Confessions of a Freelance Writer

Ever wanted to get into the minds of successful freelance writers and ask, how do you do it? How did you land your first big client? Why did you choose freelance writing in the first place? For me, before I started freelance writing, I researched a ton of freelance writers. I looked at their web page, their social media presence, their guest posts, their clients, and above all, how they marketed themselves. Those freelance writers helped me with my business and marketing strategies. I also learned about other freelance writers either by contacting them for help or learning about them through social media. Since my blog is about helping freelance writers, I thought it would be beneficial to interview some of the fabulous freelancers Ive come to know and learn from. So, for February, Im going to do a spotlight series on freelance writers that have helped me on my journey to success or that have inspired me with their successful business. To kick start this series, I thought I might as well interview myself! So, want to learn more about me? You might be surprised by some of my answers. The SAHM With a Conundrum Im a mother and I have twin toddlers. Before I had my children I was a special education teacher helping children with special needs. And before this, I was a private behavioral therapist helping children with autism. So, how did I jump into freelance writing? The biggest deciding factor were my children. I finished my maternity leave and I had to make a decision if I was going to go back to being a teacher. But, something was gnawing at me. I just couldnt see myself leaving my 1 year old baby twins. They were too young, in my eyes, to go to day care and I couldnt wrap my head around leaving them for 6 or more hours every day. I also knew that daycare would be expensive for twins and any money I earned from work would go straight to paying the daycare providers. So, I had to think of something to bring money into our household. From SAHM to WAHM My husband works from home. He has always had his own company for as long as Ive known him, and thats over a decade. He mentioned to me that theres money to be made online. I really didnt think it was for me. I couldnt find an online gig that I liked. I started reading mommy blogs and learning that many of these moms did freelance writing on the side. So, I researched more about freelance writing and thought that this could be something I could do. Once I get an idea in my head, I go with it full force. I put up a website, researched freelance writers and did what every new freelance writer does: start on content mills. I went to iWriter and got paid less than $2 for a 300 word post. I hated it. Then I moved to freelance marketplaces like Guru. I mustve not been good at these places because I never received work from them! I pitched and pitched, but nothing. What Does  Your Husband Think About  Your Choice? My husband has always supported my decisions and once he saw me latch on to the idea of being a freelance writer, he helped me as much as he could. In fact, he designed my current website and helped me get a gravatar (which I knew nothing about except, whenever I posted a comment on a blog, I always wondered why my picture never showed up). Im fortunate enough to stay home and raise my children and still work. Family helps out as much as possible and its a relief to know that I can rely on family for childcare should a deadline loom. Being Your Own Boss Has Its Dark Side There are some limitations to being a freelance writer. Here are mine: No social interaction You have to work longer hours (at least in the beginning of your career) and often miss family obligations Youre often working every day No holiday pay (unless you build that into your rate) Online work can be risky. Clients may end up not paying you or you could be waiting months or years to get paid Youll always be hustling However, there are freedoms of being your own boss: I decide my work week I choose how many hours I want to work I chose my rate There is no limit to how much I can make as a webpreneur Authority Sites and Poor Communication In the short time Ive been a freelance writer, Ive come across my fair share of winnings and challenges. For my wins, Ive secured some  big clients within their niches. As for challenges, Im realizing Im not the best communicator when it comes to email exchanges. But, that quickly changed. I learned that less is more and that bullet lists are better in email correspondences. How Long Did It Take You to Land Your First Client? For me, it took me close to 2 months after I set up my website and did all my research to becoming a freelance writer (and after my iWriter and Guru phase). I applied to an automotive website from a job board. I landed an interview a free weeks later and got the gig! Innovative Inks Goals I recently joined a mastermind group that meets on Google hangouts and one of the questions asked was what my goals are for my business. In all honesty, I really didnt have any goals, just big ideas. For example, I want to make more money. Or, I want to have more clients, so that I can make more money. Well, during the mastermind group, I was introduced to SMART Goals, which stand for: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-bound Basically, in order to see progress in your business, setting up goals that are easily obtainable, can be measured,  are clear and has a time frame are easier to accomplish. So, based on SMART goals, Ive decided to aim for a monthly  income goal  that can be reached easily. Once I reach that goal, Ill increase my monthly income goal. One way to increase my monthly  income is to diversify my income. You can do this many ways, but for my business Im going to start affiliate marketing. Monetizing your blog is one of the best ways of diversifying your income. So, look out for that! How Do You Secure Gigs? Im finding the main ways I secure gigs are: Inbound marketing – I often get requisitions through my contact form on Innovative Ink Social media – Ive gotten gigs from Twitter Job boards – I recently joined Tom Ewers Paid to Blog Jobs board, so we will see if this pays off. Top Three Resources for Newbies? When I started freelancing, I found these websites to be hugely helpful: Enchanting Marketing – Henneke Duistermaats copy website Freelance Writers Online – Kirsty Stuarts freelance writing site Writing Thoughts – Laura Spencers highly helpful writing site My Ultimate Advice For New Freelance Writers If I could give only one tip  to new freelance bloggers, it would be: pitch to  jobs you may not feel qualified for. Use any past experience to draw from when pitching. The time you spent researching educational apps for your child could lead to a writing job at a start-up technology company. Or, that community college course you took on floral arrangements could open the doors to wedding writing or writing for an event planning business. So, take a few minutes to write down times in your life where you tried something, learned something or experienced something new. You might be surprised at what skills you come up with to help you with your freelance blogging. Hurry Up Before its Too Late! Im offering two freebies for anyone who signs up to my monthly newsletter. The catch? It expires January 31st. So, if you dont want to miss out on getting your free eBook to pitching to clients and a guide to key questions you should ask a prospective client, sign up today! Look out for my first fabulous freelance writer I interview, on February 1st.

