Why a list of bullets is not a report (and military writing could make you enemies)

Why a list of bullets is not a report (and military writing could make you enemies) Why a list of bullets is not a report (and military writing could make you enemies) A few years ago, I was working with a consultant. We used to meet every week, over breakfast. And, as my daughter was going through a phase of waking up every night, I was invariably tired. I remember one session, during which I had been particularly sluggish. Even a second double espresso could not push many coherent thoughts around my sleep-deprived brain. So I asked him to write me a short report, in the hope that I could consider his advice properly once my mental fog had cleared. ‘Sure,’ he said. ‘I’ll send it over later today.’ The document duly arrived in my inbox just after lunchtime, but I decided to save it till the morning, once I’d caught up on my sleep. The next day, refreshed, I opened the document with keen anticipation. It took up about two pages and covered everything we’d agreed. Yet I found the document pretty well impenetrable and I gave up after a couple of attempts at reading it. Shorter ≠  better It wasn’t that its sentences were too long or too dense. Most sentences ran to fewer than 20 words and each was reasonably digestible. Its language, too, was for the most part commendably clear. (I forgave the odd lapse into consultant speak, as I knew his advice and thinking were consistently sound.) No. The reason I struggled was that, while he’d certainly created a document, he hadn’t actually written me a report at all. He’d simply produced a list of bullets –  a very long list of bullets. There’s a common assumption that the best type of report is one that delivers the most facts in the fewest words. The internet is full of articles advising just that approach and such articles are extremely popular. Most of us are both busy and overloaded with information. So this is understandable. We’re often so distracted and desperate for relief from the information deluge that we’re primed to fall gratefully on any piece of advice that promotes the brief-equals-good approach and share it widely. In such a crowded world, efficiency is what we need – whether we’re talking about our schedules or our communications. And what could be more efficient than a list of bullets? Giving the brain room to work The trouble is that this vastly oversimplifies how our brains work. It’s based only on the way most of us think  they do. And while we may want  reports like that, it’s not what we actually need. (In fact, I suspect that such reports are often the ones that don’t get read.) It’s not just in reading and writing documents or email that we fall into this trap. The same is true of how we plan our lives. A productive day is not necessarily one that crams in the most activities in ever-decreasing time-slots – not least because each one will provide more information and you may need to update the best course of action as you go. In other words, you need to allow the brain to do its work. (Despite this, countless time-management gurus make a good living encouraging us to stuff more and more into schedules that are already overloaded.) Similarly, a bald summary consisting of a series of short points, stuffed together and devoid of context, will rarely work in the way we think it will or want it to. In simple terms, such documents are not ‘brain friendly’, even though it seems that they should be. Military backing The short=good advice was taken to a whole new level in a post on the Harvard Business Review  blog a year ago, entitled ‘How to write email with military precision’. The post went viral (I suspect for the reasons I’ve already stated). Some of its advice made sense, such as including keywords like ‘ACTION’ in the subject line to show something needs to be done. ‘INFO’ was another suggested heading, which also seemed logical, even if I can see emails with that title heading straight for the bin. (Tech-savvy staff might even set up an automated rule ensuring such messages bypass their inboxes altogether.) Next up on the list of recommended headings was ‘DECISION’. That was sort of OK, though I was starting to feel uneasy at that point. They were beginning to sound a bit too much like barked orders. (Suggesting I type them in caps didn’t help.) Then it all got a bit surreal. It’s not just that it recommended ‘COORD’ for something that needs co-ordination with a colleague. It’s the way it reduced what could be quite nuanced (ie human) exchanges to the barest of bones. Indeed, the article  took this idea so far that any email that followed the author’s advice would almost certainly backfire (no pun intended) in the modern workplace. Here’s an example from the post: You are not a robot (and neither is your reader) Most cognitive psychologists no longer think the brain is just like a computer, ever ready and waiting to be programmed with instructions. How we think and make decisions is way more complex and subtle than that. Yet that seems to be precisely the brain model that the author of this article was using. The structure appears to me to be based largely on how we wish people processed information. This almost brutally brief message may  be suited to the command-and-control environment of the battlefield. But this sort of military writing has absolutely no place in the modern work environment. It will make more enemies than friends and create more problems than it solves. Can you imagine how you’d feel if you got one of those things? Rolling out that style across an organisation could cause enough damage to relationships to send productivity through the floor. In doing so, it would have precisely the opposite effect to the one intended. The dangers of bullets And – despite leaving the battlefield behind – that brings me back to bullets (sorry). They have their place, but that place is within  a document or message. With very few exceptions (a shopping list springs to mind), they should not be the document itself. Bullets simply do not engage people and get them to focus. They’re like somebody else’s revision notes. They trigger recall of much more detail in the person who wrote them but are largely meaningless to everybody else. Besides, the short=good school of business writing assumes we’re all too busy to focus on anything outside of what’s on our to-do lists already and that we always concentrate on our priorities. If this were really true, distractions like news websites would be out of business, as would Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. For that matter, so would eBay or even the doughnut shop down the road that you pop out to when you’re avoiding writing your monthly management report. There are so many of these distractions that it’s amazing that we ever get anything done. Logic would seem to suggest that we should only be able to concentrate for a few seconds on any one thing. From flow to focus And yet, somehow, we do manage to focus, at least for some of the time. Sometimes, that focus is the result of a conscious effort to shut out the noise and knuckle down to work. But, more often, our focus is a passive process, driven not by ourselves but by whatever it is we happen to be focusing on. Some writing draws our attention and holds it for minutes or even hours, no matter how long our to-do lists. Such writing almost seems to compress time, and it does so in spite of  how busy we are. If you’ve ever read a web page or email that you didn’t intend to – anything that wasn’t the reason you opened your laptop – then you’ll know what I mean. Such things engage you right from the start and they keep you engaged. Reading them is effortless. Ideas seem to magically glide from the screen to your brain by the shortest possible route. Somehow, they draw you in then just seem to flow. Flow is the right word in this case. It’s a psychological state  in which concentration is total, to the exclusion of everything else. And it’s a state that, despite how busy we are, we find ourselves in surprisingly often (when our heads are in our phones, for example). Exactly how you induce this state in those who read what you write is a big subject and one for another post. Suffice to say for now that it involves writing captivating introductions and using a structure that anticipates how the reader is likely to think. Often, it involves storytelling, which has been shown to be one of the most effective communication techniques, as it reproduces the writer’s thought patterns in those who read or listen to the story. (Even academic papers that follow a narrative structure get cited in journals more often than those that don’t, as this study  of more than 700 papers shows.) Crucially, it involves putting the reader right at the heart  of the document or message. What it’s not is a state that’s likely to be achieved by writing like the military. At least, not like the military portrayed in the HBR article. (My experience of the defence sector suggests that portrayal is not necessarily typical anyway.) And it’s not a state that you will ever achieve by page after page of bullets. If you want to keep up to date with Robs research into the science of communication, keep an eye on his blog at robashton.com. Image credit: Amy Walters / Shutterstock

