The Main Challenges Facing Charitable Finances On The Uk...

What have been the main challenges facing charitable finances in the UK during the last decade? To what extent have they been overcome? Britain remains one of the world s most generous nations. But cash is tight for everyone and people are finding it harder and harder to find money to give to charity. Through the course of the financial crisis in the UK during the last decade, many charities have been affected. But before I continue we must explore the causes of this phenomenon. The recent UK financial began with the austere credit crunch in 2007 but according to Richardson (2011), he suggests that the credit crunch witnessed in the United Kingdom is deep rooted in the economic and political decisions made by previous governments. The†¦show more content†¦According to a research carried out by the Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) on charity income from 162,363 registered charities provide to the Charity Commission in their annual returns, showed that voluntary income of larger charities, (these include charity with an income of over  £10m) fell by ‘’11 percent (or  £855m) between 2007 and 2009. Whilst medium-sized charities with an income between  £500k and  £10m, saw their voluntary donations actually increase by 2.2 percent over the same period’’ (CAF, 2009). Charity finances were affected through the drop in donations from people. According to Huffintongpost (2012) suggests that the recession had made it possible for household to cut back on their charitable giving. This decline also included the number of people who give to charity. The high rate of the credit crunch led to the Charities Aid Foundation to carry out a survey in collaboration with the National Council for Voluntary Organisation (NCVO), suggested that financial issues faced in the UK has forced frontline services of some charities to cut back on some of the services they offered as they had to make staff redundant or in certain case force to close down because of the fall donations. The research surveyed 3,000 people, undertaken by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), suggested that total giving to charities by members of the public in the UK

Charter School Marketing Strategy Free Essays

New Heights Business Academy of Sports Leadership and Development (NHBA), a start-up charter school, located in the warehouse district of Southeast section of Memphis, Tennessee, will have its first class in August 2011. NHBA will enhance the charter school movement by introducing students to the business-side of athletics. Educators, supporters, and parents became concern after noticing the poor business decisions many athletes make during their careers. We will write a custom essay sample on Charter School Marketing Strategy or any similar topic only for you Order Now A mutual decision arrived that athletes did not know how to market themselves. On this idea alone, plans for NHBA were underway. What are charter schools? Charter schools are independently-ran public schools created by concerned individuals who saw there was a lack of quality education in the public school system. These schools are free to select their own educational goals and curriculum, choose their own teaching staff, and set their own standards for student behavior. In addition, they have the freedom to extend the school day and year. According to the Tennessee Charter School Association (TSCA), since 2002 seventeen charter schools operating in the State of Tennessee, with applications submitted each year. Approval for new charter school applications is through a state mandated agency, the Local Education Agency. Currently there are 24 charter schools operating in Memphis. (www. mcsk12. net) The charter school law mandates that charter school has to open it doors to all students, including physically and mentally impaired students and students of a diverse background, with first priority given to students that : * have previously attended a charter school * attend poor performing schools * scored below proficiency on the TCAP and Gateway exams * receive free or reduced lunch The law states that charter school can only select 25% of their students qualifying on free and/or reduced lunches. The remainder will come from the above categories. Charter schools are the school of choice for many parents because of the quality of education they provide. Parents are at ease knowing their child is in a safe, learning environment; their individual needs are met; and will receive the necessary tools for success. These schools have set high standards in education and must adhere to those standards if they want to remain open. However, public schools remain open no matter how they perform. According to the TCSA, 100 % of charter school funding is issued from the state and local governments. They are entitled to Title I and Special Education funds based on student enrollment. Unlike public schools, charter schools have to depend heavily on grants, donations, and fundraisers to cover costs, such as, start-up, renovation, construction, and other expenditures not incorporated in the funding budget. Commercialappeal. om printed an issue in July 2010, which stated last year charter schools received $10,394 in funding per child. Since Memphis City Schools is being tasked with overseeing charter schools, a fee of 3% will be charged. After the fee is placed, charter schools will receive $7,633 per child, excluding school lunches and other fees not obligated by the district. There will be fifteen charter schools affected by this fee. New Heights Business Academy of