20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity 20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity 20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity By Michael So youd like your latest writing project to get moving faster. Great writers have felt the same. Dont worry, its fixable. When the words stop, writers have effective ways of getting them moving again. Plow new ground Write multiple drafts instead of obsessively editing the same one. You can tell the same story, but tell it over again. You will probably feel more encouraged. That part that you never knew how to fix? Maybe your new draft doesnt have it anymore. Commit to a consistent schedule Write daily, not someday. Start today, not tomorrow. Find the best time for you. Resolve that 6:00 a.m or 9:00 p.m. will be your regular time for writing, and thats it. If you dont make time, you may not find time. Use the time you have. After all, you cant use the time you dont have. Though its definitely easier to write when you dont constantly switch tasks, you cant wait for large blocks of time to appear in your schedule. They may not. Instead, take advantage of the minutes between tasks, time that might have been misused. And when you cant write, prepare to write. Set priorities I regret to inform you that you cant do everything. You cant spend three hours a day watching television, four hours playing video games, eight hours at work or school, eight hours sleeping, two hours eating, and one hour writing. That totals 26 hours a day. Youll have to cut something from your schedule. Do you want to write or not? Count words, not minutes. You may feel lighter and freer if you know that you can get up from your chair and play golf as soon as you have written 1,000 words. You may write faster out of sheer anticipation. Count minutes, not words. On the other hand, sometimes the words get hard and so does your chair. If your mind is strained, tired or muddled, maybe you should limit your writing time. But find a goal you can stick to. Im not giving you permission to give up easily. Don’t begin at the beginning The title and first lines are the hardest parts to write. They get easier after youve finished the rest, and having perfected them may not help you write the rest more efficiently. So dont bother writing them first. You can change the title any time before the release thats one reason why movies have working titles. Start in the middle Actually, start writing the part that most inspires you, Start where you want to, where your creative urge is strongest. You can add introductions and conclusions later. Write your favorite part first. Choose an audience You can write most effectively when you know who youre writing for, when you can picture them in your mind. Then you know more clearly what the purpose of your writing is. Change your audience If your writing gets stuck or even boring, try picturing a different reader. Maybe you werent picturing any particular reader at all. No wonder your writing sounded unfocused. Imagine youre writing to your best friend, your best customer, your biggest fan, or to your grandmother. (Write regularly to your grandmother, if you have one.) Take very small steps If youre overwhelmed by the thought of writing the whole piece, tell yourself to only write one sentence then make yourself stop. Science fiction writer Roger Zelazny used to advise authors to write two sentences. Never rewrite until you’re done writing. There is a time for writing and a time for editing, and most writers cant do both at once. Editing as you write will slow down your writing, often to a standstill its a major cause of writers block. Once you get started, ideas will come running fast enough that you wont have time to refine them until after the stampede. When one project bogs down, switch to another. We were built for variety, and the specialization of the Industrial Age has lessened us. You werent meant to always do the same thing. Keep more than one project bubbling at once. When you (temporarily) lose interest in one book, you always have something else to work on. Please only yourself. You can pretend to be interested in a genre because it sells well, but youre competing against other writers who arent pretending. Competition in the publishing world is tough enough. Im not saying to ignore market forces if you enjoy writing in two genres, its fine to pick the more popular one. But if you focus on what you know best, you can write faster and research less. And theres less competition. Your teacher is not looking over your shoulder. Too often, school teaches children to write and teaches them to hate writing. Writing gives us a way to share ourselves, and we should love it. Grammar is not sharing; its only an aid to sharing. Style is worthless if it doesnt help your reader. You have no obligation to sound like anyone but yourself. Keep a notebook When you have a fresh idea, write it down and store it up for the times when you dont. Make notes of interesting expressions youve overheard, describe scenes youd like to write about, record physical details. Dont wait for inspiration. If your Creative Muse doesnt flit into your room and shower inspiration upon you, go out into the hallway and take her by the hand. If you were in your chair writing at your scheduled time of 6:00 a.m. or 9:00 p.m, she would have known where to find you. Look in your notebook there should be some inspiration there. Say what you really mean If you get stuck or tangled in your writing, try this: pretend youre talking to a child and say, What I really mean is. Then say what you really mean. My college speech teacher used a similar technique. When nervous students showed up to give their first speech, she told them, You dont have to give your speech, just tell us what you would have said. Change your medium. If you cant get your writing to move, try telling your story out loud. Leave yourself a voicemail. Send it as an email to someone. Send it as a text. Write it as a series of headlines. Write only the outline. Use a pencil. Use a crayon, as James Thurber did. As his eyesight diminished, he had to write one letter per page. And you think you have problems. Write any way you can. If you feel constricted as a writer and the words dont come, work around your block. Dont force yourself to stay on the main point. Tell your backstory, share your history, give the background, explain the alternatives. Youll get back on track soon enough. How many of these tips have you tried? What other tips have worked for you? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? 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Major General Irvin McDowell in the Civil War

