part to figure out whats happening. When a character leaves the room, your reader will assume the character went through a door without being explicitly told. Make Less More Even if I increase it to 1,000 or 100,000 words, I still cant improve on the classic six-word-novel: For sale: baby shoes, never worn No one is saying that War and Peace would be improved if it were edited down from 587,287 words to 1,000 words. If you want to deal with five families and the Napoleonic War, you will need a lot of words. But a key to ruthless editing and having the heart to do it in the first place is being able to see when you have gained more than youve lost by cutting words. Maximize Your Space If you have a limited number of words to work with, make each word carry its weight. For example: The river flowed through the river bed, making a sound like thunder. We can cut some of those words without losing any meaning. Rivers always flow, usually through river beds, and thunder is always a sound. Changing it to The river thundered or The thundering river says as much in three words as the original sentence did in eleven really, it says more. Now I have to find a new, sleek sentence to put them into. It will take a little work to make the most of them, just as it takes a little work to make the most of the garlic chives I just harvested from my garden. But should I give up a good thing because it takes work? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:60 Synonyms for â€Å"Walk†That vs. WhichTypes of Ignorance

These technology trends are changing retail HR practices -TheJobNetwork

These technology trends are changing retail HR practices -TheJobNetwork As a consumer, you’ve probably noticed how tech is creeping into the way we shop every day. Discount codes and sale notifications mysteriously appear in your inbox as soon as you get close to the store (â€Å"Well, I’m in the neighborhood anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Customer service happens at the speed of a Tweet. Automated checkout kiosks keep the line moving. There’s no question that retail is an industry that has embraced the digital. But what about behind the scenes, in the back rooms and offices? Retailers are increasingly relying on high-tech HR solutions for their employees as well.Paperless hiringWith a high employee turnover rate, retail HR can create a never-ending blizzard of paperwork, as you probably know all too well. Intake forms, training manuals, performance management docs†¦those add up for a large, and likely ever-changing staff. Putting application systems online (like directing potential hires to a computer kiosk or an online portal to comp lete the application process) doesn’t just save you money on your file cabinet budget. It can speed up the time to hire, with fewer touchpoints between the candidate’s information and who needs to review it. Putting new employee orientation and training materials online also creates a more efficient pipeline, with information perennially ready to go and accessible.Keeping applicant metrics all in one place also improves your hiring process, weeding out candidates with weak skills and identifying strong potential applicants by comparing them to an existing pool of data. Automating applicant review (even to a small extent) can also help minimize bias in the hiring process by adding blind review steps.Digital performance managementDigital performance management programs can consolidate all of that work (and information) in one place- making it more efficient to manage employee data, and also giving you more actionable info in one place. This gives you visibility into the information that can help drive retention, development, and promotion. Having all of an employee’s information in one single profile can mitigate work issues or skill gaps before they become a significant problem, or help identify when an employee is ready to be groomed for the next steps.Having the process more automated and user-friendly also allows for more checkpoints between employees and management, and gives real-time information about employee engagement, morale, etc. It used to be that performance reviews and two-way feedback were rare in retail, but performance management platforms close that gap and make the communication easier.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Daily employee engagement and feedbackHaving a system for clocking employees in and out is hardly novel in retail, but having a digital platform for employees to give feedback about their day, or pass along information for the next shift, is relatively new. Automated schedu ling programs (typically used as part of a larger HR software suite) serve the main purpose of tracking employee time and creating schedules, but also expand an employee’s voice. Whether it’s asking employees to verify that something specific was completed before they leave, or leaving an open text field for direct feedback, these programs can collect more nuanced data than â€Å"Steve was here for 8 hours.† It gives the back office even more real-time insight into how employees are feeling, what their days are like, and other metrics that can be used to improve employee morale and retention.Digital tools give HR departments much more leeway in managing employees, and building stronger communication between the sales floor and the corporate life backstage. Integrating systems and software into everyday employee interactions increases efficiency, while also improving employee relations.