Sports Leadership and Development (NHBA), is a publ ic charter school that will serve prospective students in 9th thru 12th grades. NHBA will address the needs of students academically and athletically, in a business environment. As a charter school, our focus is to prepare students for college through innovation and abundance in an attractive and meticulous college-preparatory educational program, which meets the needs of today’s students. In conjunction with learning the regular subjects like Math, English and Science, NHBA focuses on Business as it prepares students for college and life, and introduces athletes to enrichment that will allow them to excel physically and psychologically. We plan to introduce students to a setting that hinges on business and athleticism development. NHBA will open in the fall of 2011 and will be accepting applications for enrollment for 100 Ninth-grade slots. The school plans to add a grade each year and hopes ultimately to serve 500 hundred students in grades 9th through 12th. NHBA is conveniently located, in Southeast Memphis on the corner of Riverdale and Winchester at 7060 Winchester Road Memphis TN 38125, in the warehouse district. Mission. At New Heights Business Academy of Sports Leadership and Development (NHBA), our mission is to academically develop and prepare students for the social environment of business and athletic professionalism through a core curriculum profoundly based on preparing them to be business literate and knowledgably confident in marketing themselves in whichever venue they choose. In pursuant of our mission, NHBA aspires to provide structured curriculums with a business foundation. Our focus is to educate and prepare potential students for college and ultimately life. NHBA’s core values include exposing prospective students to rigorous educational development to prepare them for college while instilling self worth so that our athletes recognize their value. Partnerships with parent’s students and teachers to are important to our success, so it is a priority. NHBA is a college preparatory school with a small classroom setting; we offer student-teacher ratio of 1 to 13 and focus on our number one goal the children. Environmental Analysis/Competition Southeast Memphis consists of zip codes 38141, 38125, and 38115. The combined populations for those three zip codes are 87,247. For the population for this area of the city, almost 20,000 are families with children who could be prospective students at NHBA. As a public charter school our competition are the public schools, the private schools and the optional schools in and near this area, to include other charter schools. At least eight high schools serve this vicinity, not including the private schools. Of those schools in the area, two of them are on the list for striving schools (Memphis City Schools, 2010). NHBA will focus its target first on middle schools in the Eastern section of the City of Memphis, such as Ridgeway, Kirby, Southwind, Germantown, and any other schools in the area. Our main competition will be established and upcoming charter high schools, such as Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, Memphis Academy of Health Sciences, and KIPP Academy. Then we will expand out target market to other areas of the city. The southeastern part of the city was selected for the reason that there are no charter schools in this area. A charter school in this area will serve as a convenience to working parents who want to enroll their children in charter schools. Trends Affecting the Outcome Our school structure is in desperate need of transformation. Only 54 percent of African American high school students and 56 percent of Latino high school students graduate. Even students who receive high school diplomas often lack fundamental academic skills; nearly a third of first-year college students require remediation in math or English. In many major cities, the education crisis is confounding. In Detroit, for example, only 3 percent of economically disadvantaged eighth-graders are proficient in math (Tennessee Charter Schools Association, 2010). July 2010 Memphis school board approved fees from charter schools, over time Memphis City Schools will charge a three percent fee for overseeing the charter schools. The school board’s decision to charge the fee will mean less money for students of some charter schools (Roberts, 2010). Possible legal or regulatory issues Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a significant amount of funding has been targeted to improve state and local education systems. Tennessee was chosen as one of the two states out of sixteen to receive grants. Over the next four years, Tennessee will receive $500 million to implement their comprehensive school reform plans (Learning Point, 2010). For NHBA’s survival, recruiting will be an important factor in retaining students. If we retain students, we receive funding. If we receive funding, we can offer an attractive program that will entice parents to enroll their students at NHBA. As with any business, the first year is the most difficult. To overcome these obstacles, NHBA and its supporters must ensure that our school offered an attractive package. We needed to know: * Did we have a clear and concise mission and vision statement? * Were we being honest and realistic about what NHBA has to offer? * Did we have a live point-of-contact and follow-up information for questions? * Is there a demand for the type of school you are marketing? * Did we know our target market? NHBA is aware that our best recruiters are out parents and students. With the aid of our