Scholarly vs Pop Media Focus on Sexuality Essay Example for Free

Scholarly vs Pop Media Focus on Sexuality Essay Abortion is the termination of human pregnancy. According to Greenberg, Bruess Conklin there are two types of abortion, Spontaneous abortions, and induced abortion. The natural termination of a pregnancy is called spontaneous abortion or usually called miscarriages, and it occurs when the fetus stop developing and its expulse from the utero. Abortions requiring intervention to end the pregnancy are technically called Induce Abortion. Induce abortion has various methods including Vacuum aspiration, manual vacuum aspiration, medical abortion, or dilation and evacuation. Vacuum aspiration is the most common abortion in the United States, and is a â€Å"surgical procedure that uses a suction tube to evacuate the contents of the uterus, which can be used through the first weeks and the second trimester† (Greenberg, Bruess Conklin, 2010). The manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is a variation of vacuum aspiration that can be used from the detection of pregnancy up to 12 weeks since the last menstrual period. (Greenberg, Bruess Conklin, 2010). The medical abortion is the used of drug to provoke the abortion. Dilation and evacuation occurs during the second trimester of pregnancy. This type of induces abortion â€Å"involves dilating the cervix, scraping the wall of the uterus and removing the endometrial lining with suction† (Greenberg, Bruess Conklin, 2010). â€Å"Should Parental Involvement Be Required for Minors Abortions? † by Hyman Rodman. In 1973, the U. S Supreme Court gave constitutional authorization to women’s’ right to abortion after Roe vs. Wade case. â€Å"The basis for the Courts decision was a womans right to privacy: This right of privacy, whether it be founded in the Fourteenth Amendments concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action, as we feel it is, or, as the District Court determined, in the Ninth Amendments reservation of rights to the people, is broad enough to encompass a womans decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy (Rodman, 1991). One of the major restriction were debate in the U. S.  Supreme Court regarding the women right to an abortion was whether to required parental involvement for minors’ abortions. There are many reason of why parental involvement should not be legally necessary. Since abortion right to women was pass in 1973, many attempts have been made to end the right to abortion, to make abortion illegal, eliminate Medicaid funds to pay for abortions, all attempts have failed because â€Å"district courts ruled them unsontitutional and as these decisions were upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court Roadman 1991) The debates of abortion still a controversial in two levels, state and national. At the state level legislatures are trying to enact or restrict abortions for reasons of sex selection, with the exception of saving the mother’s life, prohibiting abortions after certain stage of the fetus, the used of Medicaid or federal funds to pay abortion, but the most controversial questions has to do with underage abortions, and particularly with whether to pass laws for underage permission or parental consent to have an abortion. The Court declared a minors right to an abortion, but it change from state to state. The states decision on parental consent or involvement in minors’ abortion is a difficult task for the state because of the state courts have to balance the constitutional right of parental and minor’s rights. The States may or not require the involvement or consent of one or both parents. If the minor does not want to have her parents’ involvement the minor can evade by going to the court. There are many reasons of why parent should and should not be involve in minors decision on having an abortion. Rodman state that â€Å"There is a pro-life argument that parental involvement will help teens to make a better and more informed decision about an unwanted pregnancy, and that this will improve the health of teenagers† (rodman, 1991) There are three reasons of why parents should not be involve in minors decision on having an abortion that Rodman present in this article, the first one is voluntary involvement, there is evidence that good parent-child communication about sexual matters leads to more responsible sexual behavior by adolescents. But when communication is forced it is more likely to be hostile and non supportive. The second reason is because â€Å"Bureaucratic Excess† when the minor avoid parental involvement with judicial bypass. â€Å"Judicial bypass involves establishing court procedures so that minors can exercise their right of privacy if they want to obtain an abortion without parental consent or notification† (Rodman, 1991). And the third reason is â€Å"uniqueness of that decision indeed a unique status applies to reproductive health decisions generally, because the courts have recognized that reproductive health decisions are unique in their urgency, importance, and sensitivity† (Rodman, 1991). Rodman state that If legislators and policymakers would acknowledge that, they would abandon their efforts to require parental involvement in abortion decisions and devote much greater attention to providing support for basic programs in education and public welfare that would reduce poverty, increase opportunities, enhance parent-child communication, and eliminate many of the unintended pregnancies that create a demand for minors abortions â€Å"Parental Involvement Laws and their effect on Abortion-Minded † by Robert Schwarzwalder. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of abortion has decreased since 1990 by 20% and it’s due to the parental involvement laws. Michael News 2008 Family Research Council study found that parental involvement laws within the various states have had a positive effect in reducing the amount of abortions in underage population. The Supreme Court allowed the states to create laws for minors to gain parental notification or consent to have abortions. But the Supreme Court required that the states to have Parental Involvement laws must have a judicial. By 2008, 36 states had adopted Parental Involvement law with a positive results, the results are that the among of abortion in minors (between 1985-1999) have drop by almost 50 % in contract of the states that parental Involvement is not required, the rate of abortion in minors drop only by 13. 4%. Also, laws that require both parents involvement reduces the in-state abortion rate of minors by about 31%† (Schwarzwalder, 2008) This study support that the states that support and enact the parental involvement law or required parental consent has an effect in the number of abortion by minors. And the effect is a positive, the decline of abortion of minors. Both parents involvement reduce the minors’ abortion rate even more. Schwarzwalder’s finding suggests that state and federal legislation to â€Å"mandates parental involvement in abortions for minors causes an ov erall decline in the abortion rate among minors. Both articles: â€Å"Should Parental Involvement Be Required for Minors Abortions? † by Hyman Rodman and â€Å"Parental Involvement Laws and their effect on Abortion-Minded † by Robert Schwarzwalder refer to the ROE vs WAVE case outcome in 1973, the women right to abortion. Rodman and Schwarzwalder explain in their article the bypass and it procedures, and both authors talk about the remarkable influence of parental involvement in minors during the decision of abortion. Rodman explained why parents should or should not be part of minors’ decision toward abortion. Rodman and Schwarzwalder agree that when parents are involve in their children (minors) sexual health the outcomes positive, Rodman said that â€Å"parental involvement will help teens to make a better and more informed decision about an unwanted pregnancy, and that this will improve the health of teenagers† (Rodman, 1991) and Schwarzwalder the declined of abortion in minors. Rodman explains why parents should or should be part of minors’ rights in abortion, he does not take a side or either should parents be involved or not. Rodman conclusion in his article is that the â€Å"legislators and policymakers should focus on provide support for basic programs in education and public welfare that would reduce poverty, increase opportunities, enhance parent-child communication, and eliminate many of the unintended pregnancies that create a demand for minors abortions† (Rodman, 1991) instead of deciding either parents involvement in abortion in underage. Schwarzwalder conclude his article by stated that parental consent reduce the number of minors’ abortion rate compare to the states that do not required parental consent or knowledge. In contrast to Rodman, Schwarzwalder just give the outcome of parental involvement in minors abortion but he fail to give detail and the reason of why and how parental involvement help to the positive outcome on decreasing the number of abortion. Even thou the two articles were good source of information for my research, I find out that the best source of information was the peer review because peer review is the evaluation of work by other people in the same field in order to maintain or improve the quality of the work in the same field. A primary difference between peer review and popular media is that the peer review has to be approving by recognized researcher in the field, read and evaluated before the article is submitted for publication. Peer review will be published (approved) send it backs to author to be revised or rejected if it does not meet the discipline’s standards of expertise. In peer review journal the author are in general Experts (scholar, professor etc. ), notes usually includes reference a notes or bibliographic. The language used in the article is written for exerts using technical language in the field. The audience is scholars or researcher in the field, and the frequency is usually monthly or quarterly. While the popular media the author are usually journalist, nonprofessional or layperson. The article has few or NO notes at all; the writing is for nonprofessional or layperson, and frequency is weekly or monthly. But the most important difference is that the review, while peer review journal is review by peer scholar not employed by the journal, the popular media article is review by one or more editors employed by the magazine.

Comparing Death in The Jilting of Granny Weatherall and A Worn Path Ess

Comparing Death in The Jilting of Granny Weatherall and A Worn Path Death is not something to be feared, but faced with awe. Although, by nature, aging and death are merely facts of life; a loss of hope, the frustration of all aspirations, a leap into a great darkness, and the feelings of fear and anguish. Phoneix Jackson of Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" and Granny of Katherine Anne Porter's "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" face these inevitable signs of aging and death. Phoenix Jackson, an old Negro lady, haltingly struggles with her age while walking through the woods and fields on her way to town. "Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far." Phoenix Jackson walks a worn path and overcomes obstacles and adversity to reach her goal. "She carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella, and with this she kept tapping the frozen earth in front of her." The fact that she kept persistently tapping the earth in front of her could only indicate that she was visually impaired. She may not have been completely blind, but she had to have been substantially impaired ...

