The Ethics Of World Domination Essays - Aftermath Of World War II

The Ethics of World Domination The Ethics of World Domination Throughout the past 70 years the U.S. has been involved in hundreds of conflicts all around the globe. Every time the United States troops are deployed to a foreign country, citizens of the U.S. want to know why. People begin to ask questions like, "what is the purpose of this?" or "what is the nature of our involvement?" Nobody wants to see the strong youth of our nation shipped of to a foreign country to get slaughtered without good cause. Millions of American men and women have devoted their lives to the service and protection of the freedoms that we as citizens of the United States hold dear. These people deserve the utmost respect from all citizens of the United States. When the government of our country see fit, our troops are sent to fight often in places that they have never even heard of. When they return they are heroes to be revered, or are they? All to often things go wrong in these foreign countries and the soldiers often end up taking the brunt of the nation's frustration. When the government makes mistakes and things do go wrong it causes the citizen of the U.S. to closer analyze the situation. The citizens of the United States want some answers and the government often fails in its attempts to satisfy the publics' need to know. Ever since the beginning of the U.S. the government have come up with one reason or another to start or get involved in conflicts that should have otherwise been left alone. One of the first and most prominent examples of this is the almost total enialation of the Native American population in this country. Is the destruction of a culture and a society as vast as that of the Native Americans really morally and ethically permissable? The United States government thought that it was. According to them it was God's own destiny for them to conquer the entire continent to bring it under the U.S. control. This just shows that difference in ethical value strongly affects what a country will accept as good cause for fighting. More recent conflicts like the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the invasion of Grenada, and the Gulf war have made people analyze the ethicality behind the fighting. They look for the true reason behind the involvement of the U.S., in an attempt to find justification for the use of U.S. troops in foreign affairs. This paper is an attempt to look at the ethicality of some of the major conflict that the U.S. has been involved since the end of WW II. It will also attempt to analyze what has come to be known as the "World Police" mentality and the actions that the United States has taken to display this. During the period of 1946-1950 a forty-year period began called the Cold War. The Cold War was a period of aggression in the name of democracy. During this time the United States did some questionable activities under the guise that they were protecting against the spread of communism. On June 25, 1950 North Korea, using Chinese training and Soviet military equipment, attacked South Korea. The United States believed that Stalin and the USSR were ultimately behind the invasion. The South Korean defenses crumbled and the United States sent ground troops on June 30. The United Nations endorsed the deployment of troops because the USSR was boycotting the United Nations. It would seem a bit unfair that the United States would receive UN endorsement based solely on the premises that the USSR had chosen not to be a part of the UN. This become even more apparent when you take into account that the United States was not even certain that the USSR was even involved in the dispute. On September 15, 1950, after a daring amphibious attack 150 miles behind enemy line the US was able to push the North Koreans back into North Korea. This is where the war should have stopped. The North Koreans were in North Korea and the South Koreans had control over South Korea. Furthermore, China was threatening that if the US tried to unite Korea by force then they would enter the war on the side of the North Koreans. Despite both of these facts, the United States pushed further into North Korea. Knowing that it would cost thousands of American lives and thousands more Korean lives to unite a country that wanted to be separated, General Mc arthur and President Truman, with United Nation's support, pushed on. A

French New Wave essays

French New Wave essays The French New Wave was a movement that lasted between 1959 to 1964. It all started with the Cinematheque Francois, an underground organization that would regularly show older films from around the world. This beget the cine-club, and by the 1954 there were 100,000 members in 200 clubs. From these clubs several magazines were created, the most famous of these were LEcran Francois, La Revue du Cinema, Postif, and the world known Cahiers du Cinema. One of the two most influential people during this time was Alexandre Astruc who declared that, the cinema is becoming a means of expression like the other arts before it, especially painting and the novel. It is no longer a spectacle, a diversion equivalent to the old boulevard theater...it is becoming, little by little, a visual language, i.e. a medium in which and by which an artist can express his thoughts, be they abstract or whatever, or in which he can communicate his obsessions as accurately as he can today in essay or novel. What Astruc was saying , was that the cinema was now as personal as paintings and literature, instead of just a show. The second and most influential of the two was Andr Bazin, who like Astruc believed that the cinema was equal to the novel. Bazin believed in the long take and the deep focus over the Soviet Montage, composition in depth is seen as egalitarian in the sense that everything in the frame exists with equal clarity, thereby giving the spectator a choice: our eyes are free to roam from foreground to background and around. It is closer to the way we perceive in off screen life, and it reintroduces ambiguity into the structure of the image. Bazin also championed the Italian Neorealism movement, for its revolutionary humanism, and its on location shooting, improvisational style, use of non actors, and for its long takes. In 1950s Andr Bazin founded Cahier du Cinema, a magazin...

Women and Work in Canada ( WGST345 ) Assignment

Women and Work in Canada ( WGST345 ) - Assignment Example This interview report will be designed keeping in the mind the topics covered in the course. The respondent I choose to be interviewed is a highly educated 40 years old working woman and a housewife. She completed her MBA in marketing 15-years back from a reputable university. After her graduation, she worked as a management trainee in an Instructional Designing department of a software house for 6 months. After completing her training she joined as an Instructional Designer in a multinational organization. Looking at her financial needs and market value she switched her job and joined as a Lead Instructional Designer in another multinational company. She then continued her career in different organizations and currently she is working as a Senior Instructional Designer in a health care unit. It was important to know that she did not work in isolation; she also got married 10 years ago and now lives with her husband and two children. This respondent was chosen for interview because of two reasons. Firstly she was fulfilling all the requirements that were required for the interviewee. For instance, she is a woman whom I have seen doing paid and unpaid work since last many years and she has an extensive working experience for doing paid and unpaid work. Second, I have always found her frank and cooperative so I was sure that she will agree for the interview and comfortably discuss her work conditions. Indeed she will be happy that I chose her for sharing her thoughts and experiences. I had clear goals in mind when I approached the lady for this interview. My main goal was to focus on her paid and unpaid work that she has previously done and doing today. I wanted to have detailed discussion with her in an informal manner regarding her work routines and responsibilities. Additionally, I was also interested in knowing her views about the issues that working women face in Canadian society: gender discrimination, equity