supporters, we will be able to reach our target market. Other methods of advertisements will include: * Live broadcasting media – radio, television, newspapers, word of mouth * Internet – webpage; free social networks (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace) * Open houses and school workshops * Join the local chamber of commerce and/or local business associations * Mass mailing, posters, flyers, brochures At NHBA, your child will encounter a challenging, exciting, and rewarding experience that will assist them in gaining the skills and habits for college. Our faculty will go that extra mile to ensure students grasp the fundamentals in order to be successful. Due to the new trends in technology, we want to make sure our students are prepared for college. With the small learning environment, NHBA has to offer along with the student-to-teacher ratio of 13:1, students will develop close-knit relationships with their teachers and learn from individualized learning plans. In addition to this, students will benefit from added programs and student activities such as: * Advanced Placement Courses These courses are college-level courses set up where students can receive college credit after successfully passing an exam. E-courses E-school is geared to provide NHBA students with an online class experience as they would in college. * Athlete-to-Student Mentor Programs This program will afford the students to be paired with an athlete for guidance and to promote academic success. Our athletic volunteers will come from our local professional sports teams, arena sports teams, and local colleges and universities * Mandatory Parental Involvement NHBA bel ieves that parental involvement adds to the success of students. * Summer Sports Camps To promote academic and athletic leadership, NHBA will be able to participate in sports camps hosted by our professional sports teams, arena sports teams, and local colleges and universities. * Volunteer Opportunities NHBA is passionate about community service. Community involvement is one of the main reasons we will be successful. * World-wide Awareness Programs * A sport is a worldwide activity, and hopefully some of our students will play for an international team. NHBA feels that it is important for our students to be aware of what is going on in the world. In conclusion, New Heights Business Academy of Sports Leadership and Development is geared to enhance the charter school movement. Most schools promote athletic leadership, but NHBA will promote athletic development by introducing its students to the athletic business preparations. Upon graduation, NHBA students will have a clear knowledge of the athletic business goals and strategies. Our program will produce business-literate students that will be knowledgeable in marketing themselves and becoming productive citizens in the community and in any endeavors, they chose to seek. Reference Page Learning Point . (2010, June ). Retrieved 2010, from Learningpt: http://www.learningpt.org/pdfs/RttT_State_Legislation.pdf Memphis City Schools. (2010). Retrieved September 8, 2010, from www.mcsk12.net: http://www.mcsk12.net/ Roberts, J. (2010, July 20). Commercial Appeal. Retrieved September 9, 2010, from Commercial Appeal website: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jul/20/mcs-board-approves-fee-from-charter-schools/ Tennessee Charter Schools Association. (2010). Retrieved September 09, 2010, from tncharterschools: http://www.tncharterschools.org/ How to cite Charter School Marketing Strategy, Papers

Pincher Martin a struggle for survival Essay Example For Students

Pincher Martin a struggle for survival Essay William Goldings novel Pincher Martin considered to be one of his best novels which deal with the theme of death and the struggle for survival, as analogous to Ambrose Bierces short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge in which the character struggles for survival and thus fail. Throughout Goldings novel, the image projected is that of a man that has been thrown out from a torpedoed ship struggling for survivor, laying over a rock in the North Atlantic. This man seems to be an unpleasant person who spends 7 days remembering his actions. As told in the first lines of the novel He was struggling in every direction, he was the centre of the writhing and kicking knot of his own body. There was no up or down, no light and no air. He felt his mouth open of itself and the shrieked word burst out. Help!.1 At first the reader seems to sympathize with this man, who remains unknown until now. As the novel progresses it seems as if he wins his struggle for life. But so far as the second page he dies. Throughout the novel Pincher Martin, is a man driven by his ego struggling desperately to avoid from dying. Similarly to the narration and structure of Bierces short story, Martin as Payton Farquhar dies and fails in his attempt to evade the death which has occurred since the very beginning. In this essay I will attempt to describe the way in which Martin struggles for survival without success, being thus the main theme of the novel. I will also discuss the importance of form which helps in conveying the structure of the novel. William Goldings novel is a complex work of art, and emerges as one of his most significant expressions denoting his capacity to combine content and form. Pincher Martin conveys a simple story of a drowning man and his struggle for survival. As mentioned before the reader becomes sympathetic with the main character because of his will to live and the drama he goes through. Martin, the naval officer is thrown into the North Atlantic when