Leadership in Military

Introduction For military to be successful in their endeavors, military service needs leaders who are not only agile in their analysis, but also innovative in the development of new solutions to the complex challenges.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Leadership in Military specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, military leaders should be academically qualified to lead such significant and racial diverse institution (Richardson 2005, 36). Effective military leadership skills can help the military solve racial inequalities within its departments. As asserted by the activists, the top US military organizations do not only depict racial disparity, but also gender disparity. The current military programs, in the US, emphasize on the need to improve their efficiency and enhance their leadership skills. As such, the military program focuses narrowly on ending the rampant racial and gender inequality in its t op leadership. Based on its diversity, US military leaders should be able to fight the alleged racism with swift. Similarly, the current warfare requires military soldiers with innovative and responsive skills to understand and tackle the ever- increasing applications of technology in the warfare by the terrorist and enemies (Richardson 2005, 34). This paper seeks to identify the characteristics of great military leaders, chooses a specific leader, and assesses the persona of a specific leader. Characteristics of a good military leader Based on the current military standards, most of the great military leaders in the history of the US military would be considered as racists. Despite their military success and outstanding leadership skills, some of these military leaders owned and abused slaves.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In spite of owning slaves, Gorge Washington becam e one of the greatest military leaders in the history of the US military. In the 1940s, activists called for more prewar efforts in the US military. The activists accused the US military for their selective services. Until the mid 1950s, the activists accused the US military for the rampant racism in their departments. Since then more efforts have been put in place to enable recruitment of all persons regardless of their race, color, and gender in the military. To lead an institution confronted with enormous challenges such as racism, a military leader has to rise above traditional tactics and demonstrate control and stability. Similarly, current military leadership entails more than just organizing followers, but also motivating them to confront reality. Through this, efficient military leaders should change values, habits, practices, and priorities in their juniors to be in line with the current racial diversified military services (Serry 2001, 3). To achieve this, military leader s should create a vision, and motivate individuals through appropriate approaches. Through education and experience, an individual develops and learns leadership skills. This implies that learning and applying leadership skills takes some time. For an individual to be an effective military leader, he or she is required to put in conscious and consistent attention of aspiring and proven leaders. Effective military leaders have made deliberate choices to improve their leadership skills throughout their careers. Great military leaders such as George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, and George Marshall worked persistently to cultivate their abilities and skills through their efforts and commitments. One common attribute about these leaders is that they chose the difficult path of improving their military leadership skills from their first day as junior officers. Similarly, these leaders knew from their early careers that for them to be effective military leaders, they had to enhance their skills through diverse means.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Leadership in Military specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Integrity In the military, a leader must be independent, selfless, incorruptible, dedicated, honest, and be sound and morally upright. Through integrity, an individual attains these attributes over time. Military leaders must be perceived as responsible and trustworthy in every setting and situation, whether social, financial, or political. Notably, a military leader should a person of integrity to head a racial diverse institution (Laver 2008, 23). The value of integrity in the great U.S military leaders cannot be overstated. In the history of the U.S military, racism, harsh and brutal punishments were common. This implies that great U.S military leaders had to be intelligent to rise above such challenges, which have persisted to date (Laver 2008, 25). Regarding this, Military leaders should earn trust from their juniors regardless of their race and ethnicity. Similarly, leaders of integrity should work under clear principles. In the history of the US military, George Washington became one of the greatest military leaders due to his integrity. Through his acts of integrity, he led the American soldiers through numerous challenges in the 18th century. He consistently demonstrated his commitment to the patriotic cause. Unlike other past military leaders before him, Washington built a strong trusting relationship with his officers. He always reminded his soldiers about the common interests of defeating the British soldiers. Equally, Washington consistently reminded his soldiers of their own obligation to act with integrity. Through his military services, Washington optimized the cultural ideals in military and courteous honor, of which integrity was the central quality. Other great military leaders known for their integrity included George C. Marshall and Lewis B. C hesty Puller. Through their integrity, the U.S military succeeded in several war fields the two leaders commanded. Lewis B. Chesty Puller became very renowned for his intelligence and charisma.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Determination All U.S. military leaders had strong will and determination. Similarly, modern military leaders should be determined in their endeavors to ensure that racisms and other related injustice in the military are put to an end. It is believed that with determined leaders, numerous challenges such as racism, gender inequality in the military can be reduced significantly. Even though, the past great military leaders in the US military showed little interest in ending racism in the military, their determination and goodwill in the success of the military is considered prudent. Notably, Ulysses Grant was one of the military leaders who had an outstanding determination and a strategic vision. Several literatures have focused on his strategic thinking with the aim of determining the proficiency of his leadership skills (Grant 2011, 54). Due to his exceptional quality leadership skills, Grant is among the most celebrated historical leaders in the history of the U.S military. Carl V on, a writer, described him as a man with great force of will. Like Grant, Gorge Washington George C. Marshall and colonel Powel were always prepared to adapt to new situations. Through this, these leaders never allowed tactical challenges to distract them from achieving their strategic objectives. During their time in power, critics underestimated most of these leaders’ skills and expected them to fail terribly. On the contrary, these leaders endured failures and despondency and slowly worked their way to the top of their professions, earning a reputation as the best military commanders in the U.S. history (Laver 2008, 56). Cross-cultural leadership Several US military leaders became famous during the World War I and the World War II for their cross–cultural leadership styles. Through cross-cultural leaders, the US military rose beyond social barriers during the World War II and worked with other nations regardless of their race. It is believed that the American succe ss in the interwar was due to their participation with their allies. Several literatures have praised these great American leaders as men who accepted responsibility, and made ardors decisions. Notably, Eisenhower was a great military leader who had exceptional cross-cultural leadership qualities. From his junior army officer career, under Brigadier General Fox, to his appointment has a five star general; Eisenhower’s cross-cultural leadership style was eminent. His leadership philosophy asserted that Americans could win the Second World War only with the help of their allies. He strongly believed on motivating a strong unified allied command. To achieve support from the allies, Eisenhower showed humility, patience, and flexibility to American allies. Like Eisenhower, Ulysses Grant and George C. Marshall became famous and successful for their cross-cultural leadership styles (Laver 2008, 80). By exercising cross-cultural leadership styles, these great military leaders gained confidence from their coalition members. Cross-cultural leadership style, allowed them to treat other nations as equal in terms of basic human dignity. Through this principle, cross-cultural leadership style became so effective in the history of the U.S military. Moreover, these leaders’ personal traits such as honesty, fairness, courage, and geniality greatly boosted their leadership style. Mentorship All leaders across all disciplines accept the fact that great leadership styles develop through practical experience. This implies that potential, effective military leaders must not only reflect their personal experience, but also others experience and learn from both. Through this, they must reinforce their learning through practice. Similarly, studying through experience approach may necessitate an individual to study the past events or individuals. Political philosophers have asserted that great military leaders should always use history as a guide to military action. By do ing so, those aspiring to be effective military leaders must study the path taken by great military leaders in history and emulate their success, while learning from their mistakes. If American military leaders had analyzed the history of the Vietnam War, before proceeding with the war in Iraq in 2003, most of the current challenges faced by our military soldiers in the Middle East could be insignificant. Past military seniors mentored most great military leaders in the US. As such, their leadership styles were acquired from these senior leaders. In this regard, a few of them possessed inborn leadership styles. For instance, Ulysses Grant did not begin his career with an unshaken determination. His determination developed out of experienced in wars, learning, and studying his previous mentors. Grant applied lessons from the Mexicans campaign during the early engagements of the civil war, and demonstrated a confident determination during the Vicksburg campaign. As an army officer, Gr ant was fortunate to serve with high-ranking men in the military history such as Zachary Taylor and Charles F. Smith. Grant always requested help from general smith as a cadet. Smith taught Grant that leaders must always be prepared to fight. Through these teachings, Grant succeeded and served as a role model in the military leadership. Most literatures assert that Grant learned his greatest lessons from firsthand experience. With every decision Grant made, he gained experience and confidence, which helped him develop into a determined commander. It is worth noting that Grants persistence was not mere stubbornness. Stubborn leaders fail to recognize strategic and tactical skills needed for effective leadership. Similarly, Eisenhower’s seniors mentored his leadership skills. In the year 1922, Eisenhower went to Panama to work alongside Brigadier General Conner. Conner had an unusual quality of mentoring his junior officers. During their stay in Panama, Conner revived Eisenhowe r’s interest in American history. It was through their relationship that Conner taught Eisenhower the key principles of leadership. Conner thought his young scholar the importance of unity in command. He taught him that large campaign must have a commander over all its forces. Similarly, Conner taught Eisenhower the value of preparation and study. By the end of their relationships, Eisenhower had articulated his leadership principles. Charismatic leadership Charisma in the great American military leaders cannot be overstated. Historians assert that the great American military leaders had ability to motivate men to act towards a common course. Their marines were always ready for their command. They were always ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the country. Lewis B Chesty Puller was one of these leaders. He became a great role model among the greatest military leaders in the history of the US military. Few leaders will manage a similar career and retain their commo n touch like him. Similarly, Ulysses Grant and Colonel Powel were among the other few charismatic leaders in the history of the U.S. Because of their great contribution to the country, the leaders enjoyed massive support from the public and their subordinates. Their self-confidence enabled them to conquer numerous military challenges experienced at their times. These leaders were not only confidence but also courageous; they had strong beliefs over their decisions and moves. They were never afraid to make vital military decisions, which shaped the history of this country. Through their innovation, these leaders maximized the skills of their battalions. During the Mexican American war, Ulysses Grant was responsible for the regiment logistics. The complexity of the challenges faced during the war needed a charismatic leader to provide appropriate solutions. On arrival, at the War field, Grant negotiated with the local suppliers, bent a few military regulations, and eventually secured sufficient mules to organize a caravan for the war. These innovative acts, depicts Grants ingenuity. George C. Marshall George C. Marshall was born on 31st, December 1880. He was one of the greatest military leaders in the history of America. Marshall served as chief military adviser under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As a young boy, Marshall was educated in several private schools (Laver 2008, 95). However, after the 1891 economic collapse, Marshall transferred to a public school. His father noted that during his early years he demonstrated little academic excellence, except in historical subjects. Marshall developed a lot of interest in history throughout his entire life. Through this, historical studies assert that Marshall solved most of his challenges using solutions from his past. Marshall later enrolled in the Virginia Military School in the year 1897.Upon his enrollment, Marshall became enthusiastic about the regimen and quickly grasped the skills to be ing a successful military leader. He persevered through adversity to achieve his intended goals at the military school. While at the military school, Marshall was very hard working and ambitious. Because of his ambitiousness, Marshall received numerous promotions and held a prestigious office at a lower. Though his class grades were average, Marshall committed his time to extra studies, which made him learn self-control, discipline, and problem management skills. All through his career, Marshall became very popular for his extraordinary commitment in the military. He was hardworking, energetic, assertive, and always expected his staff to demonstrate extraordinary commitment. As a leader, he was always fair, empathetic, and conscious. He always provided his juniors with opportunities to relax and energize. Although, Marshall was acutely sensitive to misconceptions of the army, he always remained a model of discipline in full control of his emotions. In spite of working under regular stress and pressure, he still enjoyed every time he worked as a military leader. As an institutional leader, Marshall understood the importance of effective communication in leadership. He communicated with his subordinates effectively building organizational morale and developed strong relationships with his subordinates. Like Ulysses Grant, Marshall acquired his leadership skills through experience and studying historical military occurrence. He greatly benefitted from his understanding of American history in the army and social influence. He learned from personal experience and his mentors. Through this, he developed an administrative philosophy that emphasized on simplicity, efficiency, and decentralization. Unlike any other military leaders in the history of the US military, Marshall understood the underlying domestic issues of race and gender inequalities in the US military. Although he never implemented any policy to end such inequalities, he asserted that anyone could engage in military acts regardless of their race and gender. Notably, he mentored women in the regular army and supported the minority military organizations, including the African American Tuskegee aviators and the Japanese American Nisei Battalion (Adams 1993, 1). In general, Marshall’s personal character, organizational skills, and reform-minded policies made him an outstanding institutional leader (Dodd 1962, 67). Conclusion From this analysis, it is clear that great American military leaders achieved their goals due to their effective leadership styles. These men achieved high ranks and positions in the military because of their competency, loyalty, and passion for their career. Similarly, these leaders had exceptional leadership qualities in that they were able to impart their skills and knowledge in their subordinates (Cawthorne 2004, 55). In this regard, current military leaders, corporate leaders and those aspiring to be leaders in every discipline will greatly benefit fro m the historical analysis of these leaders. Through this, they have to study the models of these great leaders and learn from their examples. In addition, current leaders can analyze these great leaders’ attributes to establish reasons for their stability in leadership. Although these leaders showed little or no interest in ending racism in the military, it would be unfair for us to judge them using the current leadership standards. Instead, we must advocate for equality in our military services. Through this, we should analyze the past military leaderships, while noting on their failures to end racial and gender inequalities in the military. Through this, we are to come up with appropriate policies aimed at ending social inequalities in our military system. Reference List Adams, Peter. 1993. Chappie James, Jr. New York: National Aviation Hall of Fame. Cawthorne, Nigel. 2004. Military commanders: the 100 greatest throughout history. New York: Enchanted Lion Books. Dodd, Mead. 1962. Famous American military leaders of World War II. New York:, U.S. Army War College. Grant, R. G. 2011. Commanders. London: Dorling Kindersley. Laver, Harry. 2008. The art of command military leadership; from George Washington, to Colin Powell. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky. Richardson, John. 2005. Real Leadership and The U.S. Army: Overcoming A Failure Of Imagination To Conduct Adaptive Work. New York: W. W. Norton. Serry, Mordu. 2001. The Trials and Tribulations of General Colin L. Powell. New York: Random House. This research paper on Leadership in Military was written and submitted by user Uriah R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Organized labor essays

