Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination Essay

Racial discrimination has long been an issue especially in the United States which is considered as a melting pot of different people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Black people have experienced extreme even radical form of discrimination for centuries, but now, the black people found an ally in the affirmative action policy. This policy, after some time of implementation sparked debate since some people, even the blacks themselves, say that giving racial preferences is never a good thing. The policy has affected admission aspects in schools and employment in jobs. Two job applicants, a white male and a black male, even with the same qualifications, the black male will likely get the job because of racial preference provided by affirmative action. Black people are being given a definite advantage and white people would find this an unfair treatment. The same goes for school admission policies where minorities are being given a higher preference over white people in order to maintain a diverse student body. Thesis Affirmative action laws were made to eliminate or reduce discriminatory acts but there are numerous claims that these laws have reversed the tide. Affirmative actions laws may no longer be considered fair in this current setting since it only results in reverse discrimination and it is no longer an effective means of providing opportunities for minority groups. This reverse discrimination is constituted by racial preferences for blacks. This racial preference clouds the judgment of many educational institutions and employers since racial background is being analyzed instead of just the plain qualifications which some white people might find inappropriate. Affirmative action was envisioned to put an end to racial discrimination especially against black people. Under this policy, black people were given higher preferences in job and in admission policies in universities. This is however not an answer to eliminating discrimination. Instead of giving higher preferences to those people who are being discriminated such as the black people, a better alternative solution to racial discrimination would be to find steps to eliminate discriminatory acts and leveling the field so that all people from different ethnic backgrounds will be presented with equal opportunities. Since the black people are being given higher preferences, this may appear as a form of discrimination against white people. Affirmative action, instead of fulfilling its intention of eliminating discrimination, rather contributes to it. One of the major focuses of the affirmative action debate is its inclusion in university admission policies which show higher preferences for black applicants. Many people have been calling for the ban of the use of affirmative action in the public arena. Voters in California, Washington and Michigan have already submitted amendments to their state constitutions that would prohibit the use of affirmative action in the public setting (Prince & Ryan, 2007). According to actor and columnist Joseph Phillips, affirmative action is not an issue of nondiscrimination, it is now about racial preferences. He emphasized on the point that racial preferences is not an effective way of fighting racism, instead, it brings about negative stereotypes especially in the educational sector wherein it pertains to a person’s intellectual capacity and academic capabilities (Prince & Ryan, 2007). In a Supreme Court ruling in 2003 which involves the University of Michigan which makes use of racial preferences in its admission policies, the court highlighted the goal of having a diverse student body which is brought about by affirmative action but critics say that this decision by the court would only spark more law suits and that the critics of affirmative action would continue to put pressure on the Department of Education to discontinue the use of the policy (Marklein, 2003). Evidences have been presented regarding the effects of affirmative action; however, these evidences always seem imperfect and ambiguous. A review of the policy during the Clinton administration indicated that active federal enforcement of the policy in the 1970s resulted in government contractors moderately increasing the hiring of minority workers. Studies have indicated that there is only a meager increase in the employment of black males. Employment share of black males in contractor firms in 1974 was 5. 8 percent and this figure only increased to 6. 7 percent in 1980. On the other hand, the increase in non-contractor firms was from 5. 3 percent to 5. 9 percent. Also, a substantial number of black government employees got their jobs or promotion to managerial rank because of affirmative action even if qualifications are questionable (Galston). In the education sector, it was only during the height of the affirmative action policy that the enrollment of black people was on a steady rise. From only 4. 9 percent in 1955, black enrollment went up to 7. 8 percent in 1970. The figure further increased to 9. 1 percent in 1980 and 11. 