suffering an attack from a submarine. Once he is lying on the ocean, he begins his struggle for survival and finds a rock in which he settles and tries to find a way of escaping. Throughout the novel, Martins recollections of his life and thoughts are constant. This convention offers an insight into Martins secret life and hopeless situation on his position in the rock. Golding seems to focus on Martins situation rather than explaining whether Martin died within the second page of the novel or suffered during seven days. Martins struggle for survival, his ongoing suffering and his death become sublime. Regarding time, it can be said that the novel is narrated and structured as an expansion of time before Martins tragic end, caused by his position as a drowning man. Through the novel Martin is described by a third person omniscient narrator, the reader perceives the story to be real. Goldings usage of such convention makes Martins struggle for survival seem more dramatic and convincing in the sense that the reader may believe the protagonist to be alive, as in the case of Bierces protagonist Farquhar who goes through the same situation himself. Psychology plays a very important part in the novel, since, Martin suffers from isolation. Such isolation tends to make Martin become aggressive at times. Martin is said to be lying alone with no other company than the elements provided by nature, to which he tries to defeat in order to survive. Martins aggression relies not only in these elements but on God as well is aggressive against God. Goldings portrayal of Martin as a rather aggressive man becomes essential in becoming familiar with his personality. .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 , .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .postImageUrl , .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 , .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:hover , .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:visited , .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:active { border:0!important; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:active , .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89 .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7f2da14d67d3ead1a0ab6dccbf205b89:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How Fitzgerald intrigues his readers in the first chapter of 'The Great Gatsby' and draws them into the story EssayAs the novel progresses the survival-adventure situation is prominent. Martin is stuck in the middle of a fight against death. By being lying on the rock Martin starts having tormenting flashbacks of his past. He recalls his childhood, and even being in the bathroom. As mentioned before the recurring theme of the novel is Martins struggle for survival, which of course is unsuccessful. Form plays a very important role which has an impact on the story. The novel revolves around one single character which receives a name, although several pages after the beginning. Christopher Martins life before drowning is determined by means of his memories. He is portrayed as an unpleasant and moody man and his struggle to continue living. Although there are no characters interacting straight in the novel, Martin becomes the hero, since his struggles for survival increase in importance. Martin struggles (apparently) during seven days it becomes obvious that he is in constant agony. Each days agony is essential in viewing and literally living through his point of view, his road to death. Even though, his thoughts are difficult to grasp and unconnected, they put forward his willingness to continue living. In order to develop the tragic intensity of Martins situation on the rock and his aim at fighting against the natures forces and death he is portrayed with the intent of giving a larger scope of the novel. Memories of his past and Nathaniels picture serve to intensify the feeling of guilt in him. As the days progress his personality changes, the last three days of his life are vital to the novel. In the fifth day he becomes a neurotic. On this day he talks a bout Gods grace and rescue in his imagination. Agony abides him having as a result his difficulty in distinguishing between reality and illusion. On the sixth day he had completely gone mad. All his efforts on surviving and remaining sane were unsuccessful. On his last day of struggle, the process of death and his journey to the afterlife are being described. Conclusion To conclude I will attempt to say that the events leading up to Martins struggle for survival accurately give the reader a case of anxiety, and finally, the reader assumes the protagonists death as he undoubtedly meets his end. Furthermore, there is a very smooth transition into a flashback. The flashback is very important in the sense that it tells of Martins background, and how he most likely came to be in his position in the ship. Goldings descriptions of Martins flashbacks make the reader feel as he is trapped in the mind of the protagonist, and thus forget about the present timing of events, which leads to the construction of an illusion of Martins reality. Through a first reading of the novel, one may perceive Martins desperate struggle for survival after being thrown out of his ship as a result of a torpedo attack. The reader goes through this struggle little by little. Throughout the novel Martins body and sense are being degraded, he suffers from fever, and thus causes him to have hallucinations along with his memories, which little by little give an insight into his personality and serve as guidance into the process of his journey into the afterlife.

