How to Improve Your Professional Writing Skills

How to Improve Your Professional Writing Skills Boost Your Professional Writing Skills With These Helpful Tips Boost Your Professional Writing Skills With These Helpful Tips Professional writing is quite different from your typical college essay. It’s a skill you don’t necessarily get to practice until you enter the working world, but it’s something you’re going to use quite often. From sending client emails to speaking with management and reporting on tasks and projects, you’re going to be doing a lot of professional communication. That’s why it’s important to take the time to hone in on your skills nowâ€" so you can only get better from here. Try some of these tips and tricks to help you develop your skills and ace your new job, wherever it takes you. Make Emails Personal When writing emails, whether you’re speaking to a client or the CEO of the company, don’t be stiff and robotic. Use their name, address their specific situation, and don’t sound like a walking marketing slogan. Ask the recipient how their weekend was, or if they are going on vacation wish them a great trip. This shows you care and want to form a professional relationship with them. Avoid Slang You aren’t talking to your best friend after class. You are speaking to your employer, your clients, and the other people who are running the business that pay your bills. Don’t use emoticons, happy faces, “lol,” or any other informal, unprofessional methods of speaking that will potentially turn off all of your audience members and possibly flag you as unfit for the job. Read Your Document Out Loud Don’t just rely on Grammarly or your word processor’s built-in spell check. Read your document out loud and hear how it really sounds. If it sounds funny, revise it. Computer technologies don’t always catch those awkward sentences that your brain can, so make use of every tool available to youâ€" even your own mouth. Give Examples and Specific Details The more specific you are, the more you can show that you know what you’re talking about and that you have done your research. Give examples wherever you can. Point out something specific that people may have not realized, indicating how much thought you put into your job. Get Professional Writing Help For The Push You Need At Homework Help Global, we provide a variety of services that can help you through every stage of your life, from your first assignment in college to your first big professional document in your very first career job. From presentations to seminars, charts, and technical reports, we’ve got you covered so you can focus on being the best you can be. Order your professional documents now to get ahead of the game. References: American Management Association. (n.d.) Business writing tips for professionals. American Management Association. Retrieved from business-writing-tips-for-professionals.aspx. Quick Base. (2013). 10 ways to improve your professional writing. Quick Base. Retrieved from 10-ways-to-improve-your-professional-writing. How to Improve Your Professional Writing Skills Boost Your Professional Writing Skills With These Helpful Tips Boost Your Professional Writing Skills With These Helpful Tips Professional writing is quite different from your typical college essay. It’s a skill you don’t necessarily get to practice until you enter the working world, but it’s something you’re going to use quite often. From sending client emails to speaking with management and reporting on tasks and projects, you’re going to be doing a lot of professional communication. That’s why it’s important to take the time to hone in on your skills nowâ€" so you can only get better from here. Try some of these tips and tricks to help you develop your skills and ace your new job, wherever it takes you. Make Emails Personal When writing emails, whether you’re speaking to a client or the CEO of the company, don’t be stiff and robotic. Use their name, address their specific situation, and don’t sound like a walking marketing slogan. Ask the recipient how their weekend was, or if they are going on vacation wish them a great trip. This shows you care and want to form a professional relationship with them. Avoid Slang You aren’t talking to your best friend after class. You are speaking to your employer, your clients, and the other people who are running the business that pay your bills. Don’t use emoticons, happy faces, “lol,” or any other informal, unprofessional methods of speaking that will potentially turn off all of your audience members and possibly flag you as unfit for the job. Read Your Document Out Loud Don’t just rely on Grammarly or your word processor’s built-in spell check. Read your document out loud and hear how it really sounds. If it sounds funny, revise it. Computer technologies don’t always catch those awkward sentences that your brain can, so make use of every tool available to youâ€" even your own mouth. Give Examples and Specific Details The more specific you are, the more you can show that you know what you’re talking about and that you have done your research. Give examples wherever you can. Point out something specific that people may have not realized, indicating how much thought you put into your job. Get Professional Writing Help For The Push You Need At Homework Help Global, we provide a variety of services that can help you through every stage of your life, from your first assignment in college to your first big professional document in your very first career job. From presentations to seminars, charts, and technical reports, we’ve got you covered so you can focus on being the best you can be. Order your professional documents now to get ahead of the game! References: American Management Association. (n.d.) Business writing tips for professionals. American Management Association. Retrieved from business-writing-tips-for-professionals.aspx. Quick Base. (2013). 10 ways to improve your professional writing. Quick Base. Retrieved from 10-ways-to-improve-your-professional-writing.

Pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye

Famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass considers the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III, one of the final rulers of the Eighteenth Dynasty, as the greatest monarch ever reign over the Two Lands. Dubbed the Magnificent, this fourteenth-century B.C. pharaoh brought in unprecedented amounts of gold to his kingdom, built tons of epic structures, including the famed Colossi of Memnon and lots of religious buildings, and depicted his wife, Queen Tiye, in an unprecedentedly egalitarian fashion. Lets dive into the revolutionary era of Amenhotep and Tiye. Amenhotep was born to Pharaoh Thutmose IV and his wife Mutemwia. Aside from his alleged role in re-establishing the Great Sphinx as a big tourist spot, Thutmose IV wasnt that notable of a pharaoh. He did, however, do a bit of building, especially at Amuns temple in Karnak, where he explicitly identified himself with the sun god Re. More on that later!   Sadly for young Prince Amenhotep, his dad didnt live very long, dying when his kid was about twelve. Amenhotep ascended the throne as a boy king, exercising his only dated military campaign when he was about seventeen in Kush. By his mid-teens, though, Amenhotep wasnt focusing on the army, but his one true love, a woman named Tiye. Shes mentioned as the Great Royal Wife Tiye in his second regnal year - meaning they got married when he was just a kid! Tip of  the Hat to Queen Tiye Tiye was a truly remarkable woman. Her parents, Yuya and Tjuya, were non-royal officials; Daddy was a charioteer and priest called the Gods Father, while Mom was a priestess of Min. Yuya and Tjuyas fabulous tomb was uncovered in 1905, and archaeologists found lots of riches there; DNA testing performed on their mummies in recent years has proved key in identifying unidentified bodies. One of Tiyes brothers was a prominent priest named Anen, and many have suggested that the famous Eighteenth Dynasty official Ay, alleged father of Queen Nefertiti and eventual pharaoh after King Tut, was another of her siblings.   So Tiye married her husband when they were both quite young, but the most interesting item about her is the way in which she was portrayed in statuary. Amenhotep deliberately commissioned statues showing himself, the king, and Tiye as the same size, showing her importance in the royal court, which was on par with that of the   pharaoh! In a culture in which visual size was everything, bigger was better, so a big king and an equally big queen showed them as equals.   This egalitarian portrayal is pretty much unprecedented, showing Amenhoteps devotion to his wife, allowing her to wield influence comparable to his own. Tiye even takes on masculine, regal poses, showing up on her own throne as a Sphinx who crushes her enemies  and getting her own Sphinx colossus; now, shes not only equal to a king in the way shes portrayed, but shes taking on his roles! But Tiye wasnt Amenhoteps only wife - far from it! Like many pharaohs before and after him, the king took brides from foreign countries in order to form alliances. A commemorative scarab was commissioned for the marriage between the pharaoh and Kilu-Hepa, daughter of the king of Mitanni. He also wed his own daughters, as other pharaohs did, once they came of age; whether or not those marriages were consummated is up for debate. Divine Dilemmas In addition to Amenhoteps marital program, he also pursued massive construction projects throughout Egypt, which burnished his own reputation - and that of his wife! They also helped people think of him as semi-divine and created money-making opportunities for his officials. Perhaps more importantly for his son and successor, the Heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten, Amenhotep III followed in his fathers sandalprints and identified himself with the biggest gods of the Egyptian pantheon on the monuments he built.   In particular, Amenhotep placed great emphasis on sun gods in his construction, statuary, and portraiture, displaying what  Arielle Kozloff aptly called a solar bent in every aspect of his realm. He showed himself as the god of the sun at Karnak and contributed extensively to Amun-Res temple there; later in life, Amenhotep even went to far as to consider himself as a living manifestation of  all  deity, with an emphasis on the sun god Ra-Horakhty, according to W. Raymond Johnson. Although historians dubbed him the Magnificent, Amenhotep went by the moniker of the Dazzling Sun Disk. Given his fathers obsession with his connection to the solar gods, its not too far of a stretch to get to the aforementioned Akhenaten, his son by Tiye and successor, who declared that the sun disk, Aten, should be the sole deity worshipped in the Two Lands. And of course Akhenaten (who started his reign as Amenhotep IV, but later changed his name) stressed that  he, the king,  was the sole intermediary between the divine and the mortal realms. So it looks like Amenhoteps emphasis on the   godly powers of the king went to an extreme in his sons reign. But Tiye may have also set a precedent for her Nefertiti, her daughter-in-law (and possible niece, if the queen was the daughter of Tiyes putative brother Ay). In the reign of Akhenaten, Nefertiti was depicted as occupying roles of great prominence in her husbands court and in his new religious order. Perhaps Tiyes legacy of carving out a great role for the Great Royal Wife as partner to the pharaoh, rather than mere spouse, carried on to her successor. Interestingly, Nefertiti also assumed some kingly positions in art, as her mother-in-law did (she was shown smiting enemies in a typical pharaonic pose).