3 percent in 1990. On the other hand, according to a report from the Census Bureau, Hispanics holding bachelor’s degrees or other advanced degrees went up to 9 percent in 1994 from only 5 percent in 1970 while the rate for blacks is 12. 9 percent from 4. 5 percent (Galston). Another issue that rises with affirmative action is that minority groups may gain an image of inferiority since the whites may think that a black student was able to enter the university or a black person is able to get a job only because of affirmative action even if the black person has all the necessary qualifications (Hoffman). Overall, the past 30 years has been fruitful for the black people as they generally lived better lives with better education and income all because of racial preferences. This has resulted into what Seymour Martin Lipset classifies as a â€Å"growing differentiation† within the community of black people from the growing black middle class to the ghetto poor. The affirmative action program would work better if it would remove barriers for those who have the credentials to succeed instead of giving them a definite advantage in admissions. Anti-Thesis Supporters of affirmative action make use of the argument that it is necessary for the people compensate for years of discriminations against blacks. Many black people approve of affirmative action because it provides recompense against the discrimination that they have experienced and endured in the past but not all black people share this kind of insight. Steele said that, theoretically, affirmative action is in moral symmetry with fairness. She described the policy as reformist and corrective as well as repentant and redemptive. The country is trying to make up for its sins and wants to correct it but black people will lose more than what they will gain from the policy (Steele). Some also argue that it is difficult to remove stereotyping and discrimination without the policy and that it is needed to maintain diversity. Another argument states that affirmative action should continue because racism still exists in this society. The argument that affirmative action is needed for the white people to compensate for the discrimination against blacks is shrouded in hatred and appears as a form of retaliation against the white people. However, retaliation will not improve the situation. It might even spark more discrimination against black people if affirmative action policies continue to be implemented and this could lead to more hatred and discrimination against the minority groups. According to Kimberle Crenshaw, a professor of law at the University of California, affirmative actions removes the obstacles so that people from the minority groups can qualify and compete. With affirmative action, blacks, Hispanics and other minority group find it easier to get a job because of racial preferences geared toward these minorities (Prince & Ryan, 2007). Affirmative action exists because there is discrimination, if there is no discriminations, affirmative action would not be needed in this society. The fact that affirmative action exists is because there is still discrimination and it is still needed in the current setting. Those who believe that affirmative action is in conflict with their interest must be made to see what benefits it provides to the society. Racism is still dominant in the United States which is why affirmative action must stay (Noguera, 1996). According to Linda Chavez, founder and president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, the Michigan University case speaks of admission and scholarship programs for minority groups which make use of substantially different standards and must include the racial background. People against the policy said that they will take their case to the ballots but the court has already made it clear that it is the university’s prerogative to include race in the admission policy to ensure the diversity of the student body (Marklein, 2003). The 2003 Supreme Court ruling allowed admission officials to consider race in the selection process. Colleges and universities have no obligation to use racial preferences but they may adopt such policies to meet a satisfactory level of student diversity. Arthur Coleman, a former official under the Department of Education said that adopting diversity is a choice and is not mandated by any law or policy. According to a survey by Public Agenda, 79 percent of Americans agreed that it is important for schools to have a diverse student body while only 54 percent approved of affirmative action programs. In a separate poll conducted by Gallup before the court handed out its ruling, only 49 percent said that they are in favor of affirmative action while 43 percent said that they are not in favor (Marklein, 2003). Synthesis Affirmative action was made to eliminate discrimination but discrimination would not likely be eliminated if the method used to eliminate it is discriminating in itself since it results in a reverse discrimination. Instead of blacks being discriminated, the white people are now the ones being discriminated because of racial preferences given to black people in school admission policies and employment opportunities. Arguing that affirmative action is fair