The 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles - History

The 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles - History The 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States For a while, ​it seemed as if no one was going to attend the 1932 Olympic Games. Six months before the Games were to begin, not a single country had responded to the official invitations. Then they started to trickle in. The world was mired in the Great Depression which made the expense of traveling to California seem nearly as insurmountable as the distance. Neither had many of the spectator tickets been sold and it seemed that the Memorial Coliseum, which had been expanded to 105,000 seats for the occasion, would be relatively empty. Then, a few Hollywood stars (including Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, and Mary Pickford) offered to entertain the crowd and ticket sales picked up. Los Angeles had constructed the very first Olympic Village for the Games. The Olympic Village consisted of 321 acres in Baldwin Hills and offered 550 two-bedroom portable bungalows for the male athletes, a hospital, post office, library, and a large number of eating establishments to feed the athletes. The female athletes were housed in the Chapman Park Hotel downtown, which offered more luxuries than the bungalows. The 1932 Olympic Games also debuted the first photo-finish cameras as well as the victory platform. There were two minor incidents worth reporting. Finnish Paavo Nurmi, who had been one of the Olympic heroes in the past several Olympic Games, was considered to have turned professional, thus was not allowed to compete. While mounted on the victory platform, Italian Luigi Beccali, winner of the gold medal in the 1,500-meter race, gave the Fascist salute. Mildred Babe Didrikson made history at the 1932 Olympic Games. Babe won the gold medal for both the 80-meter hurdles (new world record) and the javelin (new world record)  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹and won silver in the high jump. Babe later became a very successful professional golfer. Approximately 1,300 athletes participated, representing 37 countries. For More Information: History of the OlympicsList of the Olympic GamesInteresting Olympic Facts