Major General Irvin McDowell in the Civil War The son of Abram and Eliza McDowell, Irvin McDowell was born at Columbus, OH on October 15, 1818. A distant relation of cavalryman John Buford, he received his early education locally. At the suggestion of his French tutor, McDowell applied to and was accepted at the College de Troyes in France. Commencing his studies abroad in 1833, he returned home the following year after receiving an appointment to the US Military Academy. Returning to the United States, McDowell entered West Point in 1834. West Point A classmate of P.G.T. Beauregard, William Hardee, Edward Allegheny Johnson, and Andrew J. Smith, McDowell proved a middling student and graduated fours years later ranked 23rd in a class of 44. Receiving a commission as a second lieutenant, McDowell was posted to the 1st US Artillery along the Canadian border in Maine. In 1841, he returned to the academy to serve as an assistant instructor of military tactics and later served as the schools adjutant. While at West Point, McDowell married Helen Burden of Troy, NY. The couple would later have four children, three of whom survived to adulthood. Mexican-American War With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, McDowell left West Point to serve on Brigadier General John Wools staff. Joining the campaign in northern Mexico, McDowell participated in Wools Chihuahua Expedition. Marching into Mexico, the 2,000-man force captured the towns of Monclova and Parras de la Fuenta before joining Major General Zachary Taylors army. prior to the Battle of Buena Vista. Attacked by General Antonio LÃ ³pez de Santa Anna on February 23, 1847, Taylors badly outnumbered force repulsed the Mexicans. Distinguishing himself in the fighting, McDowell earned a brevet promotion to captain. Recognized as a skilled staff officer, he finished the war as assistant adjutant general for the Army of Occupation. Returning north, McDowell spent much of the next dozen years in staff roles and the Adjutant Generals office. Promoted to major in 1856, McDowell developed close relationships with Major General Winfield Scott and Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston. The Civil War Begins With the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the resulting secession crisis, McDowell assumed a position as the military advisor to Governor Salmon P. Chase of Ohio. When Chase departed to become US Secretary of the Treasury, he continued in a similar role with new the governor, William Dennison. This saw him oversee the states defenses as well as direct recruitment efforts. As volunteers were recruited, Dennison sought to place McDowell in command of the states troops but was forced by political pressure to give the post to George McClellan. In Washington, Scott, the US Armys commanding general, designed a plan for defeating the Confederacy. Dubbed the Anaconda Plan, it called for a naval blockade of the South and a thrust down the Mississippi River. Scott planned to assign McDowell to lead the Union army in the west but Chases influence and other circumstances prevented this. Instead, McDowell was promoted to brigadier general on May 14, 1861, and placed in command of the forces gathering around the District of Columbia. McDowells Plan Harassed by politicians who desired a quick victory, McDowell argued to Lincoln and his superiors that he was an administrator and not a field commander. Additionally, he stressed that his men lacked sufficient training and experience to mount an offensive. These protests were dismissed and on July 16, 1861, McDowell led the Army of Northeastern Virginia into the field against a Confederate force commanded by Beauregard which was located near Manassas Junction. Enduring severe heat, the Union troops reached Centreville two days later. McDowell initially planned to mount a diversionary attack against the Confederates along Bull Run with two columns while a third swung south around the Confederate right flank to cut their line of retreat to Richmond. Searching for the Confederate flank, he sent Brigadier General Daniel Tylers division south on July 18. Pushing forward, they encountered enemy forces led by Brigadier General James Longstreet at Blackburns Ford. In the resulting fighting, Tyler was repulsed and his column was forced to withdraw. Frustrated in his attempt to turn the Confederate right, McDowell altered his plan and began efforts against the enemys left. Complex Changes His new plan called for Tylers division to shift west along the Warrenton Turnpike and conduct a diversionary attack across the Stone Bridge over Bull Run. As this moved forward, the divisions of Brigadier Generals David Hunter and Samuel P. Heintzelman would swing north, cross Bull Run at Sudley Springs Ford, and descend on the Confederate rear. Despite having crafted an intelligent plan, McDowells attack was soon hampered by poor scouting and the overall inexperience of his men. Failure at Bull Run While Tylers men arrived at the Stone Bridge around 6:00 AM, the flanking columns were hours behind due to poor roads leading to Sudley Springs. McDowells efforts were further frustrated as Beauregard began receiving reinforcements via the Manassas Gap Railroad from Johnstons army in the Shenandoah Valley. This was due to inactivity on the part of Union Major General Robert Patterson who, after a victory at Hokes Run earlier in the month, failed to pin Johnstons men in place. With Pattersons 18,000 men sitting idle, Johnston felt safe shifting his men east. Opening the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, McDowell initially had success and pushed back the Confederate defenders. Losing the initiative, he mounted several piecemeal attacks but gained little ground. Counterattacking, Beauregard succeeded in shattering the Union line and began driving McDowells men from the field. Unable to rally his men, the Union commander deployed forces to defend the road to Centreville and fell back. Retiring to the Washington defenses, McDowell was replaced by McClellan on July 26. As McClellan began constructing the Army of the Potomac, the defeated general received command of a division. Virginia In the spring of 1862, McDowell assumed command of the armys I Corps with the rank of major general. As McClellan began shifting the army south for the Peninsula Campaign, Lincoln required that sufficient troops be left to defend Washington. This task fell to McDowells corps which assumed a position near Fredericksburg, VA and was redesignated the Department of the Rappahannock on April 4. With his campaign inching forward on the Peninsula, McClellan requested that McDowell march overland to join him. While Lincoln initially agreed, the actions of Major General Thomas Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley led to the cancellation of this order. Instead, McDowell was directed to hold his position and send reinforcements from his command to the valley. Back to Bull Run With McClellans campaign stalling in late June, the Army of Virginia was created with Major General John Pope in command. Drawn from Union troops in northern Virginia, it included McDowells men which became the armys III Corps. On August 9, Jackson, whose men were moving north from the Peninsula, engaged part of Popes army at the Battle of Cedar Mountain. After a back and forth fight, the Confederates won a victory and forced Union troops from the field. Following the