Geology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Geology - Essay Example Similarly, the Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway is another wonder to be marvelled at in the way markers signify that each path implies a billion years of expedition. Every vital piece of information concerning the Milky Way Galaxy including elliptical galaxies, galactic disks, and initial generation of stars among others is quite fascinating. Our journey along the Pathway is comparable to a journey down the astronomical history of objects that were essential in the creation of the solar system. We learned that the light coming from such objects would have to travel billions of years prior to being seen by our naked eyes. In the Hall of Minerals, everyone was further astounded by bearing witness to several minerals which may consist of a single element or a range of elements in combination. I was specifically enthralled by the Patricia Emerald which was found to be a 632-carat rare uncut gem. It is perhaps with its illuminating effect of green at varying light shades that enabled me to feel a mixed sense of awe and calm at the time. Altogether, the collection of stones makes an impressive scene of priceless treasures to behold. Upon arrival at the Hall of Human Origins, we discovered certain facts that have not been encountered yet in the class. It is such a delightful learning experience to have come to find out that human evolution is truly a complex process across times. With the evolving species of mankind as demonstrated in the exhibit, I am inclined to adhere more to faith that God does exist though the theory of evolution is irreconcilable with the biblical accounts because the formation of human intelligence since the earliest human form and epoch has been a work in progress. While this developmental stages take place, one certainly could not help thinking of a possibility of an intervention by an all-knowing being

Nursing Shortage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing Shortage - Essay Example A few nurses are ready to help the distressed individuals due to many reasons and scarcity of nurses is creating many impacts on patients as well as the healthcare industry. This study has been selected to scrutinize the impact of nurse scarcity on the health care industries to convey ample health care assessment, diagnosis and treatment services to patients. The evaluation of the required number of nurses because of the patient to nurse ratio and availability of floor nurses is crucial in terms of getting the right considerations to the problem (Dinsdale, 2004). Chapter 2: Literature Review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..14 Nursing Staff Shortage and the Hospital Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...14 Post Training†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦15 The shortage of acute care nurses is one of the primary concerns in the healthcare industry across the world. The issue has created a substantial impact on the fitness activities efficiency in hospitals and healthcare centers. Several studies have shown that the nursing graduates entering in the nursing profession and those who are still in the occupation are not enough to facilitate the hospitals and patients. The healthcare professional shortage is one of the chief impediments in the achievement of United Nation’s Millennium Development goals to remove poverty, hunger, improvement of education systems, reduction in morbidity, and mortality as written in the guidelines of the year 2004 that are provided by the international nursing council (Littlejohn, Campbell & Collins-McNeil, 2012). The problem of shortage of acute care nurses has a relation to the past historical staffing, appointment, resources, nursing demand estimation, and nursing concerns for healthcare services of a country. The issue of shortage of nurses is not easily measureable and demands extraordinary planning and requirements. The relative

Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nurses

Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nurses Appendices APPENDIX C SECTION 1: ERGONOMIC FOR PREVENTION OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER Introduction Nurses provide care to physically demanding patient and assist them in mobilization and other activities like bath, feeding etc. Patient handling tasks such as lifting, transferring or repositioning are contributing factors for MSP among nurses particularly the back being most prevalent. These tasks can entail high physical strains due to different body size involved, leaning over a bed or working in cramped postures, supporting patient during gait activities, and many other factors. The risk factors that health care workers face include: Force: the amount of physical effort required to lift or to maintain control of heavy equipment or tools; Repetition: performing same task over and over continually or frequently; and Awkward postures assuming positions that put strain on the body, such as working above shoulder height, kneeling, squatting, leaning over a bed, or twisting the back while lifting. Identifying Problems and Implementing Solutions for patient Lifting and Repositioning Manual handling tasks such as lifting and repositioning can be variable, dynamic, and unpredictable in nature. In addition, factors such as patient self-esteem, safety, and medical contraindications should be taken into consideration. The analysis of any handling task involves an assessment of the requirements and capacities of the patient. The patient assessment should include an analysis of the following factors: The level of cooperation from the patient; The body size and weight of the patient; Any health anomalies that may influence the choice of lifting or repositioning techniques. Repositioning in Chair Description: Variable position Geri chairs When to Use: Repositioning partial- or non-weight-bearing patients who are cooperative. Points to Remember: One caregiver can assist if patient has strength in both upper extremities of arms. If patient cannot assist in self-repositioning on chair, help from at least 2 caregivers and friction reducing device may be required. Ensure that chair is easily adjustable; wheels are freely movable flexible and steer. Lock wheels on chair before repositioning. Remove trays, footrests, and seat belts where appropriate. Ensure device correspond with patient weight. Various Activities of Daily Living and Bedside Assistance Description: Work practices for feeding, dressing and grooming. When to Use: During feeding, dressing, personal hygiene tasks, vital sign assessment, and other bedside assistance. Bedside Assistance: Lower side rails, position patient as close as possible to edge for safety purposes. Sit or stand in front and near to side of patient. Adjust height of tables and electric beds to waist level and place supplies close by to prevent back flexion and bending. Collect supplies in advance and place them on a table that is located perpendicular to the patient. Avoid leaning across patient; rather, move to other side. Carry items close to the body. Provide adaptive equipment that offer independence to patients and reduce assistance from caregiver. Feeding: Chop food into pieces before placing it in front of patient. Dressing and grooming: Ensure that patients feet lie flat on the ground or a stool for stability when sitting. Place feebler limb in pant or sleeve first. Use suitable adaptive equipment for dressing, grooming and oral hygiene. Activities of Daily Living Activity: Administrating medications Description: Low profile medication cart and cartridge pill dispenser When to Use: Dispensing medications. The cart increases precision and lessens time required to perform task. Medications cart: Classify medications according to day and time. Low profile carts with easy side opening drawer are recommended to accommodate hand height of shorter nurses. Cartridge dispenser: Use cartridges with a â€Å"flip top† for drug storage until administered rather than wrapping the doses individually in foil of paper or small container that require more finger forces and a sharp object to break the seal. Bathtub, Shower, and Toileting activities Description: Long-handled extension tools on hand-held showerheads wash or scrub brushes. When to Use: When bathing or showering patients. Points to Remember: These equipments limit the extent of bending, reaching, and twisting required when cleaning feet, legs, and trunk of patients. Patients who are autonomous can also use these devices to facilitate personal hygiene care. Guiding and Slowing Falls Description: Method for guiding and slowing falls. When to Use: When patient is falling. Points to Remember: Utilization of transfer or gait belts may aid nurses in guiding the fall. Grip onto the belt/handles and slowly lower the patient to the floor using proper body mechanics. Reviewing patient assessments and monitoring for signs of weakness are effective strategies of preventing falls. Stand with back straight, tighten stomach muscles, bend legs, and stay adjacent to patient if it practical to do so. Don’t try to stop the fall abruptly as this may increase the risk of injury among nurses. Lifting from the Floor Description: Methods to lift patients from floor When to Use: After a patient fall. Points to Remember: Assess patient for injury prior to lifting and use a powered portable or ceiling-mounted lift device to move patient with minimal assistance. If patient can maintain standing position with minimal assistance, use gait or transfer belt with handles to support patient. If manual assistance is required ensure a team lift are s are available to provide assistance as needed. Use 2 or more caregivers when assisting heavy patients. Stand with back straight, bend legs, and stay near to patient as possible. Ambulation Description: Ambulation assist device When to Use: For patients, who are able to support their body weight, cooperative, need extra security and assistance when ambulating. Increases patient safety and reduces risk of falls during ambulation Points to Remember: Typically needs one caregiver. The device provides assistance to patients as they walk and pushes it along during ambulation. Ensure device is in good working condition with height adjusted correctly before use and rated for the load weight to be lifted. Apply brakes before positioning patient in or releasing patient from device. Implementing solutions for patient lifting and repositioning Ergonomics is the science of designing equipment and work tasks to conform to the capability of the worker and provides a means of adaptation to work environment and work practices to prevent injuries. Ergonomic solutions are proposed to reduce musculoskeletal disorders among the staff nurses. The recommended solutions brought forward are not intended to be an exhaustive list, nor do all of them will be used in any given set up. The material signifies a variety of options available that a facility can consider using. Many of the solutions are simple to implement and do not require substantial time or resources such as modification in procedures or equipment. Others may require more significant efforts. The integration of various solutions into hospital management, can lead to beneficial outcome in the long run. Patient and Equipment handling solutions Lateral Transfer Description: Ceiling-mounted device with horizontal frame system or litter When to Use: Moving patients who are totally helpless, non-weight bearing, has other physical impairment, or are very big in size and cannot be safely shifted by staff between 2 horizontal surfaces, such as from bed to stretcher or gurney in supine position. Points to Remember: Motors can be fixed or portable (lightweight). Device can be functioned by hand-held control attached to unit or by infrared remote control. Always ensure lifting device is in good working condition before use and is assessed for the load weight to be lifted. Lateral Transfer Description: Gurneys with transfer devices When to Use: Transferring a partial- or non-weight-bearing patient between 2 horizontal sides, such as from bed to stretcher or gurney in supine position. Points to Remember: Two nurses are required to achieve this type of transfer. Additional assistance may be required depending on patient status, e.g., for heavier or uncooperative patients. Motorized height-adjustable gurneys with built-in slide boards are preferred to those adjusted by crank mechanism to lessen physical effort required by caregiver. Always ensure that lifting device is in good working condition before use and is evaluated for the load weight to be shifted. Ensure wheels on equipment are locked and transfer surfaces are same level to at waist level of caregivers in order to avoid over reached and back flexion Lateral Transfer; Repositioning Description: Air-assist lateral sliding aid; flexible mattress inflated by portable air supply When to Use: Transporting a partial- or non-weight bearing resident between two horizontal sides such as from bed to stretcher or gurney in supine position. It can also be used for repositioning a patient in bed, increase patient well-being and reduces risk of tissue injury during transfer. Points to Remember: Two caregivers are needed to achieve this type of transfer. Additional assistance may be required depending on patient ability, e.g., for heavier or uncooperative patients. Ensure wheels on equipment are locked and transfer surfaces are at level and height that permits nurses to work at waist level to avoid over reach and back flexion. Count down and coordinate the transfer motion between caregivers. Patient Lifting Description: Ceiling-mounted lift device When to Use: Lifting patients who are totally helpless, are partial- or non-weight bearing, very heavy, or have other physical impairment. Transfers from bed to chair (wheel chair, Geri or cardiac chair), chair or floor to bed, or for bathing and toileting. Points to Remember: May need 2 or more nurses. Some patients can use the device quicker than portable device without assistance. Motors can be fixed or portable (lightweight). Device can be activated by hand-held control attached to unit or by infrared remote control. Ensure lifting device is in good working condition before use and is assessed for the load weight to be lifted. Transfer from Sitting to Standing Position Description: Stand-assist devices; can be fixed to bed or chair or be free-standing When to Use: Transferring patients who are able to support their weight and cooperative and can pull themselves up from sitting to standing position. It can be used for independent patients who need extra lift to stand and aid patient independence. Points to Remember: Check that device is constant before use and is evaluated for patient weight to be held. Ensure frame is firmly attached to bed, or if depend on mattress support that mattress is big enough to support the frame. 1

Story Of An Hour :: essays research papers

In the Story of An Hour, Mrs. Mallard seemed to me like an old misunderstood woman and as we are told in the very first line, afflicted with a heart trouble. I was surprised later, when it said that she was young. I think that Chopin is showing us a social situation of the times with the woman as a prisoner of her husband. Marriage was not always about mutual love between two people and during that time Chopin was writing, which was during 1804-1904, this was often the case. Marriage was as much about monetary comfort, social status as it was about possible love. There are no children mentioned in the story, which makes me wonder if there was a sexual relationship between the Mallards. It seems from the description that Mrs. Mallard has been trapped in this marriage for a long time even though we know she is young. How young is she? I would probably guess that she would be in her middle thirties. She probably got married very young, as they usually did at that time. The women would usually stay at home and the men would go to work. Things have changed a lot now a day. I don t think that this marriage is arranged. I think that she has been forced by her society to marry despite what she may want to do in her heart and soul. I believe she does love her husband, but it is possible to love a man and not be married to him. Is her heart condition purely physical or is it psychological and emotional? We know that women can be hysterical, timid, weak and very emotional. When is her first name mentioned and why? That is the interesting part of the story that gave me the idea of my whole conclusion. Her first name is only told to us after she hears of her husband’s de ath and when she feels the freest. Before her husbands death she is referred to us as Mrs. Mallard or she, and after when her husband returns home, she is referred to as wife. When Louise marries Brently she becomes Mrs. Mallard; she loses her identity and assumes a new and strange one. While it seems very normal and average for a wife to assume her husband s name in marriage and in that time, become the property of him, it cannot be ignored that a certain part of the self is lost.