Healthcare Law Chapter 3-4 Contracts, Intentional Torts, and Assignment

Healthcare Law Chapter 3-4 Contracts, Intentional Torts, and Negligence - Assignment Example Adherence to the contract and acting within the health care laws provided leads to better patient services provision and better patient outcome at the end of the care. The laws provide a framework that guides the health care providers to provide care with the use of their best appropriate skills in the management of the patients. Moreover, the laws act as a cushion to the physician or patient in cases where one of them decides to take an undesired eventuality to court. It is of essence to be conscious of the fact that appropriate patient care is a superior goal above everything during the care of patients. At the same time, I will follow the entire step provided in the law when sealing a contract with the patient. The other two laws on negligence and torts guide me on the way to behave when dealing with patient. With the knowledge on what they entail I will have to follow them for the better outcome of the patient health

International Business Finance Report Research Paper

International Business Finance Report - Research Paper Example Most of the green building material firms in China and high-end architecture designs are widely influenced by foreign players, who account for approximately 30% of the whole market share within the republic (EU SME Centre, 2013). Among the 200 leading international companies dealing with green building materials, over 140 have already invested in the Chinese market. For instance, in the 2008 Olympic competition, nearly 121 organizations participated in designing of all the athletic stadiums, 74 of which were either overseas or foreign-owned (EU SME Centre, 2013). Moreover, key global engineering consultancies have their branches in China, participating in numerous large-scale projects nationally. Besides foreign organizations, Chinese firms, particularly the ones with government support, are powerful players in the market, towards realizing large-scale government projects. Relating to building materials, the organization is likely to face stiff competition from foreign firms. Nevertheless, there are more local Chinese producers utilizing the price benefits in the market, even though the standard is relatively low. OzGreen should brace itself for a stiff competition in the Chinese market. As a consolation, the market is still big enough to get a share of the cake (EU SME Centre, 2013). Some of the most establish green building material firms in China include Hunter Douglas, an international firm which boasts of building and furnishing the red skin for the Chinese Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 international Expo. Philips is also one of the key players in the market, having developed a sustainable lighting design and supply for Guangzhou Tower. Another likely competitor is OMA, which came up with the CCTV building in the heart of Beijing. Finally, we have Soeters and Grontmij, which recently won the contest of Wuhan New Energy Centre. The centre will be the most energy efficient tower in the planet (EU SME Centre, 2013). The building of