The Pre-Trial Motions Stage of a Criminal Case

The Pre-Trial Motions Stage of a Criminal Case After it is decided that a criminal case will proceed to trial, pre-trial motions can be presented to the court that can influence how the trial is conducted. Those motions can address many different topics and issues. Pre-trial motions can address the evidence to be presented at the trial, the witnesses who will testify and even the type of defense the defendant can present. For example, if a defendant plans to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, a pre-trial motion must be made to the court and a hearing conducted to determine if that defense will be allowed. The same is true if the defendant pleads guilty but mentally ill. Each pre-trial motion can prompt a mini-trial before the judge in which witnesses can be presented. Most pre-trial motion hearings consist of the prosecution and defense making oral arguments to support their case, along with written arguments citing case law precedents. In pre-trial motions, the judge makes the final decision. There is no jury present. For each side, depending on how the judge rules, that ruling can be the basis for a future appeal. The defense can argue that the judge made an error in the ruling, affecting the outcome of the eventual trial. Pre-trial motions can address a broad range of issues. Some common ones include: Motion to Dismiss An attempt to get a judge to dismiss a charge or the entire case. If may be used when there is not enough evidence or when the evidence or facts in the case do not equal a crime. It is also filed when the court does not have the authority or jurisdiction to make a ruling in the case. For example, if a will is being contested, the case would have to be decided by a probate court and not a small claims court. A motion to dismiss the case based on lack of subject matter jurisdiction would likely be filed. Motion for Change of Venue Most often a request for a change of venue of the trial is due to pre-trial publicity. Famous Cases When Changes of Venue were Granted The four Los Angeles police officers charged with assault of Rodney King in 1991, had their trial moved from  Los Angeles County to  Ventura County.Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh was granted a change of venue  from Oklahoma to the U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado.Beltway snipers Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad had their trials moved from northern Virginia to Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, in southeastern Virginia. Motion to Suppress Evidence Used to keep certain statements or evidence from being introduced as evidence. Seasoned judges will not admit any statement or evidence into evidence that could serve as a basis for a reversal of a conviction. A motion to suppress evidence often addresses issues such as Evidence seized illegally.Confessions wrongly obtained.Statements improperly obtained.If there was probable cause to make an arrest. For example, if police conducted a search without probable cause (in violation of the Fourth Amendment), an attempt to suppress the evidence found as a result of that search might be granted. The Casey Anthony Case; Motion to Suppress Evidence Casey Anthony was found not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of her child, Caylee Anthony. Judge Belvin Perry denied Anthonys defense attorneys motions to suppress statements made by Anthony to George, Cindy, and Lee Anthony, pen pal Robyn Adams and corrections officer Sylvia Hernandez. The judge also denied the defenses motion to suppress statements Anthony made to law enforcement because she had not been read her Miranda Rights. The judge agreed with prosecutors that at the time of the statements, Anthony was not a suspect. Although the defense motions to suppress evidence were denied, Anthony was found not guilty. However, had she been found guilty, the denial to suppress evidence could have been used in the appeals process to reverse the conviction. Other Examples of Pre-Trial Motions To challenge the search warrant issued in the case.To exclude some evidence gathered during the search.To exclude statements made by the defendant to investigators.To determine if expert witnesses can testify.To challenge expert testimony.To request a gag order in the case.

WRITE A PLAN HOW YOU WOULD POSITION YOURSELF FOR VICE PRESIDENT HUMAN Essay

WRITE A PLAN HOW YOU WOULD POSITION YOURSELF FOR VICE PRESIDENT HUMAN RESOURCE - Essay Example The Human Resources Department is tasked with specific functions to carry out its objectives. In order to perform these functions well, its personnel should possess the necessary qualifications, most especially, the person leading them – the vice president for human resources. It is in this regard that this essay is written to present a plan for the position of vice president for human resources in a particular organization. The plan would entail presenting the general scope of responsibilities and further detailing the specific roles and responsibilities of a vice president for human resources. In addition, the mission and vision of the department would be identified to present the focus or objective of the department and identify the department’s strategy to attain organizational goals. According to Wytenburg, â€Å"the Vice President of Human Resources/HR Director is responsible for establishing the company’s personnel base (employed and otherwise) and ensuring this base is adequate and appropriate to its strategic and operational needs. This role will often involve such things as career coaching and organizational development, leadership planning and development, and the planning and delivery of training and education.† As the Vice President for Human Resources, the scope of the responsibilities encompasses five functions: job organization and information, acquisition or recruitment of personnel, maintenance, development and research on human resources. The vice president is tasked to supervise, control, and direct the overall implementation of personnel policies while his or her managers and staff takes care of specialized personnel functions. The specific and technical duties of a vice president are complex and multifarious in terms of performing general management functions in relation to top management and to the human resources department personnel. The detailed responsibilities of the position require