defeat, McDowell sent part of his command to cover the retreat of Major General Nathaniel Banks corps. Later that month, McDowells troops played a key role in the Union loss at the Second Battle of Manassas. Porter Later War In the course of the fighting, McDowell failed to forward critical information to Pope in a timely manner and made a series of poor decisions. As a result, he ceded command of III Corps on September 5. Though initially blamed for the Union loss, McDowell largely escaped official censure by testifying against Major General Fitz John Porter later that fall. A close ally of the recently-relieved McClellan, Porter was effectively scapegoated for the defeat. Despite this escape, McDowell did not receive another command until being appointed to lead the Department of the Pacific on July 1, 1864. He remained on the West Coast for the rest of the war. Later Life Remaining in the army after the war, McDowell assumed command of the Department of the East in July 1868. In that post until late 1872, he received a promotion to major general in the regular army. Departing New York, McDowell replaced Major General George G. Meade as head of the Division of the South and held the position for four years. Made commander of the Division of the Pacific in 1876, he stayed in the post until his retirement on October 15, 1882. During his tenure, Porter succeeded in obtaining a Board of Review for his actions at Second Manassas. Issuing its report in 1878, the board recommended a pardon for Porter and was harshly critical of McDowells performance during the battle. Entering civilian life, McDowell served as Parks Commissioner for San Francisco until his death on May 4, 1885. He was buried at San Francisco National Cemetery.

Conservation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Conservation - Research Paper Example Consequently, the government has limited fishing and tourist activities in this region, as a result. Sadly, this wonderful feature has recently come under threat from the least expected source: the government. While an argument is being fronted to justify the government’s decision, conservationists feel otherwise. This paper seeks to highlight the present state, including facts, about the Great Barrier Reef. Further, the steps taken by various bodies, including the government in preventing damage to this all-important habit will be provided. In short, this paper provides some of the features associated with the Great Barrier Reef, threats it faces and the most effective efforts to save the habitat. Right from the onset, factual statistics shows that Australia has close to one million species, which includes 80% of the mammals in the world, and a further 90% of reptiles. Sadly, its ranking concerning the most endangered animals is alarming as it is currently ranked first (Seay, 2013). Beneath it is a diversity and abundance of shapes, colours and sizes. For instance, there is a semblance of soft and hard corals; annual migration of whales, nesting turtles and coral spawning occurs annually. In addition, the renowned Cod Hole found on the Lizard Island is actually a major reason for tourists to visit Australia. Some of these animals have the Great Barrier Reef as their habitat meaning the region ought to be a highly conserved place. Currently having more than 2,900 reefs, 900 islands and covering an area of 1400 miles, this region found on the coastal side of Queensland, gives life to a number of animals in Australia. In addition, Great Barrier Reef offers a great resource for scientific research with scientist visiting the area to conduct important tests. In addition, the Sea cow, commonly known as dugong and the green turtles are only found here, and face extinction

INTERNATIONAL BANKING - LAW AND PRACTICE Coursework

INTERNATIONAL BANKING - LAW AND PRACTICE - Coursework Example The underlying aspects of suretyship guarantees are that they are effective upon certain conditions, whereas demand guarantees are simply effective upon demand. The underlying reason as to why issuers need instruments to be suretyships is that in a deal of guarantee, the surety accepts a secondary liability to responds for the debtor, who rests primarily responsible. In a contract of indemnity the surety assumes a primary liability, either alone or jointly with the principal debtor. The cases mentioned above will be looked at as to what the courts decide in determining demand and suretyship guarantees, and all information has been extracted directly from the case reports. Demand Guarantees Demand guarantees are written agreements made by a guarantor to assure a beneficiary, subject to the conditions in the agreement. The guarantee is an agreement between the guarantor and the beneficiary. Thus, if an employer is specified a demand guarantee by a bank in respect of the responsibilitie s of a contractor, the contractor is not a party to the agreement. Therefore, the beneficiary is in a strong situation should there be a default. Demand guarantees are contracts and can be generated by either a simple contract or executed as a deed (Birchal & Ramus, 2012). Banks generally set demand guarantees. There are two basic types: on demand guarantees (often referred to as on demand bonds) and documentary demand guarantees. On demand guarantees essentially necessitate a guarantor to make payment to a beneficiary upon request to do so. In the case of documentary demand guarantees, payment will only be made on the securing, by the beneficiary, of the papers required by the terms of the guarantee. These, for example, may be documents proving a court judgment (Birchal & Ramus, 2012). Banks support demand guarantees since they do not need to get tangled in legal opinions and disputes following a default; their view is generally direct. However, their situation is not so reasonable for those necessary to provide demand guarantees. Take, for example, a contractor required to provide a 20% demand guarantee with regards of a $100,000 contract. The guarantee will be the amount of $20,000. The contractor’s bank supplying the guarantee will handle the price of the guarantee as contractors credit and will, therefore, reduce any credit amenities offered to the contractor by this amount. In addition, the bank will undoubtedly require security from the contractor to backup the credit. Both these activities will disturb a contractor’s cash flow and make it more challenging for him to execute contracts. Indeed, the functional competence of a construction firm can be decreased by the obligation to deliver demand guarantees. A contractor in this situation may also sense insecurity, especially where on demand guarantees are delivered. The contractor has insignificant entitlements to avoid a bank paying against an on demand guarantee. Banks will pay on demand a nd leave the contractor to settle any dispute directly with the beneficiary (Birchal & Ramus, 2012). Suretyship Guarantee Companies frequently require working capital to function and grow. The owners of small businesses regularly need to cater a guarantee of suretyshi