Intellectual Diversity free essay sample

However a type of diversity that has been growing in buzzword in recentness, especially among the conservative communities of college campuses, is intellectual diversity. Intellectual perversity, along with academic freedom is what activists like David Horopito characterize as being the equal treatment of an individual, regardless of political affiliations or religious beliefs. The leftist tendencies inherent in academia are of course not a new development, though they have been better-documented as of late by conservative writers. The issue that these writers discuss is how intellectual diversity is threatened in these different environments through partisan politics as well as the liberalized environments themselves. The issue of intellectual diversity is a quandary that the government must ell with carefully. They cannot simply issue strict laws regarding the protection of intellectual diversity on campus because this does not satisfy what everyone wants and more importantly what they need. The government, as well as these conservative activists has to realize that there will always be a liberal opposition in the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Intellectual Diversity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They must recognize that although it is completely just to fight for equal treatment and opportunity for people with different views, it is not k to shield these people from the opposing liberal perspectives completely because that limits the individual to to be able to explore the different ideas in the world and learn to embrace the opposition. It will ultimately limit them from being able to become a well- rounded and educated person. Conservative students are being crushed in liberal campuses and in classrooms where teachers have different views. Case after case of liberal activism and indoctrination has been publicized by conservative activists. This is because activists like David Horopito have realized the effects of a liberal atmosphere, and biased teachers. In Schools of Reeducation, Frederick M. Hess touches on the topic of a young college student of Washington State, Deed Swan, a conservative Christian father of four that was flunked with the explanation that he revealed opinions that have caused me great concern in the areas Of race, gender, sexual orientation and privilege. In David Horizons In Defense of Intellectual Diversity students from the University of Denver and Duke are described as having to deal with seeing partisan propaganda posted on doors and hallways as well as joking warnings from teachers that say that any Republicans should drop his course because of his strong liberal opinions. Because of these and many other displays of Iberia dominance in college campuses, conservatives are starting to take a st and, Mr.. Horopito for example wrote the Academic Bill of Rights.The way conservatives are placed in such hostile environments is not fair, just, or virtuous, it is impartial and nonpartisan. The government must be extremely scrupulous in the ways they deal with intellectual diversity and the laws they implement because it could have negative impacts on the professors and administrators of colleges and universities. In The Right to Tell the Truth, Ann Marie B. Barr retells her story of a terrible experience she had undergone when teaching courses on oral religions at South Dakota State University.Students inspired by David Horizons Academic Bill of Rights literally induced the poor teacher to fear her job. She felt that they forbade her to express an informed professional opinion. Barr, a women completely qualified to teach the course was unable to, because if she ever said anything that her students didnt agree with they simply dropped the course. I dont believe David Horopito would support such behavior arousing from his bill, but this is why the government must be extremely careful, prudent, and meticulous when dealing with such a delicate sue as intellectual diversity.Where is the justice in scaring teachers to falsify the truth? Or sacrifice their right to have and informed professional opinion, there is none. Conservative students must not be shielded from the liberal opposition because it debilitates them from learning how to deal with it; it wont broaden their minds to new ideas and instead will hold them back from becoming the educated, well rounded, less biased individuals that they have the potential to become. The population that Mr..Horizons Academic Bill of Rights is directed towards is the unfortunate conservative students who are put at a equi distant due to the hostile environments where liberal propaganda roams free and biased liberal teachers treat them unfairly. But the thing is that these students many times dont break down and crumble at the feet of this liberal monster, but instead grow from the experience. The students come out stronger in the end after going through such a hard experience. They are able to become strong minded, and intellectually powerful.No college student should ever be put in an unfair situation where they are scared to think and say what they want due to their surrounding environment, or are not able to attain the same grade as a colleague because of their personal beliefs; but they also shouldnt be protected like a mommy with her baby because in the real world there will be those strong minded liberals that you will have to face and converse with, and they need to have already experienced liberal feedback in their lives in order to be able to respond back effectively.Again the government must be careful not to just create strict laws that protect intellectual diversity. The level of intensity of these laws must be restricted in order to allow the conservative individual to till grow as a human being. As in many controversial arguments both sides of intellectual diversity bring up valid points. The side for intellectual diversity argues that we all have the right to have different political, religious, and social views, but regardless of what they are still be treated equally.The side against intellectual diversity argues that if the government enacted strict laws to enforce it, this would lead to negative impacts on professors and administrators of college campuses as well as debilitating students from experiencing real world conflicts and learning from them. The truth is that both sides of the argument are correct and there is sufficient evidence to prove both points. We the people must not allow one side to emerge from this conflict victorious, because this will leave the other side out to suffer the storm.Instead we must compromise between the opposing views and find a way to work in concert in order to find a solution that benefits both sides equally. There are many realms of diversity however the One that always seems to be the most controversial, and difficult to so lve, is by far intellectual diversity. The fight over whether intellectual diversity should be enforced by the overspent is not a new one. This is an ongoing conflict that recently has spurred heated debate, now the time has come to solve this problem.It is the single most important responsibility of the government to protect the people, therefore the government not only has the right to create laws on this issue but it is its obligation. However the government must recognize that there are indeed two sides, and it must not show sympathy for either one but instead compromise between the two to find a middle ground that will satisfy both sides. The solution therefore lies in reconciliation.