Organized labor essays Organized labor, during the period from 1875 to 1900, was not as successful in improving the position of workers as one was hoping it would be. There are many results that arose from these organized labor attempts that prove how unsuccessful they actually were. These results include the collapse of many labor unions such as, NLU, Knights of Labor, and ARU, the failure of many strikes such as, the Great Railroad Strike, the Haymarket Riot, and the Pullman Strike, and the techniques used by management to defeat labor. The National Labor Union, otherwise known as NLU, was organized following the time of the Civil War. This labor union was created by William Sylvis. The NLU had a couple of main goals. One goal was to return to the ways of early America; the time when workers controlled the average workday and could actually make a decent living and not have to work their heart and soul out for pennies a day. They demanded eight hour work days, on average, eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for what we will. They wanted equal opportunities for craft workers, skilled and unskilled workers, and even reformers. The only exclusions were those involved with banks, defending (lawyers), and the disbursement of liquor. At their height, more than 600,000 people were involved with this union, making it the first largest national union. By the early 1870s, the NLU had created their own political party, a third party. But, to much disappointment, in the elections of 1872, they lost, heavily. With the Panic of 1872 and the Depression in the mid-1870s, the NLU collapsed. The Knights of Labor was established in 1871 by Uriah Stephens, a Protestant. Many were drawn to this organization. These Knights were led by Terence V. Powderly and was open to any variety of the working class. In 1878, they fought for equal pay for women and even le...