Hurricanes Essay -- essays research papers

Hurricanes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A natural hazard is when extreme events which cause great loss of life and or property and create severe disruption to human lives, such as a hurricane. Editor Philip Whitefield brings up an important point in ‘ Our Mysterious Planet’ when he comments; ‘At a time when we know how to aim a space probe directly at Mars and trigger the gigantic forces of nuclear power, we are still at the mercy of hurricanes and volcanoes.’ It seems peculiar how we can be at such an advanced stage technologically yet we are unable to completely stop a natural hazard from causing loss of life and damage to existing constructed resources and infrastructures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hurricane Gilbert, September 1998 was described by meteorologists at the US National Center in Miami, as the most intense western-hemisphere tropical cyclone on record. Large areas of Jamaica were devastated and the country’s Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, pronounce it the worst natural disaster ever to strike his country. Greatest loss of life however, occurred in Mexico where Gilbert hit twice, first of all traversing the Yucatan Peninsula and two days later making landfall some 150 km south of the border with the USA, finally dissipating near the city of Monterrey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During its most intense phase at the western end of the Caribbean Sea, Gilbert was estimated to have central pressure of 885mbar, and maximum sustained winds in its circulation over 150kt (knots) with highest gusts in excess of 175 kt. The central pressure outrivalled the 899 mbar of the Florida Keys hurricane of 1935. Gilbert, at that stage an un-named tropical depression with maximum sustained winds around 30kt, was first spotted on Thursday 8 September some 300km east of Barbados. It brushed past Barbados and St Lucia the following day with limited wind-damage and some flooding, and was upgraded to ‘tropical storm’ status (means winds 34kt or more).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gathering strength over the warm waters of the eastern Caribbean, Gilbert achieved ‘hurricane’ status (means winds 64kt or more) , with gale force winds brushing the south coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The island was swept by the full force of the storm , first from the north and then from the south, Central pressure at this stage was estimated at 960mbar, wi... ...ive in the paths of approaching storms. Development policies that diversify the economy so that the poor do not need to live near flood prone land for a livelihood should be encouraged. Similarly, primary healthcare must be implemented so that the population is more resistant to disease in the aftermath of disaster.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Communications infrastructure should be improved to enable more rapid evacuations. The science of prediction must be continually developed by investing in appropriate technology and research. Again, this would only be possible in more economically developed countries as only they have the necessary funding. Perhaps it would be a good idea to increase the access of the poor to low interest loans to increase their recovery prospects after a disaster. It is clear that at the moment total prevention is virtually impossible. While in EMDC’s hazards may be just an inconvenience (even if it is a very expensive one), whilst it is still a matter of life or death in the developing world. Referring back to Philip Whitfields remark at the beginning, it seems man still remains virtually powerless against nature ,even as we approach the millennium.

General Mills Motivational Profile

General Mills has been making food products for 150 years and is the 6th largest food producer in the world. Consumers recognize General Mills as the makers of Gold Medal flour, Cheerios cereal, and Betty Crocker cake mixes. But General Mills also produces Progresso soups and even the organic lines, Muir Glen and Cascadian Farms. Internationally, General Mills provides other products to 130 countries. Employees recognize General Mills as a positive place to work because of the company’s commitment to a strong ethic of service, achievement, and integrity. General Mills encourages its employees to volunteer and gives five percent of every pre-tax dollar to charitable organizations. While taking care of communities, General Mills also takes care of its employees with benefits ranging from corporate childcare to a generous vacation package and flexible hours. Because employees feel valued and inspired, General Mills enjoys a very low rate of employee turnover. For more than 100 years, General Mills has been dedicated to enriching people’s lives. General Mills stands by its commitment to championship brands, championship people, championship innovation, and championship performance. The company develops superior products designed to make consumers’ lives â€Å"easier, healthier, and more fun,† (General Mills, Values, n. d. ) General Mills endorses a philosophy of community action, corporate social responsibility, and integrity. Since 2000, the company has donated five percent of its pre-tax profits to charitable organizations. In 2009, General Mills gave more than $90. million dollars to support education, food banks, and overseas development. For example, through General Mill’s ‘African Women and Children’s Hunger Project, experts share food growing technologies with villagers in Africa. 