Puberty Blues is a non-fictional story based on the lives of the authors, Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey as they were teenage Essays

Puberty Blues is a non-fictional story based on the lives of the authors, Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey as they were teenage Essays Puberty Blues is a non-fictional story based on the lives of the authors, Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey as they were teenage Essay Puberty Blues is a non-fictional story based on the lives of the authors, Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey as they were teenage Essay Essay Topic: We Real Cool Puberty Blues was written by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey. It was first published in 1979. This edition was published in 2002 by Pan Macmillan in Sydney; and reprinted in 2003. It is a non-fictional story aimed at 13-14 year old girls based on the lives of the authors, Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey when they were teenagers growing up in the Southern suburbs of Sydney. Throughout the novel, the main characters, Debbie and Sue, explore the treacherous expectations that peer pressure can place upon adolescents lives. It represents the importance of coming to the realization that creating morals and values of your own, whether male or female, is the most important thing that you will ever have to do. At just thirteen years of age Debbie would have done anything to become part of the popular group. If you werent in that crowd you were no one. After dealing with the mean and harsh treatments the popular group had displayed towards Debbie and her best friend Sue, they continued endeavoring to be accepted by the group. The reader can slowly see Debbie change her morals and values as the story progresses. Her family was no longer important to her, she continually disrespected their rules and appeared ignorant to any past ethical behaviors they had taught her. She became obsessive about status and risked everything to fit in. She began to ditch her old friends and began drinking, smoking and cheating in schoolwork. She knew that it was wrong but popularity was her main priority. She lost dignity in herself and respect from her family and began to believe it was acceptable to eat, sleep and breathe the boys expectations of her. Debbie began to feel nothing was worthwhile, life was boring and there was nothing to do. She kept on commenting on how great it would be to surf but everyone laughed it off as a joke and replied with a quick answer that girls dont surf. To cure her boredom, she began to take drugs with the boys and soon fell pregnant to her boyfriend, Danny. After looking everywhere to find hi m and tell him the news she finally found him in his room nearly passed out from taking so many drugs. This was when Debbie became more aware of the outside world again and how shed changed. She began to realize that all her peer group ever did was do things for the boys and that their only source of entertainment was sex, drugs, and surfing (the girls were their accessories who sat on the beach and minded their towels). She was sick of delivering food to the guys when they were ready for it and she was sick of never doing anything for herself. After spending a lot of time thinking about it, she finally told Sue how she felt. She wanted to do something about it and she knew what that was. After that day Debbie and Sue bought their very own surfboard. They surfed all day long and had never felt better, and although their group had disowned them straight away she didnt care anymore. She saw them as a minority group she once strived to be part of. Puberty Blues is written in first person. This displays a more personal connection between the character and the reader. The authors also project a sense of confidence within the characters about what was cool and what wasnt. For example, in the first few paragraphs the characters tell you what was cool, they told you the things you must do to become accepted and as they were speaking showed a sense of excitement at the thought of this. They spoke of the boys in a manner which suggested they were god like creatures who were so superior to them that it was wrong not to do anything that they said. The novel is written in simple language yet relates to mature themes such as sex, drugs, and popularity amongst school life which affect the targeted audience who are becoming interested in such ideas and concepts. The language gives the reader a feeling of connection between the text and the ideas, which they can relate to themselves. In the beginning of the novel Debbie spoke in an incoherent manner but as she began to realize her inanity, she became more articulate and competent at expressing a cogent outlook on teenage false perceptions of priorities in life which seem miniscule to the outside world, e.g. popularity. Because the author includes the main characters throughout the novel, and shows their changes and how they grow as people, the use of an epilogue is one of the most important parts of this novel. It shows some who die from drug overdose and others ending up in jail for crimes they have committed. It shows how important it is to make the right decisions without sounding lame to the intended audience. The paragraph which reflects the most change in Debbie is the last paragraph in the book (p.113). We climbed the sand hill at Wanda and looked back. There they were, a mass of black specks way out to sea. The surf had dropped. They sat astride their boards in the grey, flat water; waiting. I knew theyd be talking about their chicks. They always did, way out there when the waves werent working. Hey Deb, lets go get a milkshake Sue and I walked off. It shows that Debbie at last sees the boys as an overrated obsession. How theyre better off claiming independence rather then living up to other peoples expectations and it also shows that your true friends are the ones who will always be there.