4 Ways That Business Writing Courses Can Improve Your Grammar

4 Ways That Business Writing Courses Can Improve Your Grammar Even the best writers the ones who make six figures writing for the most prestigious magazines and websites slip up with their grammar; though, fortunately for them, they have full-time editors who catch those rare mistakes. But for the hard-working business employee who is juggling six different projects at once, sitting down for long hours of proofreading the kind of intense refining process that a professional writer undergoes is simply not practical. But the hard truth is that in the business world impeccable writing skills is a must, whether you're writing marketing pitches, internal reports, or a proposal. That's where business writing courses come in. Writing courses can improve your awareness of grammar, for example, to such a degree that your work does not require much proofreading. Before you know it, you become a grammar master who instantly knows the answers to common grammar conundrums like these four: 1. Affect vs. Effect Possibly one of the most common errors in business writing (or any writing, for that matter) is the confusion over using "affect" or "effect." Fortunately, the usage follows a simple rule. If you memorize it, this grammar pitfall will never trouble you again. "Affect" is a verb. "Effect" is a noun. Example: The presentation affected my understanding of sales. However, if you try to phrase the sentence this way, "The presentation had an effect on my sales," you are no longer using the verb "affect." You've switched to the verb "had." The word "effect" is a noun because it is the thing that the presentation "had." 2. Sink, Sank, and Then I Sunk - Help! This is another example of confusing verb tenses. In an email your colleague writes, "Our profits sunk last quarter, but that company's earnings also sunk." With the verb "to sink," the present tense is "sink." The past tense is "sank," and the past participle is "sunk," which is always paired with the auxiliary verb "had." Your colleague is using the past participle instead of using the past tense. The correct version: "Our profits sank last quarter, but that company's earnings also sank." 3. Should I Use "Shall" or "Will?" This is a situational problem. If you are using "shall" in the third person i.e. he shall complete that report then it obliges the subject of the sentence to perform the verb. In other words, it is a command. It's like when your mother says, "You shall clean your room," in a very authoritative tone. However, if you're using "shall" in the first person, there is no sense of obligation. It means simply that you intend to do that action sometime in the future: "I shall go to the cafeteria today." When you use the word "will" in the first person I will complete this spreadsheet it expresses a sense of determination. It is meant to convey your strong desire to do whatever is necessary to complete the task. But when you use "will" in the third person i.e. he will leave work early today it simply indicates that the person will do something in the future. 4. I "Sit," But She "Set" An easy way to remember when to use "sit" or "set" is to ask this question, "Is someone placing an object somewhere?" If the answer is yes, you use "set." For example, someone wants to bring some indoor plants into the office. They ask you where to put them. You would use the transitive verb "set" which always requires a direct object: "Set them on the window sill." If there is no direct object involved if no one is placing anything anywhere and you're just talking about people being in a location you would use "sit": "He sits at the conference table." This also applies to nouns that are not being moved by anyone i.e. The computer sits on the table. But if Bob comes over and moves the computer to the table, you would say, "Bob set the computer on the table." All of our business writing courses include instructor review of your individual grammar issues, resources, and correction strategies. Improve your grammar so that you spend less time proofreading and more time working. Not sure which course is right for you?

Dunkirk Evacuation

Dunkirk Evacuation From May 26 to June 4, 1940, the British sent 222 Royal Navy ships and about 800 civilian boats to evacuate the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and other Allied troops from the seaport of Dunkirk in France during World War II. After eight months of inaction during the Phoney War, British, French, and Belgian troops were quickly overwhelmed by Nazi Germany’s blitzkrieg tactics when the attack began on May 10, 1940. Rather than be completely annihilated, the BEF decided to retreat to Dunkirk and hope for evacuation. Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of over a quarter million troops from Dunkirk, seemed a near impossible task, but the British people pulled together and ultimately rescued about 198,000 British and 140,000 French and Belgian troops. Without the evacuation at Dunkirk, World War II would have been lost in 1940. Preparing to Fight After World War II started on September 3, 1939, there was a period of approximately eight months in which basically no fighting occurred; journalists called this the â€Å"Phoney War.