15,000 villagers now have access to grain processing equipment and 20,000 villagers have improved access to water for crop irrigation. General Mills’ culture of philanthropy extends to its employees. Over 82% of the company’s volunteers report volunteering to their organization of choice or one supported by General Mills. Additionally, General Mills encourages charitable contributions by matching employees’ donations, dollar for dollar, to nonprofit groups. They have given millions of dollars to support education, food banks, and the arts. In 2009, Forbes magazine ranked General Mills as the 4th most respected company in the United States and the 11th most respected company in the world. General Mills uses innovative strategies worldwide to reduce its environmental footprint, starting with its product packaging. The paperboard used for General Mills’ cereal is made from 100 % recycled paper, and has been for decades. The company is working toward reducing energy use by 15% and greenhouse emissions by 20% in the next year. General Mills has also set tough goals for creating healthier food products. Almost every product line is undergoing research and redevelopment to produce products that include more whole grains and less salt and sugar. General Mills believes in conducting business with integrity. The code of conduct report outlines the company’s belief in maintaining the highest standards of quality in relationships, products, and conduct. The report states that the company will treat people fairly, keep its promises, and maintain the trust of consumers and investors. General Mills requires employee adherence to careful management of finances and assets, compliance with all local, national, and international laws, and the avoidance of conflicts of interest. General Mills has 30,000 employees worldwide and is the 6th largest food company in the world. With operations in over thirty countries, General Mills values a diverse workforce and has a strict no-discrimination policy. The company seeks talented, bright employees from many backgrounds. Additionally, General Mills places value on creating community partnerships throughout the world. Through respectful communication and an appreciation for different customs and cultural practices, the company has forged positive business and community relationships worldwide. General Mills is publicly held and includes a board, stockholders, and managers. The Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Kendall J. Powell joined the company in 1979 as a marketing assistant. Over the years, he took on increasingly responsible positions and is an example of the company’s commitment to developing its employees. Additional employees come from a variety of backgrounds, including marketing, health and nutrition, finance, production, research, and communications. General Mills ranked 155 on the Fortune 500 list of the best companies to work for and holds position 90 on Fortunes 1000 best companies to work for in 2010. This is up nine positions from 2009. The average annual pay in the most common professional job is approx $46,200. Not only is General Mills recognized by respected financial reporting businesses such as Fortune, but is highly regarded as a great place to work by its employees. One fact that supports the idea that General Mills is a great place to work is the company is named on Fortunes â€Å"Top Company: Low Turnover† list that includes companies with a 3% voluntary leave during the past 12-month period. With such a low turnover rate, the first question that comes to mind is â€Å"What makes this company so great? † One important factor may be that the company has several attractive family-friendly benefits. Recently the infant-care center at headquarters was expanded by 43 percent, and the company subsidizes 25 percent of infant care costs. This fact alone would certainly make this company an attractive choice to many family oriented workers. General Mills employs approximately 17,000 workers in the United States. General Mills reports that â€Å"employees who lead healthy, fulfilling lives are more likely to make a strong contribution in the work place. † There are a multitude of factors that support this believe and contribute to the low turnover rate recognized and reported in Fortune. Some of the supporting factors include: generous vacation time, paid holiday, and summer hour benefits. For example, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, headquarter employees are offered an option to work longer days Monday through Thursday and work a half day on Friday. Flexible work schedules and telecommuting when business conditions allow are available. The company also offers paid leave for new fathers and parents who are adopting children. General Mills has received many corporate recognition awards. A few notable recognitions include: Fortune’s â€Å"America’s Most Admired Companies† and â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work for. † General Mills has also received recognition by Working Mother magazine as â€Å"Best Companies for Woman of Color,† Business Week â€Å"America’s Top Givers† and Business Ethics â€Å"100 Best Corporate Citizens. † Another important note is General Mill’s commitment to diversity may also play a major role in retaining employees for a longer period. General Mills published that they see diversity as a strategy rather than a policy. The company believes that his strategy gives them a global advantage as well as a competitive advantage when drafting and marketing products. Their commitment to this strategy is supported by the fact that they aggressively seek minority suppliers to provide the services that make their products possible. As part of this focus, they set minority business entrepreneur purchasing goals. They also develop relationships with national minority organizations and build employee support and development. With this in mind, I think it is clear that this company strives to stay focused on people. They understand reinforcing values that are important to people through happy employees, good brands, innovation and performance, will result in long term commitments from their employees and long term profits from their customers. On May 16, 2007, before the Joint Economic Committee, Scott A. Weisberg, Vice President, Compensation, Benefits, and Staffing for General Mills Incorporated stated, â€Å"we strive to be a â€Å"cradle-to-grave† employer, which means we hire many of our