GRANT Surname Meaning and Origin

GRANT Surname Meaning and Origin The origins of the Grant surname are uncertain, but the following theories are the most widely accepted: A nickname from the Anglo-Norman French graund or  graunt, meaning tall, large- derived, in turn, from the  Latin grandis- bestowed due to the individuals size, or to distinguish two bearers of the same personal name, often different generations within the same family (e.g. grant denotes the elder or senior).Clan Grant says that tradition suggests that the name comes from Sliabh Grianais - the moor above Aviemore, believed to be the first land in Scotland occupied by the Grant progenitors. Grant may also be a spelling variant of the German surname Grandt or Grant Surname Origin: Scottish, English, French Alternate Surname Spellings: GRAUNT, GRAWNT, GRANTE   Where in the World is the GRANT Surname Found? According to Forebears, the Grant surname is most prevalent in the United States (used by over 156,000 people), but most common in Jamaica (where the surname ranks as 10th most common) and Scotland (ranked 29th). Grant is also common in Guyana (46th), New Zealand (49th), Canada (88th), Australia (92nd) and England (105th). Historical surname distribution data from Scotland identifies the areas where Grant was most common in 1881 as Moray, where it was the most used name, as well as Banffshire (2nd most common), Nairn (6th), Inverness-shire (9th) and West Lothian (10th). WorldNames PublicProfiler identifies the Grant surname as being especially popular in Donegal, Ireland, as well as Australia, New Zealand and most of northern Scotland.   Famous People with the Last Name GRANT Ulysses S. Grant -  U.S. general and commander of the Union armies; 18th U.S. presidentCary Grant - British-American film actorHugh Grant - British actorAmy Grant - American singer-songwriterAnne Grant - Scottish poetJedediah Morgan Grant - leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsNatalie Grant - American singer-songwriter Genealogy Resources for the Surname GRANT Clan GrantExplore a wealth of resources made available by Clan Grant, including history, genealogy, gatherings, membership and more. Grant DNA ProjectJoin over 400 individuals with the Grant surname who are interested in combining Y-DNA testing with genealogical research to help identify various Grant genetic lines and ancestries. Trace your Scottish roots back to Scotland and beyond with the steps outlined in this Scottish genealogy guide. Learn how to locate your ancestors county and/or parish in Scotland, plus access vital records, census records and parish records in Scotland. Grant Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Grant family crest or coat of arms for the Grant surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. FamilySearch - GRANT GenealogyExplore over 2.9 million historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Grant surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GRANT Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts a free mailing lists for researchers of the Grant surname. DistantCousin.com - GRANT Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Grant. The Grant Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Grant from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.    Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Writing effective marketing materials, Medtech Business - Emphasis