† Although granted eight months to train and fortify for a German invasion, the British, French, and Belgian troops were quite unprepared when the attack actually began on May 10, 1940. Part of the problem was that while the German Army had been given hope of a victorious and different outcome than that of World War I, the Allied troops were uninspired, sure that trench warfare once again awaited them. The Allied leaders also relied heavily on the newly built, high-tech, defensive fortifications of the Maginot Line, which ran along the French border with Germany – dismissing the idea of an attack from the north. So, instead of training, the Allied troops spent much of their time drinking, chasing girls, and just waiting for the attack to come. For many BEF soldiers, their stay in France felt a bit like a mini vacation, with good food and little to do. This all changed when the Germans attacked in the early hours of May 10, 1940. The French and British troops went north to meet the advancing Germany Army in Belgium, not realizing that a large portion of the German Army (seven Panzer divisions) were cutting through the Ardennes, a wooded area that the Allies had considered impenetrable. Retreating to Dunkirk With the German Army in front of them in Belgium and coming up behind them from the Ardennes, the Allied troops were quickly forced to retreat. The French troops, at this point, were in great disorder. Some had become trapped within Belgium while others scattered. Lacking strong leadership and effective communication, the retreat left the French Army in serious disarray. The BEF were also backpedalling into France, fighting skirmishes as they retreated. Digging in by day and retreating at night, the British soldiers got little to no sleep. Fleeing refugees clogged the streets, slowing the travel of military personnel and equipment. German Stuka dive bombers attacked both soldiers and refugees, while German soldiers and tanks popped up seemingly everywhere. The BEF troops often became scattered, but their morale remained relatively high. Orders and strategies among the Allies were changing quickly. The French were urging a regrouping and a counterattack. On May 20, Field Marshal John Gort (commander of the BEF) ordered a counterattack at Arras. Although initially successful, the attack was not strong enough to break through the German line and the BEF was again forced to retreat. The French continued to push for a regrouping and a counteroffensive. The British, however, were starting to realize that the French and Belgian troops were too disorganized and demoralized to create a strong enough counteroffensive to halt the highly effective German advance. Much more likely, believed Gort, was that if the British joined the French and Belgian troops, they would all be annihilated. On May 25, 1940, Gort made the difficult decision to not only abandon the idea of a joint counteroffensive, but to retreat to Dunkirk in the hopes of an evacuation. The French believed this decision to be desertion; the British hoped it would allow them to fight another day. A Little Help From the Germans and the Defenders of Calais Ironically, the evacuation at Dunkirk could not have happened without the help of the Germans. Just as the British were regrouping at Dunkirk, the Germans stopped their advance just 18 miles away. For three days (May 24 to 26), German Army Group B stayed put. Many people have suggested that Nazi Fuhrer Adolf Hitler purposely let the British Army go, believing that the British would then more readily negotiate a surrender. The more likely reason for the halt was that General Gerd von Runstedt, the commander of German Army Group B, didn’t want to take his armored divisions into the swampy area around Dunkirk. Also, the German supply lines had become greatly overextended after such a quick and lengthy advance into France; the German Army needed to stop long enough for their supplies and infantry to catch up. German Army Group A also held off attacking Dunkirk until May 26. Army Group A had become entangled in a siege at Calais, where a small pocket of BEF soldiers had holed up. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill believed the epic defense of Calais had a direct correlation to the outcome of the Dunkirk evacuation. Calais was the crux. Many other causes might have prevented the deliverance of Dunkirk, but it is certain that the three days gained by the defence of Calais enabled Gravelines waterline to be held, and that without this, even in spite of Hitler’s vacillations and Rundstedt’s orders, all would have been cut off and lost.* The three days that German Army Group B halted and Army Group A fought at the Siege of Calais were essential in allowing the BEF a chance to regroup at Dunkirk. On May 27, with the Germans once again attacking, Gort ordered a 30-mile-long defensive perimeter to be established around Dunkirk. The British and French soldiers manning this perimeter were charged with holding the Germans back in order to give time for the evacuation. The Evacuation From Dunkirk While the retreat was underway, Admiral Bertram Ramsey in Dover, Great Britain began considering the possibility of an amphibious evacuation starting on May 20, 1940. Ultimately, the British had less than a week to plan Operation Dynamo, the large-scale evacuation of British and other Allied troops from Dunkirk. The plan was to send ships from England across the Channel and have them pick up troops waiting on the beaches of Dunkirk. Although there were over a quarter of a million troops waiting to be picked up, the planners expected to only be able to save 45,000. Part of the difficulty was the harbor at Dunkirk. The gentle shelving of the beach meant that much of the harbor was too shallow for ships to enter. To solve this, smaller craft had to travel from ship to beach and back again to gather passengers for loading. This took a lot of extra time and there were not enough small boats to fulfill