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.

Midlife Crisis Culture essays

Midlife Crisis Culture essays When I was 25, a male friend of mine was 39, rapidly approaching 40 and he was suffering a midlife crisis. At the age of 25 I had no concept of the meaning of midlife crisis, and I remember him thrusting the book Passages (Sheehy 19 ) at me and he said it would explain it all. I read the book and at the time I thought scathingly what a load of nonsense. A good excuse to wallow around in self pity. However, when I reached the same age and experienced my own midlife crisis, I grabbed Passages (Sheehy 19 ) hoping that this time it might provide me with some answers. However, what I discovered were theories about midlife crisis written in the 1970s which were mostly outdated in the 1990s. The main explanations for experiencing a midlife crisis for women were associated with the ageing body, the empty nest syndrome and being unable to cope after desertion of husbands. (Sheehy 19 , Turner The ageing body seems to occupy a lot of the material written about womens midlife crisis. However this is not something that I believe that I dwelt on. Yes, at times I feel a more tired than I used, no I do not go out drinking and socialising several times a week and yes I do feel a few aches and pains that I did not have before. But it did not depress me and my drastic actions were not a last ditch effort at recapturing my youth. Orenstein ( ) talks about women feeling invisible as their beauty and youth slip away. However I find this concept very shallow. Perhaps not being a great beauty myself, I feel fortunate that I have not experienced this insecurity. The ageing body in relation to menopause is considered to be an explanation for some womens midlife crisis (Coney 19 , Sheehy 19 , Bannister 2000). For some women drastic physical changes are accompanied by intense and unchar ...

B2B Marketing - Situation analysis for Trafalgar fire Australia Essay

B2B Marketing - Situation analysis for Trafalgar fire Australia - Essay Example Currently, Trafalgar manufactures two broad categories of products: the Trafalgar products composed of general building fire protection products and the Trafalgar Passive Fire solutions which includes passive fire containment and access panel products / systems for the building and construction industries. Trafalgar products, both for the passive fire solutions and general fire security products can be purchased from the Trafalgar main outlets and Fire Containment. With the new change, no notable developments are observed yet although the two companies are hopeful that the collaboration will bring forth exciting and dynamic range of fire protection products. The company has the luxury of targeting two spectrums of the market: the Class A with their passive fire resistant technology and the general market of builders with their Trafalgar products. The company boasts of its long history of existence and excellence in the business. It has been in operation for the last 60 years. The company’s products are proven to be effective and customer-friendly. One of the latest developments in the company is the provision of product testing and customer support. â€Å"Continuous fire and acoustic testing of our products at various testing authorities to Australia, New Zealand and other world-wide standards is a philosophy of Trafalgar† that enables the company â€Å"to offer the most advanced in technology to our customers and continuously improve and develop our products further to satisfy the current market demands† (Trafalgar). The company positions itself as a socially responsible corporation, committed to both sustainability and excellence. It has such strong corporate values, making it more appealing to the customers. What is more interesting is they do this without compromising quality. One of the competitors of Trafalgar is Rondo. â€Å"Rondo Building