Writing effective marketing materials, Medtech Business Writing effective marketing materials, Medtech Business Medical technologies may cross language barriers, but words are the building blocks of a marketing message. Rob Ashton of Emphasis explains how mastering writing skills can help you target and influence the right people. Your company has created an exciting medical innovation. Lets say its a new technology that replaces faulty heart valves without the need for open-heart surgery. Its been patented and is ready to take the world by storm. Not only will it save lives, in the long run it will also save hospitals considerable time and money. The technology may be impressive, but convincing the relevant decision-makers to buy the product is easier said than done. As you know, healthcare is a fast-moving area and your innovation will be fighting for attention with the scores of new products, techniques and studies released every day. Your sales team will be promoting the benefits of the product in sales presentations and one-to-one meetings. You can pave the way by creating compelling marketing materials that will generate interest even excitement before those meetings take place. But simply making such material available wont guarantee that your message is heard. Most managers have a stack of reports, letters and e-mails to wade through on a daily basis. Reading a leaflet or letter on a new heart surgery technology may be the least of their priorities. Thats why your marketing materials need to be carefully crafted. They need to be written in language that prompts your reader to take action. A powerful, well-written document can make even the most harried managers sit up and take notice. It can convince them that they need your product. But it must address their needs, not yours. How can you write marketing materials that will really get your products noticed? Do the groundwork Whether youre writing a leaflet, a poster or web content, you need to prepare. Research your market fully before you start and make sure you understand all the challenges your prospects face. A nursing home will have different needs from an NHS hospital, for example. So avoid a one size fits all approach to your marketing. Keep your focus on the reader by asking yourself the following questions: What is the document about? Who will read it? How much do they already know about the subject? What do they absolutely need to know? How important is the subject to them? How interested are they in the subject? (Note that readers arent always interested in whats important to them. So you often need to make them interested.) Then grab a pen and paper and brainstorm all the ways that your product can help to meet your prospects challenges. Use the headings Who? What? Where? When? and Why? to help this process. Then use the information to write a set of powerful reasons why they should buy your product. Arrest the reader The seven steps below will help you to write effective leaflets, posters, sales letters and web content. Create a snappy headline Eye-scanning studies of website users by research body Eyetrack III have shown that people read only the first two words of a headline and ignore the introductory sections. So it is essential to create a compelling statement that will motivate people to read on. For example, a headline that reads Hospitals gain 20 more beds a week through nanotechnology is striking because of the first two words: hospitals are usually overcrowded, so this introduces a solution to a familiar problem. Find an angle Generate more interest by including facts and statistics that relate to the problems faced by your audience. Appeal to their logic and explain how your product makes a difference. For example, you could write: The new nanotechnology means patients spend 40% less time convalescing. Bite the bullet The Eyetrack III research also revealed that only one in six people actually read websites sentence by sentence. Naomi Baron, a linguistics professor at the American University in Washington DC, calls this the search and seize approach. Assuming that your readers will treat all your documents like this will help you to create clear written work. So include lots of bullet points and subheadings and use important words that your readers will be looking for. Make your writing as simple as possible, but dont be afraid to use jargon if youre certain your readers will understand it. Jargon can actually help to build rapport but its a fine balance between that and alienating some readers. Be active Use the active voice where possible. For instance, write You should notice a difference in three days rather than A difference within three days can be expected. Give proof Boost your credibility by using testimonials or endorsements where leading experts have spoken about the technology. Offer a next step Make sure you tell the reader what to do next. In a letter, you might ask them to call you for more information. Or a leaflet might direct them to your website. Keep it simple Always choose simple words over complicated ones. And if you cant say a sentence all in one breath, the chances are that its too long. Aim for a maximum of 1520 words per sentence. Mail mastery According to an Emphasis survey of 200 companies in the UK, senior managers say that at least a fifth of the e-mails they receive are poorly written. So remember to take as much care over your e-mails as you do with your other marketing materials. The first step is to create a descriptive subject line. For instance, Follow-up documents from 20 March meeting may be accurate but if your e-mail is designed to market a product, you need to be creative. Five ways hospitals can save 50 minutes a day should be intriguing enough to persuade a manager to open your e-mail. Structure your e-mail by following the SCRAP formula: Situation Start by explaining the situation (where they are). Complication Introduce the idea that theres a problem (why they cant stay there) they need to solve or a request they need to fulfil. Resolution State how you can resolve the problem or request. Its likely that your reader will be glad to see a practical, considered solution, whatever it is. Action Suggest what action the reader can or should take. Politeness End with a polite sign-off. Following this formula will help your readers to understand your message clearly. (You can apply the same principles to your follow-up letters.) It can be difficult to read lengthy documents on a PC. So if your message wont fit on one screen, use an attachment for the details. You can make the message easier to read by including subheadings. But take extra care with e-mails. Remember that its very easy for them to go viral. So only write what you dont mind having broadcast on the 10 OClock News. Hot news Having news reports or features appear in newspapers and magazines is an excellent way to build credibility with the people you want to influence. Press releases are the standard format for sending journalists news. But with so many in circulation, it can be difficult to get yours noticed. Journalists are also starting to bite back against releases that are poorly written, irrelevant to their needs or little more than thinly-veiled sales pitches. How do you get your press release to the top of the pile? The secret is to give journalists exactly what they want: a news story. The headline is the most important part of your document. Press releases can be very effective if you tie the headline to a topical event. For instance, Medical software helps Haiti earthquake victims is compelling because it ties the technology to a major global health crisis. And it presents a clear angle that makes people want to read on. Next, state the facts of the story. Get to the good stuff straight away, as journalists wont have time to wade through background information. Try to put the word today in the first sentence to show that its news. For example, you could write: Doctors implemented a patient database today in Haiti. If you cant say today then use the present perfect tense (Doctors have saved) rather than the past tense (Doctors saved) where possible, as the former implies something closer to the moment. After using the present perfect tense, use the future tense to show that you have your finger on the pulse. So you could write: Doctors will now be able to track patient progress 75% faster than before. Using figures in this way is very effective. But where possible, also include people in your document. So opt for One in four people will benefit rather than 25% will benefit. Finally, go back to your first sentence and ask yourself: So what? If you cant answer that, your message isnt compelling enough. Refine your document until youre convinced that its news that cannot be ignored. Think of writing marketing material as an investment. Dont be disheartened if a campaign doesnt immediately strike gold. Keep working on your writing style and aim to make it as punchy as possible. The more you practise, the more youll be able to write your way to marketing success. Rob Ashton is Chief Executive of Emphasis, the specialist business-writing trainers.