because blacks were once discriminated to a great extent is not valid since it is only driven by hatred towards white people who were discriminating the blacks and other minorities (Steele). Also, continuing affirmative actions only causes white people to hate the blacks because of the racial preferences that they are being handed. White people who believe that they have the qualifications but are turned down while a black person gets in may think that affirmative action gave him a disadvantage and not because the black person is really qualified (Hoffman). Affirmative action will not eliminate racial discrimination but it rather contributes to it. The policy may have its benefits every now and then, but generally, it is no longer applicable in the current setting as more and more white people are feeling the negative effects of the policy. It does remove barriers so that people from minorities can compete but it comes with a price. They gain an image of inferiority because people may think that it is only because of affirmative action that they have reached a certain level of success and not because they are really qualified (Hoffman). The Supreme Court has handed out its decision in the Michigan University case and the decision maintained that the school may use the race as part of the admission policy to maintain the diversity of the student body. Even without affirmative action, colleges can use race as a basis of application to meet a desired rate of student diversity since having a diverse student body promotes a better learning environment (Marklein, 2003). Ultimately, data indicates that affirmative action is no longer effective which means that it is time to adopt an alternative policy (Galston). A better way of embracing diversity would be to encourage minorities from a young age to work for their goals and get a good education. Assisting people from poor socio-economic backgrounds to gain resources and motivation should also be done so that they will also be competent when it comes to school admission and job-seeking. This is a lot better than giving them preferential treatment because they would not be treated as inferiors (Hoffman). Conclusion To conclude, affirmative action may have been an effective way of reducing racial discrimination against minorities, but now, it is no longer applicable to be used in the current setting since it results in reverse discrimination. The white people are now put in a seat that was once held by other minorities. Affirmative action might trigger hate targeted towards the blacks and other minorities because of the reverse discrimination. The policy which gives racial preferences also connects inferiority with minority groups. A better way of eliminating discrimination is by leveling the playing field not by racial preferences but by providing equal opportunities for whites and minority groups. References Prince, Andrew & Ryan, Erica. 21 November 2007. Is it Time to End Affirmative Action?. National Public Radio. Retrieved July 8, 2008 from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=16337441 Marklein, Mary Beth. 24 June 2003. Despite ruling, affirmative action debate is far fr

Purchasing and Supply Management Essay

1.0 Introduction Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation (KFC) was the world’s largest chicken restaurant chain and third largest fast-food chain. KFC held over 55 percent of the U.S market in terms of sales and operated over 10,200 restaurants worldwide in 1998. KFC first opened in Australia 1968. Present day KFC now serves over 2million customers a week. With over 600 stores Australia wide. This report will aim to analyse and critique KFCs purchasing and supply management activities. In particular the legal, ethical, sustainability and social responsibility issues in purchasing and supply management, as well as supplier selection, evaluation and contracting methods. This report will provide an in-depth analysis of the purchasing methods and hope to show areas open for continuous improvement through changes in supply management and purchasing initiatives. 1.1 Background of KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation (KFC) was the world’s largest chicken restaurant chain and third largest fast-food chain. KFC held over 55 percent of the U.S market in terms of sales and operated over 10,200 restaurants worldwide in 1998. http://www.scribd.com/doc/53764758/Supply-Chain-Management-of-KFC. Since opening in Australia KFC has become ever growingly popular throughout the years, Though in recent times it has seen a gradual downfall which many believe is due to the sudden boom in healthy food options. Due to this boom KFC has seen numbers drop and other fast food outlets like subway have increased. Since then KFC has implemented a few pro environment social responsibilities initiatives such as â€Å"Ditching the palm oil contract† and opening its first ever energy efficient restaurant. When it comes to purchasing methods and supply management however there is always room for continuous improvement which is what this report aims to analyse. 