The anti-terrorism law in the U.K. and its overall impact Coursework

The anti-terrorism law in the U.K. and its overall impact - Coursework Example However, in the middle of the middle of the government’s role to provide security of its citizens, the anti-terrorist laws have created a huge negative impact. This report will discuss the anti-terrorism law in the U.K. and its overall impact. Light will be shed on how this law has innocently disrupted lives. Introduction Oxford dictionary defines terrorism as the â€Å"unofficial and unauthorized use of violence in the pursuit of political aims (Oxford Dictionary, 2012).† Terrorism is not a new concept, it has been used since the prehistoric times but it is relatively hard to describe in words that can encompass the entire concept behind this term. Terrorism has been used as both, a tactic as well as a strategy; for criminal purposes and as a holy duty. Whatever is case; an act of terrorism is extremely reprehensible and has no justifications what so ever. Unfortunately, this line of thought is not adopted by all people. Terrorism has always been useful approach for th e side whose argument or strength is weaker as compared to the other. On a larger, national scale, terrorism is defined as the use of violence to inculcate fear in the minds of people and intimidate and coerce governments and different societies to pursue goals of the terrorists. The reason why terrorism is so wrong is because its influence goes way beyond just the intended victim, it at times have consequences for entire nations (Terrorism Research, 2012). Terrorism Ever since the incident of twin towers in America on 9th September, 2001, the threat of terrorism has magnified. Ever since that unforgettable day referred to as 9/11, terrorism is a word that looms large in the minds of people. War against terrorism is a commonly heard term and many different nations as well Britain are participants in this war to provide their citizens with a sense of security and to keep them safe from terrorists. However, for the United Kingdom, there is nothing new about the threat of terrorism or the legal response to it. Throughout the course of history, Britain has been the victim of many terrorist acts. However, for the purpose of this report, the events, legislation and the effect of that legislation prior to 2001 will not be considered. The disastrous occurrence of 9/11 did not result in any immediate or drastic change in the legislation that was directed towards curbing terrorism. Most of the legislation pertaining to terrorism already existed. However as a direct consequence of 9/11, The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 were passed. This terrorism act incorporated in the British legislation has resulted in Britain having the most comprehensive legal framework in all of Europe to fight terrorism (Bennet, 2005). The Anti-Terrorism Act The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 were aimed at amending the Terrorism Act 2000. Its purpose was to include more stipulation about terrorism and security. It provided provisions for the freezing of assets and immig ration and asylum. The act intended to amend as well as extend the scope of criminal law and its powers for preventing crime from happening and enforcing that law. The Act included in it laws which made retention of communication data legal. The Act also included provisions for the control of pathogens and toxins (Anti-terrorism, 2001). The major constituent of the bill was the government of the time’s determination to find a way of dealing with foreign nationals and visitors who were suspected of involvement in terrorism activities by

Contemporary Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contemporary Business Analysis - Essay Example All major assets, even land, lost their values overnight. The entire world seemed at a loss about what to do. The major financial heads all over the world started thinking about he steps that should be taken to avoid such an incident to occur again. When the matter was observed, the major reason that was seen which led to the recession was found to be too mush lending done by the banks all over the world, particularly US. The question of the day was what to do to avoid this kind of crisis. One of the popular suggestions given was the requirement by central banks to private banks to increase their reserves that are held at the central bank. The suggestion was given much thought because it held many positives. Firstly, even if private banks again engross themselves in over lending in the future, the reserves held at the central bank would be more than enough to bail out the economy before the stage of recession is reached. The reserves would not only provide stability to the monetary system, but would also stop inflation from reaching massive heights, and would also allow banks and other major financial institutions, which are affected first in case of recession, to remains stable and in power to control the situation. Secondly, the major advantage of increasing reserves would be to save the common man from the repercussions of recession. We saw the examples of how people are affected. They lose their jobs, can't afford a lot of thing due to high prices, find their major assets like homes and investments losing value, and have to face the harsh life of bankruptcy. This eventually leads to fall out of entire economies. If federal reserves are in place then this whole scenario can be avoided by injecting liquid money in the economy at regular intervals so that inflation does not rise rapidly. Also the monetary base will help in keeping the value of assets intact over longer period of time. Thirdly, for private banks, let us first study all the positive implications. In the recession, the institutions most adversely hit are private banks, as they do not have the backing of governments like central banks; and also they are the ones that have all their assts as loans to individuals (Ganley). So when the value of assets fall or when people declare bankruptcy, they are the ones who take the hit as now they don't have any way to regain their money. By increasing the federal reserve base, the banks also have more security against their loans getting defaulted. Also, it was seen in many examples that banks have to declare insolvency or even bankruptcy, observing that the collateral on their bad debts have now lost all of its value. In such a case, the reserve base could be helpful to the banks such that they can maintain their base and have even a small amount of that base to have as liquid strength. Now let us discuss the negative implications of such a requirement. First of all, the private banks may be reluctant to go for such a measure. A bank is an institution that has to keep its profits high and its shareholders happy. If the reserves were to rise, then the banks will have less money to lend (Harrington, 2009). This would mean less money to gain interest from, which directly says less income earned by the banks (Harrington, 2009). As we know now that retail banking has become the key aspect in a bank's operations, therefore such a measure can hurt the profits of the bank tremendously. Second, as