Major General Benjamin Butler in the Civil War

Major General Benjamin Butler in the Civil War Born at Deerfield, NH on November 5, 1818, Benjamin F. Butler was the sixth and youngest child of John and Charlotte Butler. A veteran of the War of 1812 and the Battle of New Orleans, Butlers father died shortly after his sons birth. After briefly attending the Phillips Exeter Academy in 1827, Butler followed his mother to Lowell, MA the following year where she opened a boarding house. Educated locally, he had issues at school with fighting and getting into trouble. Later sent to Waterville (Colby) College, he attempted to gain admission to West Point in 1836 but failed to secure an appointment. Remaining at Waterville, Butler completed his education in 1838 and became a supporter of the Democratic Party. Returning to Lowell, Butler pursued a career in law and received admittance to the bar in 1840. Building his practice, he also became actively involved with the local militia. Proving a skilled litigator, Butlers business expanded to Boston and he gained notice for advocating the adoption of a ten-hour day at Lowells Middlesex Mills. A supporter of the Compromise of 1850, he spoke out against the states abolitionists. Elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1852, Butler remained in office for much of the decade as well as attained the rank of brigadier general in the militia. In 1859, he ran for governor on a pro-slavery, pro-tariff platform and lost a close race to Republican Nathaniel P. Banks. Attending the 1860 Democratic National Convention in Charleston, SC, Butler hoped that a moderate Democrat could be found that would prevent the party from splitting along sectional lines. As the convention moved forward, he ultimately elected to back John C. Breckenridge. The Civil War Begins Although he had shown sympathy to the South, Butler stated that he could not countenance the regions actions when states began to secede. As a result, he quickly began seeking a commission in the Union Army. As Massachusetts moved to respond to President Abraham Lincolns call of volunteers, Butler used his political and banking connections to ensure that he would command the regiments that were sent to Washington, DC. Traveling with the 8th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, he learned on April 19 that Union troops moving through Baltimore had become embroiled in the Pratt Street Riots. Seeking to avoid the city, his men instead moved by rail and ferry to Annapolis, MD where they occupied the US Naval Academy. Reinforced by troops from New York, Butler advanced to Annapolis Junction on April 27 and reopened the rail line between Annapolis and Washington. Asserting control over the area, Butler threatened the states legislature with arrest if they voted to secede as well as took possession of the Great Seal of Maryland. Lauded by General Winfield Scott for his actions, he was ordered to protect transport links in Maryland against interference and occupy Baltimore. Assuming control of the city on May 13, Butler received a commission as a major general of volunteers three days later. Though criticized for his heavy-handed administration of civil affairs, he was directed to move south to command forces at Fort Monroe later in the month. Situated at the end of the peninsula between the York and James Rivers, the fort served as a key Union base deep in Confederate territory. Moving out from the fort, Butlers men quickly occupied Newport News and Hampton. Big Bethel On June 10, more than a month before the First Battle of Bull Run, Butler launched an offensive operation against Colonel John B. Magruders forces at Big Bethel. In the resulting Battle of Big Bethel, his troops were defeated and forced to withdraw back towards Fort Monroe. Though a minor engagement, the defeat received a great deal of attention in the press as the war had just begun. Continuing to command from Fort Monroe, Butler refused to return fugitive slaves to their owners claiming that they were contraband of war. This policy quickly received support from Lincoln and other Union commanders were directed to act similarly. In August, Butler embarked part of his force and sailed south with squadron led by Flag Officer Silas Stringham to attack Forts Hatteras and Clark in the Outer Banks. On August 28-29, the two Union officers succeeded in capturing the fort during the Battle of Hatteras Inlets Batteries. New Orleans Following this success, Butler received command of the forces that occupied Ship Island off the Mississippi coast in December 1861. From this position, he moved to occupy New Orleans after the citys capture by Flag Officer David G. Farragut in April 1862. Reasserting Union control over New Orleans, Butlers administration of the area received mixed reviews. While his directives helped check the annual yellow fever outbreaks others, such as General Order No. 28, led to outrage across the South. Tired of the citys women abusing and insulting his men, this order, issued on May 15, stated that any woman caught doing so would be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation (a prostitute). In addition, Butler censored New Orleans newspapers and was believed to have used his position to loot homes in the area as well as improperly profit from the trade in confiscated cotton. These actions earned him the nickname Beast Butler. After foreign consuls complained to Lincoln that he was int erfering with their operations, Butler was recalled in December 1862 and replaced with his old foe, Nathaniel Banks. Army of the James Despite Butlers weak record as a field commander and controversial tenure in New Orleans, his switch to the Republican Party and support from its Radical wing compelled Lincoln to give him a new assignment. Returning to Fort Monroe, he assumed command of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina in November 1863. The following April, Butlers forces assumed the title of Army of the James and he received orders from Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant to attack west and disrupt the Confederate railroads between Petersburg and Richmond. These operations were intended to support Grants Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee to the north. Moving slowly, Butlers efforts came to a halt near Bermuda Hundred in May when his troops were held by a smaller force led by General P.G.T. Beauregard. With the arrival of Grant and the Army of the Potomac near Petersburg in June, Butlers men began operating in conjunction with this larger force. Despite Grants presence, his performance did not improve and the Army of the James continued to have difficulty. Positioned north of the James River, Butlers men had some success at Chaffins Farm in September, but subsequent actions later in the month and in October failed to gain significant ground. With the situation at Petersburg stalemated, Butler was directed in December to take part of his command to capture Fort Fisher near Wilmington, NC. Supported by a large Union fleet led by Rear Admiral David D. Porter, Butler landed some of his men before judging that the fort was too strong and the weather too poor to mount an assault. Returning north to an irate Grant, Butler was relieved on January 8, 1865, and command of the Army of the James passed to Major General Edward O.C. Ord. Later Career Life Returning to Lowell, Butler hoped to find a position in the Lincoln Administration but was thwarted when the president was assassinated in April. Formally leaving the military on November 30, he elected to resume his political career and won a seat in Congress the following year. In 1868, Butler played a key role in the impeachment and trial of President Andrew Johnson and three years later wrote the initial draft of the Civil Rights Act of 1871. A sponsor of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which called for equal access to public accommodations, he was angered to see the law overturned by the Supreme Court in 1883. After unsuccessful bids for Governor of Massachusetts in 1878 and 1879, Butler finally won the office in 1882. While governor, Butler appointed the first woman, Clara Barton, to an executive office in May 1883 when he offered her oversight of the Massachusetts Reformatory Prison for Women. In 1884, he earned the presidential nomination from the Greenback and Anti-Monopoly Parties but fared poorly in the general election. Leaving office in January 1884, Butler continued to practice law until his death on January 11, 1893. Passing in Washington, DC, his body was returned to Lowell and buried at Hildreth Cemetery. Sources Civil War Trust: Major General Benjamin ButlerUnversity of Cincinnati Libraries: Benjamin ButlerEncyclopedia Virginia: Benjamin Butler

Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Analysis - Case Study Example The Varsity team losing to the junior team is a significant concern. Members abhor each other hence lessening co-operation amongst the crewmembers. The reason for this loss is the deficiency in leaders who ought to co-ordinate and provide a sense of direction to the players (Snook and Jeffrey 31). The presence of disruptive persons in the team is also a major concern since nobody wants to sacrifice for the team. The crew team was rated in terms of weaknesses and strengths, which complimented the manager as a team leader The coach, Preczewskis, is in a quandary; thus, making a decision among three options. He was to decide on whether to exchange both the junior university and Varsity boats. The other option was to switch the boat members at an individual capacity. The last option was to improve the output performance of the university boat. Well performing teams do not only prosper because of combining members’ skills but also through motivating and energizing members through bonding hence striving towards a general goal. Teams that are poorly designed amounts to wasting of time and resources. A need arises to enhance communication; thus, keeping each member well informed to avoid communication breakdown (Snook and Jeffrey 46) Constant meetings enable members of the teams to portray grievances that will boost the achievements of the team. In this forum, consultations and participation should be evident to allow everyone to give useful information. This will provide room for accommodation of each person’s view. Trust is a virtue that must be cultivated because most of the crewmembers doubted each

Answer Critical Question about The Acute Effects of Humor and Exercise Essay

Answer Critical Question about The Acute Effects of Humor and Exercise on Mood and Anxiety - Essay Example Based on this information, the author is able to develop new variables which to study based on the hypothesis which has been developed form previous studies. The study design is a quasi-experimental design. This is because there are experiments which are being performed upon the participants but there is not control group, which is normally the case in true experimental design. The interventions are being applied to assess the outcome. The sampling design was non-randomised as the participants were selected with certain specifications which the researcher desired. The specifics of the participants imply that non-random approaches were utilised in the sampling of the participants. The number of participants which was utilised within the context of this research appears sufficient to achieve the desired purpose of the research. This is mainly because previous studies which had been carried out consisted of relatively smaller number of participants and still yielded reliable results. Ecological validity is the capability for a study to be able to approximate the real world requirements in terms of materials, methods and setting. The author sought to maximise ecological validity through not information the participants about their experiments to ensure that there is no bias as a result of perceptions and expectation The author ensured there is treatment fidelity through ensuring the comfort of the participants by adherence to the required regulation the quantity and exposure of the participants to the treatment has also been limited for the safety of the