1.1.1 Objectives & Goals One of the major objectives of KFC that they run their campaign in such a way that KFC creates and image in the minds of customers that customers want to go in KFC and will be the first choice for the customers. KFC wants to become the first choice because its they become the first choice it is excellent for the health of the KFC business because if business is expands then there is eliminate scope and the opportunity to get the maximum profit and utility. The Corporation has a vision KFC’s vision is to bring people of all ages, races and backgrounds together to enjoy ‘Soul Food’ – ‘proper food at reasonable prices’ – within bright and fun interiors. KFC is designed to be perceived as a fun and inclusive brand (KFC, 2011). 2. Purchasing and Supply chain management In Recent years with a ever growing shift towards more environmental approach for multi national companies especially fast food giants, KFC has come under much scrutiny with such happenings as the Indonesian chicken antibiotics incident 2013, Green peace packaging incident when claims were made KFC packaging is coming from Indonesian forest in 2012 and the free roam chicken incident 2011 where KFC quickly removed its free range chicken advertising after an investigation was launched into its suppliers.http://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/kfc-pulls-free-roam-ads-after-watchdog-bites-chicken-suppliers-20110913-1k7tj.html. All these instances sparking world news articles and putting immense pressure on brand name and reputation in the global market, this all comes down to the purchasing and supply management. At the moment KFC purchasing and supply management are running at a low risk and avoiding any anticipated supply bottlenecks and building long term supplier relations. Though in today’s extremely competitive and lucrative market this is no longer enough, one option is to reposition the purchasing supply management within the organisation to make a globally acceptable change towards a more environmentally friendly purchasing and supply methods. This could be achieved by shifting towards a more hybrid structure with better global sourcing councils or corporate purchasing and steering committees and by shared resources between distributors and suppliers and possible implementation of fixed price incentives contracting. 2.1 Ethical standard Kentucky Fried Chicken is very keen about ethical standards both within and without the company as asserted by their company representatives. For instance the company is strict about is vendor engagements. Before a supplier can secure a contract with Kentucky Fried Chicken, they have to comply to similar ethical standards as KFC. This means that the supplier must not utilise under age labour to producer their commodities, they must pay fair wages and must also avoid placing harmful chemicals in their commodities. These concepts have governed the way KFC chooses other business partners too; they include contractors and manufacturers. One option here is to implement contractual renewals and to review the contract specifications annually with regards to global market and ever-changing ethical ideologies. This could see that KFC is the leader in ethical and social responsibilities, however could bee seen to add significant economic costs, which could be made up in brand name value and co mmunity awareness. 2.2 supplier section & Evaluation KFC Australia franchise boasts that 97% of its chickens are delivered fresh not frozen, And that all of the chickens are allowed to grow naturally without any additives such as hormones or stediods, they source chickens from reputable Aussie suppliers like Inghams, steggles and baiada.http://www.kfc.com.au/kfc-australia/ In Australia in particular there is a ever growing trend for local fresh produce and this is showing through all major supermarkets. Just 10 years ago there were no farmers markets in SA or Victoria now there are more then 70 held regularly. (http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/165974/safood_consumers_report.pdf) This trend has since had a knock on affect to the fast food industry and suppliers. With a majority of the main fast food distributors now moving to local markets and produce in hope to boost brand name whilst showing corporate responsibility and intern create profit margins for the company. Although KFC Australia already sources some of its supplies from local farmers there is more that could be done. One option could be to move towards a more local decentralized suppliers, though this would add logistical implications there is room to gain quality and cost through increased competition. Though considering huge infastrucal change that would  be need to implement this the best option is to build on the supplier relationship currently active and create a mutually beneficial agreement with the implementation of 2.2.1 Supplier performance monitoring & measurement (Supplier code of conduct)- http://www.kfc.com/about/supplier.asp KFC’s suppliers are all held to strict and stringent quality and control measures under contracts. Though this is a area that could be expanded on to create continuing control methods, as KFC is such a large name in the food industry and boast a reputable brand name. Such aspects as supplier quality monitoring and measurement really need to be looked at, currently it is up to the suppliers to monitor and measure their own quality. The importance of this was shown last year in shanghai when KFC cut over 1000 supplier contracts in Shanghai and their parent company â€Å"Yum† experienced a 6% market drop that year which was more then the 4% previously predicted due to high levels of antibiotics being found in the chicken. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/kfc-cuts-more-than-1000-suppliers-after-china-chicken-scare-2013-2 When it comes to food giants such as KFC emphasizing prevention over detection is a must and one must aim and reach almost zero defects as the fast food industry is one of the most competitive quality driven industries in Australia. One recommendation is to implement a quality control team that goes out and measures the quality and performance of each of the suppliers on a regular basis. This could also carry on to within the restaurants themselves as currently KFC only audits a set portion of their restaurants each year and quality could be improved by auditing all of the company’s venues at least annually. This could also provide vital supplier selection data and if collected and logged correctly a great monitoring and measurement system to judge suppliers by. 3. Means of Contracts 3.1 Means used for the obtaining of contracts KFC has many suppliers from which Pilgrims’ Pride supplies them the huge amount of chicken and those chickens then go for further process and then to be served into KFC restaurants all around the globe. KFC must convey proper steps and methods to evaluate suppliers and their material as suppliers affect the overall operation of KFC. Furthermore Suppliers must focus on  their improvement because if KFC is affected; they would be affected too. There are three means whereby KFC, obtains its supply contracts from the suppliers. These three means are mentioned below: Direct Purchase: KFC franchises sometimes purchase directly from the suppliers in case of urgent supplies or when there supplier cannot deliver on time due to some reasons. This is only temporarily to meet the urgent demand and allow the operations to run without any abruption. Quotations: The KFC management after going through and analysing the supply needs requests the suppliers to prepare their costing data and send a quotation for supplies of raw materials necessary for the operation of the restaurants. Tenders: This is a process where KFC invites tenders to all the suppliers of food products out there in the market. Whichever supplier meets the product specifications, quality assurance and the cost set by KFC, gets the contract to supply raw materials to the KFC restaurants. 3.2 Renewal, Termination Most KFC outlets are owned by the franchisees, which operate the restaurants in accordance with the license issued to them by the KFC. The License Term shall expire on the 20th anniversary of the opening date subject to earlier termination pursuant to the Agreement. Upon termination or expiration of the License, the Franchisee shall immediately discontinue use of all KFC trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, and know-how and processes developed and owned by KFC and shall immediately and at no cost to KFC remove signs, menu board inserts, point-of-sale material, red and white stripes and any characteristically designed roof from the Outlet and otherwise change its exterior and interior appearance so that it is no longer confusingly similar to a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet and no longer bears any KFC trademarks, service marks or trade names or designations or marks similar thereto. Renewal of Agreement; at the expiration of the term here of, Franchisee may extend this Agreement for successive ten (10) year periods, provided that at the time of expiration of the term hereof or the then current extended term: (a) Franchisee shall not have failed to remedy any breach specified by KFC. (b) Franchisee shall agree to make such capital expenditures as may be reasonably required to renovate and modernize the Outlet and its signs and equipment so as to reflect the image of Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets. (c) If renovation and modernization of the Outlet is not possible or feasible, Franchisee shall relocate the outlet. (d) Franchisee shall execute a new license agreement on the form then being used by KFC, but without any increase in royalty fee or advertising (e) Franchisee shall not have engaged breaches of The Agreement within the preceding twenty-four 24 Months prior to renewal. In the contracting and franchising of KFC’s network the report has found that this is a efficient method of contracting and no economically feasible changes have been found that would be seen to improve or add value to business. Conclusion This report found on its analysis of KFC’s supply and purchasing network that there Is potential to increase sales and brand name and value whilst increasing social responsibility, Though the increase in environmental practices and local producer investments. By raising the local purchasing this could increase quality, and has potential to decrease lead-time. By going for a more green approach KFC could minimize brand name implications and negative media attention whilst increasing social responsibility. Reference KFC. (2011). ‘Official Website’, Retrieved From http://www.kfc.com.au/index.asp