Maintain Ethical And Professional Standards

Maintain Ethical And Professional Standards This secondary research task will consider the corporate governance that JSE listed companies uphold. This research task will determine the extent to which these companies maintain ethical and professional standards. Two companies will be chosen and their corporate governance will be collected and closely looked at, there will be a discussion of the information collected for each of the two companies. A conclusion will be made as to which company is better governed based on the information which has been collected for the research. Introduction Corporate governance is a companys operating principles in terms of their ethics, corporate social responsibility, professionalism and the control which stakeholders have over the company to ensure the above principles are followed. Two companies which have been chosen will be looked at closely in terms of their corporate governance. The aim of the research is to determine which of the two companies is better governed, and which of the two companies maintain ethical and professional standards. Methodology I have mainly used the internet as it is difficult to get brochures with the relevant information about the corporation. I have looked at various sites about the corporation. I have tried to email the corporation for specific information which I was unable to retrieve on the internet. I have chosen the two companies as I enjoy eating at many of the restaurants which are franchises of the corporation and for the choice of the other corporation; it is because my family shops with them. Choice of companies Both Shoprite Holdings Ltd and Spur Corporation are public companies which are listed on the JSE. These public companies have a Corporate Social Index which determines the amount of involvement they have in the community. Each of these two companies follows a similar business structure (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006) (Anonymous, Investor care, unknown), but each one has an individual contribution to the community, socio-economic issues and the environment. Each company follows a different code of ethics, but each company aims to not only to make profit but to also give back to the community and to provide for their consumers. I have chosen these two companies as they have great involvement in the community as well as provide excellent service for their customers. Shoprite Holdings Ltd provides for people who are well to do as well as those who are less advantaged. Shoprite gives back to the community in vast amounts and this is the reason why they are supported by the community . My family shops at Shoprite as well as eats at Spur which is another reason why I chose these two companies, to look at in closer detail. Food is our passion. Welcoming you, our pleasure Introduction into Spur Corporation micro environment Our vision is to be the best family sit-down restaurant in the market in which we trade (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). Our mission is to be dedicated at all times to our customers and staff- to provide a taste for life for our customers and to be a great place to work for our staff (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). Allen Ambor Executive chairman Spur Corporation follows the line and staff organisation structure which has a board of directors who over look the entire organisation. Below the directors are the managers in each of the different fields for example advertising and finances. Below the managers are the staff which interact directly with the customers (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). Spur corporation is well aware of the service which they need to provide their customers with. Ronel van Dijk Financial director Pierre van Tonder Managing director Mark Fellery Deputy managing director Muzi Kuzwayo Independent non-executive director Dean Hyde non-executive director Keith Getz non-executive director Keith Madders non-executive director MBE (deputy chairman) Phillip Joffe Executive director Kevin Robertson Executive director Financial manager Public relations manager Floor manager Human resource manager Marketing manager General manager Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Corporate social responsibility and sustainability Corporate social responsibility is the responsibility of the organization to give back to their community. The aim of the king II report is to improve corporate governance throughout the whole structure of the business. All public companies which are listed on the JSE are obligated to give back to their community. The king III report is similar in context with regards to king II, but with the exception that businesses need to follow the triple bottom line reporting which is People Planet and Profit. This then means that businesses should not only focus on gaining a profit but also giving back to their community. Spur Corporation mainly focuses on providing for the underprivileged children (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). By raising these funds and being a part of these projects Spur aims to gain awareness as good citizens for the group of staff who are involved (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). The projects are mainly aimed at sporting activities which they believe develop people especially the young South Africans (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). Spur Corporation is involved in the following community projects: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Spur Soccer Masidlale(lets play)- this project focuses on developing children from ages of 8 12. There are children who come from many different communities and children who have experienced different things in life (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). This project aims to teach these children life skills as well as help them gain self- confidence and teaches them many life skills which will help them in their future (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). This project will mainly focus on children who are underprivileged (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Spur Corporation is involved in charity golf tour. In this project there are many other organisations and competitors which donate money towards the charity programme and therefore compete in the golf tour (Anonymous, Spur chairty golf day, 2006). The money which is raised in thousands is given to a charity. Spur aims to increase the donations every year (Anonymous, Spur chairty golf day, 2006). Spur Corporation believes there should be a balance between making a profit and also looking and the long term needs of South Africa, the environment and their employees. There are specific people who are allocated the role to ensuring there is a way in which Spur Corporation can reduce the impact they have on the environment. This team looks at the sustainability of their strategy. Spur Corporation is involved in projects which are short term. The Spur Corporation