HW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

HW - Essay Example Gestures have been used effectively as well; the movement of the fingers to indicate the turning on of a vehicles ignition key at 0:03, the movements of the feet to indicate engagement of the gear pedals (0:04), hand movements to indicate the turning of the steering wheels (0:12), the circling of the hands by the two ladies to demonstrate the position and use of seatbelts (0:44), the bending and splashing away of the contents on the stool to show the effect of inertia (0:56). Body positions have been used as well but not as effectively as possible. The ladies sitting position (0:08) indicate relaxation, and towards the end it indicates the urgency of the moment (1:08), their position indicates relaxation (1:16). Thus, non-verbal communication was effectively used in the advertisement. The choice of non-verbal communication by the creators instead of using words captures the attention of the viewer’s better since they are keen to get the message, and this ensures the message is communicated effectively. The message in the ad is that a man driving a car is involved in an accident and ends up not hurt because the seat-belts keep him safe. Had the creators decided to use verbal communication the advertisement wouldn’t have been as effective as it has been since non-verbal communication captures the attention of the viewer to the end by raising interest and curiosity in the viewer as opposed to verbal communication. I agree that the creators of this video clip have used non-verbal communication very effectively. Moreover, the clip demonstrated the importance of seatbelts to the safety of a person in a motor vehicle. Besides that, it also demonstrated how a seatbelt can preserve happiness and unity in the family and at the same time enhance safety. This is shown clearly at the end of the clip when the family members are holding each other with an expression of relief

Marketing Ethics and Marketing Success Assignment

Marketing Ethics and Marketing Success - Assignment Example Any such deficiency sooner or later is likely to have a rebound effect on the future success or failure of the business organization. Rigorous application of marketing ethics is therefore essential for any short or long-term success. ‘Ethics are the moral principles and values that govern the actions and decisions of an individual or group’- (www-rohan.sdsu.edu). Whenever a moral dilemma surfaces during the course of some action, ethics provide the guidelines for taking the appropriate decision. They are unlike the law in the pretext that the latter is enforceable in a court of justice while the former is to be practiced conscientiously. Ethical violations can either be intentional or inadvertent (Upshaw, 2005). Intentional violations include conspiracies to defraud, mismanagement for financial gain and cover-ups for illegal actions and the inadvertent violations include regulatory abuse due to ignorance, poor products due to inadequate quality controls and unintended environmental damage (Upshaw, 2005). Historically, in actual situations, however, it has been seen that ethics are sometimes neglected in order to attain short-term gains in the volatile consumer market. Ethical practices have frequently been ignored in order to make immediate profits but proved disastrous in the long term. One such example is that of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Company which has a worldwide presence but has been known to violate business ethics on numerous occasions. The company is one of the giants in research and development on drugs and has come up with innovative products for human as well animal use. Healthcare ethics have a standard which is unparalleled in any other organization as it directly involves playing with human life. Pfizer has been blamed for launching new drugs without issuing warnings of the side effects associated with their use which could prove fatal in individuals prone to such side effects.  Ã‚  

What Constitutes Coercion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What Constitutes Coercion - Essay Example Legally in the law, coercion is a duress crime. This action is used to force the victim as leverage to act in a desired manner. Coercion involves actual psychological harm, physical injury or pain infliction in order to promote the credibility of threats. This threat of continuous harm may result in the person being coerced to cooperate and remain obedient. Coercion becomes torture when it is extremely applied, for instance, infliction of severe pain in a person until the desired response is got from the victim. Â  Coercion involves various levels. The strongest form of coercion entails killing a victim. Another level of coercion is threatening to take the life of a person unless the person remains obedient. Threats of robbing, beating, or incarcerate makes another level of coercion. Some of the strong forms of coercion include the threat of force, force or even deadly force on people. Government law enforcing agencies such as police operates with various levels of coercion. For instance, threatening to apply force to a criminal in order to get a confession is police work, but actual torture is police misconduct. As a police force, criminals may be compelled to give a testimony and in the process, some threat of force may be used. This remains police work as long as the deadly force is not applied to the victim. Any subsequent torture or force on the victim who has already confessed or not is considered police misconduct. In cases where police successfully retrieve information from a crimi nal by use of force or intimidation, then we can proudly say, the means justifies the end. At that level, coercion is acceptable especially if the case was a matter of national security. However, the level of the acceptable coercion needs to be measured in terms of seriousness to avoid cases where a victim ends up dead in the process of interrogation by a law enforcement agency.

The Psychology Of Fashion

The Psychology Of Fashion Over the second half of the last century, the body has emerged as an object central to our behavior and to our drive for meaning. Therefore, fashion, being in close contact to our bodies, has started to receive the attention of public, artists, and intellectuals. Psychology of fashion expression It is a common saying, that individuals play the roles associated with their individuality and rank in society. One always has the wish to have a job in a large company; such companies are usually image-controlled. Companies want their employees to have proper appearance to look successful. Conservative clothing is still the most accepted successful look for an individual. Not only that, but companies want individuals also to reflect the status and professional performance of the company first by the impression left by the way their employers dress. Those who are not playing roles associated with their positions in society appear as odd and not trusted this shows in being careful of what we do or say in their presence. Applying this to a customer employee interaction, the customer response should then be negative, and the impact of such negative response heightens and reaches higher administrative levels. Looking for a job is difficult especially if the aim is high, the way one manages his or her appearance may be an important key in giving a good first impression. The importance may mount to it may not matter what knowledge, approach or personality if one gets a wrong first impression. The answer to the question why employers encourage the image-control programs now becomes clearly comprehendible. The usual societys look for women is that they appear placid. Nevertheless, women began to take on stronger and more authoritative look probably since society approved for them to wear trousers. This reworked copy is still developing; and women now are taking on not to wear makeup, styling hair, and wearing what has always been a mens wear characteristic such as neckties. It is true that a necktie gives reflects accountability, reliability, astuteness, and status, thus, a scarf may not be enough neckwear for women. These body attachments are not only a form of fashionable clothing, but used also to show the uniqueness of an individual. When a job requirement is divergent communication with customers as in sales or public relations, important qualities for selection are good health and good- looking, as well as knowledge and familiarity with the product or firm. Nevertheless, not all managers appreciate these views; instead, they worry perhaps too much about the fashion outlooks, which can be a preference for selection. Psychological theories related to Fashion The bases of psychoanalysis theory as explained by Sigmund Freud are four principles: Organization of personality. Psychosexual phases of development. Instinctive psychological activity. Psychoanalytic method of psychotherapy. Many psychologists applied Freuds psychoanalytic theory to the study of fashion: Theory of shifting attractive zones Fashion historian, James Laver the art historian (1899-1975) theorized the attraction or seduction principle is what governs women fashions. For that, the main drive behind changes in women fashions was the wish to attract the opposite gender. On the other hand, what governs changes in mens fashions is the hierarchy (pecking order or ladder) principle meaning that fashionable mans style highlights the socioeconomic status more than anything else does. According to Laver, females dress, attracts males by discriminatively covering and hiding certain parts of the female anatomy. Thus, different fashions are based on shifting attractive zones. Fashion helps to keep interest in the body by building what can be called attractive capital that is covering up parts for longtime enough to build up a sense of delight when seeing them again. Sexual symbolism of clothing Alison Lurie the American novelist (born in 1926) applied the psychoanalytic theory in her description of what ones handbag communicates. Gender attraction is not all a handbag communicates. Its contents represent the contents of mind, or act as a portable identity clue. At the same time, however, the bag suggests magnet information in the eyes of the observer. A tightly closed, fastened, and folded purse points to a woman who protects her seclusion (physical and emotional). An open-topped heavily loaded bag, points to an open, trusting personality, which may call for approach. A handbag that has many compartments, points to a methodical organized mind or a woman who engages in many activities in life. A one-compartment handbag, on the other hand, points to the opposite especially if disorganized and mixed up. The executive woman who carries a handbag and a brief case together may have two opposing inconsistent characteristics. Lurie, in her book, also discusses the imagery associate d with mens wear (umbrellas, hats, ties, and walking sticks). Fashion is a way of self-expression. It allows people to transfer feelings and thoughts without saying a word, and if I may quote from Thomas Carlyle (the Scottish philosopher and writer 1759-1881); â€Å"Society is founded on fashion†¦ If the cut of the costume signals intellect and talent, then the color suggests temper and heart†.