As a beginning teacher, discuss the challenges that issues of Essay

As a beginning teacher, discuss the challenges that issues of inequality may pose to the implementation of Singapore National Ed - Essay Example Despite the meritocratic educational system adopted to diminish the rather diverse students’ backgrounds, teaching might still be experienced differently due to their ethnic, racial, gender or social class orientations (Kang, 2005). Stemming from these limitations, teachers in the hope of encouraging competition among students might unconsciously promote inequality of learning across groups of students, and further attempt to justify their actions without taking into consideration the possible implications. Generally, The MOE policy initiative was targeted at developing a sense of national identity, that consider Singapore’s developmental challenges and constraints, as well as a confidence in the country’s future (Chang, 1995). According to Poon (2008), the Singapore government on its part has promoted equality of opportunity across the student divide irrespective of the racial, social or religious backgrounds. First, Singapore has established integrated schools in place of the colonial era separate language medium schools that hampered interaction between students from diverse racial backgrounds. Secondly, education has been made accessible to all citizens through the government-subsidized education and educated well-trained teachers. In addition to the centralized resource distribution for all schools, the curriculum and examinations have been standardized as a measure for all students irrespective of their social backgrounds. Therefore, the comparatively exhaustive education opportunities available for the Singaporean population mean that a level competition field has been created for students despite their social or ethnic backgrounds (Tan, 2008). Research has however established that despite the equal opportunities, inequalities are evidenced in the educational outcomes. For instance, certain groups such as the Chinese seem relatively highly educated than their Malay and Indian counterparts. Further, it is not determinable as to whethe r education yields equal returns in the economy with respect to the segments of the population. But with equal education opportunities, inequality of outcomes exists because of biological destiny and cultural deprivation (Sim & Print, 2009). According to Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968), theorists of the biological destiny believe that difference in intelligence exist across the racial/ethnic, male/female or rich/poor segments is derived from the notion that some groups are naturally dominating and therefore would be â€Å"natural† for some groups to perform better than others. Disagreements have arisen as to whether IQ tests measure that which is learnt or innate to a student. From a sample of questions in an IQ test, it is clear that specific pieces of knowledge are measured (Lai, 2004). Additionally, cultural deprivation as a source of inequality in outcomes postulates that certain individuals or groups of people (especially from the lower social class or ethnic group) are vi ewed as inferior in throughout the culture. Such groups are considered to experience failures in life due to the cultural values that they hold (such as laziness, disobedience and rashness in decision making). For instance in Japan, while a specific section of Korean origin is deemed lowest in social order due to their violence and dumbness, immigrants

Developing poise is a question of developing confidence in ones personality Essay Example for Free

Developing poise is a question of developing confidence in ones personality Essay Developing poise is a question of developing confidence in ones personality. Look at all the people who lack this confidence. The noisy are unsure of themselves and trying to attract attention. The awkward are over-anxious, worrying about the impression they are making. The clumsy are self-conscious, scared of disapproval. Some people lack poise because it requires ability to wait for people and things to come to you, rather than straining after them. This action demands a degree of self-confidence which they have not managed to acquire. The first essential to poise is a sense of well-being. It is difficult to be poised if you are suffering from poor health; so many things are apt to upset you. One should try to be as fit as possible by living and eating wisely, having sufficient rest, and by getting proper treatment when something is wrong. A second necessary part of the sense of well-being is scrupulous cleanliness and freshness with regard to oneself and ones person. Allied to this is appearance. You must look and feel that you look your best. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on clothes, but it is vital that you should think you look smart, and that your clothes should be so comfortable that you can forget about them. Now behavior comes in, including the way we walk and carry ourselves, sit down, stand up, and move around. The body should be upright and well-balanced, head up, shoulders back, tail tucked in. We should aim to look alert and interested, to walk easily from the hips, neither mincing along in short tight little steps nor striding. We should study the way we sit down and rise to our feet. We should place a chair in front of a long mirror and see how well- or how badly- we do it, asking a sympathetic friend or a family member to criticize. It is mostly a matter of how we carry ourselves. We should watch the way we open and close doors and cupboards. We should learn to sit well back on a chair instead of perching on its edge. By far the most important part of good manners is consideration for others- putting people at their ease, making them welcome, seeing that they are comfortable and have what they need, stepping into the background to give them a chance to shine. We should always practice unfailing courtesy. There is also a matter of the way we talk. A pleasant speaking voice gives its owner tremendous self-confidence. Every now and then, as a check, we should listen to ourselves talking. Nervousness may be making us gabble, or on the other hand, slowing us down until we seem pompous. Or we may be pitching our voices too high or too low. Because poise is primarily a question of self-confidence, we must have a sense of personal worth- the feeling that we are wanted and have something to give the world. A feeling that we are unwanted and that the world would be better off without us gives rise to a reaction to avoid people or to become aggressive towards them. Financial insecurity, job worries, dull routine work that seems important, work that others take for granted, or anything that encourages us to believe that we are of no account destroys our sense of personal worth and with it our self-confidence. It is hard to feel at ease with people when we are resenting being made to feel inferior. There is also an unpleasant sensation of being out of things and not belonging which, in our minds at least, sets us apart from other people and causes us to be anxious about the impression we are making. Students and adolescents generally are difficult to reach and to get at, as we say, because they are so uncertain of themselves and their future. They are gauche and touchy because they feel insecure. To develop poise we have to find value in ourselves and meaning to life. In plain words, we have to do a job that strikes us as being worthwhile and useful, and acquire the skill which this implies. To achieve real poise, one must be careful about people. They are remarkable for their unpredictability, which means in terms of practical living that it is unwise to depend on them too much. Like us, they are swayed by their moods and feelings. If we often surprise and horrify ourselves, why should we be hurt or angry when others react in ways equally surprising? We have to learn to be self-sufficient in the sense of being able to stand aloof, relying on ourselves when necessary for our happiness. This is not difficult if we have a sense of personal worth and satisfying interests. We should avoid becoming emotionally involved in other peoples quarrels, prejudices, dislikes, and arguments. If we are forced to take part, we may try to be a calming influence.