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 4~5

Chapter 4 Blooms and the City of Burned Clutches C. Thomas Flood (Tommy to his friends) was just reaching red-line in a wet dream, when he was awakened by the scurry and chatter of the five Wongs. Geishas in garters scampered off to dreamland, unsatisfied, leaving him staring at the slats of the bunk above. The room was little bigger than a walk-in closet. Bunks were stacked three high on either side of a narrow aisle where the five Wongs were competing for enough space to pull on their pants. Wong Two bent over Tommy's bunk, grinned apologetically, and said something in Cantonese. â€Å"No problem,† Tommy said. He rolled over on his side, careful not to scuff his morning erection on the wall, and pulled the blankets over his head. He thought, Privacy is a wonderful thing. Like love, privacy is most manifest in its absence. I should write a story about that – and work in lots of geisha girls in garters and red pumps. The Crowded Tea House of Almond-Eyed Tramps, by C. Thomas Flood. I'll write that today, after I rent a post-office box and look for a job. Or maybe I should just stay here today and see who's leaving the flowers†¦ Tommy had found fresh flowers on his bed for four days running and they were beginning to bother him. It wasn't the flowers themselves that bothered him: gladiolas, red roses, and two mixed bouquets with big pink ribbons. He sort of liked flowers, in a masculine and totally non-sissy way, of course. And it didn't bother him that he didn't own a vase, or a table to set it on. He'd just trotted down the hall to the communal bathroom, removed the lid of the toilet tank, and plopped the flowers in. The added color provided a pleasant counterpoint to the bathroom's filth – until rats ate the blossoms. But that didn't bother him either. What bothered him was that he had been in the City for less than a week and didn't know anyone. So who had sent the flowers? The five Wongs let loose with a barrage of bye-byes as they left the room. Wong Five pulled the door shut behind him. Tommy thought, I've got to speak to Wong One about the accommodations. Wong One wasn't one of the five Wongs with whom Tommy shared the room. Wong One was the landlord: older, wiser, and more sophisticated than Wongs Two through Six. Wong One spoke English, wore a threadbare suit thirty years out of style, and carried a cane with a brass dragon head. Tommy had met him on Columbus Avenue just after midnight, over the burning corpse of Rosinante, Tommy's 74 Volvo sedan. â€Å"I killed her,† Tommy said, watching black smoke roll out from under the hood. â€Å"Too bad,† Wong One said sympathetically, before continuing on his way. â€Å"Excuse me,† Tommy called after Wong. Tommy had just arrived from Indiana and had never been to a large city, so he did not recognize that Wong One had already stepped over the accepted metropolitan limit of involvement with a stranger. Wong turned and leaned on his dragon-headed cane. â€Å"Excuse me,† Tommy repeated, â€Å"but I'm new in town – would you know where I can find a place to stay around here?† Wong raised an eyebrow. â€Å"You have money?† â€Å"A little.† Wong looked at Tommy, standing there next to his burning car with a suitcase and a typewriter case. He looked at Tommy's open, hopeful smile, his thin face and mop of dark hair, and the English word  «victim » rose in his mind in twenty-point type – part of an item on page 3 of The Chronicle: â€Å"Victim Found in Tenderloin, Beaten to Death With Typewriter.† Wong sighed heavily. He liked reading The Chronicle each day, and he didn't want to skip page 3 until the tragedy had passed. â€Å"You come with me,† he said. Wong walked up Columbus into Chinatown. Tommy stumbled along behind, looking over his shoulder from time to time at the burning Volvo. â€Å"I really liked that car. I got five speeding tickets in that car. They're still in it.† â€Å"Too bad.† Wong stopped at a battered metal door between a grocery store and a fish market. â€Å"You have fifty bucks?† Tommy nodded and dug into the pocket of his jeans. â€Å"Fifty bucks, one week,† Wong said. â€Å"Two hundred fifty, one month.† â€Å"One week will be fine,† Tommy said, peeling two twenties and a ten off a thinning roll of bills. Wong opened the door and started up a narrow unlit staircase. Tommy bumped up the stairs behind him, nearly falling a couple of times. â€Å"My name is C. Thomas Flood. Well, actually that's the name I write under. People call me Tommy.† â€Å"Good,† Wong said. â€Å"And you are?† Tommy stopped at the top of the stairs and offered his hand to shake. Wong looked at Tommy's hand. â€Å"Wong,† he said. Tommy bowed. Wong watched him, wondering what in the hell he was doing. Fifty bucks is fifty bucks, he thought. â€Å"Bathroom down hall,† Wong said, throwing open a door and throwing a light switch. Five sleepy Chinese men looked up from their bunks. â€Å"Tommy,† Wong said, pointing to Tommy. â€Å"Tommy,† the Chinese men repeated in unison. â€Å"This Wong,† Wong said, pointing to the man on the bottom left bunk. Tommy nodded. â€Å"Wong.† â€Å"This Wong. That Wong. Wong. Wong. Wong,† Wong said, ticking off each man as if he were flipping beads on an abacus, which, mentally, he was: fifty bucks, fifty bucks, fifty bucks. He pointed to the empty bunk on the bottom right. â€Å"You sleep there. Bye-bye.† â€Å"Bye-bye,† said the five Wongs. Tommy said, â€Å"Excuse me, Mr. Wong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Wong turned. â€Å"When is rent due? I'm going job hunting tomorrow, but I don't have a lot of cash.† â€Å"Tuesday and Sunday,† Wong said. â€Å"Fifty bucks.† â€Å"But you said it was fifty dollars a week.† â€Å"Two fifty a month or fifty a week, due Tuesday and Sunday.† Wong walked away. Tommy stashed his duffel bag and typewriter under the bunk and crawled in. Before he could work up a good worry about his burning car, he was asleep. He had pushed the Volvo straight through from Incontinence, Indiana, to San Francisco, stopping only for fuel and bathroom breaks. He had watched the sun rise and set three times from behind the wheel – exhaustion finally caught him at the coast. Tommy was descended from two generations of line workers at the Incontinence Forklift Company. When he announced at fourteen that he was going to be a writer, his father, Thomas Flood, Sr., accepted the news with the tolerant incredulity a parent usually reserved for monsters under the bed and imaginary friends. When Tommy took a job in a grocery store instead of the factory, his father breathed a small sigh of relief – at least it was a union shop, the boy would have benefits and retirement. It was only when Tommy bought the old Volvo, and rumors that he was a budding Communist began circulating through town, that Tom senior began to worry. Father Flood's paternal angst continued to grow with each night that he spent listening to his only son tapping the nights away on the Olivetti portable, until one Wednesday night he tied one on at the Starlight Lanes and spilled his guts to his bowling buddies. â€Å"I found a copy of The New Yorker under the boy's mattress,† he slurred through a five-pitcher Budweiser haze. â€Å"I've got to face it; my son's a pansy.† The rest of the Bill's Radiator Bowling Team members bowed their heads in sympathy, all secretly thanking God that the bullet had hit the next soldier in line and that their sons were all safely obsessed with small block Chevys and big tits. Harley Businsky, who had recently been promoted to minor godhood by bowling a three hundred, threw a bearlike arm around Tom's shoulders. â€Å"Maybe he's just a little mixed up,† Harley offered. â€Å"Let's go talk to the boy.