Definition Essay †Defining God :: Expository Definition Essays

Definition Essay – Defining God The concept of God can be a difficult one to grasp especially in today's world - a world in which anyone that believes in God is trying to define exactly what God is. To even attempt to grasp such a concept, one must first recognize his own beliefs in respect to the following questions: Is God our creator? Is God omnipotent (all-powerful) or omniscient (all-knowing) or both? Does God care? Is God with us? Does God interfere with life on earth? These questions should be asked and carefully answered if one should truly wish to identify his specific beliefs in God's existence and persistence. One common perception of God is that God is not so much a being, but according to seventeenth century philosopher Benedict Spinoza, that "God is everything, identical to the universe itself." That is to say that God is a part of all humans, all animals, all objects, and all matter in the universe. This particular view is called pantheism, which is literally defined to mean that there is no God, but only the combined forces and laws that are manifested in the existing universe. According to Spinoza, we are each and all an integral part of God, not as individuals or even humanity as a whole but as an integral part of what Spinoza called the "One Substance." He also believed that we are each and all components of some greater being, a being so unimaginably large that we are each nothing more than tiny parcels of matter in that being's blood. Another fairly common perception of God is of relation God's necessity to physics, referred to as Deism and heavily supported by the French philosopher Voltaire. This view is of a God who created the universe and then abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation.