employees at the entry level and hope they spend their entire career with General Mills. We believe this continuity translates into performance and a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Our benefits package reflects this core philosophy – our benefits are imbued with incentives to encourage people to stay. Our defined benefit pension program is one of our principal vehicles to reinforce employee retention. † This is the philosophy that drives General Mills motivational strategies, which have resulted in an employee retention rate doubled that of their competitors. Their recruiting approach is to attract top candidates with the intention of keeping them for their entire working tenure to draw on their expertise as they evolve into mentors (Ziegler, 2009). General Mills acknowledges the success of the company is strongly connected to their employees. For these reasons, General Mills is one of the top companies to work for. When employees leave, especially long time employees, a significant loss of knowledge and experience leaves with them. The cost to search for and train new people is substantial. According to Kelly Baker, vice president of Corporate Diversity for General Mills, â€Å"to attract and retain and keep those people very, very focused and productive we need to offer a place where they want to be (WCCO, 2008). † General Mills achieves this by offering some of the most comprehensive benefit and incentive programs in the country. According to one employee, it was the benefits and incentives that attracted them to the company and has definitely keep them there (WCCO, 2008). Another employee commented about being more productive because of the on-site conveniences and concierge service (WCCO, 2008). The benefits and incentives offered by General Mills create a workplace that motivates employees intrinsically and extrinsically. These benefits and incentives are designed to help employees achieve a balance between work and home life. The motivational techniques applied by General Mills gives the company the ability to create a flexible, inclusive, and challenging workplace, which in turn drives productivity and innovation. If General Mills has one area in which they can improve, it would be how long employees have to wait for promotions. Low voluntary turnover is a double edged sword. The benefit of retaining employees is the knowledge base, work experience, reduced recruiting and training costs. The consequence is promotions are harder to come by because employees stay in the workforce longer. The risk to General Mills, they may see more voluntary turnover as younger workers decide to move on to companies in which the chance for promotion is more attainable. One approach General Mills could take is asking employees if there is a particular area of the company they are interested in learning. For example, a person in human resources may be interested in learning about strategic planning. The human resources employee is matched to a mentor in the strategic planning department and begins training. Now the human resources employee has the opportunity to promote in either department. As General Mills continues to grow and expand internationally, their strong vision of community partnerships and service will help them adapt to economic and cultural changes. General Mills will continue to provide high quality foods to consumers while fostering a work environment that elicits high performance from every employee.ReferencesGeneral Mills Corporate Website (2010) Careers. Why work at General Mills. A great place to work. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/careers/basic_benefits.aspx General Mills (n.d.) General Mills Social Responsibility. Retrieved May 7, 2010 from http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/commitment/2010_CSR.pdf WCCO. (2008, May 29). Go inside 1 of the best places to work. Retrieved from http://wcco.com/business/best.work.places.2.736220.html Weisberg, S. (2007, May 16). Testimony to the joint economic committee. The economic impact of elder care. The employer perspective. Retrieved from http://jec.senate.gov/archive/Hearings/05.16.07%20Elder%20Care/Testimony%20-%20Weisberg.pdf Ziegler, S. (2009, May 21). General Mills is a place employees come to say. Star Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.startribune.com/business/44610022.html

INFORMATION NETWORKING AS TECHNOLOGY TOOLS, USES, AND SOCIO-TECHNICAL INTERACTIONS essayEssay Writing Service

INFORMATION NETWORKING AS TECHNOLOGY TOOLS, USES, AND SOCIO-TECHNICAL INTERACTIONS essayEssay Writing Service INFORMATION NETWORKING AS TECHNOLOGY: TOOLS, USES, AND SOCIO-TECHNICAL INTERACTIONS essay INFORMATION NETWORKING AS TECHNOLOGY: TOOLS, USES, AND SOCIO-TECHNICAL INTERACTIONS essayInformation overload is a commonly discussed topic nowadays. The new means of communication, increasing data flows from electronic sources, radio, TV, banners and other media channels require greater attention and effort from modern people. At the same time, the history of the humanity shows that since early ages the advancements in information storage, information processing and sharing led to the increase of information flows in the society, so information overload might not be a new concept for the mankind. In any way, the efficiency of human beings and organizations during the transition from printed to electronic media remains an important concern. The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether organizations are more likely to find better solutions to the existing information overload through changes to their technical systems, their social systems or the changes of both systems. History o f information management According to Blair (2010), the complaint about information overload was common in different cultures and in different ages: when printing was invented, people were complaining about too many books, and with the advent of electronic media these complaints simply changed their target. Along with the evolution of data storage