Hiv/Aids Epidemiology in Swaziland - 2319 Words

Running head: HIV/AIDS Epidemiology in Swaziland HIV/AIDS Epidemiology in Swaziland Andrew Jay Mallo Florida International University Abstract Since the first case was reported in 1986, AIDS has disproportionately affected the Kingdom of Swaziland relative to other nations in the region and globally. The high prevalence rate is characteristic of a generalized epidemic. It is estimated that there will be 20,000 to 30,000 new HIV infections each year. The Swazi Ministry of Health and Social Welfare [MoHSW] collects this data every two years, creating a lag of time between data collection and dissemination of information. Based on HIV prevalence studies, the HIV epidemic has disproportionately affected women, is primarily†¦show more content†¦The stabilization may be due to a slight decrease in new cases. It is difficult to make this conclusion since there is no access to HIV incidence data. There has been a decline in AIDS mortality rate since 2004 which may also correspond with an increase in antiretroviral therapy. Source: UN/WHO. (2008, October). Epidemiological fact sheet on HIV and AIDS: Swaziland. Transmission Patterns Although there has been some stabilizing in the HIV prevalence rate over the last couple of years there still exists a significant heterogeneity in the HIV epidemic. Adult women have a significantly higher prevalence rate than men: 31% to 19.7% (UNAIDS, 2008). Overall, the male-to-female ratio of HIV cases for young adults (age 15-24) has doubled from 2:1 in 2001 to 4:1 in 2007 (UNAIDS, 2008). The HIV prevalence rate of pregnant women was 38.8% in 2007 (UNAIDS, 2008). The 11th HIV sentinel surveillance study showed a stabilization of HIV in pregnant women. The data shows that women are at a greater risk of acquiring HIV than men. The greater risk is reflective of heterosexual transmission. An epidemiological study by Physicians For Human Rights (2007) identifies an inequality between men and women that plays a role in this heterogeneity. In this study women were more economically dependent and lacked control over sexual decision making. Women’s rights had a protective effect: Belief in sexual decisionShow MoreRelatedBiology At St. Francis Desales High School3053 Words   |  13 Pagesat a four year university and to later attend medical school. c. HIV is a virus that most of you, if not all, have heard of. That is because over 1.2 million Americans live with it everyday. Many of you may wonder: what makes this disease so dangerous? Well, out of all these infected people, one in eight are not even aware that this virus is currently multiplying in their bloodstream (CDC). This ignorance stems from the fact that HIV initially lies latent in the body for up to ten years. After thisRead MoreDiscuss the Importance of Non Verbal Communication to Education24125 Words   |  97 Pages------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Bottom of Form IFAD strategy paper on HIV/AIDS for East and Southern Africa IFAD strategy paper on HIV/AIDS for East and Southern Africa A. Assessing the Impact of HIV/AIDS on IFAD-Supported Projects 34. This section looks at the relevance of HIV/AIDS to agricultural and rural development projects, considering the vulnerability of project target groups and IFAD project staff and their families to HIV/AIDS; the reduced project implementation capacity resulting from the

War and Witchcraft Free Essays

The War of Religion also known as the Huguenots War lasted for about forty years (1562-1592). This war was mainly between the Huguenots and the Catholics of France. Within France a Feudal Rebellion took place between the church, nobles, courts, guilds, towns and provinces; all of which rebelled against the King. We will write a custom essay sample on War and Witchcraft or any similar topic only for you Order Now A traditional saying â€Å"Une foi, un loi, un roi (one faith, one law, one King)† (Newman, 2004) indicates how society, state and religion are all bound within the people’s minds. Although religion was the main reason behind the wars, it also was definitely not the only reason. Social and Cultural Issues Religion affects society in many areas and in such a profound way. It also shapes the moral standards of those individuals in which influences policy makers decisions (Gale Group, 2007). For some societies, sharing a religion makes for a powerful bond socially. However, when these people with different religions try to live with others of different faiths, this can lead to conflict as well war (Gale Group, 2007). The social consensus in Europe for over a millennium was formed through religion. The essential view to order was one faith or how else would have society been held together (Newman, 2004). Because without the right faith, pleasing God and upholding natural order, disaster was to follow. As well, innovation was also trouble; leaving things the way they were is how they should be and any new ideas could lead to anarchy and ruin (Newman, 2004). So, during this period no one would dare admit that they were an innovator (Newman, 2004). In addition, the Renaissance was thought as rediscovering a much purer period in their history and Reformation was made not to feel