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethanol as Fuel

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethanol as Fuel The top five producers and users of ethanol in 2005 were Brazil producing 4.35 billion gallons per year, The United States producing 4.3 billions gallons per year, China producing 530 million gallons per year, The European Union producing 250 millions gallons per year and India producing 80 million gallons per year. Brazil and The United States account for about 90 per cent of all ethanol production, although in the last few year the United States production of ethanol has grown to about 4.6 billion gallons per year and are now widely consider the worlds largest producer of ethanol. The advantages of ethanol use are: The fuel can utilise existing distribution outlets. Other fuel sources such as hydrogen would require the creation of distribution networks and technology with accompanying establishment costs It is a renewable resource and so would reduce the use of non-renewable materials. It could reduce green house gas emissions if solar energy was used to distil it from aqueous solutions. It reduces dependence on imported oil and the influence of the oil cartels that currently control oil production and price. This reduced dependence on imported oil also protects consumers from the economic variations that are caused by the political and social events in oil producing countries While it is very unlikely that ethanol will ever replace the worlds main energy source, it will reduce the total amount of oil the country would need to import. Disadvantages: There are claims that the production and distribution of ethanol as an alternative motor vehicle fuel source will in fact increase greenhouse gas emissions over those generated by conventional fuels. Large areas of agricultural land would need to be used to grow suitable crops, leading to soil erosion, deforestation fertiliser run off and salinity. There is just not enough land to produce the crops needed for ethanol to become a major alternative fuel, with crops at the moment only sustaining about 1 per cent of the worlds transport fuel. There is also a worry that the land needed for ethanol production will compete with food production. The disposal of the large amounts of smelly waste fermentation liquors after removal of ethanol would present major environmental problems. There is a cost involved in making ethanol is nearly twice as much as the cost of making gasoline. There is also a cost involved in modifying vehicles to use ethanol or methanol. Ethanol also has smaller energy density than gasoline, taking about 1.5 times more ethanol than gasoline to travel the same distance. However with new technologies the advancements in ethanol engines are improving every year. Although ethanol does reduce the toxicity of the car exhaust, it can also be corrosive. Ethanol can absorb water and dirt easily and if those contaminants are not filtered out successfully that can damage the inside of the engine block. The politics that surround the increased use of ethanol in Australia are uncertain. The major political parties have a clear policy position on this initiative at either State or Federal level. There is even debate within the minor political groups that usually defend the environment as to the long term benefits and consequences of increased ethanol consumption. With conflicting claims and a lack of clear evidence, a cautious approach has been adopted by politicians. At State Government level, it is the NSW Government that has principally supported the introduction of ethanol. It has been suggested that the NSW Labor governments position has been influence by donations from major ethanol producers and even the Rudd Federal Labor government is critical of a number of aspect of NSW expansion of ethanol production. Against this background, the NSW Government has consistently refer to the greenhouse benefits of ethanol as one of the reasons for its decision to require that 10% of all fuel sold is to be ethanol (E10) by 2011. There are claims that the long term uses of ethanol are as equally damaging to the environment as conventional fuels. For consumers acceptance of this alternative fuel source is as much about the price at which it will be delivered at the petrol pump, as it is about the environmental motivations. Fermentation and distillation have been used to produce ethanol for centuries, making it one of the earliest organic compounds to be obtained in nearly pure form. Fermentation is a process in which glucose is broken down to ethanol and carbon dioxide by the action of enzymes present in yeast. These enzymes act as biological catalysts, which first convert the starch or sucrose in the mixture into glucose and or fructose. Finally enzymes will convert the glucose and or fructose into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Yeast can produce ethanol contents up to 15 per cent. If the alcohol concentrations were above this level the yeast would be killed and further fermentation would be stopped. To further produce higher alcohol content, up to 95 per cent fractional distillation or even to 100 per cent more elaborate distillation procedures of the liquid are then needed. Plant materials suitable for fermentation must have a high concentration of simple sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose). Starchy grains like corn, tubers like potatoes and fruits like grapes with high simple sugar contents are most commonly used. Cellulose and starch are biopolymers which are formed by condensation polymerisation of glucose monomers. Cellulosic ethanol is produced from woods, grasses and non-edible parts of the plants. There are two ways of producing ethanol from cellulose; gasification or cellulolysis processes. Gasification transforms raw lignocelluloses materials which are composed of cellulose, hemi cellulose or lignin into gaseous carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These gases can then be converted into ethanol by fermentation and distillation. Cellulolysis processes use hydrolysis, which is where enzymes are used to break up the complex cellulose structures of lignocelluloses materials into simple sugars which then followed by fermentation and distillation can be changed into ethanol. Bibliography: http://www.o2.org/ideas/cases/biopolymers.html http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-ethanol-fuel.htm http://www.pictonhigh.net/moodle/course/view.php?id=29 http://science.jrank.org/pages/2576/Ethanol-Disadvantages-ethanol-an-alternative-fuel.html http://www.ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=2222 http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1763365.htm http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1763365.htm http://www.smh.com.au/execute_search.html?text=ethanolss=smh.com.au http://www.chemlink.com.au/ethanol.htm http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/01/20/ethanol-not-really-all-that-green/

Mexico :: essays research papers fc

Mexico   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexico, the United Mexican States (Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is bordered on the north by the United States of America; on the south by Belize and Guatemala; on the east by the United States of America, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexico's borders stretch approximately 1,958,201 square kilometers or 756,066 square miles. That figure includes 5,363 square kilometers or 2,071 square miles of outlying islands. From north to south its longest distance is 1,250 miles. From east to west its longest distance is 1,900 miles. Mexico's coast line covers about 6,320 miles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of Mexico is just an immense elevated plateau, flanked by mountain ranges that fall sharply off to narrow coastal plains in the West and East. Much of Mexico's Central Plateau is a continuation of the great plains through the southwestern United States. The highest point in all of Mexico is Mount Onzaba (Citlaltepetl). It is 18,707 feet above sea level. Mexico's lowest point is near Mexicali. This area near Mexicali is thirty-three feet below sea level.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The capital of Mexico is Mexico City. The metropolitan area of Mexico City is home to about 14,987,051 people of Mexico's total population of about 93,670,000, according to a 1990 census. Although most of Mexico's population is from Mexico City, which is the biggest city in the world, Mexico's other cities include Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Puebla. Most of Mexico's population lives in urban areas, about seventy-five percent, and the population density is about forty-eight people per square kilometer, or one-hundred and twenty-four people per square mile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexico's official language is Spanish, although another language that is fairly widely spoken is Native American. Mexico's ethnic groups can be broken down into three major groups: Mestizo, Native American, and European. Mestizo's are people of mixed European and Native American ancestry. Mestizo's make up about sixty percent of Mexico's population, while Native American's makes up about thirty percent, and European's make up about nine percent. There are many religions being practiced in Mexico, but the biggest by far is Roman Catholicism, which is practiced by about ninety percent of Mexico's population. The other fairly big religion, while nowhere near as widely practiced, is Protestantism, practiced by about five percent of all people currently going to church in Mexico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of Mexico's big Cities lies within the Tropic of Cancer. Mexico City averages about fifty-four degrees Fahrenheit and twelve degrees Celsius in January, and it averages about sixty-three degrees Fahrenheit and seventeen degrees Celsius in July. Monterrey, which is above the Tropic of Cancer, averages about fifty-eight degrees Fahrenheit and fourteen degrees Celsius in

Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-Five

And so I went home, Consu gift in tow. John and Jane greeted me as I jumped off the Obin shuttle, all of us ending in a pile as I ran into Mom full speed and then we dragged Dad down with us. Then I showed them my new toy: the sapper field generator, specially designed by the Consu to give us a tactical advantage when Nerbros Eser and his friends came to call. Jane immediately took to it and started fiddling with it; that was her thing. Hickory and Dickory and I decided that in the end neither John nor Jane needed to know what it took for us to get it. The less they knew, the less the Colonial Union could charge them with at their treason trial. Although it looked like that might not happen – the Roanoke council did remove John and Jane from their posts once they revealed where they had sent me and who I was supposed to see, and had appointed Gretchen's dad Manfred in their place. But they had given Mom and Dad ten days to hear back from me before they informed the Colonial Union about what they'd done. I got back just under the wire and once they saw what I brought, weren't inclined to offer my parents to the tender affections of the Colonial Union judicial system. I wasn't going to complain about that. After I got Mom and Dad acquainted with the sapper field generator, I went for a walk and found Gretchen, reading a book on her porch. â€Å"I'm back,† I said. â€Å"Oh,† she said, casually flipping a page. â€Å"Were you gone?† I grinned; she hurled the book at me and told me that if I ever did anything like that again, she would strangle me, and that she could do it because she always was better in our defense courses than I was. Well, it was true. She was. Then we hugged and made up and went to find Magdy, so we could pester him in stereo. Ten days later, Roanoke was attacked by Nerbros Eser and about a hundred Arrisian soldiers, that being Eser's race. Eser and his soldiers marched right into Croatoan and demanded to speak to its leaders. They got Savitri, the administrative assistant, instead; she suggested that they go back to their ships and pretend their invasion never happened. Eser ordered his soldier to shoot Savitri, and that's when they learned how a sapper field can really mess with their weapons. Jane tuned the field so that it would slow down bullets but not slower projectiles. Which is why the Arrisian soldier's rifles wouldn't work, but Jane's flame thrower would. As did Dad's hunting bow. And Hickory's and Dickory's knives. And Manfred Trujillo's lorry. And so on. At the end of it Nerbros Eser had none of the soldiers that he'd landed with, and was also surprised to learn that the battleship he'd parked in orbit wasn't there anymore, either. To be fair, the sapper field didn't extend into space; we got a little help there from a benefactor who wished to remain anonymous. But however you sliced it, Nerbros Eser's play for the leadership of the Conclave came to a very sad and embarrassing end. Where was I in all of this? Why, safely squirreled away in a bomb shelter with Gretchen and Magdy and a bunch of other teenagers, that's where. Despite all the events of the previous month, or maybe because of them, the executive decision was made that I had had enough excitement for the time being. I can't say I disagreed with the decision. To be honest about it, I was looking forward to just getting back to my life on Roanoke with my friends, with nothing to worry about except for school and practicing for the next hootenanny. That was right about my speed. But then General Gau came for a visit. He was there to take custody of Nerbros Eser, which he did, to his great personal satisfaction. But he was also there for two other reasons. The first was to inform the citizens of Roanoke that he had made it a standing order that no Conclave member was ever to attack our colony, and that he had made it clear to non-Conclave races in our part of space that if any of them were to get it into their heads to make a play for our little planet, that he would personally be very disappointed. He left unsaid what level of retaliation â€Å"personal disappointment† warranted. It was more effective that way. Roanokers were of two minds about this. On the one hand, Roanoke was now practically free from attack. On the other hand, General Gau's declaration only brought home the fact that the Colonial Union itself hadn't done much for Roanoke, not just lately but ever. The general feeling was that the Colonial Union had a lot to answer for, and until it answered for these things, that Roanokers felt perfectly justified in not paying too close attention to the Colonial Union's dictates. Like, for example, the one in which Manfred Trujillo was supposed to arrest my parents and take them into custody on the charge of treason. Trujillo apparently had a hard time finding either John or Jane after that one came in. A neat trick, considering how often they were talking. But this folded into the other reason Gau had come around. â€Å"General Gau is offering us sanctuary,† Dad said to me. â€Å"He knows your mom and I will be charged with treason – several counts seem likely – and it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that you'll be charged as well.† â€Å"Well, I did commit treason,† I said. â€Å"What with consorting with the leader of the Conclave and all.† Dad ignored this. â€Å"The point is, even if people here aren't in a rush to turn us in, it's only a matter of time before the CU sends real enforcement to come get us. We can't ask the people here to get into any more trouble on our account. We have to go, Zoe.† â€Å"When?† I asked. â€Å"In the next day,† Dad said. â€Å"Gau's ship is here now, but it's not like the CU is going to ignore it for long.† â€Å"So we're going to become citizens of the Conclave,† I said. â€Å"I don't think so,† Dad said. â€Å"We'll be among them for a while, yes. But I have a plan to get us somewhere I think you might be happy with.† â€Å"And where is that?† I asked. â€Å"Well,† Dad said. â€Å"Have you ever heard of this little place called Earth?† Dad and I spoke for a few more minutes, and then I walked over to Gretchen's, where I actually managed to say hello to her before I broke down in sobs. She gave me a hug and held me, and let me know it was okay. â€Å"I knew this was coming,† she said to me. â€Å"You don't do what you've done and then come back and pretend nothing has happened.† â€Å"I thought it might be worth a try,† I said. â€Å"That's because you're an idiot,† Gretchen said. I laughed. â€Å"You're an idiot, and my sister, and I love you, Zoe.† We hugged some more. And then she came over to my house and helped me and my family pack away our lives for a hasty exit. Word spread, as it would in a small colony. Friends came by, mine and my parents', by themselves and in twos and threes. We hugged and laughed and cried and said our good-byes and tried to part well. As the sun started to set Magdy came by, and he and Gretchen and I took a walk to the Gugino homestead, where I knelt and kissed Enzo's headstone, and said good-bye to him one last time, even as I carried him still in my heart. We walked home and Magdy said his good-bye then, giving me a hug so fierce that I thought it would crack my ribs. And then he did something he'd never done before: gave me a kiss, on my cheek. â€Å"Good-bye, Zoe,† he said. â€Å"Good-bye, Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Take care of Gretchen for me.† â€Å"I'll try,† Magdy said. â€Å"But you know how she is.† I smiled at that. Then he went to Gretchen, gave her a hug and a kiss, and left. And then it was Gretchen and me, packing and talking and cracking each other up through the rest of the night. Eventually Mom and Dad went to sleep but didn't seem to mind that Gretchen and I went on through the night and straight on until morning. A group of friends arrived in a Mennonite horse-drawn wagon to carry our things and us to the Conclave shuttle. We started the short journey laughing but got quiet as we came closer to the shuttle. It wasn't a sad silence; it was a silence you have when you've said everything you need to say to another person. Our friends lifted what we were taking with us into the shuttle; there was a lot we were leaving behind, too bulky to take, that we had given to friends. One by one all my friends gave me hugs and farewells, and dropped away, and then there was just Gretchen and me again. â€Å"You want to come with me?† I asked. Gretchen laughed. â€Å"Someone has to take care of Magdy,† she said. â€Å"And Dad. And Roanoke.† â€Å"You always were the organized one,† I said. â€Å"And you were always you,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Someone had to be,† I said. â€Å"And anyone else would have messed it up.† Gretchen gave me another hug. Then she stood back from me. â€Å"No good-byes,† she said. â€Å"You're in my heart. Which means you're not gone.† â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"No good-byes. I love you, Gretchen.† â€Å"I love you too,† Gretchen said. And then she turned and she walked away, and didn't look back, although she did stop to give Babar a hug. He slobbered her thoroughly. And then he came to me, and I led him into the passenger compartment of the shuttle. In time, everyone else came in. John. Jane. Savitri. Hickory. Dickory. My family. I looked out the shuttle window at Roanoke, my world, my home. Our home. But our home no longer. I looked at it and the people in it, some of whom I loved and some of whom I lost. Trying to take it all in, to make it a part of me. To make it a part of my story. My tale. To remember it so I can tell the story of my time here, not straight but true, so that anyone who asked me could feel what I felt about my time, on my world. I sat, and looked, and remembered in the present time. And when I was sure I had it, I kissed the window and drew the shade. The engines on the shuttle came to life. â€Å"Here we go,† Dad said. I smiled and closed my eyes and counted down the seconds until liftoff. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