USSR, Poland, Hungary Essay Example for Free

USSR, Poland, Hungary Essay The beginning of the 1990s marked profound economic and social stagnation of the former Communist states. That stagnation was the result of the deep and anticipated economic transformations following the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. The administrative command system and its economic and social inconsistence has become the major driver of the economic stagnation in Europe: the system of centralized planning and administration was not really an economic system at all (Hall Elliott, 1999). The soviet-oriented economy did not maximize wealth, but rather maximized the utility function of the then political elites (Hall Elliott, 1999). The goal of the communist economy was not to improve the product, to increase customer satisfaction, or to increase profit margins; on the contrary, the centralized decisions were taken to further maximize the military power of the eastern European states, and to enhance the responsiveness of economy to centralized control (Maital, 2003). The low intrinsic value of money, excess demand, and centralized control over natural resources have led to the situation when national population was socially dissatisfied, politicized, and subject to central decision-making models. Those economic conflicts and social dissatisfaction have ultimately caused to the general collapse of communism across Europe. In their post-communist economic development, Poland, Russia, and Hungary followed similar economic patterns, although Poland remains the brightest example of the post-soviet economic and social success. At the beginning of the 1990s, Polish GDP was declining faster than that in Russia and Hungary, but Poland was able to regain its economic positions faster than its European counterparts: Poland experienced smooth transition from centrist to liberal political coalition that implemented mature economic reforms (Maital, 2003). Russia greatly suffered the worsening demographic indices and life expectancy, but was able to quickly restore after the 1998 crisis for the account of the constantly growing oil prices (Algieri, 2007). In Hungary, the recycling of parties could potentially undermine all efforts to transform Hungarian command economy, but economic plans in Hungary remained quite liberal in content and consequences (Swaan Lissowska, 2006). Poland, Russia and Hungary have already accomplished much to merge with the rest of the European states. Evidently, the coming decade will mark further â€Å"economic reconciliation† between post-communist and developed European economies, in which Russia, Poland, and Hungary will have more decision-making powers. â€Å"As the reforms proceed, the individuals, organizations and regions that are successfully adapting and becoming better off economically are an emerging constituency for the continuing reforms. This emerging constituency will be associated with the creation of new firms rather than with the transformation of existing firms. † (Algieri, 2007) That means that further democratization and liberalization will help post-communist countries find their place in the international economy and market. References Algieri, B. (2007). Trade specialization dynamics in Russia. Comparative Economic Studies, 49: 74-76. Maital, S. (2003). Russia and Poland: the anatomy of transition. Challenge, 36 (2): 80-85. Swaan, W. Lissowska, M. (2006). Capabilities, routines, and East European economic reform: Hungary and Poland before and after the 1989 revolutions. Journal of Economic Issues, 40 (4): 8-22. Hall, T. Elliott, J. E. (1999). Poland and Russia: One decade after shock therapy. Journal of Economic Issues, 33 (2): 182-197.

Cosmic Irony in Stephen Cranes The Open Boat :: Open Boat Essays

Cosmic Irony in Stephen Crane's The Open Boat Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat," is thought to be one of the finest stories ever written by an American. Crane uses a theme of cosmic irony. Cosmic irony is the belief that the universe is so large and man is so small that the universe is indifferent to the plight of man. In "The Open Boat," Crane's theme, cosmic irony, is illustrated through the use of symbols for isolation, insignificance, and indifference. Three specific examples of cosmic irony symbolism used by Crane are, the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the boat, the sea against the universe, and the little boat in a vast sea from the people on the shore. The indifference aspect of cosmic irony is where things serve no purpose, and there is truly no care for anyone or anything. In "The Open Boat," the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the boat, is a prime example of indifference used by Crane. The universe is represented by the power of the ocean, and the small boat in this ocean is symbolic of man in this giant universe. The immaculate power of the ocean is very indifferent to the small boat, just as our great universe could not care less for man. Insignificance is described as being a lack of importance. Those little things that are insignificant mean nothing to the universe. In "The Open Boat," the sea against the universe is symbolic of insignificance in cosmic irony. The sea represents something which seems very large to mankind, but is actually very insignificant in comprison to the universe. The universe would still go on without that sea, just like the universe would still go on without mankind. The third form of symbolism in cosmic irony is isolation. Isolation is being held in captivity or lack of contact with the world or universe. The little boat in a vast sea versus the people on the shore is symbolic of isolation. The small boal seems so large and important to the people on it, while the people on the shore just see this small boat as one of many objects in