How to Trace American Indian Roots in Your Ancestry

How to Trace American Indian Roots in Your Ancestry Whether you want to become an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, verify a family tradition that you descended from an American Indian, or just want to learn more about your roots, researching your Native American family tree beings just like any other genealogy research - with yourself. Start Your Climb Up the Family Tree Unless you have a large collection of facts on your Indian ancestor, including names, dates, and tribe, it is usually not helpful to begin your search in Indian records. Learn everything that you can about your parents, grandparents, and more distant ancestors, including ancestral names; dates of birth, marriages, and death; and the places where your ancestors were born, married, and died. You can start by constructing your family tree. Track Down the Tribe During the initial phase of your research, the goal, especially for tribal membership purposes, is to establish and document the relationships of Indian ancestors and to identify the Indian tribe with which your ancestor may have been affiliated. If youre having trouble finding clues to your ancestors tribal affiliation, study the localities in which your Indian ancestors were born and lived. Comparing this with Indian tribes that historically resided in or currently live in those geographical areas may help you to narrow down the tribal possibilities. The Tribal Leaders Directory published by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs lists all 566 federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives in a PDF document. Alternatively, you can access this same information through an easy-to-browse database of Federal and State Recognized American Indian Tribes, from the National Conference of State Legislators. John R. Swantons, The Indian Tribes of North America, is another excellen t source of information on more than 600 tribes, sub-tribes, and bands. Learn Background on Each Tribe Once youve narrowed your search to a tribe or tribes, it is time to do some reading on tribal history. This will not only help you understand the traditions and culture of the tribe in question but also evaluate your family stories and legends against historical facts. More general information on the history of Native American tribes can be found online, while more in-depth tribal histories have been published in book form. For the most historically accurate works, look for tribal histories published by University Press. Research Using the National Archives Once youve identified the tribal affiliation of your Native American ancestors, it is time to begin research in records about American Indians. Because the U.S. federal government interacted frequently with the Native American tribes and nations during the settlement of the United States, many useful records are available in repositories such as the National Archives. The Native American collection at the National Archives includes many of the records created by branches of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, including annual tribal census rolls, lists relating to Indian removal, school records, estate records, and claims and allotment records. Any American Indian who fought with federal troops may have a record of veterans benefits or bounty land. For more information on the specific records held by the National Archives, visit their Native American Genealogy guide or check out Guide to Records in the National Archives of the United States Relating to American Indians, compiled by archivi st Edward E. Hill. If you want to do your research in person, most of the main tribal records are stored at the National Archives Southwest Region in Fort Worth, Texas. Even more accessible, some of the most popular of these records have been digitized by NARA and placed online for easy searching and viewing in the National Archives Catalog. Online Native American records at NARA include: Index to the Final (Dawes) Rolls of the Five Civilized TribesIndex to Applications Submitted for the Eastern Cherokee Roll of 1909 (Guion-Miller Roll)Wallace Roll of Cherokee Freedmen in Indian Territory, 1890Kern-Clifton Roll of Cherokee Freedmen, January 16, 18671896 Citizenship Applications Bureau of Indian Affairs If your ancestors had land in trust or went through probate, the BIA field offices in selected areas throughout the United States may have some records concerning Indian ancestry. However, the BIA field offices do not maintain current or historical records of all individuals who possess some degree of Indian blood. The records the BIA holds are current rather than historic tribal membership enrollment lists. These lists (commonly called rolls) do not have supporting documentation (such as birth certificates) for each tribal member listed. The BIA created these rolls while the BIA maintained tribal membership rolls.