Conflict Diamond Research Essay

Conflict Diamond Research Essay Free Online Research Papers The war in other countries is plentiful but few, in particular, have had the US dragged into them. One that is causing major conflict within surrounding countries is the wars and civil unrest in Central Africa. The government in some African countries has been overthrown by warlords and rebels in order to gain power and instill fear within African citizens. They fund war acts through the diamond trade. In this, they have slaves and kidnapped workers mine sunup to sundown to find diamonds and minerals that they sell illegally to other countries to fund their terror acts. The diamonds mined are better known as conflict diamonds and are true to name due to the conflict they cause. As many believe with outstanding evidence to support, The United Nations should work together to stop the export of conflict diamonds. Starting off, the background of these notorious rocks should be better explained, â€Å"Conflict, or blood, diamonds are stones that are mined in war zones for the purpose of funding military actions by rebel forcesThe war zones are primarily in Africa.† (Human 1). These diamonds that are illegally funneled into other countries to fund the war are causing major civil unrest throughout all countries in the United Nations in regards to human safety. â€Å"Many miners and diamond diggers travel great distances to find work and submit to grudgingly long hours for low wages – or sometimes no wages The informal mining industry is where workers tend to be most exploitedChild labor has long been a problem in informal diamond mines Children have often been exploited to do excavation work.†(Cahill 2). The glamor of a diamond often has a dark unsettling past. The diamond begins within a natural cave underground until it is found by a miner, often unpaid or a slave worker or kidnapped child forced to work. After it is removed from the ground it is smuggled out of the country illegally with the profits more often than not going back to the warlords to fund their murderous and rebellious habits. The harsh reality many face is where these culprit diamonds end up, possible around your neck or on your hand as a symbol of status or a show of affection from a significant other, †There are numerous factors that contribute to jewelry produced under conditions that violate the human rights of the workers. This jewelry could be called conflict jewelry.†(Hight 3). Conflict jewelry does not meet the UN’s standards, meaning it cannot be legally sold, but this does not deter money hungry warlords who sell on the black market and continue the terrible cycle again and again. The history of blood diamonds is a truly dark one that should not be allowed to continue any longer. Conflict diamonds have done nothing but cause trouble. Money from these illegal diamond sales is often used to finance an insurgency or a warlord in a country of civil unrest that cannot protect itself. â€Å"The Kimberley Process was created in 2003 to stop so-called blood diamonds that fund rebel groups from entering global markets. But a September 2015 Amnesty International report exposed systemic weaknesses in the scheme. Armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR), for example, are profiting from the countrys internal diamond trade.†(Time 2). To explain in greater detail, the Kimberley Process is a mandate put into place by the UN to stop the illegal diamond trades going on and help those affected by it, but the process has loopholes that the rebels and diamond industry abuse to continue to profit of off the countrys downfall. Opposing sides argue with this in order to better protect themselves and their economic interest, â€Å"We can be really proud that the Kim berley Process helped to address rebel abuses KP participants exported almost $10 billion dollars worth of rough diamonds. And the Kimberley process has played a role in promoting economic growth and stability.†(Remark 6). This is a statement made by Assistant Secretary Posner on the work of the KP who is paid by the Kimberley process to say that it is not failing and should continue to be funded, Despite evidence exposing the clear need for change, the diamond industry reacted defensively to our report and ignored the issues we raised. They continue to hide behind the veneer of respectability offered by the Kimberley Process rather than taking responsibility for what happens along their supply chains.(Time 4). Evidence shows that the Kimberley Process does not work in the way that was originally desired. Many diamond companies are still hiding within the loopholes and behind the African governments claim of humane and clean diamond trades with money going back to the people a nd the country, which is known not to be true: The conflict diamonds funds all go to warlords and rebels with the loopholes within the KP and the African Government. If someone gets kidnapped from their family or taken by gangs of violent people in the US many police forces and military members become involved to return this person to safety and take down whoever committed the said crime, but in other parts of the world such as central Africa, these crimes occur so often, they rarely go noticed. Rebel groups against the government take over small countries and use their citizens as forced workers and slaves, one use for them is in the diamond mines. These groups violate many human rights laws and racked up a laundry list of offenses against the African government, its citizens, and the UN. â€Å"Diamond companies must stop using the Kimberley Process to claim that their diamonds are free from human rights abuses and conflict,† Amnesty International said as the certification scheme holds its annual plenary in Luanda, Angola. â€Å"The Central African Republics (CAR) biggest traders have purchased diamonds worth several million dollars with out adequately investigating whether they financed armed groups responsible for summary executions, rape, enforced disappearances, and widespread looting.†(Time 5). The CARs chain of command is currently corrupt and being overtaken by rebels and warlords. Some of the countries are being exposed for child labor, tax abuse, human rights violations, and many other illegal acts that create profits for the rebels in charge. The UN has tried to blacklist many countries from exporting diamonds with no prevail. But some claim there is no abuse within the system and work is voluntary, â€Å"Informal mining settlements like Angovia have been unexpectedly popping up in recent years across the West African country. For many years Ivory Coasts economic fortunes were tied to agriculture†¦ the government reckons there are now some 500,000 small-scale gold minersThe number of artisanal miners in Africa has grown from about 10m in 1999 to perhaps 30m today.