† When two triple-extra-large, electric-blue, embroidered bowling shirts burst into his room, full of two triple-extra-large, beer-oiled bowlers, Tommy went over backward in his chair. â€Å"Hi, Dad,† Tommy said from the floor. â€Å"Son, we need to talk.† Over the next half hour the two men ran Tommy through the fatherly version of good-cop-bad-cop, or perhaps Joe McCarthy versus Santa Claus. Their interrogation determined that: Yes, Tommy did like girls and cars. No, he was not, nor had he ever been, a member of the Communist party. And yes, he was going to pursue a career as a writer, regardless of the lack of AFL?CCIO affiliation. Tommy tried to plead the case for a life in letters, but found his arguments ineffective (due in no small part to the fact that both his inquisitors thought that Hamlet was a small pork portion served with eggs). He was breaking a sweat and beginning to accept defeat when he fired a desperation shot. â€Å"You know, somebody wrote Rambo?† Thomas Flood, Sr., and Harley Businsky exchanged a look of horrified realization. They were rocked, shaken, crumbling. Tommy pushed on. â€Å"And Patton – someone wrote Patton.† Tommy waited. The two men sat next to each other on his single bed, coughing and fidgeting and trying not to make eye contact with the boy. Everywhere they looked there were quotes carefully written in magic marker tacked on the walls; there were books, pens, and typing paper; there were poster-sized photos of authors. Ernest Hemingway stared down at them with a gleaming gaze that seemed to say, â€Å"You fuckers should have gone fishing.† Finally Harley said, â€Å"Well, if you're going to be a writer, you can't stay here.† â€Å"Pardon?† Tommy said. â€Å"You got to go to a city and starve. I don't know a Kafka from a nuance, but I know that if you're going to be a writer, you got to starve. You won't be any damn good if you don't starve.† â€Å"I don't know, Harley,† Tom Senior said, not sure that he liked the idea of his skinny son starving. â€Å"Who bowled a three hundred last Wednesday, Tom?† â€Å"You did.† â€Å"And I say the boy's got to go to the city and starve.† Tom Flood looked at Tommy as if the boy were standing on the trapdoor of the gallows. â€Å"You sure about this writer thing, son?† Tommy nodded. â€Å"Can I make you a sandwich?† If not for a particularly seedy television docudrama about the bombing of the World Trade Center, Tommy might, indeed, have starved in New York, but Tom senior was not going to allow his son to be â€Å"blowed up by a bunch of towel-headed terrorists.† And Tommy might have starved in Paris, if a cursory inspection of the Volvo had not revealed that it would not survive the dampness of the drive. So he ended up in San Francisco, and although he could use some breakfast, he was more worried about flowers than about food. He thought, I should just stick around and see who's leaving the flowers. Catch them in the act. But he had been unemployed for more than a week, and his midwestern work ethic forced him out of his bunk. He wore his sneakers in the shower so his feet wouldn't have to come in contact with the floor, then dressed in his best shirt and job-hunting jeans, grabbed a notebook, and sloshed down the steps into Chinatown. The sidewalk was awash with Asians – men and women moving doggedly past open markets selling live fish, barbecued meat, and thousands of vegetables that Tommy could put no name to. He passed one market where live snapping turtles, two feet across, were struggling to get out of plastic milk crates. In the next window, trays of duck feet and bills were arranged around smoked pig heads, while whole naked pheasants hung ripening above. The air was heavy with the smells of pressed humanity, soy sauce, sesame oil, licorice, and car exhaust – always car exhaust. Tommy walked up Grant and crossed Broadway into North Beach, where the crush of people thinned out and the smells changed to a miasma of baking bread, garlic, oregano, and more exhaust. No matter where he went in the City, there was an odoriferous mix of food and vehicles, like the alchemic concoctions of some mad gourmet mechanic: Kung Pao Saab Turbo, Buick Skylark Carbonara, Sweet-and-Sour Metro Bus, Honda Bolognese with Burning Clutch Sauce. Tommy was startled out of his olfactory reverie by a screeching war whoop. He looked up to see a Rollerblader in fluorescent pads and helmet closing on him at breakneck speed. An old man, who was sitting on the sidewalk ahead feeding croissants to his two dogs, looked up momentarily and threw a croissant across the sidewalk. The dogs shot after the treat, pulling their cotton-rope leashes tight. Tommy cringed. The Rollerblader hit the rope and went airborne, describing a ten-foot arc in the air before crashing in a violent tangle of padded limbs and wheels at Tommy's feet. â€Å"Are you okay?† Tommy offered a hand to the skater, who waved it away. â€Å"I'm fine.† Blood was dripping from a scrape on his chin, his Day-Glo wraparound sunglasses were twisted on his face. â€Å"Perhaps you should slow down on the sidewalks,† the old man called. The skater sat up and turned to the old man. â€Å"Oh, Your Majesty, I didn't know. I'm sorry.† â€Å"Safety first, son,† the old man said with a smile. â€Å"Yes, sir,† the skater said. â€Å"I'll be more careful.† He climbed to his feet and nodded to Tommy. â€Å"Sorry.† He straightened his shades and skated slowly away. Tommy stood staring at the old man, who had resumed feeding his dogs. â€Å"Your Majesty?† â€Å"Or Your Imperial Highness,† the Emperor said. â€Å"You're new to the City.† â€Å"Yes, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A young woman in fishnet stockings and red satin hot pants, who was swinging by, paused by the Emperor and bowed slightly. â€Å"Morning, Highness,† she said. â€Å"Safety first, my child,† the Emperor said. She smiled and walked on. Tommy watched her until she turned the corner, then turned back to the old man. â€Å"Welcome to my city,† the Emperor said. â€Å"How are you doing so far?† â€Å"I'm†¦ I'm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tommy was confused. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Emperor of San Francisco, Protector of Mexico, at your service. Croissant?† The Emperor held open a white paper bag to Tommy, who shook his head. â€Å"This impetuous fellow,† the Emperor said, pointing to his Boston terrier, â€Å"is Bummer. A bit of a rascal, he, but the best bug-eyed rat dog in the City.† The little dog growled. â€Å"And this,† the Emperor continued, â€Å"is Lazarus, found dead on Geary Street after an unfortunate encounter with a French tour bus and snatched back from the brink by the mystical curative scent of a slightly used beef jerky.† The golden retriever offered his paw. Feeling stupid, Tommy took it and shook. â€Å"Pleased to meet you.† â€Å"And you are?† the Emperor asked. â€Å"C. Thomas Flood.† â€Å"And the ‘C' stands for?† â€Å"Well, it doesn't really stand for anything. I'm a writer. I just added the ‘C' to my pen name.† â€Å"And a fine affectation it is.† The Emperor paused to gnaw the end of a croissant. â€Å"So, C, how is the City treating you so far?† Tommy thought that he might have just been insulted, but he found he was enjoying talking to the old man. He hadn't had a conversation of more than a few words since he arrived in the City. â€Å"I like the City, but I'm having some problems.