new but a return to the true religion of Christianity (Newman, 2004). Women in the West For many centuries women were classified as unequal to that of man and considered property. They could hold their own power in a private sphere because a public sphere was for the men only, which had to do with politics, law and markets (Cooper, 2007). Women’s private spheres consisted of mother’s, family, wives and their households (Cooper, 2007). However, if a woman became a widow she becomes the sole responsibility to her own lands and was granted extensive legal rights and could be received in the public sphere with the exception of sanctioned authority (Cooper, 2007). The Renaissance, the Reformation, the Age of Discovery and the Age of Information brought about many changes for women. Women became teachers, writers, artist and knights. However, women in small numbers started as early as the Medieval period. But, during the fifteenth century to the eighteenth century, saw an increase in the number of women in the arts. These women often struggled for public support and were not always accepted by the trade. Men placed restrictions on the type of art they could do, including not being able to use a live nude model. The women who choose to write, became influential when their works were allowed to be published; they wrote books on love, romance and war as well politics. As well, women began to see their own power and beauty as something to be shared and appreciated. The women writers of early periods wrote about poetry and the beauty of women as opposed to the period of the War of Religion in which women began writing their political views and their rights as women and as equals to men. For example, Moderata Fonte (1515-1582) also known as Modesta Pozza wrote a book named The Worth of Women (Sunshine For Women, 2001). Political Issues The Wars of Religion in France were between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants, mostly Huguenots who fought for control of their rights as Protestants and political influences. The majority of Catholic France instigated the war against the Protestants however, the most well known was the Bartholomew’s Day Massacre on August 24, 1572. On this day Paris Catholics raised arms against visiting and local Calvinist, which resulted in the death of more than 3,000 Calvinist. Because the war expanded for forty years, in between that time there was also a period of peace (Butler, 2007). However, history identifies seven wars during this period with short periods of peace in between them, which has caused confusion in French history (Butler, 2007). In addition, it is well known that religion was the biggest reason for the wars however other factors such as; the noble factions fighting amongst themselves, old feudal provinces lead revolts, which added and exposed the French State’s weaknesses (Butler, 2007). As well, foreign intervention by Spain and England added to the turmoil and violence. Finally, France was lead by a very weak monarch in which allowed these forces to tear apart the country (Butler, 2007). Number One Social Problem of the 17th Century The seventeenth century saw many political, social and cultural changes. With the decline of wars, plagues and economic depression; it also brought about the hunt for witches. Witchcraft trials were considered a common place between 1580 and 1650 that lead to almost 100,000 trials. Additionally, this lead to widespread panic of mass hysteria. The majority of witches tortured and executed by burning at the sake were women and in Calvinist areas (Big Site of History, 2010). Historians are not agreed on why an outbreak of witch persecutions would occur in one place rather than another—in Scotland and New England, in Switzerland and France—except to say that where popular magic was commonplace, so was the fear of witches. Trials also usually followed a period of fear about the future and concern over apparent changes in ordered and stable conditions. Nor were the educated spared—indeed, they were often in the lead when a community sought out a witch. (Big Site of History, 2010) Conclusion Although religion was a major factor behind the wars, it was not the only reason because of noble factions fighting amongst themselves, old feudal provinces lead revolts to weaken the French and foreign intervention by Spain and England added to the mix of turmoil and destruction and a weak French monarch allowed all these factors to tear apart the country. Europe for over a millennium had one view; one faith and without it disaster is sure to follow. Women’s influence on the west was substantial, in fact they became more aware of their influence in the private and public sphere and lastly, society was plagued not by disease but by witchcraft during the seventeenth century and even though magic was commonplace, witches brought fear and widespread mass hysteria. Although the reasons for the outbreak are unknown, more than 100,000 trials and executions were performed on a vast majority of women and in Calvinist areas. How to cite War and Witchcraft, Essays

Need for Leadership free essay sample