techniques, the methods of data sorting, categorizing, selecting and summarizing also evolved.At the same time, although the tendency towards the increase of information flows emerged many centuries ago, there is evidence that the exponential growth of information which is witnessed nowadays has particularly negative consequences for human cognition. According to Wardrop (2009), modern people receive about 23 words per second, and such intensive flow of information has a detrimental effect on brain functioning. People tend to disconnect from ach other and their attention spans become shorter. Hence, human brain devotes less time to the pro cesses of connecting information, integrating it into knowledge and converting these findings into deeper thoughts, beliefs and world outlook. Information and knowledgeInformation processing by the human beings takes place in several stages. Most commonly, researchers outline the following states: data, information, knowledge, understanding and wisdom (Bellinger, Castro Mills, 2004). Each of these layers builds up on the previous layer, so it is not possible to reach the next layer without mastering the previous ones. Data pertains to some messages encoded in symbolic form; information denotes that data that were processed by a human being and which are associated with some particular facts or meanings. The next step, knowledge, takes place when the information is applied and the person working with the information can answer relevant questions starting with how (Bellinger, Castro Mills, 2004). Furthermore, understanding is associated with a deeper level of data processing when th e person can answer the question why, and wisdom denotes the understanding evaluated in the context of ones integral world outlook.The core issue with the information overload that is taking place nowadays is that the boundaries between information and knowledge are being blurred, and that due to extended time required for converting data into information and information into knowledge, there is no time to more to the next levels of information processing. These trends are especially visible in the social networks, Twitter conversations and other modern means of information exchange (Green, 2010). Socio-technical approachThe volumes of information consumption are increasing in geometric progression: for example, the volume of words consumed by the people in the U.S. has more than doubled between 1980 and 2008 (and this statistic does not include in-person conversations) (Wardrop, 2009). Evidently, human brains need to adapt to the changing consequences, and human beings currently ex perience difficulties between the existing channels of information processing and the requirements of the new environment. In order to stay efficient, human beings should either alter brain mechanisms responsible for information processing, or improve technical means of retrieving and filtering information, or combine both approaches. The same relates to organizations: in order to survive in the modern environment, organizations should enhance their means of information processing, both technical and social, and enhance the alignment between these two approaches.The research of Kwan (2011) shows that the performance of software companies depends both on the technical and social components, and that companies with efficient technical tools still experience failures, primarily due to the human component and the lack of social interaction between team members. The main thesis of this paper is the following: organizations need to improve technical means helping people to manage, access and retrieve the relevant data upon request, and at the same time should enhance the social interactions between the people in the organization. Counter-argumentsAccording to Ott (2010), the term information overload is too much hyped, and in reality there is no such thing as information overload. Instead, according to Ott (2010), there is the lack of proper information filters and there are people who therefore allow excess information to overwhelm them. The major constraint in this case is time constraint. Ott (2010) states that it is possible to overcome the challenges of information filtering by introducing new techniques and methods enabling people to cope with the existing data flows, just like catalogs and book reviews helped people to cope with the increase of information flows after the advent of printing.However, Ott misses one important thing: the intensity of data flows in the modern world also requires faster and more efficient reactions, and there emerge situations wh en people or organizations have to deal with unexpected data flows (or technical means of coping with data flows produce errors). In order to be comfortable in this world, human beings and organizations have to reconsider their social reactions to the rapidly changing environment and combine their new reactions and perceptions with the advanced technical means of data filtering and selecting. The use of pure technical means for addressing the challenge of information overload is insufficient because in this case people will be less integrated into the society and more isolated from others due to technology.ConclusionThe volumes of information that people have to face nowadays are impressive: during the next 4 years the humanity is expected to generate more data that it has accumulated during all previous world history. This means that people should invent more efficient and more intelligent technical tools for information processing, retrieval and management that are aware of the co ntext and can assist people handle data overload (Fischer, 2012).At the same time, improvement of technical tools only does not guarantee success, as it is shown by Kwan (2011). Therefore, in order to handle information overload, organizations should make sure that they are using efficient technical tools, optimize social interaction between its members and align the use of technical and social interactions into an integral system.