Person Centred Care

Person Centred Care is a major skills acquired by a healthcare providers.Which main target is individual traits of character in doing health care provision. Treat every person as a unique human being disregard his/her age, culture, sex and race.Acknowledge, respect, and take into considerations the choice that every service is entitled to. Set some standards for practice but not so precise to deny the specific application demands of each individual uniqueness. Guidelines might be essential for the care providers to include complex concerns that help the nurses but sometimes leads to apart a patients' rights.According to Professor Draper ,getting to know the person behind the illness is the key principle of person centred nursing care.We as the care providers needs to listen diligently to our patients conditions, treat as a unique human being.Psychologist Carl Rogers, founder of person care centred define as † structure result from distributing pont of view and assertion of ones elf â€Å". It is a positive persuasion belief of our senses, ideas, and valuing of a person capabilities of what he/she can do. It is having assurance to see her actions as interactions made with confidence.Roger use these therapy in treating individual as a person to improve his quality of life. Carl establish supporting evidence that individual inductive knowledge as the fundamental healthful effect. He also states that the therapeutic process is substantial achievement made by the patient. He strongly believed that his structured analysis should be practice rather than the other way round. His persuasion for the improvement of care is based on sincerely felt or expressed in a genuine emotion in helping patient grief.Some Psychologist criticised Rogers method for insufficient structure and by Psychoanalyst in providing care relationship , which in some studies, proves to be effective and approved therapy. Carl Rogers optimistic and warmer approach stated that Individuals self co ncept and understanding modify behavior way and means of letting facilitative attitudes.The Royal College of Nursing adapted Rogers analysis by using person care centred in all aspect of holistic care system given to patients, colleague, and relatives. It was recommended at all levels of health care organisations from government policy-making to a group of health care providers that they operate. Contributing to the overall idea of excellence care delivered in nursing practice.By delivering PCC in our practice we combine Rogers method of care a genuinely following the concepts of person centred care by:Highly consider everyone and by showing them that they are worthy of esteem. Respect and consider their opinions with regards to the whole course of treatment.Listen to their interest, dislikes and honor their views if they refuse to be treated. Respect individual judgment consider it as a challenge for improvement. As a healthcare provider everyone expected to have a different desire and wishes. We hold and accept those attention and disposition into considerations.Be an open minded with their distinction, dissimilarity, and characteristics quality could adhere corresponds to their needs. Asking for their preference needs could mean a lot in delivering care and building a good therapeutic relationships between them.According to (Chambo and Amned, 2000), effective communication is versed as a device part of excellence care. Linguistic communication involves knowledge substitute of refining moral and intellectual of a person and cognitive content of individuals.(Gillam and Levenson, 1999).Continuity and trustworthiness is of great significance vision of nursing care.(Patmore,2001; Raynos et al., 2001 5WRDU,2007; Francis and Nelten, 2006). It is particularly noted the importance of effective communication towards the whole aspect of care.Patient security is established in NMC code ( Nursing and Midwifery Council 2008), and the RCN Principles of Nursing Practice (R CN 2010a) as a substantial area of risk of danger every patient in the practice.(RCN 2010b, Principles). Provides updated information about patient safety.Valuable Things of a Person Centred Care in Practice:The objective of these study is to transform our knowledge and experience into an excellence accomplishment in in of PCC in our clinical skills. Staff of all levels are expected to use the person centred care as a standard important basis in determinants of the quality care and significantly the client experience of that care. Our contribution as a humane quality of better understanding the sufferings of others and wanting to do something about it. Rogers concept theory was widely used healthcare settings area because it was focus on the humanistic therapies. Better knowledge of ones consciousness rather than external observation.Person centred care was implemented in nursing practice by taking into considerations client unconditional positive regard.Accept their own personality and characteristics as they really are. To hold and consider their worth and being value regardless of their status in the society. Estimate the true nature of a person is one of the structure model discuss in person centred care. We carefully maintained our positive attitude towards client.Being empathetic to clients feelings and always participate good communication skills. Understanding truly their feelings. Rogers describe empathic understanding, as an experience of each client, how life was viewed and interpret, but Rogers emphasised thatIf you put yourself into their world and truly deeply understand feels to be in their world , without being judgmental you will precisely undesirable believe to be an effective role well in delivering excellence care.Work as a team by getting assurance, trust, and hope to the people we rendered care. Able to listen and hear what they want and connect to us how we value them. Our positive words with them fully assured with professional confiden ce. Having the power of positive direction influence our care with our client . Person centred care strengthen our movement in focusing care with them.Being a role model and implementing person centred care in nursing practice, gives others a chance to follow your acts and play in the same pattern in accordance to NMC code of nursing practice. Inspire and increase everyone confidence to help forward the quality of care in nursing practice. Good motivation and challenges others requires full use of resources in performing most challenging task in delivering care ideality.To partnerships with families, colleagues and other social care people gives you satisfactory outgrow. Positive relationship and building their trust means a lot to you as a person who gives care with their family. You meet their needs and expectation is already a great contribution in nursing practice.