this job quickly. The waters were also so shallow that even these smaller craft had to stop 300 feet from the waterline and soldiers had to wade out to their shoulders before they could climb aboard. With not enough supervision, many desperate soldiers ignorantly overloaded these small boats, causing them to capsize. Another problem was that when the first ships set out from England, starting on May 26, they didn’t really know where to go. Troops were spread out over 21-miles of beaches near Dunkirk and the ships were not told where along these beaches they should load. This caused confusion and delay. Fires, smoke, Stuka dive bombers, and German artillery were definitely another problem. Everything seemed to be on fire, including cars, buildings, and an oil terminal. Black smoke covered the beaches. Stuka dive bombers attacked the beaches, but focused their attention along the waterline, hoping and often succeeding in sinking some of the ships and other watercraft. The beaches were large, with sand dunes in the back. Soldiers waited in long lines, covering the beaches. Although exhausted from long marches and little sleep, soldiers would dig in while waiting their turn in line – it was too loud to sleep. Thirst was a major problem on the beaches; all the clean water in the area had been contaminated. Speeding Things Up The loading of soldiers into small landing craft, ferrying them to the larger ships, and then coming back to reload was an excruciatingly slow process. By midnight on May 27, only 7,669 men had made it back to England. To speed things up, Captain William Tennant ordered a destroyer to come directly alongside the East Mole at Dunkirk on May 27. (The East Mole was a 1600-yard-long causeway that was used as a breakwater.) Although not built for it, Tennant’s plan to have troops embark directly from the East Mole worked wonderfully and from then on it became the main location for soldiers to load. On May 28, 17,804 soldiers were taken back to England.   This was an improvement, but hundreds of thousands more still needed saving. The rearguard was, for now, holding off the German assault, but it was a matter of days, if not hours, before the Germans would break through the defensive line. More help was needed. In Britain, Ramsey worked tirelessly to get every single boat possible – both military and civilian across the Channel to pick up the stranded troops. This flotilla of ships eventually included destroyers, minesweepers, anti-submarine trawlers, motor boats, yachts, ferries, launches, barges, and any other kind of boat they could find. The first of the â€Å"little ships† made it to Dunkirk on May 28, 1940. They loaded up men from the beaches east of Dunkirk and then headed back through the dangerous waters to England. Stuka dive bombers plagued the boats and they had to be constantly on the lookout for German U-boats. It was a dangerous venture, but it helped save the British Army. On May 31, 53,823 soldiers were brought back to England, thanks in a large part to these little ships. Near midnight on June 2, the St. Helier left Dunkirk, carrying the very last of the BEF troops. However, there were still more French troops to rescue. The crews of the destroyers and other craft were exhausted, having made numerous trips to Dunkirk without rest and yet they still went back to save more soldiers. The French also helped by sending ships and civilian craft. At 3:40 a.m. on June 4, 1940, the very last ship, the Shikari, left Dunkirk. Although the British had expected to only save 45,000, they succeeded in rescuing a total of 338,000 Allied troops. Aftermath The evacuation of Dunkirk was a retreat, a loss, and yet the British troops were greeted as heroes when they got home. The whole operation, which some have termed â€Å"the Miracle of Dunkirk,† gave the British a battle cry and became a rallying point for the rest of the war.    Most importantly, the evacuation of Dunkirk saved the British Army and did allow it to fight another day.    * Sir Winston Churchill as quoted in Major General Julian Thompson, Dunkirk: Retreat to Victory (New York: Arcade Publishing, 2011) 172.

Discussion about hunger game Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion about hunger game - Essay Example Children are being abused and lives taken just for entertainment purposes.This inhuman acts by the leaders of panama and the resident of Capital demonstrate disregard of human rights and social injustice of the highest order. The District residents are viewed as so much inferior human being to an extent that they don’t see anything wrong with making their children kill each other to entertain them. The government of Panem holds all the power over the districts and they rule with finality and totality. The districts resident has no say in matters concerning their governance and the government imposes on them whatever they want regardless of their feelings about it. The government keeps District resident on their knees by warning them of how miserable their lives will be if they rebel against it. The people are forced to live under hostile conditions like fighting among themselves, deny them freedom of movement and joining forces was criminalized among district residents. The book shows how different the lives of those who has power (Capitals) was to the inferior class (the district).When Katniss refuse to kill Peeta or join forces with Rue, she defies the rule of capital and this meant she was to be severely punished as she belonged to an inferior class of people in that society. Here inequality of different classes of people in this society is clearly