† He told the Emperor about the destruction of his car, about his subsequent meeting of Wong One, of his cramped, filthy quarters, and ended his story with the mystery of the flowers on his bed. The Emperor sighed sympathetically and scratched his scruffy graying beard. â€Å"I'm afraid that I am unable to assist you with your accommodation problem; the men and I are fortunate enough to count the entire City as our home. But I may have a lead on a job for you, and perhaps a clue to the conundrum of the flowers.† The Emperor paused and motioned for Tommy to move closer. Tommy crouched down and cocked an ear to the Emperor. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I've seen him,† the Emperor whispered. â€Å"It's a vampire.† Tommy recoiled as if he'd been spit on. â€Å"A vampire florist?† â€Å"Well, once you accept the vampire part, the florist part is a pretty easy leap, don't you think?† Chapter 5 Undead and Somewhat Slightly Dazed French people were fucking in the room next door; Jody could hear every groan, giggle, and bed spring squeak. In the room above, a television spewed game-show prattle: â€Å"I'll take Bestiality for five hundred, Alex.† Jody pulled a pillow over her head. It wasn't exactly like waking up. There was no slow skate from dreamland to reality, no pleasant dawning of consciousness in the cozy twilight of sleepiness. No, it was as if someone had just switched on the world, full volume, like a clock radio playing reality's top forty irritating hits. â€Å"Criminal Presidents for a hundred, Alex.† Jody flipped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. I always thought that sex and game shows ended at death, she thought. They always say â€Å"Rest in peace,† don't they? â€Å"Vas – y plus fort, mon petit cochon d'amour!†* * â€Å"Do it harder, my little love pig!† She wanted to complain to someone, anyone. She hated waking up alone – and going to sleep alone, for that matter. She had lived with ten different men in five years. Serial monogamy. It was a problem she had been getting around to working on before she died. She crawled out of bed and opened the rubber-lined motel draperies. Light from streetlights and neon signs filled the room. Now what? Normally she would go to the bathroom. But she didn't feel the need to. I haven't peed in two days. I may never pee again. She went into the bathroom and sat on the stool to test her theory. Nothing. She unwrapped one of the plastic glasses, filled it with water and gulped it down. Her stomach lurched and she vomited the water in a stream against the mirror. Okay, no water. A shower? Change clothes and go out on the town? To do what? Hunt? She recoiled at the thought. Am I going to have to kill people? Oh my God, Kurt. What if he changes? What if he already has? She dressed quickly in her clothes from the night before, grabbed her flight bag and the room key and left the room. She waved to the night clerk as she passed the motel office and he winked and waved back. A hundred bucks had made them friends. She walked around the corner and up Chestnut, resisting the urge to break into a run. Outside her building she paused and focused on the apartment window. The lights were on, and with concentration she could hear Kurt talking on the phone. â€Å"Yeah, the crazy bitch knocked me out with a potted plant. No, threw it at me. I was two hours late for work. I don't know, she said something about being attacked. She hasn't been to work for a couple of days. No, she doesn't have a key; I had to buzz her in†¦Ã¢â‚¬  So I didn't kill him. He didn't change or he wouldn't have been able to go to work at all in the daylight. He sounds fine. Pissed, but fine. I wonder if I just apologize and explain what happened†¦ â€Å"No,† Kurt said into the phone. â€Å"I took her name off the mailbox. I don't really care, she didn't fit the image I'm trying to build anyway. I was thinking about asking out Susan Badistone: Stanford, family money, Republican. I know, but that's why God made implants†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jody turned and walked back to the motel. She stopped in the office and paid the clerk for two more days, then went to her room, sat down on the bed and tried to cry. No tears would come. In another time she would have called a girlfriend and spent the evening on the phone being comforted. She would have eaten a half gallon of ice cream and stayed up all night thinking about what she was going to do with her life. In the morning she would have called in sick to work, then called her mother in Carmel to borrow enough money for a deposit on a new apartment. But that was another time, when she had still been a person. The little confidence that she had felt the night before was gone. Now she was just confused and afraid. She tried to remember everything she had ever seen or heard about vampires. It wasn't much. She didn't like scary books or movies. Much of what she could remember didn't seem true. She didn't have to sleep in a coffin, that was obvious. But it was also obvious that she couldn't go out in the daylight. She didn't have to kill every night, and if she did bite someone, he or she didn't necessarily have to turn into a vampire – an asshole, maybe, but not a vampire. But then again, Kurt had been an asshole before, so how could you tell? Why had she turned? She was going to have to get to a library. She thought, I've got to get my car back. And I need a new apartment. It's just a matter of time before a maid comes in during the day and burns me to a crisp. I need someone who can move around during the day. I need a friend. She had lost her address book with her purse, but it didn't really matter. All of her friends were currently in relationships, and although any of them would offer sympathy about her breakup with Kurt, they were too self-involved to be of any real help. She and her friends were only close when they were single. I need a man. The thought depressed her. Why does it always come to that? I'm a modern woman. I can open jars and kill spiders on my own. I can balance a checkbook and check the oil in my car. I can support myself. Then again, maybe not. How am I going to support myself? She threw her flight bag on the bed and pulled out the white bakery bag full of money and emptied it on the bed. She counted the bills in one stack, then counted the stacks. There were thirty-five stacks of twenty one-hundred dollar bills. Minus the five hundred she had spent on the hotel: almost seventy thousand dollars. She felt a sudden and deep-seated urge to go shopping. Whoever had attacked her had known she would need money. It hadn't been an accident that she had turned. And it probably hadn't been an accident that he had left her hand in the sunlight to burn. How else would she have known to go to ground before sunup? But if he wanted to help her, wanted her to survive, why didn't he just tell her what she was supposed to do? She gathered up the money and was stuffing it back in the flight bag when the phone rang. She looked at it, watched the orange light strobing in rhythm to the bell. No one knew where she was. It must be the front desk. After four rings she picked up. Before she could say hello, a gravelly calm male voice said, â€Å"By the way, you're not immortal. You can still be killed.† There was a click and Jody hung up the phone. He said, be killed, not you can still die. Be killed. She grabbed her bag and ran out into the night.