Storm Born Chapter Eight

The keep was like a cross between Sleeping Beauty's castle and a gothic church. Towers jauntily sprang up to impossible heights, creating black patches across the evening sky. We'd lost our light now, but I could still see that a lot of the windows looked as though they contained stained glass. I imagined they'd be beautiful in full sunlight. And framing everything, of course, were those brilliant, yellow-orange trees. Volusian had told me that the kingdoms' seasons were dependent on their rulers' whims and could last for extremely long times. This was beautiful, but I couldn't imagine living in a place that was perpetually autumn. I knew some claimed Arizona was perpetually summer, but, then, the people who said that didn't actually live there. The seasons were subtle, but they were there. I had to keep reminding myself I wasn't in some kind of wacky movie as Rurik and his gang led us through twisted hallways lit with torches. People passed, giving us curious looks as they went about whatever one did in a medieval castle. Churning butter. Flogging peasants. I really didn't know, and I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of there. â€Å"Wait here,† Rurik told us when we reached a large set of double oak doors. â€Å"I will speak to the king before you're shown into the throne room.† Wow. An honest-to-goodness throne room. He disappeared behind the doors, and a couple guards watched us but kept their distance. â€Å"Volusian,† I said softly, â€Å"did you purposely lead us here?† â€Å"My only purpose, mistress, is to keep you alive. Being here will increase your chances.† â€Å"You didn't answer the question.† â€Å"You will also increase your chances,† he continued, â€Å"if you are nice to King Dorian.† â€Å"Nice? They just assaulted me and threatened to rape me.† He gave me an exasperated look. â€Å"The king will see you now,† said Rurik dramatically, returning from inside the room. He held the door open for us. Trumpets wouldn't have surprised me. The throne room was not what I expected. Sure, there was a dais with a chair on it, just like in the movies, but the rest of the room was in a state of disarray. A large space ran through the middle, for dancing or processions, perhaps, but the rest had an almost lounge sort of look. Small couches, chaises, and chairs were arranged around low tables set with goblets and platters of fruit. Men and women, again dressed in sort of a goth-Renaissance style, draped themselves on the furniture and on each other, picking idly at the fruit as they watched me. I was put in mind of the way Romans used to dine. More than gentry lounged around, however. Spirits and sprites and trowes and wraiths were also in attendance, along with an assortment of Otherworld creatures. The monsters of human imagining, side by side with magical refugees who had immigrated to this world. I wondered then if any other shaman had been this far into gentry society. I remembered Roland's warning, that I could be taken right into the heart of their world. If only our kind had some sort of scholarly journal. The Journal of Shamanic Assassination and Otherworldly Encounters. I could have used this â€Å"research† to write a compelling article to share with my fellow professionals. Conversation dropped to a low hum as the gentry leaned over and whispered to each other, eyes on me. Smirks and scowls alike lit their faces, and I put on the blank expression I would wear going to meet a new client. Meanwhile, my pulse raced into overdrive and breathing became a bit difficult. Volusian trailed near me on one side while Rurik walked on the other. Wil and the others moved behind us. â€Å"Why all these people?† I murmured to Volusian. â€Å"Is he having a party?† â€Å"Dorian is a social king. He likes keeping people around, most likely so he can mock them. He keeps a full court and regularly invites his nobles to dine here.† We came to a stop. On the throne sat a man, Dorian, I presumed. He looked bored. He leaned into the arm of his chair, one elbow propped on it so he could rest his chin in his hand. It sort of made him view us at an angle. Long auburn hair, reminiscent of the trees outside, hung around him, highlighted with every shade of red and gold conceivable. He could have been autumn incarnate. He had the most perfect skin I'd ever seen in such a vivid redhead: smooth and ivory, with no freckles or rosy color. A cloak of forest-green velvet covered unremarkable dark pants and a loose, white button-up shirt. He had well-shaped cheekbones and delicate features. â€Å"Kneel before the king,† ordered Rurik, â€Å"and get used to being on your knees.† I gave him a withering glance. He smiled. â€Å"I'll be happy to make you,† he warned. â€Å"Bah, enough. Leave her in peace,† intoned Dorian laconically. He didn't change posture. Only his eyes portrayed any sort of interest in these goings-on. â€Å"If she's been with you for the last hour, she deserves a break. Go sit down.† Rurik's smugness flashed to embarrassment, but he bowed before the throne and backed off. That left Dorian and me staring at each other. He grinned. â€Å"Well, come here. If you won't kneel, I at least want to get a good look at the ‘terrible monster' they've brought to me. They all seem quite afraid of you. I confess, I didn't really believe it was you when they told me. I thought Rurik had been into the mushrooms again.† â€Å"Do you know how many of our people she has killed and forcibly banished, sire?† exclaimed Shaya from somewhere behind me. â€Å"She took out three in under a minute just now.† â€Å"Yes, yes. She's quite terrifying. I can see that.† Dorian looked at me expectantly. I shook my head. â€Å"I'm not moving until you offer us hospitality.† This made him sit up. He kept smiling. â€Å"She's clever too, though, admittedly, asking for hospitality before you crossed our humble threshold would have been more clever still since any of my subjects could have attacked you just now.† He shrugged. â€Å"But we've made it this far. So, tell me, Eugenie, why – er, wait. Do you prefer Eugenie or Miss Markham?† I considered. â€Å"I prefer Odile.† That smile twitched. â€Å"Ah. We're still clinging to that, are we? Very well, then, Odile, tell me what brings the shining ones' most feared enemy to my door, asking for hospitality. As you might imagine, this is without precedence.† I glanced around at all the watching, listening people. Ignore them, ignore them, an inner voice whispered. Focus on Dorian for now. â€Å"I don't really want to talk about it in front of the peanut gallery. I'd rather meet with you in private.† â€Å"Oh.† He pitched his voice for the crowd. â€Å"Well, well. Odile wants to meet with me in private.† I blushed, hating myself for doing it. Nervous laughter ran around the room, soon growing stronger and more confident as the king's did. Interesting, I thought. I remembered Volusian's comments about Dorian, and his soldiers' hesitation about his wrath. These gathered people were sheep, obviously, ready to dance or laugh at Dorian's command, but suddenly I wondered if they were sheep who also feared the whims of their capricious shepherd. I wondered if I should be afraid too. I kept my silence, not acknowledging his joke. He leaned forward, putting both elbows on his knees, letting his chin rest in both hands now. â€Å"If I offer you hospitality, you must reciprocate in kind. I'll see that no one harms you in my household, but in return, you can harm no one under my roof.† I glanced back at Volusian. â€Å"You didn't mention that.† â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† he hissed, displaying a rare loss of patience. â€Å"What did you expect? Take it before your imminent death becomes more imminent and robs me of my chance to kill you myself.† I turned back to Dorian. I didn't like this turn of events. I didn't like being in a nest of gentry, nor did I want to be at one's mercy. Why was I here again? In my head, I summoned an image of little Jasmine Delaney, imagining her being tormented in a similar way over at Aeson's court. Only she would be subject to more than just mockery. â€Å"I accept,† I said. Dorian regarded me in silence and then nodded. â€Å"As do I.† He looked up at the crowd. â€Å"Odile Dark Swan is now under the protection of my hospitality. Anyone who so much as lays a finger on her will get his own fingers chopped off and fed back to him.† He issued the threat with as much cheer as Volusian might have. A buzz spread through the crowd, not entirely pleased. â€Å"What's to keep her from breaking her oath?† I heard someone mutter. Another said loudly, â€Å"She could slay us all!† Dorian's eyes flicked back to me. â€Å"Did you have any idea what a creature of nightmare you are around here? Mothers tell their children Odile Dark Swan will come for them if they're bad.† â€Å"Hey, I don't seek them out. I only come for them if they come for me first.† â€Å"Interesting,† he said, arching an eyebrow. â€Å"But if that's how you like it, so be it. I always admire women who know what they want in the bedroom.† â€Å"Hey, that's not what I – † I hadn't realized the extent to which our slang had permeated the gentry world. Theirs was a reflection of my own; things seeped through. He cut me off with a gesture. â€Å"I gave you hospitality, now come up here. I want to see the terror that haunts the darkness.† I hesitated, both from distrust and defiance to his taunting. Volusian's voice whispered in my ear. â€Å"He will not harm you now that he's given his word.† â€Å"I don't know if I can really believe that.† â€Å"I do.† My minion's voice was calmly serious. â€Å"You know I can't lie to you.† Turning back to Dorian, I took the steps until I stood at the same level as his chair. I met his gaze evenly. â€Å"Look at those eyes,† he sighed happily. â€Å"Like violets in the snow. You smell like them too.† Beyond us, I heard another rise of murmurs in the crowd. â€Å"What's got them all worked up now?† They couldn't hear our discourse. His own eyes danced. They were golden-brown, the color of autumn leaves falling from the trees. â€Å"You've broken protocol. They expected you to stop one step lower. Instead, you've put yourself at the same level as me. The fact that I'm not chastising you means I'm treating you as an equal, like royalty. You should be flattered.† I crossed my arms. â€Å"I'll be more flattered when we have the private talk.† He tsked me. â€Å"So impatient. So human. You've asked for my hospitality. You can't expect me to not give it now.† He made a gesture with his hands, and spirit servants appeared, bearing serving platters of food. For some reason, I suddenly started thinking of the song â€Å"Hotel California.† â€Å"We were about to eat when you so kindly dropped in. Dine with us, and then we'll have as many ‘private encounters' as you like.† â€Å"I'm not stupid. I won't eat anything in the Otherworld. You have to know that.† He shrugged, still sprawled out on his throne like a comfortable cat. â€Å"Your loss. You can sit and watch, then.† He rose gracefully and offered me his hand. I stared at it blankly. Shaking his head with mirth, he simply walked with me down the steps, not touching. â€Å"Where's the rest of my group?† â€Å"Your servants and human friend are safe, I assure you. We've given them their own accommodations since they don't have a guest-of-honor seat at my table, that's all.† He beckoned toward a low, polished table, a bit larger than the others in the room. Like the rest, it was surrounded by sumptuous-looking chairs and sofas, patterned in bright brocades and velvets. Dorian settled down onto a small loveseat and patted the spot beside him. â€Å"Keep me company?