What developments over the last 20 years have made transnational crime Essay

What developments over the last 20 years have made transnational crime harder to detect and prosecute - Essay Example Transnational crimes can be referred to as the violent activities carried out in a country by any rival country either by means of physically participating in terrorism / crimes or by supporting or exploiting the local individuals through brain-washing or the financial support. It is considered as a new form of warfare thereby avoiding physical contact with rival country, hence ensuring safety of men and material which are likely to be damaged during physical war (Netanyahu and Mekhon, 1981). Such crimes may also include those activities which are undertaken in the same countries but their affects / fallouts have effects on the other countries as well. These include the human / drug trafficking, arms / goods smuggling, information warfare / propaganda and even the cyber- crimes (Williams & Vlassis, 2001-pg 16). At times, it becomes very evident as which country is involved in such international crimes, but it is very hard to bring them to justice or trial in international courts due to non-availability or paucity of requisite proofs. Since last two decades, many countries developed laws to tackle such crimes. United Nations Security Council in its resolution 1373 / 2001, decided that all states should render their full assistance to other countries for criminal investigation and proceedings. Necessary evidences may also be provided by the state, to the one investigating the transnational crimes. At present INTERPOL (International Police) is the world-wide organisation in this regard, which renders its assistance to the other countries involved in investigation / prosecution of criminals by bringing the criminals to justice who evade to other countries (Mallory, 2007-pg 176). Despite having joint investigation teams, it is very difficult to bring these criminals to justice because of many reasons. The most obvious reason in this regard is difficulty in identification of hostile actors operating from across the border. This problem becomes even more pronounced du e to ‘lack of will’ by the government of the state which was involved in transnational crimes. The state / country that is to provide the evidences / proofs, try to hide the facts because if it is proved that that transnational crime has taken place from their country, it will tarnish the image in international community. Gathering evidences from the country which is already an adversary may not be an easy task due to conflicting laws or in some case the restrictions on law enforcement agencies in cooperating with international agencies. A lot of financial resources are required in joint investigations. Moreover, the issue regarding who will pay the incurred amount; the country which has been affected by the transnational crimes or it will shared between both of the countries, remains a question mark (Shanty & Mishra, 2005-pg 287). Another difficulty faced in prosecution / follow up of transnational crimes is difference of mind-sets. Terrorist or criminal for one nation can be a hero or freedom fighter for the other country (Abadinsky, 2010-pg 7). The affected state will definitely not be able to accrue the desired results in this situation. The fast growing technology, exploited by criminals for cyber-crimes or propaganda about other countries may not be easy to identify and prosecute as their exact location cannot be identified very easily. Although there are international rules on cyber-crimes, but we have

RESPONSIBLE RESEARCHER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

RESPONSIBLE RESEARCHER - Essay Example Another set of motivations deals with pressures that students claim to be under, some of which may be real and others of which may be rationalizations for dishonesty, but all of which shift the responsibility for their behavior away from themselves. I realize my responsibility in delivering authentic papers and will not try to place other person's success or failure on me. I am positive that it will not bring any genuine realization to myself, but rather will show me in a different light, present me as a person with different qualities and talents. I now realize that academic dishonesty might be the first step to dishonest behavior in gradually all areas in life that will sooner or later lead to failure. The next factor of academic dishonesty that I would like to note is a pressures and overloads during academic years. These factor along with improper explanation of the material are often results of academic cheating. There were times when I had to work during my studies and thus sometimes failed the courses, however I have never plagiarized or conducted any other unacceptable behavior. I have learnt to manage stress and meet the deadline and have realized that this, along with honesty and clearness of education goals is guarantee of success. While my education, I am going to divide my time effectively and make it possible to accommodate my work to studies and not conversely. That, by means, effective time management: devoting a reasonable part of time on involvement in Campus life when making studies of academic subjects and keeping the excellent academic performnce the bsic priority. ccording to recent sttistics, provided in research by Philip Langlais, proportion of college students who chet t some point in their creers rnge from low of 25% to high of 80%, but the most common estimte is bout hlf. Not ll of these, of course, re hbitul cheters; mny students chet only under wht they regrd s extreme circumstnces nd my chet only "two or three times in their whole creers." Some students claim that cheating is a means of "balancing the books, " as it were, with professors whom they perceive to be acting unfairly, such as requiring too heavy a work load, giving tests that are too difficult, and grading too harshly. Some students admit to a lack of effort-not attending class, not wanting to do the work-as a reason for their academic dishonesty. Other students claim that, as it were, "the devil made me do it": They say they gave into an irresistible temptation when an opportunity to cheat arose. Still others see cheating as a game or contest of wits between themselves and their professors. Finally, students say that facilitation of academic dishonesty is motivated by adherence to loyalties outside the