is not involved in many corporate social responsibility projects. The projects which they are involved in are ones from which South African children can learn life skills and gain personal growth. Therefore Spur Corporation needs to look at projects which are long term and ones which can help communities or children for long periods of time and not have a hit and run approach. Once Spur Corporation gets involved in such projects to help communities or certain children, they begin to rely on the funds. Long term projects are most beneficial. Socio-Economic issues and strategies used Spur Corporation is involved in HIV/AIDS management project. The group: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Is supportive towards the issue and are non-discriminatory à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢provides educational workshops about the issue à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢provides free access to condoms and educational videos This project is aimed at educating the employees of Spur Corporation so they are aware of the virus and have the knowledge to prevent contracting the disease Spur Corporation is not involved in addressing many socio-economic issues. There are many socio-economic issues which South Africa is facing such as poverty. Spur Corporation could focus on addressing projects which are sustainable and which can improve an issue which South Africa is facing. Poverty is one of the biggest issues in the world not only South Africa therefore Spur Corporation could get sponsors as well as raise their own funds to give toward a fund specifically for poverty stricken communities within South Africa or around the world. Natural disasters have affected the world and many peoples lives. Spur Corporation could also help with donations or fund raising to uplift these communities. There are many other socio-economic issues which Spur Corporation could address. Donations can be put into their budget as they are an organisation which is making high turnovers (Anonymous, Annual Report 2006, 2006). Code of ethics Spur Corporation has a code of ethics which expects all employees to have the highest moral and ethical standards internally and externally (with the stakeholders and shareholders). (Anonymous, Spur Corporation Annual Report 2006, 2006). The code of ethics contains principles such as integrity; honesty and good transparency, impartiality; transparency and openness; and accountablility and responsibility which all staff should adhere to (Anonymous, Spur Corporation Annual Report 2006, 2006). The Spur Corporation has a high standard to which they keep up to and therefore this is what helps the business grow. Their code of ethics guides staff on how to behave with their customers and shareholders. The code of ethics will also help shareholders to deal with any unehical behaviour (Anonymous, Spur Corporation Annual Report 2006, 2006) Introduction into Shoprite Holdings limited micro environment Our mission of the Shoprite Group of Companies is to be the consumers preferred shopping destination, by retailing food and non-food products at the lowest prices from conveniently located outlets in an environment that is conducive to shopping. (Anonymous, Customer care, 2008). Shoprite follows the line and staff organisation structure. The line and staff organisation structure is the board of directors over looking the entire organisation. Below the directors are the managers of each specific aspect of the business such as the human resource manager. Below the managers are the staff which work directly with the customers. Corporate social responsibility and sustainability Corporate social responsibility is the responsibility of the organisation to give back to their community. The aim of the king II report is to improve corporate governance throughout the whole structure of the business. All public companies which are listed on the JSE are obligated to give back to their community. The king III report is similar in context with regards to king II, but with the exception that businesses need to follow the triple bottom line reportingwhich is People Planet and Profit. This then means that businesses should not only focus on gaining a profit but also giving back to their community. Shoprite Holdings is involved in many different community projects. Many of the projects are ones which are sustainable as they take place every year and raise funds for a specific time period. Other projects are ones which Shoprite Holdings is directly involved in such as donating food to the underprivileged communities. Shoprite aims to help improve and make the world a better place for the present and future in terms of sustaining the environment, society and the economy. Some of the projects which they are involved in are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Shoprite community network- Shoprite aims to uplift underprivileged communities. This project is broadcast every month on many different radio stations and each area chooses a community which they believe needs Shoprites aid the most (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). The community which is chosen for the month as most deserving receives R10  000 from Shoprite (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Mobile soup kitchens- Shoprite aims to help communities which are poverty stricken and those which have been affected by natural disasters in South Africa (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). Shoprite sends out trucks every month to those communities they are aware of which need the food (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). Shoprite feeds many communities widely spread across South Africa (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Book collection- Many schools and libraries in South Africa do not have sufficient funds to provide their pupils with books (Anonymous, Community projects: Book collection, 2008). Therefore Shoprite aims to fill the libraries and schools with as many books of all genres. Shoprite allows for the public to drop books off at collection points at any Shoprite, Checkers or Checkers hyper stores throughout the country (Anonymous, Community projects: Book collection, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Strokes of genius- Is an art project which allows for many artists and crafters to be recognised (Anonymous, Community projects: Strokes of Genius, 2008). This project aims to inspire and give children who are less advantaged the opportunity to show the equivalence of their talent to that of children who are privileged (Anonymous, Community projects: Strokes of Genius, 2008). Shoprite is helped by The Department of arts and culture, Department of economic development and Department of basic information (Anonymous, Community projects: Strokes of Genius, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Golden trolley and disaster management- This project aims to also help the underprivileged and those who have been affected by natural disasters (Anonymous, Community projects : Golden trolley, 2008). Shoprite and Checkers have collection points at which public can donate things which will be donated to the communities (Anonymous, Community projects : Golden trolley, 2008). Shoprite also donates blankets and food to people who have been affected by natural disasters (Anonymous, Community projects : Disaster management, 2008). Shoprite has emergency plans which will help those in need. Shoprite is always ready to help those who are in need (Anonymous, Community projects : Disaster management, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Cuppa for Cansa- Shoprite Checkers are the main sponsors of this project and they are involved as the aim to gain awareness about CANSA and raise funds to fight cancer (Anonymous, Community projects : Cuppa for Cansa, 2008). Cuppa for Cansa also aims to encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle as well as eat healthily (Anonymous, Community projects : Cuppa for Cansa, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Casual day- is another project which Shoprite is a main sponsor of. Socio-Economic issues and strategies used à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Poverty Shoprite Corporation is in involved in helping communities which suffer from poverty (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). There are many communities in South Africa which have been faced with natural disasters and many people of those communities are unemployed (Anonymous, Community projects: Community, 2008). Therefore Shoprite reaches out to those communities and gives back in the form of food and blankets, to help uplift the communities. As poverty is a worldwide issue it is considered a socio-economic issue. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Education- Shoprite runs project with deal with aspects of education as many South Africans are not provided with an education at all or some are but not one which is good enough for them to be the future leaders of South Africa (Anonymous, Community projects: Book collection, 2008). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Shoprite Holdings addresses the issue of HIV/Aids in South Africa (Anonymous, Organisational integrity, 2008). As HIV/Aids has been on the increase. Shoprite has a campaign which aims to educate staff on the illness as well as teach those with the illness how to manage it. The staff are educated fully and are provided with a counsel. The campaign helps employees by giving them a better understanding of the illness as well as all precautions which can be taken. Code of ethics A code of ethics for Shoprite Holdings is not available to the public. This is a negative aspect of the business as the public need to have access to their code of ethics as they are a public company which is listed on the JSE. The code of ethics gives public and other companies a better idea in which they are able to judge the business according to their morals and ethics of how the employees are meant behave with each other and with the customers. Analysis of information, comparison and opinion Both businesses follow the line and staff organisational structure. This is a structure which is a good choice as there is only one level of authority in the business; this avoids conflict and confusion between employees and authority. There are various levels in the structure which allows for managers at each level which guide the business as well as the employees in the right direction. Both businesses are greatly involved in corporate social responsibility, one more than the other. Spur Corporation is involved a fair amount in CSR, but Shoprite Holdings Ltd has great involvement in helping the community to become a better place. Shoprite mainly looks at helping the youth and elderly too, but more the youth in rural areas that do not have much as they are the future of our country. Shoprite Holdings and Spur Corporation both aim to be involved in projects which are more long term than once off as the community needs their input at all times. South Africa faces many socio-economic issues which can be resolved by the input of the people of the country. Spur Corporation is only involved in helping with HIV/AIDS whereas Shoprite Holdings is involved in much more such as HIV/AIDS, education, poverty and natural disasters which are faced in many of the communities. Shoprite seems to be more aware of the issues which are faced by the country, and they are determined to take action and help the community to be improved and not worsened. Spur Corporation has a code of ethics which aims to maintain a high business standard which they are aware will help their business to grow. The code of ethics is in place to ensure employees maintain this high standard in their work ethic as well as in dealing with customers. Shoprite Holdings does not have a code of ethics which is available to the public but as they are a public company which is listed on the JSE they will have a code of ethics which the company follows. This is negative factor for Shoprite as the code of ethics of the company gives the public a better idea of the business itself as well as the standards of the business and its employees. Shoprite Holdings Ltd only lacks a code of ethics available to the public, but otherwise the business maintains high standards and aims to be the best. It is clear that Shoprite is aware of the community and cares to improve the community is every aspect. Spur Corporation is also a public company but does not fully address the issues at hand such as CSR. Discussion and conclusion I believe Shoprite Holdings Ltd does uphold corporate governance as well as maintain ethical and professional standards thoroughly. Spur Corporation does not maintain these standards fully. Corporate governance is one of the main aspects of the business and Shoprite Holdings maintains high standards in terms of their ethics, corporate social responsibility and professionalism. Shoprite Holdings is fully involved in corporate social responsibility and addressing socio-economic issues. Shoprite Holdings believes greatly in helping the community as it is clear in the research done that they are thoroughly involved in all aspects of the community such as education, poverty, HIV/AIDS and natural disasters. Shoprite Holdings has the correct approach in which they address issues in the community as they are aware they should be more involved in long term projects rather than only helping once and thereafter forgetting about the community. Shoprite Holdings is a better governed business and all the above proves this. Spur Corporation is a business which is a luxury for many people and many people who are underprivileged do not gain from this. This is a reason why Spur should be more involved in CSR and addressing socio-economic issues. But Spur Corporation is hardly involved. Shoprite Holdings should be commended as they are a company who provide for rich and poor but are still involved fully in the community. This is another reason why Shoprite Holdings is a better governed company.