The Record Companies Decrease in Sales :: Music

The Record Companies' Decrease in Sales The music business is experiencing a recession where record sales are reaching all-time lows. All record companies have in the last few years experienced a considerable decrease in sales. Finding the cause or causes of this has naturally become a major concern for all of them. Some blame the recession in the West in general, but that can hardly explain why one industry is losing out so much more than others. Music today is less from the heart than it used to be only ten years ago. It is mostly a purely commercial product to be used up and thrown away. A lot of modern music has a short but intense life span. People are not prepared to pay as much for a 'disposable' product as they are for a 'reusable'. The hit song of the week is fed to us all through radio and TV so intensely that we need not buy the record. And when it is no longer broadcasted no one remembers it. Attempts to change this and promote more quality, depth and originality in music have not been very successful. The whole entertainment business is ruled by trends and, quality seems to have gone out of style To simply lower the price of a CD is a commonly suggested solution, naturally advocated by the buyers. But no business favors such a remedy. Not only since it reduces their income but also because it sends out the wrong signals to people. It gives the impression that the product is worth less and that the customers have been charged too much before. And if the price can drop by ten per cent this year people might expect it to drop another ten per cent next year. A better settlement could be enhancing the product and giving people more for their money. Thanks to modern technology there can be so much more included on a CD than just music. A computer with a CD-ROM drive, which is becoming quite common, allows us to read several different kinds of information off a CD. A short interview with the artist or 'behind the scenes' features can be included as so called 'Quicktime movies'. Lyric sheets, discographies, extensive biographies and even sheet music can also be added easily. Text files have such small memory requirements compared to sound that the Bible can be stored in less space than a normal length song! There have already been several Cds released which include a

What is Art?