Social Media at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Media at Work - Essay Example These are valid reasons that should be put in consideration about the issue of social media at work. However, there are other ways that such organization can effectively use social media. Employees will get an opportunity to research on important issues about the organizations such as connecting with customers or researching on projects to complete (Kovary 46). Many organizations require social media use for roles like sales, research, marketing, customer service and recruitment. It’s therefore major for the employees to understand the effective use of social media (Kovary 46). In order to manage so, the organization should provide training on the issue of appropriate use of media, establish a social media policy that will provide the conduct expectations, include an open dialogue on the consequences of negative behavior on social media, and also communicate the standards and policy frequently with employees and managers (Kovary

Michael Porter, Competitive Advantage ( Please see the assignment Coursework

Michael Porter, Competitive Advantage ( Please see the assignment criteria ) - Coursework Example At a certain point of time (during the year 1981) the bank chose to capture the market of wholesale credit. The bank although succeeded in achieving its aim but the achievement of leadership position in this loan segment could not be transformed into competitive advantage. Conversely, this strive towards leadership made the bank grant even those loans which other banks were not granting at that point of time to the borrowers. Thus, the bank got involved in escalation of cost and gradually the bank became ineffective (Porter, 1998). The bank failed to transform its leadership strategy into competitive advantage because the structure of the industry did not support leadership (University of Pennsylvania, 2011). For achieving the competitive position, the bank should have focused on attaining both differentiation as well as cost leadership. Leadership indicated that the bank had to deal with various corporations which are quite large and are sensitive towards prices of the loans. The po or position of the bank made various wholesale operators withdraw their funds from the bank that left the bank in a situation of liquidity disaster.

Social Media at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Media at Work - Essay Example These are valid reasons that should be put in consideration about the issue of social media at work. However, there are other ways that such organization can effectively use social media. Employees will get an opportunity to research on important issues about the organizations such as connecting with customers or researching on projects to complete (Kovary 46). Many organizations require social media use for roles like sales, research, marketing, customer service and recruitment. It’s therefore major for the employees to understand the effective use of social media (Kovary 46). In order to manage so, the organization should provide training on the issue of appropriate use of media, establish a social media policy that will provide the conduct expectations, include an open dialogue on the consequences of negative behavior on social media, and also communicate the standards and policy frequently with employees and managers (Kovary

How Wilfred Owen and John Scott present ideas about slaughter and sacrifice Essay Example for Free