† I didn't dignify that with an answer, instead sitting down in the chair next to his sofa. It was a single seat. No one could sit with me. We were soon joined by about a dozen others, including Rurik and Shaya. She reported to Dorian that the people I'd injured had been healed and were recovering. True to my word, I didn't eat any of the food set out before us, but I confess, it looked pretty good. Stuffed Cornish game hens. Fresh bread with steam still rising from it. Desserts I would have committed murder for. But I didn't give in. One of the first rules of the game was to never eat outside your own world. Stories and myths abounded about those foolish enough to ignore that precaution. The other diners tried hard to pretend I didn't exist, but Dorian was fascinated by me. Worse, he flirted with me. At least he wasn't as crass as every other gentry I seemed to encounter, but I didn't rise to any of it – even if it was charming at times. I took it all in with a stoic face, which seemed to delight him that much more. The other women at the table were less resistant. Any look, any word, and they practically melted with lust. In fact, many other people in the room also seemed to melt with lust. Very explicitly so. During and after dinner, I watched as people – couples usually, but sometimes more – touched each other brazenly. It was like being in junior high again. Some of it was just kissing. Some of it was heavy groping – a hand fondling the breast or sliding up the thigh. And some of it was†¦more. Across the room, I saw one woman climb on top of a man and straddle him, moving up and down. I was pretty sure they had nothing on beneath the voluminous folds of her skirt. At a table nearby, one woman was on her knees in front of a man, and she was – I hastily averted my eyes, turning back to my own table. I found Dorian's gaze on me and knew he scrutinized my every reaction. Through some unspoken command, a blond slip of a woman slid into the empty seat beside him, the one I had refused. She draped a leg over his lap and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck. He moved one hand up her leg, pushing up the skirt to reveal smooth flesh, but he otherwise seemed oblivious to her as he regarded me and the other guests. Aside from the free love and utterly medieval setting, there was almost something, well, normal about this place. The gentry I'd run into were always causing trouble in my world. Luring humans. Using magic indiscriminately. But this was like any other social occasion or party. People knew each other and regarded their friends with warmth. They discussed love and children and politics. True, they were still foreign and other to me, but I could also almost see them as human. Almost. Needing to do more than sit there and stare, I reached into my coat and pulled out one of the two Milky Way bars I'd brought along. It was also a utilitarian move, seeing as how I was so hungry from watching all the feasting around me. Dorian immediately became intrigued. â€Å"What is that?† I held it up. â€Å"It's a Milky Way. It's†¦candy.† I didn't really know what else to say about it. I wasn't even sure what was in it. Nougat? I had no idea what the hell that foamy stuff was, save that it was delicious. He eyed it curiously, and I broke off a piece, tossing it over to him. He caught it deftly. â€Å"Your majesty,† exclaimed one of the men, â€Å"don't eat it. It's not safe.† â€Å"It won't hurt me here,† rebuked Dorian in annoyance. â€Å"And don't even start in about poison or I'll let Bertha the cook have her way with you again.† The man promptly shut up. Dorian popped the piece into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. Watching the expressions his face went through was almost hilarious. It took him awhile to work through all that gooey scrumptiousness, and I fostered a compelling image of him with saltwater taffy. â€Å"Entertaining,† he declared when he'd finished. â€Å"What's in it?† â€Å"I don't know. Some chocolate and caramel. A bunch of stuff sort of fused into other stuff.† One woman, her hair curly and brown, fixed me with a combative look. â€Å"That's so typical of them. They twist nature and the elements for the sake of their perverted creations until they no longer know what it is they do. They are an offense to the divine, bringing forth monstrosities and abominations they cannot control.† A snappy retort rose to my lips, but I bit it off. Volusian had warned me to be nice. In light of their relatively civilized behavior at dinner, I could do no less, so my voice stayed calm. â€Å"Our monstrosities do great things. We can fix injuries you can't. We have plumbing and electricity. We have transportation that makes your horses look like dinosaurs.† â€Å"Like what?† asked one of the men. â€Å"Bad analogy,† I replied. Shaya shook her head. â€Å"We can achieve many of the same results with magic.† â€Å"Magic couldn't do much against my gun earlier.† â€Å"Our people survived. Only a human would brag about her ability to wield death.† â€Å"And you in particular would have good reason to,† pointed out Rurik. â€Å"No other human in memory has killed as many of our kind – spirits or shining ones – as you. You would have killed me last week if you'd had the strength. You would have killed our people in the woods today if you could have.† â€Å"I don't always kill. I even avoid it if I can. But sometimes I have to, and when I do†¦well, then, that's the way it goes.† Glowers regarded me all around the table. Only Dorian's face stayed politely curious. â€Å"Rumor has it you've killed your own kind too,† he noted. â€Å"Doesn't it keep you up at night to have so much blood on your hands?† I leaned back in my chair, as always trying to keep my emotions off my face. It did bother me sometimes, but I didn't want them to know. I hadn't killed many humans – only a handful, really – and most of it had been self-defense. They'd been humans working with gentry or other creatures to do harm in my world. That had justified the kills in some ways, but I could never ignore that I was taking a life. A human life. A life like my own. The first time I'd seen the light fade out of someone's eyes – wrought by my hand – I'd had nightmares for weeks. I'd never told Roland about that, and I certainly wasn't going to tell this group. â€Å"Actually, Dorian, I sleep very well, thank you.† â€Å"It's King Dorian,† hissed a plump man across from me. â€Å"Show respect.† Dorian smiled. The others glared further. â€Å"The gods will punish a murderer like you,† warned one of the women. â€Å"I doubt it. I don't murder anyone. I defend. Everyone I've killed was doing damage to my world or – in the case of those humans – helping your kind cause harm. Those who merely trespass, I don't kill. I just send them back. It's not your world, so I protect my own. That's not a crime.† Dorian sent the blonde away with a quick motion of his hand and leaned over the couch so he could speak closer to me. â€Å"But you know it was once our world too.† â€Å"Yes. And your ancestors left it.† Shaya eyed me, cheeks flushing. â€Å"We were driven out.† Dorian ignored the outburst. â€Å"You gave us no choice. Once we were all one people. Then your ancestors turned away from the power within and sought it without. They built. They subdued nature. They created things with their hands and the elements that we had only thought magic capable of. Some even surpassed what magic could do.† â€Å"So what's wrong with that?† â€Å"You tell me, Odile. Has it been worth it? You can't have it both ways. The ability to force ‘magic' from the world killed the magic within. Your lives shortened as a result compared to ours. Your sense of wonder disappeared, short of anything that can be proven by numbers and facts. Your people will soon have no gods but their machines.† â€Å"And despite all this,† observed Shaya bitterly, â€Å"humans continue to flourish. Why haven't they been cursed? Why do they spawn like cats and dogs while our numbers suffer? They are the abominations, not us.† â€Å"Their short lives, their burning need to create before they die, drive that. Their bodies can't help but produce life so readily. We do not feel that urgency.† Dorian grinned. â€Å"Well, physically we do, but subconsciously†¦our souls know we have time.† â€Å"That's another wonder of modern medicine. We can help the infertile.† Dorian frowned, again more curious than angry. â€Å"Enlighten us.† I hesitated, suddenly regretting my comment. In as brief a way as I could, I explained artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization. Even Dorian had trouble stomaching that one. â€Å"This is how your numbers grow?† asked a woman near Shaya. Her voice was an awed whisper. â€Å"Only for some,† I told her. â€Å"Most don't need it. If anything, I think we have too many babies.† Seeing their shocked faces, I felt a little bad about upsetting them with all this. After all, I was a big advocate of respecting cultural diversity. Yet that core belief of mine wavered around these people. Maybe that was unfair, but I had spent my life being taught that they were not human. They might seem so now, but I didn't think one dinner could truly alter my ingrained views. Shaya shook her head, face pale. â€Å"This, then, is what has displaced us from our homeland. These are the things that forced us from the place we came from and into the world of spirits and lost souls. We lost to twisted creatures who breed easily, who rape and pillage the earth in homage to their metal gods.† â€Å"Look, I'm sorry it upsets you all so much, but that's how it is. You guys lost. You have to deal. You did an okay job fighting, I guess. You still show up in a lot of fairy tales and myths. But you still lost. History's like that. There are wars, and unfortunately, in the end, who wins and who loses is more important than who's right or wrong.† â€Å"Are you saying your people were wrong, then?† asked Dorian quietly. â€Å"No,† I said with certainty. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"You're very loyal to your own kind.† â€Å"Of course I am. I'm human. There's no choice there – especially when your people do nothing but cause trouble for mine when they cross over.† â€Å"Look around this room. Of those gathered†¦I would say only less than twenty have ever visited your world. And of those, only a small amount 'caused trouble.' You have degenerates in your world too. Yet, you wouldn't use them to define your entire race as bad.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. â€Å"But I'd still punish them. Look, maybe I'm overly jaded toward your kind, but then, the only ones I've ever met have been the deviants. It's hard not to judge.† Dorian stared at me for a long time, and I couldn't read him. Everyone else looked like they would have killed me on the spot, if not for the hospitality prohibition. I wondered if I'd made Dorian mad enough to regret giving his oath. His thoughtful face changed to its typical expression, the perpetually amused and lazy one. He rose from his couch, sweeping the cloak behind him. Everyone else hastily followed suit. I took my time getting up. â€Å"I thank you all for a lovely evening, but I must take my leave now.† He spoke loudly, so that his words carried to more than just our table. Conversation in the room dropped. â€Å"I daresay my guest is growing restless and eager for some privacy, and I do so hate to disappoint.† The toadies laughed appreciatively, and I steeled myself not to blush again. Dorian glanced at me as we slowly walked out of the hall. â€Å"If I offered my hand again, I don't suppose you'd take it?† â€Å"Not a chance. I don't want to give them any ideas.† â€Å"Oh. Well. I'm afraid it's too late for that, once they see where we're going.† I cut him a warning look. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"Why, to the most private of places. My bedroom, of course.†