Medea VS Wide Sargasso Sea

1.0  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IntroductionRhys’ novel, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ is an attempt by the novelist to humanize the racially pejorative life of a West Indian mad woman, Antoinette, who, led to lead a tumultuous life by her husband, and under the watchful eyes of a servant, is transformed from a tragic demise to one of heroism and triumph. Rhys brings to her works the experience she felt as a single woman living in a patriarchal culture. She was influenced by Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, where she thought she would give life to Bertha Mason, and it was with this in mind that Rhys created Antoinette.What Rhys does in ‘Wide Sargasso Sea,’ is to negate the patriarchal dominance by challenging Antoinette’s husband, Rochester’s tyrannical behaviour. When Mr. Mason brushes aside the martial problem of Annette’s sister, saying that it was her story, and that he didn’t believe any part of it, Rhys, thr ough her protagonist Antoinette, targets the bullish nature of men. Rhys, through her work, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea,’ and particularly through her characterization of Antoinette, targets the struggle of women against the dictates of patriarchy. She portrays her women to be stronger than men in the novel, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’.Euripides, born in Athens in 484 BC, was perhaps a rebel of his times. He was known to be a free thinker, and was critical of the religious practices and oppression of women and slaves. This made him write in support women and the oppressed lot; unheard of before him.Euripedes’ ‘Medea,’ is about the protagonist’s conflict with despair and greed. Medea, who with Jason, settles in Corinth after a long series of trials and adventure, are respected and establish a family. However, things begin to change as Jason seeks to advance his position by marrying Glauce, the daughter of Creon, king of Corinth. This irks Medea, wh o voices her grievances publicly, endangering her and her children’s lives.Jason’s claim that his remarriage would benefit everyone was seen by Medea as being patriarchal, and she plots to take revenge on Jason, Creon and Glauce. She flees for her life with the children, only to be helped by Aegeus, King of Athens, if Medea exchanged her knowledge of certain drugs that could cure his sterility. Here too we see the patriarchal attitude of the king. Medea finds ‘justice’ when she has Glauce and Creon drinking poison. She kills her children, but fails in her justice to punish Jason. She flees the scene in a dragon-pulled chariot provided by her grandfather, the Sun-God.2.0   Patriarchal and its essence in the novel, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’The term patriarchal in the novel, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea,’ is analogical to the domination of men over women. The book is an attempt by Jean Rhys to hit back at male dominance, as seen in Charlotte Bront e’s, ‘Jane Eyre.’ Rhys attempts to stand up against oppression of slavery and entrapment, as seen in the incidents that take place in Wide Sargasso Sea.The specter of slavery and entrapment pervades Wide Sargasso Sea. The ex-slaves who worked on the sugar plantations of wealthy Creoles figure prominently in Part One of the novel, which is set in the West Indies in the early nineteenth century. There are quite a few incidents that transform this young, sensitive woman to what she was at the end of the novel; a raging mad woman. First of all, Antoinette grew up without a father or the love of her mother. She was married off to an Englishman by her step-brother, Richard Mason, who offered Rochester  £30,000 and rights over the girl's inheritance.She couldn’t stand such treatment meted to her by a man without her approval. This was patriarchal, and Antoinette couldn’t forgive him for being so rude to her weakness. The second man in her mother’s life; Mr. Mason was more than dominating. He was in love with her mother’s estate than them and left them to survive in the care of a black couple who repeatedly humiliated and mocked at her. The sufferings of her mother at the hands of Mr. Mason are reflected in Antoinette’s early recollection of her, and she speaks of Annette’s signs of madness and melancholy. Antoinette was unfortunate not to meet her mother who died when Antoinette was at the convent school.When Annette confronts Mason to ask him to intervene on behalf of her sister, he says, â€Å"That's her story. I don't believe it,’ a sign to show that he supported the other man, and that what women said was just a bunch of lies. These incidents revealed the male bastion of the men around Antoinette, and this led her to rebel the patriarchal treatment meted out to her. When she is married off to Rochester, and taken to England, Rochester says to himself, â€Å"No more false heavens. No more dam ned magic,† in support of his desire to leave the cursed family behind and lead a peaceful life in England.Rochester develops a relationship with Antoinette’s maid, Amelie. She openly slaps Antoinette in front of her husband, who takes no notice of this. He even offers Amelie money to as gift. Antoinette sees this as a way to get at her and show his male chauvinism. Daniel Cosway, another of Alexander Cosway's bastard children, writes to Rochester on Antoinette’s madness. This brings to fore a quote from the book, â€Å"He has no right to that name,† said Antoinette quickly. â€Å"His real name, if he has one, is Daniel Boyd. He hates all white people, but he hates me the most. He tells lies about us and he is sure that you will believe him and not listen to the other side.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Is there another side?† asked Rochester.â€Å"There is always the other side, always,† ended Antoinette. This went to show that Rochester was more inclined to believe a strange man than a woman, who was his wife.Overall, Antoinette was fighting men for justice and thought that all men were being bossy, and thus patriarchal. She revolts in the end to fight this dominance, first biting Rochester on the arm, drawing blood. Rochester takes her to England where she is locked up in a garret. She is left there to die, looked after by a servant named Grace Poole. When Daniel came to see her, Antoinette draws a knife on him.She follows her dream of walking out of the garret with a candle in her hand, to burn the house down with her and Rochester in it; justice delivered in the end. Annette’s pet parrot, enacted Antoinette’s own doom, when, as Antoinette recalled, â€Å"made an attempt to fly down, by the clipped wings failed him, and he fell down on fire.