How Wilfred Owen and John Scott present ideas about slaughter and sacrifice Essay Write a comparison of the ways Wilfred Owen and John Scott present ideas about slaughter and sacrifice, how far do you agree with the view that Scotts poem is more effective than Owens in communicating its message? The Send Off and The Drum both explore the truths about war outlining the horrors and effects of war through language and poetic techniques. Owen attacks the understanding between those at home who promote war as a romantic, glorious and heroic exercise and dying for ones country as an act of nobility and with this who fight and die in war and who know the true horror of the battlefield. Scott explores the desperations caused by battle. He also makes clear that he does not consider war as a fight of honour; more as a gruesome game to see who can be more stubborn to admit what they are doing is wrong. Both poets show similar thoughts about war and how it is betrayed to a glorious act of heroicness. In the opening stanzas of the drum the poets mention the sounds and tones which follow the soldiers. In The drums case it is the drums discordant sound. This instrument is used for the historical march of the soldiers. Which in this case is confusing to the men. As they are parading round, and round. This gives a sense of never ending war. Each day the men follow the same routine until it is there turn to face the enemy in battle. Owen immediately challenges the positive connotation of the send off in the first line. Our first image is of close darkening lanes. This has two meanings; the first meaning is the lanes fatefully enclose the soldiers in their closeness, they cannot turn back, the second meaning is that darkening is emphasized as a metaphor of the soldiers dark destiny to which their farewell is sending them and that is to be killed in war. John Scott talks about the pathetic reasons which people go to war. He explains how the young are almost excited by the surrender of the opposition. To sell their liberty for charms. This line suggests that people would rather sell there independence for money. Regarding how it would affect their country. The alliteration used in the phrase grimly gay in the send off alerts the readers the forced gaiety of the men and ambiguity of their supposed adventure isnt everything that is thought to be at first. Grimly Gay also contradicts the concepts of grimness and gaiety, which captures a focus for the mixture of excitement and fear in the men and the country for which they sacrifice their lives for. Scott mentions the line ambitions voice commands. This word ambition almost represents the lives of many of the soldiers fighting in the war. Either there ambition to return to there country or to fight for there country. It can also be in replacement for the general who commands his soldiers to war. A sense of death is built up in the next line. To March, and fight, and fall, in foreign lands. This shows the reality of war, you can fight and put your life on the line, but you may also lie dead in the hands of the enemy and fall in there territory. The send off portrays the sense of something sinister and shameful about the operation, in the uncertainty of the mens future and in the prospect of the injured and weary return of too few of them. Owen talks about how complete strangers to him went to war. They were not ours this explains how he talks about random people being in the war. The imagery for the gifts of flowers for good fortune is mixed with that of flowers for a funeral wreath. It is as though the gift of flowers is the soldiers first war wound, a prelude to a course of events that must end in death. Scott shows exactly what the true meaning to war is and how it affects the life of others. He speaks of the burning towns mangled limbs windows tears. These quotations explain the sense of horror and slaughter which took place in the Napoleonic wars. The way Scott expresses his views on the war are the tragic ways in which widows had to cope without there husband. Those who lost there homes and had to migrate to another area. Owen shows this kind of horror as well but not in the magnitude of Scott. As mens dead. The apostrophe in the word men shows the extensive number of soldiers who were killed. Wilfred Owen ends his poem almost like the ending of a war and how they leave the allies country. Shall they return to beating of great bells, in wild train loads? A few, a few, too few for drums and yells. The word shall suggest that you do not really know if soldiers will return in a good way. He almost contradicts himself when he talks about loads of men returning then he says a few. This shows that not even he is sure about the outcome of returning soldiers. Part of the soldiers betrayal is how they are dehumanized and treated so indifferently by the authorities that process them. Terms such as siding-shed and train-loads creates the concept of produce rather than people being transported. The structure of the poem is broken up into stanzas with lines long and short. The shorter lines are a lot more sinister in tone which talks about ominous events that are going to happen in war. The lengthier lines are more informative. This irregularity of long and short lines and stanzas gives the poem motion which shows the beat of marching men and a moving train. The structure of the drum is completely different it is set out in two stanzas which echo the beat of the drum which is parading around and around. That is why the use of repetition is applied for this line in both stanzas. I agree in a sense that Scotts poem is more effective on its approach to get its message through to the reader. The reason for this being is that it can relate with the reader more because he is writing a personal response. Noticeable by the use of I this means that he can communicate in a more individual way. He also gives more ideas on what soldiers and families would have had to see through the war stages. Not only does he give a personal statement but takes into consideration of how it may have affected the lives of others. He also shows the gruesomeness which occurs in battle. However Owen also has written a very informative poem. As he has the experience of being a solider he has more of an idea how the war worked. Unlike John Scott he did not oppose to violence. Maybe that is why Scott could have been biased towards the idea of war. Only pin pointing the parts to war which were bad, and not those which commemorate the honour and remembrance which you receive after fighting in the war. But Owen also feels the same way about the war and he has been there. I suppose these poems would not be similar because they are both from different stages of time. One which was written in the Napoleonic war and the other in world war one. That is why there is a difference in writing styles and issues which are discussed. The reason for John Scotts poem being more violent maybe because they did not use weapons like guns and explosives so battles with swords maybe have been more brutal. Taking this into consideration I think both poems have different ways in which to get there message across so they are equally as effective.