OBJECT Essays - Food And Drink, Chemistry, Fruit Juice, Biochemistry

OBJECT Essays - Food And Drink, Chemistry, Fruit Juice, Biochemistry OBJECT Inhibition of Polyphenol Oxidase activity in Apple by using some natural and synthetic anti browning agents . REQUIREMENTS Acidic fruit juices (pineapple, orange, lime, lemon ) 1% Salt solution 1% HCL solution 1% NAOH solution Tap water Apple slice s THEORY E nzymatic browning is one of the most important reactions that occur in fruits and vegetables, usually resulting in negative effects on color, taste, flavor, and nutritional value. The reaction is a consequence of phenolic compounds' oxidation by polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which triggers the generation of dark pigments. This is particularly relevant for apples, which are rich in polyphenols and highly su sceptible to enzymatic browning. In plant cells, phenolic compounds are located in the vacuoles, whereas polyphenol oxidase ( PPO) is located in plastids. Damaged areas in cells allow the contact between PPO and phenolic compounds, triggering the reaction known as enzymatic browning. Examples of beneficial enzymatic browning: Developing color and flavor in Coffee, Cocoa beans, and tea. Developing color and flavor in dried fruit such as figs and raisins. Examples of non-beneficial enzymatic browning: A non-desirable enzymatic browning reaction is involved in the formation of brown spots on the peel of bananas ,avocados,apples and potatoes Polyphenols - main components in enzymatic browning Polyphenols , also called phenolic compounds, are group of chemical substances present in plants (fruits, vegetables) which play an important role during enzymatic browning, because they are substrates for the browning-enzymes. Phenolic compoun ds are responsible for the colo r of many plants, such as apples, they are part of the taste and flavo r of beverages (apple juice, tea), and are important anti-oxidants in plants. Polyphenols are normally complex organic substances, which contain more than one phenol group (carbolic acid): Polyphenol oxidase (PPO ) Polyphenoloxidases are a class of enzymes that were first discovered in mushrooms and are widely distributed in nature. They appear to reside in the plastids and chloroplasts of plants, although freely existing in the cytoplasm of senesci ng or ripening plants. Polypheno loxidase is thought to play an important role in the resistance of plants to microbial and viral infections and to adverse climatic conditions. Polyphenoloxidase also occurs in animals and is thought to increase disease resistance in insects and crustaceans. In the presence of oxygen from air, the enzyme catalyzes the first steps in thebiochemicalconversion of phenolics to produce quinones, which undergo further polymerization to yield dark, insoluble polymers referred to as melanins . These melanin form barriers and have antimicrobial properties which prevent the spread of infection or bruis ing in plant tissues. Example of a general reaction of polyphenols by Polyphenol Oxidases that catalyzes enzymatic browning. The production of Quinones undergoes more reactions which eventually form brown pigments on the surface of fruits and vegetable. PREVENTION OF ENZYMATIC BROWNING The control of the enzymatic browning is of great importance to the horticulture industry, because this reaction occurs in many fruits and vegetables, often negatively affecting the attributes of color, taste, flavor, and nutritional value. It is estimated that more than 50% of fruit market losses ar e a result of enzymatic browning . Researchers are especially interested in studying the control (inhibition) of browning by different methods that can be employed to maximize this inhibition and ultimately pr olong the shelf l ife of commodity.Several methods can be applied to avoid enzymatic browning, based on inactivating the enzyme (heat) or by removing essential components (m ost often oxygen) from the product Blanching is a short heat treatment to destroy or inactivate enzymes before freezing of prod ucts (mainly vegetables). The enzyme activity is pH dependent. Lowering of the pH to 4.0 by the addition of citric,ascorbicor otheracidsinhibits the enzyme activity. Addition of chemical inhibitors like acidulants ,chelating agents, reducing agents may also directly react with enzyme and substrate or change the product composition . METHOD Cut one apple into small thin slices in such way that its pulp portion is exposed to our reagent . Separately place an apple slice in petri dishes and labeled them . With natural anti browning agent, in four samples out of all, squeeze some suitable amount of fresh fruit juices on apple slice. With the synthetic browning agent, firstly prepare solutions

How To Get Started With Twitter Video Marketing - CoSchedule Blog

How To Get Started With Twitter Video Marketing Blog There’s a lot of talk about social media video these days. However, sometimes Twitter gets overshadowed in that discussion by Facebook and other rivals. That’s a shame, because the platform has done a lot to create new opportunities for social video marketing. If Twitter is keeping pace with social media video trends, then marketers and content creators should be too. In this post, we’ll cover: How to shoot and upload Twitter video. Which types of Twitter video content perform best. How to schedule video tweets along with your other content. Think you dont have video skills? No problem. Youll feel like the next Spielberg by the time were done. How To Get Started With Twitter Video MarketingTo help with your video projects, download our free video script template: Why Does Twitter Video Matter? Video content is gaining steam on social media. That includes on Twitter. A 2015 report from Twitter  confirmed some interesting statistics: 82% of users watch video on Twitter 90% of those views happen on a mobile device 41% of users think Twitter is a great place to find video content That should settle any skepticism. Despite these stats, not all brands are creating Twitter content. That means more opportunity for you to stand out. Did you know 82% of users watch video on Twitter? How To Create Twitter Video Content There are three ways to create video content on Twitter: Shooting video in-app using Twitter Video. Directly uploading video files. Sharing video links from YouTube (and other video sharing services). Let’s walk through how each method works. How To Shoot Video Using The Mobile App Shooting video directly in the Twitter mobile app is simple. Here’s how it works: 1. Download the Twitter mobile app (iOS or Android). 2. Open a new tweet window and press the camera icon: 3. Next, select the video camera icon: 4. Then, hold down the button to record your video: Once you’ve shot your video, you’ll be able to upload it directly to Twitter. These screenshots were taken on an Android device. However, the steps are the same for iOS users (the icons just look slightly different). For further details and in-app video editing direction, check out Twitter’s help documentation. How To Import Video From Your Phone Importing video from your phone to Twitter is easy, too. 1. Open a new tweet window and select your video: 2. Next, you’ll have an opportunity to edit your video: 3. Finally, write your post copy and publish your video: How To Direct Upload Video Files To Twitter What if you have a video file you want to share on Twitter? That’s easy enough as well. On Mobile 1. Open a new Tweet window. 2. Select your video from your available media: 3. Write your message and publish your video tweet. On Desktop 1. Open a new tweet window and click the camera button: 2. Find a video file to upload: 3. If your video is longer than 2:20, you’ll need to edit it down. Fortunately, Twitter makes it easy to select which portion of your video you’d like to post. Click and drag the blue tab left or right to make your selection: 4. Write your tweet and publish it. That's it! What About YouTube Links? Videos directly uploaded to Twitter look awesome. However, chances are you’ll want to share YouTube links, too. No problem. YouTube videos look great on Twitter as well, and you don’t need to do anything more than paste your URL. Here’s what the live tweet looks like: Clicking the thumbnail then expands the video player: Recommended Reading: Introducing Social Video from What Are The Pro’s And Con’s Of Video On Twitter? Twitter's mobile app  has cool applications for shooting video in the moment. If your video is already created though, you have a choice to make. Should you upload it to YouTube, and then paste the link in a tweet? Or should you upload your video file directly? It depends.  Before making a decision, you’ll need to weigh  some pros and cons. What Are Twitter’s Technical Requirements For Video? What Equipment Do I Need To Succeed? You just need a phone or a camera, right? Sure, that’s a start. But what about mics? And what kind of camera? Does it matter if you have an iPhone or Android device? Let’s run through your options. iPhone Vs. Android: The Eternal Debate If you plan on shooting mobile video, either iPhone or Android smart phone will work. Windows phone users can’t shoot in-app video, but you can always use your phone’s video camera, and then upload the file via the Twitter app. How Can I Get Better Sound? Smartphone mics are decent enough for basic purposes. If you want better audio quality though, external microphones can help. There are also some simple tactics you can employ. This video from StoryGuide offers an excellent primer on improving smartphone audio recording quality: Got The Coffee Shakes? Get Yourself A Tripod. If you’re handholding your phone while shooting video, some shakiness is inevitable. For those times you need a steady shot, though, a tripod can help. A search for â€Å"smartphone tripod† on Amazon gets more than 500 results, ranging in price to fit your budget (disclaimer: Amazon didn’t pay us anything for this link). What About Editing Software? If you plan on editing your videos outside the Twitter app, and then uploading them later, you’ll need editing software. Windows Movie Maker (Windows) and iMovie (Mac/iOS) are both more than good enough for basic needs. Recommended Reading: How To Do The Best Content Marketing On A Limited Budget Which Types Of Marketing Videos Should I Shoot For Twitter? Now we’re ready to actually shoot some videos. But, what kind of video will you create? We have some ideas to share. How-To Videos How-to videos are essential for any content marketing video strategy. Twitter is no exception. Shoot videos that quickly show people how to do something useful. Check out this video from Home Depot: A Smarter Home makes life easier more enjoyable. Here are 2 easy projects to get started. https://t.co/KxbKIgp0LE pic.twitter.com/0npqitB6jG - The Home Depot (@HomeDepot) August 31, 2016 Product Demonstration Videos Video is key for helping customers do product research. If you have a new product line, service, or feature, shoot a quick video showing how it works. Here’s an excellent example from Google: Capture and share VR photos with #CardboardCamera, now on iOS as well as Android. https://t.co/H4muxNBCSD pic.twitter.com/RFpcVMIyPx - Google VR (@googlevr) September 12, 2016 Culture Videos People love getting behind-the-scenes looks into brands they enjoy. It humanizes your product and helps people build a connection with who you are, and what you do. Twitter for Video is perfect for capturing candid moments around the office. That’s what online retailer RealTruck.com did when they held their own â€Å"Office Olympics†: Recap video of our office Olympics. Fun was had by all! https://t.co/GEb5WLavxP - RealTruck Culture (@RTCultureTeam) August 25, 2016 Recruiting Videos What is it like to work for your company? Show people! That’s what Amazon did in this example: Have you ever wondered what it is like to work for Amazon as a Software Development Engineer (SDE) ? VIDEO https://t.co/D5aITyVUZC #awscloud - Amazon Careers Dub (@AmazonDublin) July 12, 2016 Response Videos Social media is important for customer service. In fact, some brands are even using video to respond to customers. Next time you get a tweet from a customer, shoot a quick video response. It gives your communication a personal touch, and the extra effort will be appreciated. Promotional Videos If you have a sale or promotion, draw attention with a video. Here’s how Gamestop did just that: Enter the latest @GameStop promotion to win cool Gears prizes! #MyGearsMoment #Sweepstakes pic.twitter.com/jOPPuU3FTT - Rod Fergusson (@GearsViking) September 2, 2016 Shout Out Videos Do you have a partner or cause you want to shout out? Do it with a video. Take a cue from Zappos here: Happy Birthday to the National Park Service! 💠¯Ã°Å¸ â€ Get out there and #FindYourPark!#NPS100https://t.co/qDS4K68Fvl - Zappos (@zappos) August 25, 2016 Interview Videos Contact an influencer or subject matter expert, interview them, and get it on video. Then, share a clip on Twitter. Watch how Mention pulled this off: We asked 5 top influencersâÅ" ¨1 BIG marketing question. Watch 🎠¥ full video here: https://t.co/3SqpkIgopz #mktg pic.twitter.com/XkLiOocJvc - Mention (@Mention) September 12, 2016 Event Videos If you’re hosting an event or attending a conference, shoot a video and show people. Here’s one from Idealist: Had a great time at the @Idealist Grad Fair last night! How about you?!? #gradschool #goals https://t.co/ThWHlf74by pic.twitter.com/iLQB4jPMFn - Idealist Careers (@IdealistCareers) September 9, 2016 Wait, How Did You Embed Those Twitter Videos? Every video above has been embedded from Twitter.  Here's how to embed Twitter video content yourself. How To Embed A Tweet With A YouTube Link 1. Find a video tweet you'd like to embed: 2. Then, click the ellipsis and select Embed Tweet: 3. Copy the embed code and paste it into your content's HTML: 4.  If you're embedding your tweet into WordPress, paste the code where you'd like in the Text editor: 5. And here's what the end result looks like: In case you missed it! #FutureofMarketing for the #StateofInbound with @larrykim and @JoannaLord https://t.co/7LJMm92KGw - WordStream (@WordStream) September 13, 2016 How To Embed A Tweet With Native Twitter Video The process is mostly the same here. The only difference is you can choose to either embed the entire tweet (video, text, and links), or just the video: Here's what this video looks like on its own: Just checking out our applications new video feature. pic.twitter.com/zAKpoAzq6N - Brock (@BrockGAzure) September 13, 2016 Recommended Reading: How To Develop A Winning Social Media Content Strategy (Free Template) How Can I Create Better Videos For Twitter? We'll defer to Twitter themselves for this one with this handy infographic: Recommended Reading: How To Write Like A Journalist To Be A Better Marketing Storyteller How To Use Social Media Analytics To Create The Best Content How To Generate Better Social Media Campaign Ideas Like A Creative Genius Publish Twitter Videos With Social Video From Did you know you can schedule and publish Twitter videos in ? We  launched our Social Video feature just last week. It’s something we’re really excited about, and should make creating and scheduling video tweets a whole lot easier. Here’s how it works:

American Recovery Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Recovery Act - Essay Example Facts about the Act The act was developed by the Congress for fulfilling three most important goals of the country. The primary goal was to generate job opportunities within the country and at the same time perform activities for safeguarding the job opportunities that exist. The second important goal of the act was to encourage present activities for the betterment of the economy and also to invest for activities aimed at future long-term economic growth in the country. The third goal of the act was to promote ‘above standard’ levels of responsibility along with transparency in expenses of the government. The act intended to achieve its goals through provision of 288 billion Dollars to several business houses and families in the form of tax reduction sand benefits. The act also fostered provision of 224 billion dollars in the form of employment benefits and various other privileged programs. Furthermore, it was aimed to make available 275 billion dollars for the federal dealings, funding and loans. The act even made it mandatory that the individuals, families and businesses which receive recovery funds should report their mode of operating with the funds on a quarterly basis (Recovery, 2011). It is worth mentioning that despite of these wise objectives the act failed to secure the interest of the economy (Wagner, 2010). Effectiveness of the Recovery Act Wagner (2010) identified an important reason behind the failure of the Recovery Act. According to him, Keynesian multipliers have acted as stimulus towards transforming the act into a ‘failure’. The architects of the Recovery Act made use of the basic algebra to anticipate creation of job through the fiscal stimulus of the period 2009/2010. The fiscal stimulus through Keynesian multiplier is effective in providing momentary control in the economy during periods of excessive unemployment. The author downgraded the Keynesian economics on the basis of the fact that these mechanisms assist in measuring the unemployment rate but fails to recognize and apply means to put the unemployed persons back to work (Wagner, 2010). The theoretical aspect described in the above section can be supported through practical evidences from the unemployment facts of the country after the implementation of the Recovery Act 2009. The rate of unemployment of US during the month of August for the year 2009 stood at 9.7%. This percentage figure was the highest within a period of 26 years in the history of the country. The payrolls of the country declined by 6.9 million after the US economy had to face the recession which started its reign during December 2007. The Recovery Act was unable to halt the falling rate of employment that continued to decrease during the recession and reached to 14.9 million in 2009. Although the rate of decline in payrolls was below anticipation, the rate of unemployment grew up to a level which was more than the anticipated margin. In most of the sectors of the e conomy, the payroll was observed to decline except that in the sector of healthcare. The amount of total working hours in the economy also decreased by 0.3% in the same year i.e. 2009. The situation of long-run employment was even measured to have worsened than the previous years. These scenarios of employment during the year 2009, when the government took the initiative of passing the act determines a clean picture of its failure to fulfill its fundamental

Reasons for the failure of the hundred days reform in 1898 (History of Essay

Reasons for the failure of the hundred days reform in 1898 (History of China) - Essay Example In 1895, Shimonoseki mortifying treaty inflamed the anger of China’s public. Students took an action against this agreement and around 600 young students signed a ‘Ten Thousand Words Memorial’ refusing Shimonoseki treaty and promoted institutional reform. Kang Youwei was the leader. Regardless of the official and traditional ban against the political grouping, young scholars shaped an organization called hsueh-hui to save the country. After 1895, many loyal societies of this type emerged. These societies were extended over the provinces and were struggling to save their homeland. Emperor Guangxu and Kang Youwei were brought together, as both had the same motive to save their homeland from the enemies and unfaithful leaders.1 At that time there was a great threat posed to the people and the country of China and to settle the situation they needed a revolution. China was lacking in every field i.e. of technology and education. Technology was outdated in China and to compete with the developing world there was a need to change and adapt the conditions of the developing world. In the late 18th century countries started demanding China of un-authorized benefits which they had to give to them as they were not strong enough to fight with them. The emperors did not take this matter seriously until 1898 when Emperor Guangxu realized the significance of this threat and took some precautionary measures in order to avoid any mishap which could occur. He was a man who realized that the country needed to adapt to the changing conditions of the world and leave behind the traditions and culture which limited them in progressing. On June 11, 1898 the Emperor finally decided to announce for a change in the country of China. This change was first welcomed by the masses and people of China. The emperor tried to implement policies of his own which gave a new way of progress to China. This article would further