Word Choice is Critical

Word Choice is Critical Words have power. To quote Rudyard Kipling, Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. As with any drug, words must be used carefully, with forethought and precision. Joseph Joubert said, Words, like glass, obscure when they do not aid vision. As writers our goal is to convey meaning or illicit feelings in our readers, to clarify rather than obscure. Therefore our word choice is critical.Word choice involves several considerations. Perhaps the most obvious of these is grammar. It is common today to hear entertainers and other public figures use poor grammar, or use a word incorrectly based on some new slang definition. This has become so pervasive that many have adopted the same speech style without even realizing it. It might be a matter for debate whether such a slovenly attitude toward the rules of language is ever acceptable in spoken communication. For written forms of communication, the issue is less ambiguous. While it may be acceptable when writing dialogue in works of fiction, in most forms of writing it is inappropriate. In the same way, words or expressions that are offensive to a particular racial, religious, ethnic, or other groups should be avoided. A word of caution is in order in this regard. Even if you would never even consider the use of anything offensive in your writing, you might still give offense. Many expressions have double meanings, one of which is rude or vulgar. Are you aware of these? If there is even a chance that something might be understood in the wrong way, its best to choose a different expression.Problems with grammar can also arise out of ignorance. It can be argued that literacy is on the decline, and has been for many years. Sadly, this seems to have affected every facet of society, including those who make their living as manipulators of the written word. In addition, many find themselves asked to express their ideas in a foreign language, often English. This can be a challenge. Even when a writer spea ks the second language well, the formal structure required of the written language is stricter and the audience is usually less forgiving. If you belong to either of these groups, what can you do? In a word, read. Read everything that you can get your hands on in that language (obviously trying to choose things that are well written). This is the same principle used when initially learning a language, total immersion. It is the same way that a baby learns to speak. However, when applying this method as an adult, there is a difference. A baby starts from scratch. As an adult with poor grammar, you have to first break your bad habits. One way to accomplish this is to notice the differences in the way you construct sentences compared to the way theyre constructed in what you read. Look at sentences the way a carpenter looks at a house. Dont just look at the whole, see the pieces. Dont just hear the meaning conveyed, peer beneath the surface at the structure. This means slowing down, an alyzing every word and its place in the sentence. The best way to do this is by reading out loud. Reading out loud can help you to feel the rhythm and flow of the words, allowing you to eventually make them your own.Another aspect of sentence structure is sentence length. In general, short, simple, concise sentences are more effective than long, complicated, run-on sentences. They have an immediate impact. If you want to make an important point, put it in a short sentence. State it simply. If you do, your readers will remember it. Several short sentences in a row can also be very effective, like multiple quick punches from a boxer. Of course, some of this effectiveness is lost if every sentence you write is short. Variety increases readability.This is also true for individual words. Instead of always saying that the weather was cold, why not say that it was chilly, frosty, icy, wintry, or glacial? Instead of saying that the man was fat, why not say that he was plump, chubby, stout, or portly? And instead of saying that the new analytical method was more effective, why not say that it was more efficient, successful, useful, or valuable? Using a variety of synonymous words helps to keep your readers interested in what you are saying. It can also do more than this. The English language has a rich vocabulary. Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meanings. Similar is the key word in this definition. Whats the difference between being stout and chubby? Is there a difference? As a writer, youd better know.In addition to its denotation or dictionary definition, what connotation is conveyed by a word? What feelings does it evoke? For example, the words house and home can both be defined as the structure where a person or family lives, but at the end of a long day, to which would you rather return? Heres a more personal example - which would you rather be, slim or thin? Thin or skinny? Skinny or emaciated? Emaciated or skeletal? These words mean basically th e same thing, but the subtle differences in connotation can add shades of color to your writing. Be aware of these shades of color; your word choice will influence the emotions of your readers. Direct this influence by a conscious and careful selection. Instead of saying that the hero walked out of the room, why not say that he stormed out? Instead of saying that the words were painful, why not say that they tore into her heart? And instead of saying that the car crashed, why not say that it was crushed like an empty beer can?Of course, while an expanded vocabulary is laudable, one must nevertheless remain circumspect that the objectives of ones written communiquà © not become ensconced in nebulousness and obfuscation. Why are you writing? Ultimately, whatever youre writing, your goal is communication. Your vocabulary should serve that goal. Your writing should not simply be a canvas for your vocabulary; your vocabulary should serve as a palette with which you paint a clear picture in your writing. Throwing words into your writing that your readers are unlikely to understand is like an artist throwing paint on a canvas at random; individual spots of color may arouse curiosity, but the overall impression will be one of confusion. The first sentence in this paragraph is an example. Congratulations if it made perfect sense to you, but be aware that most readers will find similar sentences frustrating if you insist on writing them. Ernest Hemingway once commented on this subject. He said, Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I dont know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use. So use the best words for the job, ones that put your reader in the picture but allow him to understand what hes seeing once he gets there.Its bad enough to use words that your readers dont understand, using words that you dont understand is worse. If you do so, you r readers will lose respect for you. This is especially a problem with non-fiction since they will begin to wonder whether the accuracy of your writing can be trusted.Words are tools. You might say that they are the only tools that every living person in the world uses on a daily basis. Learn to use them well. Learn what each tool does and how it can be employed most effectively. Learn the subtle differences between similar tools and how to select the correct one for the job. Learn what combination of tools will be most effective at accomplishing your objective, conveying ideas, feelings, and shades of meaning to your readers, helping them to become immersed in your story, to comprehend your technical writing, and, always, to remember what you have written. By choosing your words carefully and using them with skill, you will become a craftsman who can be proud of your finished product.