WRITING FOR THE WEDDING MARKET

WRITING FOR THE WEDDING MARKET The wedding industry is big business – with the average US wedding costing more than $25,000. Most couples turn to wedding magazines to help them navigate the taffeta and lace, seating plans and relatives. If you love everything wedding – the clothes, the flowers, and the romance – you could make money as a wedding writer. Breaking In to the Wedding Market The wedding market is extremely popular among freelancers, and the larger glossy magazines only come out a few times a year.   A great way to begin as a wedding writer is to pitch wedding articles to magazines outside the wedding industry. Regional magazines produce wedding content focusing on local suppliers, and service industry trade magazines are interested in wedding related articles. Some wedding and business blogs even pay for articles. Once youve built up a selection of clips, youll have more success pitching the glossy magazines. Another way to break in is to pitch an article focusing on a topic you already specialize in. For example, if youre a financial writer, you could write about wedding budgets. If you write in the technology niche you could review wedding planning Apps. Travel writers can submit pitches on honeymoon destinations. Because wedding magazines are all about visual inspiration, if you can demonstrate photo sources in your pitch, the editor will be more likely to consider your submission. Expertise in the wedding industry – such as being a cake designer or a wedding planner – will make your pitch stand out. Read the different magazines carefully, and pitch articles aimed at their specific bridal market. Some magazines dont want articles on budget or gay weddings, while others only want weddings and vendors from a certain region. Wedding Article Topics Since wedding magazines have a new set of readers every year (women start reading magazines once theyre engaged and tend to move on after theyve been married) theres a certain amount of repetition among topics. But the editors are always looking for new concepts and trendy ideas. For example, an article on wedding cakes might focus on choosing wedding cupcakes, since these are extremely popular right now. You can become a specialist in certain wedding topics – such as beach weddings, wedding dà ©cor or eco-friendly weddings, and tailor your pitches to suit. Im a certified wedding celebrant, with a specialty in weird, alternative weddings, and theres certainly not many other writers covering that! Your Wedding File One of my tricks is to keep a folder of contact details for interesting wedding-related businesses and experts I can approach for sources.   I also keep an eye on wedding blogs, as trends appear on blogs before they reach the magazines. Adding a few of your favorite wedding blogs to your RSS Reader is a great way of keeping up-to-date with the industry. My favorite wedding blogs are: Offbeat Bride http://offbeatbride.com A Practical Wedding http://apracticalwedding.com Rock n Roll Bride http://rocknrollbride.com Alice in Weddingland aliceinweddingland.co.uk Weddings are beautiful, fun-filled events, and writing about them injects a little sparkle and romance into the solitary writing life. Wedding magazines can be a tough market to crack, but a little creative pitching and a lot of enthusiasm for the industry will soon land you assignments. Wedding Markets Flower MagA trade magazine for floral designers, including an extensive wedding section. Pays professional rates. flowermag.com/contact/ Bride and GroomRegional wedding magazines accepting features, service articles and honeymoon profiles. Pays between .50 and $1 per word. http://originalweddingexpo.com/writeforus.html BustFun, contemporary womens magazine that often runs wedding material. Pays between $50-500 depending on department. http://bust.com/info/submit-to-bust.html Somerset WeddingSimple and elegant wedding craft ideas. Pays professional rates. stampington.com/submissions/index.html

How to Recognize the Signs of Burnout and Stay on Fire

How to Recognize the Signs of Burnout and Stay on Fire Don’t be the one who face-plants on the conference table because you failed to see the signs of your own exhaustion- or start to hate your job because you need a break badly, but never thought to take one. Get your energy and motivation back before you’re totally overwhelmed. Keep an eye out for these symptoms, learn to recognize them, and prepare yourself to stave off burn-out before it burns you.1. DisaffectionYou’re getting snarkier and more sarcastic with every passing meeting. Little things you would have shrugged off last year are suddenly sticking in your craw. A few eye-rolls at the absurdity of corporate speak are fine, but if you’re catching yourself venting your annoyance more frequently than usual, that might be a sign you’re almost at the breaking point.2. FatigueYou’re not just sleepy after the spaghetti you ate for lunch. You’re sleepy all the time. You wake up tired, get to the desk tired, go home too pooped to enjoy yo urself. You’re never â€Å"in the zone† anymore.3. StagnationYou’re not getting any pleasure out of minor victories or completed projects. You feel like you’re working tirelessly, but nothing seems to go anywhere.4. BoredomYou’ve got a billion tasks on your to-do list and projects on your plate, but you just can’t get past the boredom. You have a hard time engaging with your work.5. ProcrastinationWell, more procrastination than normal. Procrastination can actually be productive. But if you’re catching yourself not working more than you’re concentrating on your work, this may be a sign that you need a breather.6. Mystery Ailments and/or StressYou have a sudden onset of medically unexplainable headaches, stomach aches, or insomnia. The doctors say you’re fine, but you feel terrible. Often these symptoms can be stress-related- your body telling your brain you need a break!  