Older staff often come with more life experience and a willingness to Essay

Older staff often come with more life experience and a willingness to work - Essay Example â€Å"If employers don’t act soon, they will fail to win the war for talent, as older adults will be relied upon as one of the most important sources of talent for the future workforce (Jan 2007). The global survey, which included 28,000 employers across 25 countries and territories, found employers in the UK are far ahead of their international counterparts, with higher percentage of respondents, respectively, working proactively to retain their older employees. But in Italy and Spain, only 6% have such strategies in place. In 19 of the 25 countries, retention strategies were more predominant than recruiting strategies for older workers. This may be because many of these countries have government legislation or programs in place to encourage employers to retain older workers (Paula 2007). The aim of this topic is to understand and learn more on the recruitment of old employees and the strategies used. We also review the benefits and challenges associated with having an older workforce in companies. We also discuss aging population and recommend what action organizations should take to ensure they have a ready supply of labor in the future. We are also going to review why age diversity pensions are decreasing in value and on the other people are becoming more likely to still have financial obligations such as mortgages or student support, later in life. We are also going to go through what employers will need to consider how they can best become an employer of choice for older workers and how they can retain older workers in an increasingly competitive market place.     For some organizations this will mean a significant culture change.   Consider that 25-34 is the current favorite recruitment age of employers and The Employers Forum on Age has estimated that ag eism costs the United Kingdom economy over  £26bn each year.   This article  will help you to explore the issues that affect your capacity to be an age positive employer and

Financial Results of Google Inc., Apple, and Yahoo Essay

Financial Results of Google Inc., Apple, and Yahoo - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Google Inc. revealed that in the third quarter of 2014 it generated revenues amounting to $16.5 billion. The site’s revenues were $11.2 billion, representing 68% of all the revenues. The company’s partner sites made $3.4 billion. Other revenues amounted to $1.84 billion in the last quarter of 2014. Google shares are currently valued at $528.34/ share (Google, 2014). Yahoo had a good third quarter of the year despite analysts’ projections. Revenues generated by the company amounted to $1.094 billion ex-TAC while the GAAP revenues were $1.14 billion in the same period. Mobile revenues alone were more than $200 million. Earning for each undiluted share was $0.52 per share. Currently, the market price of Yahoo shares is $49.94. The researcher’s predictions of the stock prices for the three companies may have been farfetched in the short run, however, in the long run, the prices seem plausible as the share prices are slightly below o r above the actual prices. The researcher’s projected value of Apple shares was $110; this was an inflated value compared to $103.30/share that the company closed the quarter with. This is also the case with the other two companies. The researcher’s projections for Yahoo and Google were $51 and $590 respectively. However, the two companies fell short of these projected values and instead posted $39.27 and $577.33 respectively, as of September 2014. If the author’s predictions were to be projected to two or three quarters, then they would be spot on for at least two companies. Take for example the share prices of Apple and Yahoo in this quarter ending December. Apple shares are retailing at $111.62/share while Yahoo shares are valued at $49.94. It is evident that Apple shares eclipsed my predictions by $1.62 dollars. Yahoo shares, on the other hand, did not meet the bar the author set and fell short by less than $2. However, this is not the case with Google Inc. The company’s market share value has unexpectedly dipped far below the author’s expectations.