†(Jobs 3). There are many self-employed miners working to keep afloat but this is a small number compared to the slave workers in all of Africa. â€Å"In 2003, the UN imposed sanctions on Ivory Coast, forcing the country to stop trading diamonds. The sanctions were put in place because the risk of conflict diamonds entering the regular circuit would have been too great otherwise,(Ivory 2). says Margaux Donckier, spokeswoman for the AWDC. Ivory Coast has been abused before whos to say it won’t happen once again. The diamond trade is brimming with abuse and human rights issues that many have ignored for far too long. With conflict, diamonds comes to their namesake, conflict. These diamonds are more often than not a huge cause for government collapse, civil unrest, traitorous acts, and war. With all of this happening it makes it almost too easy for government opposed warlords to come in and take over countries with force. When this happens they sell out all mined resources to outside countries to fund the acts. Many countries and companies hide these minerals and their dark pasts to keep from the populations finding out they are privately funding wars and government overtaking. â€Å"CARs diamond companies could soon start exporting diamonds stockpiled during the ongoing conflict in which 5,000 have died. An export ban in place since May 2013 has been lifted by the Kimberley Process, which is responsible for preventing the international trade in blood diamonds. If companies have bought blood diamonds, they must not be allowed to profit from them, said Lucy Graham, Legal Adviser in Amnesty Interna tionals Business and Human Rights Team. The government should confiscate any blood diamonds, sell them and use the money for the public benefit. The people of CAR have a right to profit from their own natural resources.(Companies 3). The Central African Republic recently went through and is still in conflict with surrounding areas regarding the diamonds mined in the area. As a result of this conflict 5,000 were killed in the crossfire. Lucy Graham believes the UN should confiscate any blood diamonds and sell them for public benefit to rebuild the areas affected hardest by the diamond trades awful consequences. Yet some countries have been allowed to profit off of their â€Å"legal† diamonds, †Experts believe Ivory Coast has the potential to produce 150 to 200,000 carats of rough diamonds annually in the years ahead, representing a value of $25 million.†(Ivory 3). Ivory Coast was once a big country involved in the selling of ill-gotten minerals. After being ripped apart and rebuilt they may now continue this work above all the red tape that once struck them into economic debt. It is said that Ivory Coast has the earning potential of 25 million and that is set to grow, but what is unknown is if they may exploit their earning once again and ignore all the laws in effect once the hubble dies down and it can be easily overlooked by the UN. â€Å"The diamond-trading ban was imposed by the Kimberley Process, a global gem-verification group formed to halt the outflow of precious stones from conflict zones With the earnings from conflict diamonds, the militias buy weapons, pay soldiers, enrich rebel leaders and keep ordinary citizens in fear, in refugee camps, or separated from their families.†(Vives 4). As suspected, the Central African Republic is continuing the illegal trade of blood diamonds for war profits. At the beginning of 2013 the government was overthrown by militias and rebels. With this new power, they began profiting off of illeg al diamond trades. The revenue created by the diamond smuggling funded the rebellion and struck fear into neighboring citizens who were also made into working slaves. With this evidence, it is shown to be true that many companies are profiting off of the diamonds from war zones and the conflict from them is continuing to rise. The pain and suffering generated by the tyranny of blood diamonds have lead to government overthrow, casualties from war crossfire, and countries being thrown into a whirlwind of abuse and fear. African rebels begin by overtaking governments and enslaving people within their mines to create profit and revenue for their terror acts. The United Nations need to work together to put an end to the illegal trade of conflict diamonds once and for all. Cahill, Petra. â€Å"A Diamond’s Journey: Grim Reality Tarnishes Glitter.† Nbcnews.com, 29 June 2009, www.nbcnews.com/id/15842524/ns/world_news/t/diamonds-journey-grim-reality-tarnishes-glitter/#.WQJaJIgrKJc. Accessed 27 Apr. 2017. â€Å"Companies must Not Profit from Blood Diamonds.† AllAfrica.com, Sep, 2015, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com. Hight, Lauren. â€Å"The Fight for Ethical Jewelry.† University Wire, 2014, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com. â€Å"Ivory Coast Resuming Diamond Trade Thanks to Belgium.† African Press Organisation Database of Press Releases Related to Africa, 2014, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com. â€Å"Jobs in Africa; in Praise of Small Miners.† Economist, May, 2016, pp. 45, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com. â€Å"Remarks by Assistant Secretary Posner to the Kimberley Process..† Humanrights.gov, 2012, SIRS Government Reporter,https://sks.sirs.com. Staff, ProQuest. Human Rights Timeline. Leading Issues Timelines, 2017, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com. â€Å"Time for Diamond Companies to Stop Hiding Behind Kimberley Process.† Targeted News Service, 2015, pp. n/a, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.Copy Vives, Lisa. â€Å"Smugglers Peddle ‘Conflict Diamonds’ from Central African Republic..†SIRS Issues Researcher, 24 Mar, 2015,https://sks.sirs.com. Research Papers on Conflict Diamond Research EssayLove & DivorceCombating Human TraffickingPoverty, Violence and Conflict - How are they Related?Alternative Dispute Resolution ClauseConflict Resolution TacticsBarack Obama's 2007 Border Protection PaperQuebec and CanadaAmnesty For Illegal Immigrants - Yes or No?Advertising EssayResponsible for Occupational Health Essay