Art has no agreed upon definition. Art appears In many different forms, from paintings and sculptures to crafts and even tattoos. Art Is an expression of what one thinks is beautiful and captivating. Art could be a song that makes you remember cherished memories or one that allows you to imagine the future. A painting of a beautiful field that looks so peaceful and inviting a person could escape from their reality and picture themselves surrounded by the serenity the artist has portrayed. Most everyone has his or her opinion of what art Is.A sculpture like Michelangelo, David, depicts the beauty of the male form, although some people might find It offensive, It has been considered a masterpiece of the Renaissance period. The Nude Magma by Francisco Soya this portrait is controversial for obvious reasons, while some may see the beauty in the nude woman form; others may regard this painting distasteful. Leonardo dad Vine's, famous, Mona Lisa has long been a topic of discussion in regar ds to what the painting itself represents, is it a man or a woman?Is there really a mystery behind that smile or Is she attempting to hide the pain? Art Is open to Interpretation, and that Is one of the many great things about It. Buildings like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Bucking Palace, and the Pyramids of Gaza, as well as structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, are designed in ways that took an immense amount of skill and imagination. These masterpieces are not only works of art, but they are all famous landmarks.Music Is also a form of art that has been around for a very long time. In the early period, there were composers of medieval music and Renaissance music. The Common Practice period brought us Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music and the Modern and Contemporary period brought Modern, 20th Century, Contemporary, and 21 SST Century music. The commonality, no matter what period, is the feeling one gets when one listens to the music. You can feel the music deep within as If It is awakening every cell In your body.Music of all genres Is considered art, and when you pair It with dance, It brings the art to another level. There is no simple answer to the question, what is art? To me, art is something beautifully unique. A piece of the artist that was created to make people understand and experience what the artist was feeling at the time. Some of the best art I have ever seen and cherish the most are not the Mona Lisa or David. They are the photographs I have taken of my family and friends with huge smiles or goofy expressions.The macaroni necklaces and handmade Christmas ornaments my children have made me over the years. The pictures colored for me by my granddaughter. To me, they are priceless masterpieces. Therefore, in my opinion, art truly is in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately, I have not has a great deal of exposure to the works of any particular artist. When it comes to art in any form, for me, I will know if I like o r dislike any piece as soon as I see it. I have found that what draw me in are the various colors used, as well as the style. What is Art? Art has no agreed upon definition. Art appears In many different forms, from paintings and sculptures to crafts and even tattoos. Art Is an expression of what one thinks is beautiful and captivating. Art could be a song that makes you remember cherished memories or one that allows you to imagine the future. A painting of a beautiful field that looks so peaceful and inviting a person could escape from their reality and picture themselves surrounded by the serenity the artist has portrayed. Most everyone has his or her opinion of what art Is.A sculpture like Michelangelo, David, depicts the beauty of the male form, although some people might find It offensive, It has been considered a masterpiece of the Renaissance period. The Nude Magma by Francisco Soya this portrait is controversial for obvious reasons, while some may see the beauty in the nude woman form; others may regard this painting distasteful. Leonardo dad Vine's, famous, Mona Lisa has long been a topic of discussion in regar ds to what the painting itself represents, is it a man or a woman?Is there really a mystery behind that smile or Is she attempting to hide the pain? Art Is open to Interpretation, and that Is one of the many great things about It. Buildings like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Bucking Palace, and the Pyramids of Gaza, as well as structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, are designed in ways that took an immense amount of skill and imagination. These masterpieces are not only works of art, but they are all famous landmarks.Music Is also a form of art that has been around for a very long time. In the early period, there were composers of medieval music and Renaissance music. The Common Practice period brought us Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music and the Modern and Contemporary period brought Modern, 20th Century, Contemporary, and 21 SST Century music. The commonality, no matter what period, is the feeling one gets when one listens to the music. You can feel the music deep within as If It is awakening every cell In your body.Music of all genres Is considered art, and when you pair It with dance, It brings the art to another level. There is no simple answer to the question, what is art? To me, art is something beautifully unique. A piece of the artist that was created to make people understand and experience what the artist was feeling at the time. Some of the best art I have ever seen and cherish the most are not the Mona Lisa or David. They are the photographs I have taken of my family and friends with huge smiles or goofy expressions.The macaroni necklaces and handmade Christmas ornaments my children have made me over the years. The pictures colored for me by my granddaughter. To me, they are priceless masterpieces. Therefore, in my opinion, art truly is in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately, I have not has a great deal of exposure to the works of any particular artist. When it comes to art in any form, for me, I will know if I like o r dislike any piece as soon as I see it. I have found that what draw me in are the various colors used, as well as the style.

Case Study: What Is Up with Wall Street?

NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Learner: Demetrice S. Campbell | | MGT7019-8| Douglas Buck| | | Ethics in Business| #3 Paper- Case study: What is Up With Wall Street? The Goldman Standard and Shades of Gray| | | Academic Integrity: All work submitted in each course must be the Learner’s own. This includes all assignments, exams, term papers, and other projects required by the faculty mentor.The known submission of another person’s work represented as that of the Learner’s without properly citing the source of the work will be considered plagiarism and will result in an unsatisfactory grade for the work submitted or for the entire course, and may result in academic dismissal. ————————————————- ————————————————- ——â €”—————————————- Faculty Use Only ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- lt;Faculty Name> Running Head: What Is Up with Wall Street? The Goldman Standard and Shades of Gray What is up with Wall Street? The Goldman Standard and Shades of Gray Demetrice S. Campbell Ethics in Business November 11, 2012 Abstract Case Study of Goldman Sachs What is up with Wall Street? The Goldman Standard and Shades of Gray was a case study focused on the company Goldman Sachs and the unfolding of a horrible decision that affected the economic structure of our bank ing system, stock shares, and the government.Their strategies to make a more successful business, ended with them being greedy for more money and success. These strategies lead to questions of their ethical standards in their business practices. The company was founded by Marcus Goldman and Samuel Sachs in 1869 (Jennings, 2012). The company was supposed to provide loans to small businesses, but instead Goldman wanted to do investments. Greed caused the company to turn a blind eye to what was really going on and this resulted in several downfalls for the company and others involved.The 1929 market crash was one result of the company’s practices. Rather than doing what was right, Goldman and Sachs just carried on running into many walls. The problem to be investigated is the ethical standards of the company in relation to their investors and the price they pay. Introduction The problem to be investigated here is the ethical standards of the company in relation to their investor s and the price they pay. In the corporate world, business ethics are very important and can be costly. Sometimes ethics can be over looked to motivate people.Ethics should be important elements of our day to day functions. It is important to realize the importance of business ethics if you want your business to grow. This could have a positive or negative impact on the productivity of the company. Business ethics are made up of a lot of subjective topics. Some people think that business ethics are comparative. There are many things that businesses take part in that can be seen as gray area. Gray areas are situations in which the rules are not clear, or you are not sure what is right or wrong.Key items include lying and false representation. Goldman may have committed both these behaviors just to have greed and a successful company. Things that Goldman did that would be in the gray area include: a. Sophisticated Investor–by definition, it is to escape full disclosure to its c lients. Goldman made offerings to sophisticated investors, but failed to tell the whole story and their position in the investment or the market. Since then, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act has better clarified the definition to prevent firms from withholding information b.Analysts and two opinions—He failed to follow the rules on the consistency between the analysts’ internal conversations and their communications and the external recommendations of the SEC rules require because it was for a particular group as strategists. The rules did not apply if their name did not have the word analyst in it. c. Auction rate securities—it took state law to come up with a settlement of these problems. The SEC had difficulties applying regulations and laws to this behavior of bidding up the price and then not buying.The clients were not aware that Goldman was bidding on the securities. Goldman’s response as well as some others was that there was always investmen t houses bidding in such auctions. d. IPO allocation and structure of the market—this also was eventually settled, but not without the insistent small fines and new rules on IPO allocations and agreements between the clients on second-wave agreements to buy more. e. IPO profitability changes prior to IPO—Goldman failed to share that the steady drift from three years of profit to one year then down to one quarter.This was sort of a unique legal problem in regards to the profitability standard to one quarter because the financials were available on the dot-coms for the investors to see. Nothing was being disclosed. f. Partnership to corporation structure—When Goldman decided to change from partnership to a corporation, this shielded them from being liable, where as being the principals, you put it all on the line. The move to a corporation with limited liability resulted in riskier practices taken by the firm.Goldman was guilty creating a company and buying 90 per cent of the shares with its own money. This practice made the public want in on the deal not knowing they were being misled. This allowed him to sell the shares he bought for more money; while he buys more shares on the secondary market and causes the share prices to increase. He then turned around and used his money to create another corporation. (Jennings, 2012) Goldman was also engaged in laddering, which is an agreement between Goldman and its best clients for the distribution of a portion of the IPO at a reestablished price.However, under a laddering arrangement, those clients also had to agree to purchase a certain number of shares later during the IPO rollout at a price of $10 to $15 higher. (Jennings, 2012) Goldman also participated in auction-rate markets. He gave loans to executive members in exchange for shares. Many of the issues included the nondisclosure of facts that an investor would have deemed very important in making their investment decisions. Goldman and Sachs w ere guilty of false impression, simply because the investors were not aware of their position in the market.There is also the point of moral vulnerability and how allowing AIG to be bailed out provided a cover for Mr. Goldman and his sneaky business practices. Then there is the â€Å"too big to fail† issue, this is important because the investors were the one who lost money, not Goldman. He was protected. The front page of the newspaper test was a winner in this case because the headlines did not prove to be flattering for Goldman. The Senator’s questions reflected the struggle of the people who were trying to understand how and what Mr.Goldman had done complied to the law, but still come across as a deceptive practice. The law is only one part of the ethical analysis. Goldman failed to think through the consequences of additional regulations, the fines that would be involved, and the clients because of the perception that he could not be trusted and may not always be acting in the best interest of the client. There areas affected by the Goldman model and gray areas include: investors, the market, the U. S. conomy and the global economy, AIG, AIG investors, employees of AIG and other companies and investment banks that had to be dissolved or acquired or reduced in size, employees of dot-coms, beneficiaries of donations by companies and investment bankers, nonprofits also were affected because they had their endowment funds invested, real estate markets because of the impact in value, all those affected by a slump in the real estate market including real estate agents and brokers, contractors, furniture and window covering companies, decorators, landscapers. A little of everything was affected by these strategies and gray areas.Some of the people that were effect by Goldman’s decisions were his clients as well as some of the top employees, such as Lloyd Blankfein. (Jennings, 2012) Investors thought they were going to receive money on their purchase. No employee or officer should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other illegal trade practice. (Jennings, 2012) The main factors that contributed to the way that the employees, executives, traders, and advisers made their decisions were money and political power.The idea of being â€Å"Filthy rich by 40,† and the enticement is what produced so many millionaires so early in their lives. Many companies are cutting back on their financial-incentive programs, but there are many things that can be used to motivate employees. Goldman worked â€Å"toes to the line† culture, always looking to find the next big loophole available. The culture was also, â€Å"If it is legal, then it is ethical†; which is not always the case. (Jennings, 2012) Goldman’s behaviors are a typical image of Carr’s theories. (Jennings, 2012) Could it be bluffing of Goldman to not reveal their positions or were they just tricking innocent people?Not everybody is aware and knowledgeable of the rules of the Wall Street. The larger investment bankers clearly were aware because of their own involvement in IPOs to auction securities to their structuring of the CDOs. However, these investments made their way to the retail level where the knowledge base was nonexistent. Goldman and others believed them to be sophisticated investors by definition and it was unnecessary to share. However, that definition has now changed and more disclosure is required because they obviously did not understand the double positions.This is saying that the culture that existed at Goldman before will stay the same. The drive to be successful and the fact that Goldman does not feel that its client base will be affected is why things will go on as business as usual. In other words, Goldman emerges with a fine but little remorse and a plan to go forward with the status quo. It does not seem as if any lessons were learned. Compare & Contrast Senator Collins has made clear that there was no legal fiduciary duty, but she questioned whether Goldman needed to act in its clients’ best interests as an issue of good business practice.The discussion states, Goldman struggled with that answer and could only come to the conclusion that it was â€Å"an interesting idea. † Goldman had a mentality that only the strong can survive in the markets. However, he did not take into account that with new regulations and the changes in the market; he could no longer engage in those legally gray areas and would be obligated to compete on a different foundation other than his normal loopholes Conclusion Business ethics are very important to have but sometimes they can conflict with personal ethics.Owning a business can be a risky task. You have to make the decision of what is more important to you, is it the money that drives you or the will to do what is right and ethical. Goldman was not producing but he trick the investors into giving money without every showing anything. This is a very common thing that most investors never realize until they have lost millions of dollars. References Jennings, M. (2012). Business ethics: Case studies and selected readings. (7th  Ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Everything you need to know about severance pay