These aren’t the only signs you might be close to burn-out, but they’re a good start. Do yourself a favor and take a step back to evaluate. Take stock of which parts of your job are satisfying or annoying- what tasks you like and what is causing you stress. Take a bigger look at whether you’re on track, not just in your job, but in your career. See if there are any steps you can take to be more engaged.Then, implement a plan for change. But don’t forget to take some time off first! You’ll need the extra energy to push you through. Schedule a vacation, take a few more breaks per day, delegate tasks that aren’t holding your attention, and try and focus on the parts of the job that you still love.It’s possible to work hard and relax hard; you just have to plan ahead.How to Recognize the Signs of Burnout Before You’re Burned Out

Case Study Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study Analysis Paper - Essay Example Robins should have taken initiative to discover what his job would entail him to do. Since he had not, ideally someone else should have helped him to understand, and walked him through his first integration, so that no mistakes were made. Because so little paperwork has been completed, and it is unclear who should have completed the paperwork and scheduled physicals for the new employees, Mr. Robins will need to step up and complete the work himself. While there are several solutions, there are two that seem the most likely to be successful. First, Mr. Robins could go and speak to Ms. Carrolls, the woman for whom he hired the employees, and outright admit his mistake. Then, working together they could revise the timeline and determine what, if any, the consequences should be for his mistakes. Ms. Carrolls is also the most likely source of information as to who (if any one else is at fault) should have been helping him, and address those problems. The second, and more likely solution, is that Mr. Robins needs to pull it together. He should make a list of what he needs to complete, and put aside other work until he has fixed his errors. This solution allows him to complete his work on time, and not inconvenience Ms. Carrolls, or the newly hired workers. Mr.

Drug Trafficking within the United States Essay

Drug Trafficking within the United States - Essay Example Additionally, the land facilitates entry of 370 million people while the sea plays a significant role in this sector as it aids to entry of over six million people into this country. The sea also witnesses more than nine million shipping containers dock at the coastal ports of America (Scott, 2003). These ships ferry very many containers filled with different merchandise supplied to different parts of America. Ideally, this voluminous trade contributes largely to drug trafficking as drug traffickers conceal different drugs inside these containers. This paper will seek to develop an argumentative paper on drug trafficking in the United States. Surprisingly, amid this great deal of trade, drug peddlers manage to conceal illegal drugs such as marijuana, methamphetamine, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine MDMA, heroine, and cocaine and ship these drugs directly into the American market for distribution (Ganister & David, 2008). Numerous drug trafficking groups acquire and distribute these d rugs to criminals operating in the South of America who extend the chain by smuggling marijuana and cocaine via a number of routes into different parts of America. ... al drugs for distribution into the US neighborhoods, the Mexican criminal drug traffickers are seeking to increase their grip of distributing these drugs into the eastern part of US markets. Similarly, as of today, the use of 3 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is on the rise in the streets as it goes in the name â€Å"ecstasy†. Statistics show that the abuse of this type of drug is rising at an alarming rate in the streets of the United States following the emergency and collaboration of Russian and Israeli drug traffickers (Lyman & Potter, 2010). Western Europe is the world largest produce of MDMA. The Western Europe drug smugglers collaborate with the Mexican criminals who facilitate the entry of this type of drug into the United States market through commercial airlines as well as through express package couriers. Criminal groups ailing from the Southeast and Southwest Asia control and smuggle illegal drugs like heroine into the United States market with the help of s ome mafias based in the New York City which happens to be the main hub for distribution of heroine within and around Midwest and eastern sea bond (Scott, 2003). International drug trafficking aside, America has interior drug smugglers who in addition to trafficking take part in planting and manufacturing. Common drugs found in the hands of criminals of this caliber comprise of marijuana and phencyclidine PCP (Younger & Rosin, 2005). Others include lysergic acid diethylamide LSD and methamphetamine. As the demand for high potency methamphetamine continues to grow, the number of illicit laboratories is also hiking. This is because of the growing number of addicts especially college and high school students. Up to this point, one may ask for reasons as to why drug trafficking is on the verge in the