Vietnamese Culture essays

Vietnamese Culture essays Thesis Statement: The Vietnamese culture, a rich heritage on many different levels. Through exploring its religion, population, language, education, government, art and economics, an appreciation can be developed for the important contributions Vietnamese people make in American society. The early inhabitants of the area were Negritos. Some 4,000 years ago Austronesian (Indonesian) migrants from the north were moving into the area that is now North Vietnam. Later, Austro-Asiatic (Mon-Klimer and Maylayo-Polynesian) peoples arrived. Then, about 2500 years ago Viet (Yueh) and Tai peoples moved down from southern China. Out of this mixture of genes, languages, and cultures arose Van Lang, considered to have been the first Vietnamese Kingdom. In mid-third century B.C Van Lang was over run by and incorporated into another state to the north, forming the kingdom of Au Lac. Then Au Lac was incorporated into an even larger and more powerful state: Nam Viet. (Levison 284) Historically speaking, Vietnam (officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as of 1992) has struggled for independence for at least two thousand years, primarily from China. There have been brief periods when the country has itself played the role of conqueror, but for the most part Vietnam has been a subject of conquest by French and Japanese Imperialists during the 1800s and 1900s and most recently by the United State during the Vietnam War (1959-75). But it has been communist China who shares its northern border with Vietnam that has had the greatest impact on Vietnam, an influence that is more than obvious in terms of philosophy, art, dress, politics, and most of all religion. As in China, the most widely practiced religion is Buddhism of the Mahyana (Mahyana means greater vehicle). Although its popularity is not as great as the form of Buddhism that is practiced in those parts of Burma, about two thirds of all Vietnamese are practicing Budd...

Sociology written assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology written assignment - Essay Example People often said that Josie had a bad reputation. Personally, I found Josie to be a nice person. I was in many of her classes and would often have conversations. I thought she was an interesting and curious person. She never made fun of me and always seemed to generally be respectful. However, other people felt that she had a bad reputation. They didn't know her well, but that was their superficial impression. They heard rumours about her which often were not true. Her reputation, which spread quickly in the school, seemed to precede her wherever she want. She became a character that people would talk about even though they didn't actually know her in person. People who had never had a conversation felt that they knew everything about her. They felt they were in a position to judge her because there was a kind of story being told by everyone about her. In a sense her reputation made her a public commodity. It is clear from the research that bad reputations are created when people de viate from social norms. In Josie's case it was clear that a lot of her behaviour set her apart from the other students in the school. She experimented with alcohol before other students and had friends who were a fair amount older. She also took part in a number of disturbance, further marking her out from the social group.

Allstate Insurance Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Allstate Insurance Company - Case Study Example Table of Contents Abstract 2 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0Evaluation of Allstate's Goal-Setting Process 4 3.0Dimensions of an Effective Goal Setting Program of Allstate 6 4.0High-Performance Reward System of Allstate to Motivate Its Employees to Reach Its Diversity Goals 7 5.0Conclusion 9 6.0References 10 1.0 Introduction Allstate Insurance Company in order to improve the performance of the employees developed diversity strategy. This strategy was considered to be effective weapon for gaining competitive advantage. The company for achieving its goal has adopted various processes. The entire goal of the company was based on the performance standard of the employees. In this paper, the goal setting process of Allstate Insurance Company has been evaluated by considering the model of goal setting. The paper seeks to explain whether the company has fulfilled the dimension of goal setting. The paper includes the recommendations related to the high performance reward system that Allstate Insurance Company can implement for achieving its goals. 2.0 Evaluation of Allstate's Goal-Setting Process To improve the performance and to reach the goals, the insurance company thought of developing a goal-setting process. The diversity strategy of the company will enable it to reach the specific goals. The definite goal of the company facilitated to improve performance and increase motivation level of the employees. The goal setting model is required to be developed by a company otherwise the entire goals as well as objectives will suffer. The appropriate model facilitates a company to reach its ultimate planned targets (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007). Goal Setting Process The company in order to enhance the performance level is required to follow three processes of goal setting model. The first step is challenging goal developed by the company. The company took a challenge to improve the performance and adopted diversity strategy. The strategy was developed by considering two major aspects of internal as well as external focus. The internal challenge is to develop the potential of employees by providing them with tools, opportunities and resources. The external challenge is to relate the employees with the experience and background of the market where the company was operating. This challenge had to be faced by the company in its daily operations (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007). The second process is that of moderating. This step would recognize the ability of the company to meet its goals that have been committed. In this process the company received feedback from the employees regarding the improvement process that has to be implemented. The company generally focused towards the committed goals in this process and thus for goal achievement, various complexities have been raised. The next process involves mediating; at this point the company moved on a specific direction and gave utmost efforts with strong determination to reach the strategy that has been set. With such positive attitude the company gained positive performances from the employees (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007). The company provided rewards to the employees owing to their effective performance which resulted in increase in satisfaction level of the employees. The ultimate result of all these processes was the achievement of the company in fulfilling its challenging goals (Hellriegel & Sl