BBA (HONS) Legal % Ethical Environment of Business Essay

BBA (HONS) Legal % Ethical Environment of Business - Essay Example Additionally, CSR-focused businesses would actively endorse the public interest by boosting community development and growth, and willingly eliminating practices that damage the public sphere, irrespective of lawfulness. CSR is the thoughtful inclusion of public responsibility into business decision-making that is the fundamental area of the business or firm, and the celebration of a triple bottom line: people, planet and profit. The word "corporate social responsibility" was coined in the late 1960s and early 1970s, after numerous multinational corporations shaped into being. The term stakeholder was also used, referring to those on whom an organization's doings and actions have an influence, to define corporate owners beyond shareholders as a consequence of a prominent book by R. Edward Freeman, Strategic management: a stakeholder approach in 1984 (Bhattacharya, Sen & Korschun, 2008). Supporters argue that businesses make more long term profits by functioning with a perspective, wh ile on the other hand, critics contend that CSR diverts from the economic role of businesses. Others debate CSR is purely an attempt at window-dressing, or an endeavour to forestall the role of governments as a regulator over powerful multinational corporations (Shumate & O’ Connor, 2010). ... ISO 26000 is the renowned international standard for CSR (presently a Draft International Standard). It is extensively recognised that CSR follows the similar philosophies but with no formal piece of legislation. As my case study, I have chosen The Walt Disney Company in order to analyse their Corporate Social Report to assess how effectively they meet their stakeholders’ needs and interests. According to The Walt Disney Company, kids as well as families are at the core of Disney. They are their most significant audience and their stimulation for new Disney entertainment as well as involvements. They incessantly attempt to delight and amaze their consumers as well as guests, and to do so in a modern and appropriate way. Parents as well as caregivers are key associates in assisting, guiding as well as shaping their methodology to entertainment for kids. Parents identify their kids best. The Walt Disney Company strives for equilibrium when evolving age-appropriate entertainment involvements. They want kids to adore their entertainment, in addition to the parents trusting them to be distributing quality content. There are four chief principles entrenched in their method of family entertainment: Promising positive growth Constructing content for kids of all ages Affiliating with parents Generating safe environments Their objective in boosting positive development is to encounter kids where they are developmentally, with age-appropriate activities that are appropriate, fun and thought-provoking to them. They aspire to carry out the best in kids by providing amusing, moving, exhilarating, exciting, astounding, delightful and enlightening entertainment experiences that they can later impart on their family and friends. Their emphasis on positive growth comes to

Article review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article review - Assignment Example Moreover, I will suggest additional research finding that would make the article more authentic, and bring some more understandings. Parker begins by describing the economic history of depression. In this period, there was high rate of economic growth, and increased consumer spending and purchasing power. He claims that economic growth was only disrupted minimally by the three recessions that took place in 1923, 1924, and 1926 (Parker, 2010, Web). Parker also claims that the policy adopted by the federal government were key in economic growth. For example in the 1920’s, the Federal Reserve used monetary policies to stabilize business cycle fluctuations (Parker, 2010, Web). Moreover, there were also high demands of America goods, as World War 1 did not affect it like other European countries. In addition, the Gold Standards were not much entrenched during this period (Parker, 2010, Web). Secondly, Parker describes the beginning of the economic anguish. He talks of the federal government failures to notice dangers leading to the great depression. He says that deflation failed to operate, as it was case in the beginning of 1920. Moreover, the European economies had recovered and Gold Standards became a mode of transaction. He also focuses on failures of the economy, and factors that might have led to this failure. He describes failures in the bank claiming that there was no deposit insurance and this led to panic. He also cites various forms of contemporary explanation on the great Depression. For this reason, various theories are highlighted such as liquidationist theory. He also describes the modern explanation based on monetary hypothesis of Friedman and Schwartz together with the nonmonetary/financial hypotheses of Bernanke and Fisher (Parker, 2010, Web). Parker claims that based on his own understanding, the non-monetary theories cannot support the theories menti oned to account the state of the economy during