Everything you need to know about severance pay For most of us, our professional lives are filled with a series of highs and lows that mark the journey along our individual career paths- highs that include praise for good performance, promotions and new work responsibilities, salary increases, and new challenges, as well as lows that include disappointment, frustration, burnout, and getting fired. If you’ve ever experience getting fired, you’re well aware that it can be one of the most difficult experiences a person can go through in life- on top of the professional setbacks and loss of purpose and identity that can come with losing a job, the financial repercussions can have a severe, profound, and lasting adverse effect.Getting fired is never something to look forward to, and most of us work hard to avoid it; but the truth is that despite our efforts there are times in our lives when things happen that we can’t prevent or control. If you’re newly unemployed or worried about getting fired, you may be t rying to figure out what financial options are available to you to help offset the loss of a regular paycheck, including the possibility of getting severance pay.What is severance pay?According to the U.S. Department of Labor, severance pay is a financial benefit that’s often granted to employees upon termination of employment. It’s designed to help ease the often-abrupt transition from gainful employment and a regular paycheck to the loss of guaranteed income that characterizes unemployment. One important thing to note is that severance pay it not a given; it is not a universal right granted to all employees, nor is it protected by the government under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Instead, severance pay is typically an agreed upon financial arrangement between an employer and employee, and the amount received is usually based upon such factors as final salary at the time of employment termination and length of employment. In addition, the reason(s) surrounding your job loss may be a significant factor regarding whether or not you’re eligible for severance pay- for example, you’re much more likely to be offered severance pay if you’re laid off due to the financial hardship or restructuring of your employer vs. getting fired for cause.How do you know if you’re entitled to severance pay?Although it’s at the discretion of your employer to offer severance to help employees cope with job loss, there are three potential scenarios that may help you quickly determine that you’re entitled:It’s a predetermined and previously agreed upon aspect of your employment contractIt’s an established company policy for all employees where you workYou’re entitled to severance under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), a U.S. labor law that stipulates that any employer with 100 or more employees must give a minimum of 60 days of notice of a mass layoff, and failure to do so will entitle you to legally protected severance payIssues to keep in mind when navigating severanceIf your employer has a professional HR person on staff, consider utilizing them to get your questions regarding severance pay answered (HR professionals are trained to handle employee issues with discretion). Also, keep in mind that severance pay is short-term financial guidance- and it’s subject to taxation since it’s considered income- so having additional savings or alternate means of financial support to help you should you get fired would be a wise plan. Furthermore, acceptance of severance usually requires you to accept the full terms of your employer’s termination of your employment agreement; make sure you know precisely what this entails before accepting.Getting fired is never easy, but having a solid financial plan- which may include severance pay- to help you make ends meet while you’re unemployed can make a difficult time significantly less s tressful. Know your rights and know what you’re due, and you’ll be putting yourself at your best possible advantage.