Professional Leadership Development Skills The WritePass Journal

Professional Leadership Development Skills Introduction and Methodology Professional Leadership Development Skills ): Who has influenced you most in your desire to be an effective leader?   This may be a positive or negative influence. My greatest influence was Mr. Koffmann who has been referred to throughout my blogs. I found him to be a very personable individual and having worked with somebody who was willing to encourage me to be creative and to try new things I was able to notice how important it was for junior people to have these key individuals that encourage them to experiment and to test their own boundaries. What skills did they illustrate that have left this marked impression on you? The main skills that I found to be particularly influential were those of his willingness to spend time teaching others in a patient manner. He was forever present and this gave me a lot of confidence in him as a teacher; however, there were times where his expectations were extremely high and he was correct in demanding I found this skill to be particularly admirable, as I found it increasingly hard to be a strong leader in this regard. What skills did they lack that you have since learnt about to add to this desire to be an effective leader? My manager was often short tempered and at times failed to delegate matters sufficiently, so that experiences were not shared amongst all individuals. Had he managed his own workload better and delegated more frequently, not only would other individuals have had opportunities to undertake tasks, but it would be likely that he would be less short tempered during busy periods. On your Professional Development Plan which objectives have you started to develop and how have you got on? My immediate focus has been on my ability to network with others and to interact more with my peer group as well. I find communicating with others difficult at times, as I dont have a high opinion of my own ability and therefore this is undeniably a skill which I need to develop over a prolonged period of time. I have, however, ensured that I regularly discuss matters with my peer group and openly engage in conversations when the opportunity arises, particularly when it comes to how we can better perform the task next time. On your Professional Development Plan which objectives have you not started to develop and why? I dont feel that I have developed leadership skills as yet, due to the fact that initially I need to focus and develop my own communication skills and ability to get my point across to my peer group, before I can suitably develop a leadership style that will enable me to engage with subordinates in such a way that they are engaged and motivated. For this reason, this element of my personal development has not yet been addressed as part of the larger picture of developing confidence. Are there any changes you would like to make to your Professional Development Plan? On the whole, I feel my development plan remains accurate and valid and aligned to my long-term goals. However, I feel that I need to place greater emphasis on my own communication and leadership skills than I had originally thought, recognising that in order to successfully run my own business, I shall need to adapt to a wide variety of different personalities and will need to strive to be better than my competitors. Motivation is a key factor for both myself and my future staff members and a greater focus needs to be placed on developing skills for motivating others and not simply focusing on myself.    References Aubrey,  B (2010) Managing Your Aspirations: Developing Personal Enterprise in the Global Workplace  McGraw-Hill Cassidy, S (2004), ‘Learning styles: an overview of theories, models and measures’, Educational Psychology, 24(4), 419–444 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2013) Learning and Talent Development Strategy. Available at cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/learning-talent-development-strategy.aspx Keefe, J. W. Jenkins, J. M. (2008). Personalized instruction: The key to student achievement. 2nd edition. Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield Education. Martindale, N (2011). Leadership Styles: How to handle the different personas.  Strategic Communication Management  15  (8): 32–35. Maslow, A.H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–96 Schultz, D and P. Schultz, Sydney Ellen (2010).  Psychology and work today  : An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology  (10th ed. ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall

Data Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Data Project - Essay Example The Figure 2 shows the outliers of the mean is 180390 as it falls away from the normal curve as shown in Figure one; this is determined by 1.5*IQR on the whisker plot. The mean annual salary in the US is $97486. Table 1 shows that the arithmetic mean of annual wage is $97486 with a sample population size N =61, the measure of dispersion of the data SD = 23362; the variation indicates the dispersion figure from the mean. The Range = 123270 shows the difference in salaries scales between the maximum or the highest earning manager and the minimum or the lowest earning manager. The Skewness = 1.04 shows that the data is skewed to the right with Leptokurtic distribution as Kurtosis = 3.75, this shows that the values are concentrated to the mean. Table 2 shows the minimum wage of 57120 and a max of 180390, the values shows a measure of viability of IQR = 26270 and a range of 123270. The measure of central tendency is well measured using median = 99660. I preferred the use of 5-number summary because it gives me an easier way to visualize the central tendency of the data. The US salaries in top senior management of C-Level and top managers has a great variation between the lowest paid and the highest paid. The Average wage is 97 $97000 with most managers earning approximately the same figure with measure of central tendency indicating the same. There is a outliers earnings that are way above the normal earnings. The statistical package Minitab made me learn how to manipulate the data more easily with more capabilities of giving us more accurate answers, clear graphs and

Human Resource Practices, employee voice and quit rate in outsourcing Essay

Human Resource Practices, employee voice and quit rate in outsourcing industry in India - Essay Example This paper is written as a research proposal to investigate various issues like Human Resource Practices, Employee Voice and Quit Rate in Outsourcing Industry in India. Since India is a country which is diversified in many ways, thus a unique HRM strategy can not be formulated. The research is conducted to find out the parameters which are required to be considered while formulating HRM strategies for outsourcing businesses in India. The objective of this research is to find out why many employees quit from the outsourcing industry in India. The research will try to make a study as to whether employee quit because of insufficient compensation or any other reasons. The increasing quit rates are actually an important concern of cost for organizations. This is because quit rates increase labor costs (Oi 1962) and at the same time they decrease organizational functioning (Norsworthy and Zabala 1986). According to Freeman and Medoff (1984) industrial relations show that in firms which have a union the quit rate is lesser than when compared to those firms which has no unions. Unions actually in firms are a tool through which the employees can voice their problems and seek better compensation instead of quitting. Arthur (1994) feels that current research on better commitment and high level of performance is in reality a coherent set of human resource (HR) practices. This coherent set can also bring in better performance on the part of the employees according to Ichniowski etal, (1996). High rate of quitting by the employees will sabotage functioning (Alexander, Bloom, and Nuchols 1994; Huselid 1995). Appelbaum et al., (2000) state that better performance patterns comprise those that commit in the accomplishments of the work force and furnish the chance and inducements for employees to utilize those skills efficiently. â€Å"Employee retention is critical to the long term health and success of company