† Coco was left maimed, analogical to Antoinette’s own flightless dependency. This sums up the treatment meted out to Antoinette and her fall from the attic.3.0   Pa triarchal and its essence in the play, ‘Medea’The word, Patriarchal to Medea meant greed. One sees the attitude of men towards women in their quest for power and opportune. Medea and Jason had fought bitter trials and overcome many an adventure to be together. They were well respected by all in Corinth. However, when Jason was ready to remarry for his betterment, Medea wanted to take revenge. Creon, the king of Corinth, whose daughter Jason married, heard about this, he immediately asked her to be brought to justice.He wanted his daughter to be happy, and was not inclined to see the despair running though Medea or her children. Glauce, who knew about Medea, also showed no pity. Medea thus was forced to run for her life. She knew that she had to get justice for her grievance and plotted to kill Jason, Glace and Creon. She was fortunate to meet Aegeus, the king of Athens, who promised to protect her, provided that she gives him her knowledge of certain drugs that could cu re him of his sterility.This was also an incidence that saw Medea see men interested only in their gain. Her murder of her brother to slow the pursuers from catching them is to show that she believed that men were more worthy than women, and that the warriors would stop to give him a respected burial. She takes revenge to redeem justice for Jason’s actions. She has Glauce poisoned, and seeing his daughter dying, Creon also consumes poison and dies. Medea then kills her children; to have the pleasure of watching Jason suffer their loss. ‘Betrayal’ is what Euripides indicates as the patriarchal element in his play, ‘Medea.’4.0   AnalysisThe term ‘Patriarchal’ has a wide implication in the general sense. In the context of the two works; one by Jean Rhys on, ‘Wide Sargasso Sea,’ and the other in Euripides’, ‘Medea,’ the term has distinct meanings. This can be seen in the way the plot is developed and the ro le of the protagonists in overcoming them. While patriarchal to Antoinette in ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ is the bullish domination of men against women, for Medea, it was betrayal for personal interest.There is no denying the fact that both the protagonists were affected by their male partners, and had to experience hardship. But, the domination and motive to deliver ‘justice’ at the end, showed them to be more commanding and dominant in the plot. Antoinette was stronger than Daniel, her step-brother, whom she knifed, and she was more courageous in plotting to kill her, Grace and Rochester by lighting a fire to the house where she, Grace and Rochester were residing. Such mental strength was missing in the men in the novel.Medea was powerful, and had magic to protect her. She was strong enough to kill her brother, her children, and Glause. She was definitely the stronger of the characters portrayed in the play.5.0   ConclusionDespite the background, and the conse quence for the actions initiated by the protagonists, both Antoinette and Medea were the stronger characters in the respective works. Though the men did hurt their women physically and mentally, they were not strong enough to plot a murder. Rochester treated her shabbily and had her confined to a garret in the house for ages, causing mental torture. Jason was greedy for power and was not going to let Medea come in the way. He went ahead and married Glauce, much to Medea’s distraught. The women were more successful in the end in getting their ‘justice,’ proving them to be stronger.

Social Media And Its Effects On Society - 1298 Words

It has been proven that social media usage produces the same effect as love in the brain by activating a chemical, known as dopamine. With that said, teenagers ages 15-19 spend at least three hours each day on various social media platforms. Throughout the past decade, the growth and advancements in technology have allowed for social media to excel more than ever. As social media improves, it becomes a bigger part in people’s daily lives. Due to the fact that the Internet has only leaped within the past decade, there have been many ongoing controversies regarding its global effect. Social media can connect you to billions of people, however, there are huge risks that must be considered. Although social media may seem harmless, it brings†¦show more content†¦A recent study conducted by Nucleus Research found that companies who allow their employees to access Facebook at work lose an average of 1.5% in total employee productivity. The same result was found with teenager s in school. A similar study was conducted on teenagers, where researchers compared students that use social media for five hours a day, to teenagers who use it for only one hour a day. The study found a correlation between lower GPAs and higher social media usage. There is no doubt that the more social media is used, the greater chance there is for plagiarism and a lack in productivity. Due to the fact that teenagers are always exposed to technology, today’s students can not seem to set their priorities in their daily lives. These distractions are causing them to take work and other necessities less seriously, giving social media superiority. According to a survey done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school students spent on average less than an hour per weekday on sports, exercise and recreation. Instead, today s teenagers spend up to 7.5 hours a day consuming media, which involves watching TV, listening to music, surfing the Web, social networking, and playing vide o games. It is not healthy that teenagers are spending a dramatically larger amount of time on technology than physical activity. This could potentially be bad for their development into adulthood, as well as it negatively affecting them in the near future. Some