Definition and Examples of Perception Verbs in English

Definition and Examples of Perception Verbs in English In English grammar, a verb of perception is a  verb (such as see, watch, look, hear, listen, feel, and taste) that conveys the experience of one of the physical senses. Also called perception verb or perceptual verb. Distinctions can be drawn between subject-oriented and object-oriented verbs of perception. Examples and Observations I discovered that to achieve perfect personal silence all I had to do was to attach myself leechlike to sound. I began to listen to everything. I probably hoped that after I had heard all the sounds, really heard them, and packed them down, deep in my ears, the world would be quiet around me.(Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, 1969) This is the pit of loneliness, in an office on a summer Saturday. I stand at the window and look down at the batteries and batteries of offices across the way, recalling how the thing looks in winter twilight when everything is going full blast, every cell lighted, and how you can see in pantomime the puppets fumbling with their slips of paper (but you dont hear the rustle), see them pick up their phone (but you dont hear the ring), see the noiseless, ceaseless moving about of so many passers of pieces of paper . . ..(E.B.White, Here Is New York. Harper, 1949) Now perchance many sounds sights only remind me that they once said something to me, and are so by association interesting. . . . I see a skunk on bare garden hill stealing noiselessly away from me, while the moon shines over the pitch pines which send long shadows down the hill . . .. I smell the huckleberry bushes. . . . Now I hear the sound of a bugle in the Corner reminding me of Poetic Wars, a few flourishes the bugler has gone to rest.(Henry David Thoreau, July 11, 1851. A Year in Thoreaus Journal: 1851, ed. by H. Daniel Peck. Penguin, 1993) A Markedness Hierarchy In Viberg (1984), a markedness hierarchy is presented for the verbs of perception based on data from approximately 50 languages. In slightly simplified form, this hierarchy can be stated as follows: SEEHEARFEEL{TASTE, SMELL} If a language has only one verb of perception, the basic meaning is see. If it has two, the basic meanings are see and hear etc. . . . See is the most frequent verb of perception in all eleven European languages in the sample.(Ã…ke Viberg, Crosslinguistic Perspectives on Lexical Organization and Lexical Progression. Progression and Regression in Language: Sociocultural, Neuropsychological and Linguistic Perspectives, ed. by Kenneth Hyltenstam and Ã…ke Viberg. Cambridge University Press, 1993) Subject-Oriented and Object-Oriented Verbs of Perception It is necessary to draw a two-way distinction between subject-oriented and object-oriented verbs of perception (Viberg 1983, Harm 2000), for . . . this distinction plays into the expression of evidential meaning.Subject-oriented perception verbs (called experience-based by Viberg) are those verbs whose grammatical subject is the perceiver and they emphasize the perceivers role in the act of perception. They are transitive verbs, and they can be further sub-divided into agentive and experiencer perception verbs. The subject-oriented agentive perception verbs signify an intended act of perception: (2a) Karen listened to the music. . . .(3a) Karen smelled the iris with delight. So in (2) and (3), Karen intends to listen to the music and she intentionally smells the iris. On the other hand, subject-oriented experiencer perception verbs indicate no such volition; instead, they merely describe a non-intended act of perception: (4a) Karen heard the music. . . .(5a) Karen tasted the garlic in the soup. So here in (4) and (5), Karen does not intend to go out of her way to auditorily perceive the music or to gustatorily perceive the garlic in her soup; they are simply acts of perception that she naturally experiences without any volition on her part. . . .The object of perception, rather than the perceiver himself, is the grammatical subject of object-oriented perception verbs (called source-based by Viberg), and the agent of perception is sometimes wholly absent from the clause. These verbs are intransitive. When using an object-oriented perception verb, speakers make an assessment concerning the state of the object of perception, and these verbs are often used evidentially: (6a) Karen looks healthy. . . .(7a) The cake tastes good. The speaker reports on what is perceived here, and neither Karen nor the cake are perceivers.(Richard Jason Whitt, Evidentiality, Polysemy, and the Verbs of Perception in English and German. Linguistic Realization of Evidentiality in European Languages, ed. by Gabriele Diewald and Elena Smirnova. Walter de Gruyter, 2010) Usage Note: The Perfect Infinitive After a Verb of Perception The perfect infinitive of verbsthe infinitive of the past, such as to have loved or to have eatenis often misused. . . . Usually . . . where one may have the instinct to use a perfect infinitive, one ought correctly to use the present. One of the rare legitimate usages is to refer to a completed action after a verb of perception: he appears to have broken his leg or she seems to have been lucky.(Simon Heffer, Strictly English: The Correct Way to Write . . . and Why It Matters. Random House, 2011)