Online education at Longwood University Essays

Online education at Longwood University Essays Online education at Longwood University Essay Online education at Longwood University Essay The public school Longwood University is offering an online education programs and the deadline for applying is rolling. The program represents an online business graduate program. All of the enrolled students are already employed and applied for this course only for getting higher education. Just as any other school that offers online studying and education, Longwood University has all of the online classes recorded and archived for further use. This online business program founded by Longwood University is accredited by the gold standards of business school accreditations – the Association of Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Longwood University founded this online business graduate program in 2010-2011. The total number of enrolled students is 16. The tuition for this program is different for in-state students and out-of-state students. For in-state students the tuition is $289 and for out-of-state students, the tuition is $799. The deadline for applying is rolling, the admissions website is www.longwood.edu and the e-mail is [emailprotected] The rankings for Longwood University’s online program are the following: rank 5 and score 95 for training and faculty credentials, rank 215 and score 16 for technology and student services, rank 31 and score 85 for student engagement and rank 16 and score 83 for admissions selectivity. The peer assessment score 1.6 out of 5. The application deadline is the same for both in-state and international students. The director of admissions is Abigail O’Connor. The admissions phone is 434 395 2043. Longwood University awards MBAs and it has 10 full-time faculty instructors who teach on the online courses but the degree cannot be earned entirely online. Campus-based students are not allowed to participate in this online course. The recommended Internet speed for this online course is DSL. The only problem that can occur is that there is now live tech support all the time. The part-time tuition for in-state students is $289 and for out-of-state students is $799. The full-time tuition for in-state students is also $289 and for out-of-state students $799.

#FreelancerFriday #4 - Belinda Jones, Editor

#FreelancerFriday #4 - Belinda Jones, Editor #FreelancerFriday #4 - Belinda Jones, Editor â€Å"You have to keep thinking, keep interrogating the text: ‘Is this keeping the flow well? Is it convincing me?† If something sounds a bit hollow or a bit flat, you’ve got to flag it up.â€Å"With a 15-year career – so far – behind her, Belinda Jones has worked on everything from commercial and literary fiction, to historical non-fiction and celebrity memoir. We talked about her start as an editor, the recent YA resurgence, and the need to be sensitive when dealing with author comments.–REEDSYHow did you find yourself starting out as an editor?BELINDA JONESLooking for work after university, I did a correspondence course with Chapterhouse to get going with the proofing symbols and that sort of thing. I got to London and, to gain what experience I could, I took on part-time work with Virgin Publishing – in the rights department, strangely enough. The agreement was that if they were going to have me for  £50 a week, the editorial dep artment would use me for editing work. That worked out quite well – I was able to build up a good foundation of freelance editing work at the time just by being there and obviously working as well (mornings only, but that was the deal).As ever, it’s about building up a CV for experience.REEDSYWhat sort of books were you working on when you started out?BELINDA JONESI was hoping you wouldn’t ask that†¦ I first worked on gentle ‘erotica’ – you can imagine my parents’ delight. It was well paid, I have to say, and got some very good dialogue practice going on. It’s interesting when people ask how you train as an editor. I think you have to have a natural leaning towards it; I’m not sure its something you can actually learn to do. In the same way that some people are natural mathematicians, natural tennis players, I’d say editors have to have a natural aptitude. And if you’re getting experience, it probably d oesn’t matter what you’re editing so long as you’re honing those skills and getting feedback.I was incredibly lucky in my career to freelance with Reader’s Digest. The woman who took me on has become a sort of guru to me. Everything I’ve learned I would put down to her. She said at the beginning: "You have this natural aptitude. That’s great, we can work with that,† and that was why I was taken on by them. There’s no doubt that if you’re working with someone who’s very good at their job with high, exacting standards, you will raise your game accordingly. I think good editors are people who have those exacting standards, and possibly a bit of OCD as well – when you want to track down that  last potentially blurred fact that might have slipped away, or the niggling somethings that are not quite right†¦ Natural aptitude plus a little bit of OCD probably makes someone the ideal editor.REEDSYWhat’s the importance of working with an editor who’s not just technically trained, but experienced?BELINDA JONESExperience leads to confidence. When you start out you think you’re expected to know it all when, of course, you can’t possibly. I think that’s a mistake all young people make starting out, thinking that you have to hit the ground running. Sit back, take your time, learn from your boss. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and I’m pretty aware that I do a good job because I have the experience that’s needed to do that. As a result that’s very much become a confidence thing. Often, in-house, you don’t receive too much feedback because people are simply too busy to do it. You might get a quick â€Å"That’s great, thanks so much, we’ll work with you again in a month’s time.