Life Attitudes of the Government Employees at the City Council of Davao Essay

Factors involved in having satisfying attitudes are that we should enjoy life, be accountable for our own well being, and think in terms of taking care of our whole person. Positive attitude helps to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it will bring constructive changes into your life, and makes them happier, brighter and more successful. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become optimistic and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well worth developing and strengthening. Based on the facts stated above, the researchers opted to investigate the life attitudes of government employees at City Council Davao City. Statement of the Problem This study aimed to investigate the general Life Attitudes of the government employees at City Council in Davao City; specifically it sought answers the following: 1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of: 1. Gender; and 2. Age? 2. What is the life attitude of the respondents? Is there a significant difference in the life attitude of the respondents when they are grouped according to age and gender? Hypothesis Ho: There is no significant difference in the life attitude of the respondents when they are grouped according to age and gender. Methodolgy This study made use of a descriptive-comparative design. Survey questionnaires were used as instruments for data collection. The respondents of this study were the employees of the City Council chosen using the simple random technique. The study was conducted throughout the City Council’s operating hours from Mondays through Fridays starting last January 16 to January 20, 2012 around 1-3 pm. The randomly sampled respondents were asked by the researchers for consent and approval to answer the questionnaire until the desired number of respondents which was 30 has been reached. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. The mean was used to determine the employees’ life attitude. The frequency and percent distribution were utilized in determining the employees’ profile in term of gender and age.

Two Party Monopoly in Us Government essays

Two Party Monopoly in Us Government essays The Southern Captivity of the GOP ND Breaking the Two-Party Monopoly Through reading these two articles, I have been shown a side of politics that I havent quite seen before. Growing up only exposed to the Republican and Democratic parties, it isnt realized that our governmental system could be so drastically different than how it is setup now. These two topics of Southern governmental ideas and the uncommon view on our party system were unheard of to me. Never learning about the Fuhrman Effect or Finkelstein Box made this even more interesting. Seeing the research that has been done clearly shows how voters feel and how candidates are presenting themselves. It wasnt that surprising than many conservatives are being pusher away because many Southerners are imposing their opinions and beliefs on them. Many people are content with feeling a certain way about different issues, but when hen they feel they are being threatened, pushed towards one side, or force to be labeled by which party they recognize themselves as, they tend to back away. The statement that democrats are no longer a liberal party-or at least they are far less liberal than the Republicans are too conservative. Whereas 58% of Republicans identify themselves as conservative, only a third of Democrats identify themselves as liberals was surprising to me for two reasons. This makes it seem as though people are not identifying themselves with label anymore, yet that contradicts the whole idea of being involved in a party. And secondly it seems as though both parties are becoming weaker in their convictions, as though there is not that major a difference between the two parties. Showing that the Republicans have become too conservative and too liberal at the same time is very thought-provoking for they are seen as two opposites in politics, yet makes sense due to Republicans view that others opinions are incorrect and liberal becaus...