Harry Truman once said, â€Å"Men make history not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.† The quote that Truman states above is one I live by, it’s true that progress only occurs when someone chooses to take charge and set an example for those who are to coward to step up to the plate. We need more leaders in our society today: young adults that can make a difference in the way we live. I believe that I hold the ability in order to lead others to success. During high school I was involved in extracurricular activities varying from Leadership Council to Darfur Club. Each club demanded a certain type of devotion. Being president of Darfur Club you had to show a level of leadership skills to your peers and figure out innovative ways where you can educate others on the genocide taking place in Darfur. We will write a custom essay sample on Need for Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You held a lot of responsibility and stress but you had to show everyone around you that you had it under control. Leadership Council was a club where you learned about becoming a leader but not only for your but your community as well. As a group we accomplished many tasks whether it was raising money for a local charity, or just volunteering at a school event. Being a leader in that club taught me to communicate well with others which brought cohesion between one another. I believe I can enrich your community with a unique perspective, and the ability to want to grow and prosper as a person, but also in the academic division that your community already harbors. With the devotion and perseverance I learned in high school I could apply it to challenges I’m faced within college. Both of my parents didn’t attend college, but every day they push me to succeed and aim for the excellent to not make the same mistakes they did. I want my college experience to help be a good teacher to others. I want to go to college to give my children a better way of life then what I had. My hope for a college experience is to be filled with unforgettable memories, once in a lifetime opportunities, and friendships that will last a life time. It may sound cliche but I’d like my college experience to be just that. Being in an inclusive community that is devoted to excellence and deeper understandings in academics is exactly the place I want to be. A college experience should encompass a good environment with devoted professors that will help you grow as a person not just a student. My goal is to go to Boulder and major in the Pre-Medical program. I know that if I push myself to success it will come with patience. I want to immerse myself in the different cultures and experience a new city, Boulder seems like a beautiful place and I believe it would be an unforgettable experience. Concluding, I believe that I could enrich your community with the determination and leadership skills, and with those skills make light of situations and guide others into their paths of success and teach them to be leaders on their own. I’d also like for my college experience to be a positive one where I can focus on my studies and make a better future for myself and my family.

UN Human Rights Regime Assignment The WritePass Journal

UN Human Rights Regime Assignment Introduction UN Human Rights Regime Assignment :1391) argue on similar lines, stating that if one denies the participation of former leaders (who are also the perpetrators of past offences) in a present government, it may effectively â€Å"obstruct social integration and political stability†. By way of example, Alston and Goodman refer to the undesirable consequences of prosecuting major organisations who were involved in the apartheid regime in South Africa, (2012: 1392). Perhaps the most powerful argument against amnesties involves victims’ rights and tolerance of impunity. Protesters of amnesty measures argue that amnesty infringes states’ obligations to make sure that victims receive means to achieve justice, and seek out the truth in their cases (Mallinder, 2008:7). By imposing an amnesty measure, the perpetrators’ crimes are effectively denied, causing victims to feel alienated from society, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of vigilantism on their part (Mallinder, 2008:10). There are not many who would deny the negative impact that amnesty has on victims and/or their families, and the argument here is that such a negative impact cannot be avoided if one is to achieve common good for the society as a whole. Another point against the statement that justice must sometimes defer to amnesty following gross violations of human rights is that such a deferral, by its very nature, prevents the achievement of the aims of criminal justice, such as prosecution, retribution, stigmatisation and deterrence (Freeman, 2009: 20).   