Mediterranean fruit fly Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Mediterranean fruit fly - Assignment Example Most countries which have been infested have had both successful and unsuccessful eradication programs. New Zealand too has a Biosecurity system which renders protection against such invasions and has been so far successful in keeping the country free from these pests. The main aim of this paper is to understand what the Biosecurity system and policies of the country are effective at during incursion responses and suggest ways in which such responses can be strengthened to ensure better protection against bioinvasions of the Mediterranean fruit flies. There are various kinds of fruit flies found in different regions of the world. The ones belonging to family Tephritidae are considered the true fruit flies. The most important members of the family are the Bactrocera sp and the Ceratitis sp. The Mediterranean fruit fly is binomially known as Ceratitis capitata and ranks among the top most destructive agricultural pests. Its origins lie in tropical Africa but today it is found around the world and is not only highly destructive but is highly invasive as well (Huang et al,2009,p1239). The med fruit fly can be easily distinguished from any other fruit flies because of its characteristics. An adult fly is slightly smaller when compared to an adult common housefly. An adult fly measures about 3-5 mm. The body is straw yellow in color with brownish tinge. The thorax is off-white in color. It bears some marks on the wings but the most prominent one the presence of a broad yellow band across the middle portion of the wings. It also has ocellar bristles (bristles present on the dorsal part of the head) and its eyes are purplish in color. The adult male flies can be segregated from the female flies because the presence of a long pointed expansion on the top of the orbital setae (present between ocelli and eyes) (IFAS,2010). The life history activity of Medfly is dependent on temperature and it completes its life cycle under optimum conditions of temperature. The

Critical Response Paper- The Temple of Zeus at Olympia, Heroes and Essay

Critical Response Paper- The Temple of Zeus at Olympia, Heroes and Athletes - Essay Example article in question, the following analysis will attempt to be concentric upon a discussion of the author’s thesis, the overall level of data that is represented, a consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of the approach, and an analysis of other tangentially related aspects of the research and literature that are represented (Baringer 213). Through such a level of discussion and critique, it is the hope of this particular author that the reader will gain a more informed understanding with respect to the information that is presented and the manner through which inference is drawn. Finally, rather than representing a pro-con/strengths and weaknesses analysis of the particular piece, this discussion will be concentric upon those elements that helped to promote the thesis, those that take away from it, and opportunities for improvement that the author could leverage as a means of better presenting the topic to the reading audience. Firstly, it must be noted that a particular strength of the analysis has to do with the fact that the author does not immediately jumped directly into the debate. Whereas many pieces exhibit a fundamental weakness of immediately discussing the disagreements regarding the way in which a particular facet of information is understood, the particular analysis instead begins by attempting to paint a vivid and meaningful historical portrait of how the Temple of Zeus was used, the underlying meanings, and the attitudes and cultural relevance that were necessarily pertained within its structure, form, and purpose. Furthermore, as the historical discussion progresses, the eventual research question comes clearly interview. As such, this research question is contingent upon what meaning these symbols had from the context in which they were represented. By placing the reader within the figurative footsteps of the ancient Greeks that used the Temple and understood its underlying meaning, the au thor is able to build the suspense for something