Biography of Mary Sibley, Salem Witch Trials Witness

Biography of Mary Sibley, Salem Witch Trials Witness Mary Sibley (April 21, 1660–ca. 1761) was a key but minor figure in the historical record of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts Colony of 1692. She was the neighbor of the Parris family who advised John Indian to make a witch’s cake. The denouncing of that act has been seen as one of the triggers of the witch craze that followed. Fast Facts: Mary Sibley Known For: Key role in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692Born: April 21, 1660 in Salem, Essex County, MassachusettsParents: Benjamin and Rebecca Canterbury WoodrowDied: c. 1761Education: UnknownSpouse: Samuel Sibley (or Siblehahy or Sibly), February 12, 1656/1257–1708. m. 1686Children: At least 7 Early Life Mary Sibley was a real person, born Mary Woodrow on April 21, 1660 in Salem, in Essex County, Massachusetts. Her parents, Benjamin Woodrow (1635–1697) and Rebecca Canterbury (spelled Catebruy or Cantlebury, 1630–1663), were born in Salem to parents from England. Mary had at least one brother Jospeh/Joseph, born about 1663. Rebecca died when Mary was about 3 years old. Nothing is known of her education, but in 1686, when Mary was about 26 years old, she married Samuel Sibley.  Their first two children were born before 1692, one was born in 1692 (a son, William), and four more were born after the events at Salem, after 1693. Samuel Sibleys Connection to Salem Accusers Mary Sibleys husband had a sister Mary, who was married to Captain Jonathan Walcott or  Wolcott, and their daughter was Mary Wolcott. Mary Wolcott became one of the accusers of witches in the Salem community in May 1692 when she was about 17 years old. Those she accused included  Ann Foster. Mary Wolcott’s father John had remarried after Samuels sister Mary died, and Mary Wolcotts new stepmother was Deliverance Putnam Wolcott, a sister of Thomas Putnam, Jr.  Thomas Putnam Jr. was  one of the accusers at Salem as were his wife and daughter, Ann Putnam, Sr. and Ann Putnam, Jr. Salem 1692 In January of 1692, two girls in the home of the Rev. Samuel Parris, Elizabeth (Betty) Parris  and  Abigail Williams, ages 9 and 12,  began exhibiting very strange symptoms, and a  Caribbean slave, Tituba, also experienced images of the devil- all according to later testimony.  A doctor diagnosed the â€Å"Evil Hand† as the cause, and Mary Sibley offered the idea of the witch’s cake to John Indian, a Caribbean slave of the Parris family. The primary evidence in the trial against the group was the witchs cake, a common folk magic tool made using the urine of the afflicted girls. Supposedly, sympathetic magic meant that the evil afflicting them would be in the cake, and, when a dog consumed the cake, it would point to the witches who had afflicted them.  While this was apparently a known practice in English folk culture to identify likely witches, the Rev. Parris in his Sunday sermon denounced even such well-intentioned  uses of magic, as they could also be â€Å"diabolical† (works of the devil). The witchs cake didnt stop the afflictions of the two girls.  Instead, two additional girls began to show some afflictions:  Ann Putnam Jr.,  connected to Mary Sibley through her husbands brother-in-law, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Confession and Restoration Mary Sibley confessed in church that she had erred, and the congregation acknowledged their satisfaction with her confession by a show of hands. She probably thereby avoided being accused as a witch. The next month, the town records note her suspension from communion and restoration to full congregational inclusion when she made her confession. March 11, 1692 – Mary, the wife of Samuel Sibley, having been suspended from communion with the church there, for the advices she gave John [husband of Tituba] to make the above experiment, is restored on confession that her purpose was innocent. Neither Mary nor Samuel Sibley appears on the 1689 register of covenanted church members of the Salem Village church, so they must have joined after that date. According to genealogical records, she lived well into her nineties, dying about 1761. Fictional Representations In the 2014 Salem-based supernatural scripted series  from WGN America, Salem,  Janet Montgomery stared as Mary Sibley, who in this fictional representation is an actual witch. She is, in the fictional universe, the most powerful witch in Salem.  Her maiden name is Mary Walcott, similar but not the same as the maiden name, Woodrow, of the real-life Mary Sibley. Another Mary Walcott in the real Salem universe was one of the key accusers at age 17, a niece of Ann Putnam Sr. and cousin of Ann Putnam Jr. That Mary Walcott (or Wolcott) in the real Salem was a niece of Samuel Sibley, husband of the Mary Sibley who baked the witchs cake.  The producers of the  Salem  series seem to have combined the characters of Mary Walcott and Mary Sibley, niece, and aunt, to create a completely fictionalized character. In the pilot of the series, the fictional Mary Sibley assists her husband in throwing up a frog. In this version of the Salem witch history, Mary Sibley is married to George Sibley and is a former lover of John Alden (who is much younger in the show than he was in the real Salem.) The Salem  show even introduced a character, Countess Marburg, a German witch  and terrible villain who has had an unnaturally long life.  At the end of Season 2, Tituba and the Countess die, but Mary goes on for another season. Ultimately, Mary comes to wholeheartedly regret her choices. She and her lover are reconciled and fight for the future together. Sources Ancestry.com.  Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988  [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts.  Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).  Note that the image clearly shows 1660 as the birth date, though the text at the site interprets it as 1666.Mary Sibley. Geni, January 22, 2019.Yates Publishing.  U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900  [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Jalalzai, Zubeda. Historical Fiction and Maryse Condà ©s I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem. African American Review 43.2/3 (2009): 413–25.Latner, Richard. Here Are No Newters: Witchcraft and Religious Discord in Salem Village and Andover. The New England Quarterly 79.1 (2006): 92–122.Ray, Benjamin C. The Salem Witch Mania: Recent Scholarship and American History Textbooks. Journal of the American Academy of Religion 78.1 (2010): 40–64. Satans War against the Covenant in Salem Village, 1692. The New England Quarterly 80.1 (2007): 69–95.