Aston and Goodman take this view and point out that trials can be very important in the promotion of â€Å"norms and expectations of punishment† in the country, (Alston and Goodman, 2012:1392). Moreover, as Freeman points out, the deferral of justice to amnesty in spite of the International Bill of Human Rights’ promissory note, undermines public confidence in the rule of law, (Freeman, 2009: 33). However, even assuming that amnesty is capable of preventing the realisation of some of the criminal justice’s goals, it should not be forgotten that an amnesty measure can take many forms. Freeman states that, more often than not, an amnesty measure would be accompanied by other provisions, such a reparation programme, which may lessen the harm caused by an amnesty, and an amnesty’s potential harm caused is always overestimated, (2009:25). Another argument is that there are many conditional amnesties in existence, which may encompass some of the aims of the criminal justice process, for example, Freeman enumerates a number of temporal and provisions amnesties, (2009:93). Even if one takes into account the need for a trial and all its benefits, it is not altogether clear that a trial or its threat may lead to beneficial results in every case, because as Freeman argues, a threat of a trial may lead to the perpetrators destroying the vital evidence needed in the future for the victims or their relatives to find out the truth about a crime, (2009:24). In support of this argument Alston and Goodman also state that any attempts at prosecution in a state which undergoes the transition from an authoritarian past may threaten a delicate peace-conflict balance between different groups, (2012:1391). Mallinder makes a similar argument when she states that although the trial of leaders may benefit the society by asserting the supremacy of democratic values (as argued by Scharf), there may not be enough evidence to put those leaders on trial in the first place, (2008:18). Here, it is interesting to point out an illuminating point made by Mallinder that there could be an instance where the distinction between victims and perpetrators is not clear, for example, in the case of child soldiers who are part of a rebel group in Uganda, and, therefore, the prosecution and punishment may have to take a back seat, (Mallinder, 2009: 34). Clark also questions the belief that the promotion of individual criminal responsibility is always desirable, (in Lessa and Payne, 2012:13). He draws attention to the criminal prosecutions in Rwanda and Uganda, and argues that by insisting on the prosecutions, the international organisations overlooked â€Å"the specific context and dynamics of these countries†, for example, the absence of   legal procedures and institutions to carry out an effective judicial process, (2012:14). This means that even though the countries may be the signatories of the International Bill of Human Rights, their specific contexts should be taken into account, and may be used to justify the imposition of conditional amnesties. One of other widespread arguments against the idea that amnesty should be granted is that doing so only creates a culture of impunity, encouraging future violence, and prevents accountability. This view has a widespread support from many governments around the world, for example, from the government of Sri Lanka.[5] When academics make this argument they often refer to the offenders who continue violate human rights, and are only stopped when amnesty is granted to them. The clear example of this is Ugandan rebel group ‘The Lord Resistance Army’s public statement that they will only stop the violence if amnesty is granted to its members. Nevertheless, to these arguments it can be replied that it is not necessarily the case that amnesty will produce further violence, and in fact, there may be situations where one must choose a lesser of two evils and invoke an amnesty provision. Freeman supports this argument. Therefore, it seems that although the case for the abolition of amnesty is a strong one, it is not without its weaknesses, and despite the promissory note of the International Bill of Human Rights, there may be circumstances where the imposition of an amnesty provision is not a truly unthinkable course of action. It is clear that there are obvious discrepancies between the theoretical foundations of the International Bill of Human Rights and the practical application of the Bill. There inevitably will be circumstances where it is unwise to follow the literal meaning of the Bill. The reality of an international/domestic political scene is that sometimes compromises must be made in order to safeguard peace in a country and prevent further conflict. In the same vein, Snyder and Vinjamuri maintain that in order to prevent future violations of rights and reinforce the respect for the rule of law it is often necessary to â€Å"strike politically expedient bargains that create effective coalitions to contain the power of potential perpetrators of abuses,† (Snyder and Vinjamuri, 2003:17). Thus, one of the main arguments for the proposition that justice must sometimes defer to amnesty following gross violations of human rights is that such deferral of justice is likely to foster reconciliation and may be necessary to achieve peace in terms of promoting political settlement. Linked to this is an argument that amnesties are needed so that a state can make a break from its past and start from a ‘clean slate’, (Mallinder, 2008:13). Governments often use these reasons to justify the imposition of amnesties when it is necessary to end violence. However, this view is becoming more controversial as the states-signatories to the International Bill of Human Rights move to the implementation of