† You can ask for feedback, of course, but it’s something I’m reluctant to do – busy people don’ t have time to spoon-feed you. If I do ask for feedback, it will be from someone for whom I’ve not worked before, and will be about how I could do better next time. And that builds up over the years, of course – improving your work.REEDSYAs a freelancer, do you work directly with the author or via the publisher?BELINDA JONESI mainly work via the in-house editor, who will usually ask me to work in Track Changes, but more and more my comments are going directly to the author for me and them to discuss, rather than via in-house to be checked first. You have to be very diplomatic with the comments that you use – you’ve got to have an appreciation that this is the author’s baby that they’ve been working on for however long. Your comments have to be well structured, and you always need to back up a bit of text you’ve changed with the reason why. Put yourself in their position – how would you feel if you’d been working on somet hing for anything from 6 months to x number of years, and then someone you don’t know from Adam tells you to change this, this and this.You learn to be sensitive about this with experience. It isn’t pointed out or ‘taught’. You learn it yourself the more you do the work. The comfier, more confident in the work you do you are, the more you can think about what the author would be wanting, or needing rather, to hear back from you.REEDSYOne editor we spoke to recently described the work of an editor by saying that the client isn’t the author, but the reader   – that the editor is mediating the concerns of both. Is that similar to how you work?BELINDA JONESI agree with that. When I’m working I put on my reader’s hat. I’m a reader, so I’m at home on the sofa or sitting on the train, I’ve bought this book and I want to enjoy it. In other words, you’re editing to make it the most effortless read possible. You’re smoothing flow, polishing any clunky or bumpy bits; you’re saying, â€Å"Hold on a minute, what you’ve said about that character on page 114 is not what was said about that character on page 23.† I hate it when I come across something like that in books I’m reading for pleasure – it blows the whole thing. But of course, at the same time you’re working for the author. I find 'keeping the author sympathetic’ is another good phrase. As the editor, I would say your job is to make sure the author comes across as a reasonable person, certainly an authoritative writer whom the reader can trust. You have to balance both these things.REEDSYWhat are some projects you’ve enjoyed recently?BELINDA JONESLiterary fiction will always be my first love to work on. Young adult fiction too, I think, has immense potential, which is being tapped both convincingly and unconvincingly at the moment. Fiction all the way, generally, for me! I’ve done plenty of non-fiction which can be very good too, especially when it’s historical, but there’s a huge difference between working on fiction and non-fiction. When you’re an editor for non-fiction, you absolutely have to fact-check everything, especially when it comes to a celebrity autobiography.REEDSYWhat do you love about YA?BELINDA JONESI think it’s such a wonderful crossover between the youngish readers and the fairly precocious readers, right up into adulthood. The Hunger Games, for example – hasn’t that done well? Both for the books and the box office, with teens and adults alike. I actually belong to a book club of adults who read YA fiction and then critique it fiercely in the pub afterwards! We’ve read some stinkers, of course, and that just makes me want to die – it’s such an important time for readers to be encouraged to keep reading. If you’re coming across horrendously clichà ©d work you just want to say, â€Å"Come on everyone! Just because it’s YA doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to be good.† Quite the reverse! There’s a huge market for good YA – I wish there was more of it. We can’t blame publishers, they have to make money in what’s a very tough market but let’s not just go straight for that Hollywood jugular the entire time. But that’s the same with fiction and books the world over, isn’t it? In any genre there’s going to be good and bad. But, right now, I really think YA is a superb genre to be in.REEDSYIs developmental editing quite different from copyediting?BELINDA JONESYes. Analysis is another thing you have to have an aptitude for, particularly for developmental editing. Again, you have to keep thinking, keep interrogating the text: ‘Is this keeping the flow well? Is it convincing me?â€Å" If something sounds a bit hollow or a bit flat, you’ve got to flag i t up and either suggest or make the change yourself. Usually a manuscript, by the time I get it, has been very much edited in-house. That’s a bit of a tightrope you need to be aware of as a freelance editor – it’s not about your ego, which is something I’m embarrassed to say I had to reign in at the beginning. When for the first time you’re given free reign on a manuscript you think, "Let’s get cracking!† but, like I said, there are many concerns to weigh. Ones that are usually outlined in a brief from the in-house editor.REEDSYFinally, what do you like to read yourself?BELINDA JONESOh, general fiction, literary fiction, YA. A bit of everything, to be honest. I’m currently savouring Les Miserables (a Christmas present from my French in-laws) but I am interspersing it with more digestible reads too. Not something I’d normally allow myself to do  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  !REEDSYThank you for your time Belinda.