Confucianism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Confucianism - Term Paper Example Confucianism is a corner stone of Chinese life, and has been for thousands of years, yet during the Mao years, there was a stringent purging of this learned man’s teachings. For the people of China, Mao’s ferocious campaign against the teachings of Confucius are bewildering to say the least. However, when one reads the teachings of Confucius, it is not surprising that Mao thought all Confucian scholars were counter revolutionaries. Mao admired the political philosophy of Legalism, expounded by Han Fei, a rival of Confucius. Mao’s derision of the teachings of Confucius was because they clashed with the teachings of Han Fei. An authoritarian government like Mao’s would emphasize the absolute power of the state over its subjects, punishing everyone except for the ruler, and would consider law as a tool to keep its people under control. During the period of the cultural revolution, Mao wanted complete control. Absolutism was the way he saw for China to go forw ard. Mao believed that the government was all powerful and people were there to serve the government. This however was not what Confucius taught. Although Confucius believed that the Government was important, his view was that the government existed for the good of the people. An authoritarian system of governance believes that the system of severe punishments is necessary in order to run the state and avoid chaos, where Confucius believed in benevolence, humanity and tolerance. The political philosophy of Confucius is rooted in his belief that a ruler should learn self-discipline, and should lead by example treating his people with love and concern. â€Å"The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it." (The Analects By Confucius Section 3 Part 12) Confucius believed that what characterized a good ruler was the possession of de or ‘virtue† which was a kind of moral power that attracted followers without the need to resort to force. "He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.†(The Analects By Confucius Section 1 Part 2) These beliefs are totally opposite to what an authoritarian regime believes , hence would not be possible for governments such as Mao’s to adopt. Another dimension of the teachings of Confucius relate to education. He does not believe in intuition and adheres to the principle that the only way to really understand a subject is to study it minutely. He said, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous." (The Analects By Confucius Section 1 Part 2) Confucius also emphasizes the importance of integrity and disparages sycophancy. The Mao years in China, bred a contempt for intellectuals and a dislike for learning. Mao’s Red Guards were ordered to destroy all old habits customs and think ing in society. Hence the wise teachings of Confucius were buried till the time was ripe to resurrect them once again. As China stands at the crossroads today, there is a conscious effort to reverse the effect of Mao’s hatred of intellectuals and his contempt for traditional forms of learning. The sudden turnaround in China’s policy of restoration of Confucian philosophy hint at both domestic as well as international reasons. In its effort to make the nation richer, Chinese people are being encouraged to focus on education. The number of Chinese students enrolled in universities the world over is a telling example of how China is reverting to the teachings of

Leadership styles critically assessed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership styles critically assessed - Essay Example l from others distinguishes him from the many successful people who always brag about their wealth, and this makes him successful and popular, bringing out a leader with whom everyone wants to associate and follow. Ambition is a leadership skill he has developed since childhood, and with it he was able to strive towards achieving a great user interface for Microsoft windows and other Microsoft applications. His will to work towards goals and directing people towards achieving business objectives is a strong trait that every leader willing to succeed should embrace. His vision also led him to establish the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that strives to eliminate malaria, having viewed the illness as a challenge that mankind can combat and overcome. Furthermore, his investments are wise and aim towards achieving futuristic goals whose end product would be a transformed world in which modern technology can be accessed by anyone all over the world. A good leader always listens. Bill gates is a good listener and is never in a rush to make critical decisions. He respects the views of others and always considers them when making business decisions. Such a trait is good for leaders guiding people through a competitive market, and with it, one gets to gain knowledge from many angles and even build on ideas proposed by others (Bjerke, 1999). Confidence and courage are a necessity for one to become a good leader. He at one time went to court to prevent the splitting of Microsoft into smaller companies. Leadership involves having a stand and siding with what one believes is right. Such a trait can help leaders willing to venture into harsh business environments such as those that are highly competitive or demand a lot of capital and labour. Bill Gates at times gets to be hard on his employees when it comes to getting software solutions. He believes that every software flaw has a solution to it and urges his employees to work extra hard until this solution is arrived