more mechanisms of accountability, and this view is not shared by everyone. For example, in 2007 the ICC Prosecutor, Lois Moreno-Ocampo termed the demands of amnesty made by combatants as being nothing less than pure blackmail. Moreover, the offering of amnesty may appear as t hough a state is showing signs of weakness, which may, in turn, encourage more violations of human rights, (Mallinder, 2008:12). However, despite this, Freeman supports the view that amnesties may sometimes be necessary to achieve peace in a state, (2009:11). He contends that there may not be any other choice for societies which have gone through mass violence and genocide, (2009:7). Freeman asserts that he is against the idea of impunity for serious crime, but he states that there may be situations where the desire for peace and security should stand above any impunity which may result from granting amnesty (2009:6). In particular, he states that if we look at such countries as Burma and Somalia and their particular contexts, one may be forgiven for wishing any kind of amnesty in order to ensure the survival of people by lessening daily violent conflicts, even though this leads to impunity, (2009:24). Another argument against the view that amnesties are needed to achieve peace in a country, and to ensure a smooth transition from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one, is provided by Robinson when he draws on an example of Sierra Leone, (Robinson, 2003:490). In that country, unconditional amnesties were granted to ensure that peace would follow only to discover that the culture of impunity was reinforced and gross violations of human rights continued. However, in reply to all this, it can be pointed out that, regarding the International Bill of Rights in particular, amnesties can be used, because the International Bill encompasses a wide variety of rights, and unlike the Rome Statute, is not primarily concerned with the protection against gross human rights violations. Freeman also makes a relatively convincing argument that amnesties are rarely granted without the imposition of other orders or qualifications, such as a reparation programme or an institutional reform measure, (2009:14). Truth Commissions, which are primarily set up to investigate the causes of death/injury unlawfully perpetrated, often play an important role in offsetting the damage done by amnesty. However, it is questionable whether they are, in fact, as successful as they were initially perceived to be. For example, again using the Sierra Leone example, the Lome Accord 1999 was designed to provide both an amnesty provision and a Truth Commission investigation, but was unsuccessful in its implementation (Alston and Goodman, 2012:1452). Nevertheless, a broad conception of justice usually agrees with the idea that there could be a Truth Commission and a limited amnesty in place to satisfy â€Å"the essential purpose of the right to justice†, (Naqvi, 2003:34). Dugard seems to be of the same view when he states that even though unconditional amnesties should not be permitted, a Truth Commission should still be capable to grant amnesty after an investigation, provided that amnesty contributes to the achievement of peace and justice, and is more effective than prosecution, (Dugard, 1999:1020). Arguably, South Africa’s imposition of a conditional amnesty showed that it was possible to combine an amnesty with an accountability process which culminated in the achievement of truth and social healing. Another argument, which is linked to the argument about the right to remedy discussed above, and which is put forward by Freeman and Pensky (in Lessa and Payne, 2012), is that an amnesty measure will not necessary infringe international law in every instance. This argument rests on the well-known fact that the status of amnesties in international law is unclear, and the practice of its imposition still persists in many countries, including Rwanda, Cambodia, El Salvador and South Africa. This point is supported by Laplante, who argued that the status of an â€Å"outright prohibition on amnesty remains unclear†, (Laplante, 2009:920). To illustrate the point, Mallinder discovered in her research that the number of amnesties which includes different kinds of crimes has increased, and this casts doubt on the proposition that we are living in the age of accountability (Mallinder in Lassa and Payne, 2012:95). Mallinder concludes that this means that there is still a belief that an am nesty measure may be deemed necessary where there is some exceptional situation, (Mallinder in Lassa and Payne, 2012: 96) Liked to this is the idea that amnesties do not necessarily stand in opposition to the spirit of the International Bill of Human Rights, and, in fact, can fulfil some of its provisions by balancing   competing goals, and facilitating long-term peace and security in the nation. One particular example is where a political activist-offender is integrated into a society anew, preventing further disputes. The final point is that some defendants are unlikely to come within the scope of criminal prosecution as defined by the Rome Statute, and some countries’ legal systems may not be sufficiently evolved to prosecute such defendants. In these cases, it may be argued that amnesty could be granted to alleviate the political tension in the country if it exists. Moreover, even the Rome Statute could be said to presuppose the use of amnesties as it gives discretionary powers to prosecutors/judges to take account ‘the interests of justice’, particularly for those defendants which are unlikely to come within the scope of the International Criminal Court’s prosecution.[6] Thus, it seems that it may not be correct to treat all amnesties as being in the opposition to   the principles of justice and truth, and the specific context of a country must be taken into account. Even though amnesties violate the victim’s rights and can potentially create a culture of impunity, it is important to recognise that some amnesties, in some circumstances, may be an effective measure directed at achieving peace and security in a country. This is especially true since it is wrong to think of amnesties as either granting complete impunity or achieving long-term peace. This view fails to take into account the sheer diversity of amnesty measures which a state can employ, and which can be combined with the variety of accountability measures, (Mallinder, 2008:8). Moreover, as Freeman points out, justice may sometimes defer to amnesty because such practice is virtually unavoidable, although it should be maintained as a practice of the last resort (2009:4). Moreover, o ncloser examination, the granting of an amnesty may not be in the direct conflict with the spirit of the International Bill of Human Rights and, therefore, it is fair to say that justice must sometimes defer to amnesty following gross violations of human rights in a state. Word count: 3,228. Bibliography Books/Academic Articles Alston, P. and Goodman, R. (2012) International Human Rights, New York: Oxford University Press Cassese, A. (2008) International Criminal Law, New York: Oxford University Press Cassese, A. (2004) International Law, 2nd Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press Dugard, J. (1999) ‘Dealing with Crimes of a Past Regime: Is Amnesty Still an Option?’, Leiden Journal of International Law, 12, No. 4, at p. 1001 Freeman, F. (2009) Necessary Evils: Amnesty and the Search for Justice, 1st Edition, New York: Cambridge University Press Griffey, B. (2011) ‘The ‘Reasonableness’ Test: Assessing Violations of State Obligations under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’, Human Rights Review, Vol. 11, No. 2 Harris, D., Moeckli, S. and Sivakumaran, S. (2010) International Human Rights Law, 1st Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press 8.   Joyce, D. (2010) ‘Human Rights and the Mediatization of International Law’, Leiden Journal of International Law, Vol. 23, Issue 3, pp. 507-527 Laplante, L. (2009) ‘Outlawing Amnesty: The Return of Criminal Justice in Transitional Justice Schemes’, Virginia Journal of International Law, 49, at p. 915 Lessa, F. and Payne, L. (2012) Amnesty in the Age of Human Rights Accountability, New York: Cambridge University Press Loucaides, L. (2003) ‘TheDeveloping Case Law  of the  InterAmerican Court  of  Human Rights’, Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp.  1-25 Mallinder, L. (2010) ‘Law, Politics and Fact-Finding: Assessing the Impact of Human Rights Reports’, Journal of Human Rights Practice, 1, No. 4 Mallinder, L. (2009) ‘The Role of Amnesties in Conflict Transformation’, in Ryngaert, C. (ed.) The Effectiveness of International Criminal Justice, Intersentia Publishers Mallinder, L. (2008) Amnesty, Human Rights and Political Transitions: Bridging the Peace and Justice Divide, Hart Publishing Meisenberg, S. (2004) ‘Legality of Amnesties in International Humanitarian Law. The Lomà © Amnesty Decision of the Special Court for Sierra Leone’, International Law Review of the Red Cross, 86, No. 856 Naqvi, Y. (2003) ‘Amnesty for War Crimes: Defining International Recognition’, International Law Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 85, pp. 583-560 (2003); Available: mkkk.org/eng/assets/files/other/irrc_851_naqvi.pdf [10 Dec 2013] Orentlicher, D. (1991) ‘Settling Accounts: The Duty to Prosecute Human Rights Violations of a Prior Regime’, The Yale Law Journal, Vol. 100, at p. 2537 Robinson, D. (2003) ‘Serving the Interests of Justice: Amnesties, Truth Commissions and the International Criminal Court’ European Journal of International Law, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 481-500 Snyder, J. and Vinjamuri, L. (2003) ‘Trials and Errors: Principle and Pragmatism in Strategies of International Justice’, International Security, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 5-44; Available: http://belfercenter.hks.harvard.edu/publication/343/trials_and_errors.html [ 9 Dec 2013] Weissbrodt, D. Ni Aolin, F., Fitzpatrick, J. and Newman, F. (2009) International Human Rights: Law, Policy, and Process, LexisNexis Publishing; Available: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/intlhr2006/chapters/chapter8.html [ 7 Dec 2013] Reports United Nations (2011) Report of the Secretary General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka, New York: United Nations Publications; Available: un.org/News/dh/infocus/Sri_Lanka/POE_Report_Full.pdf [10 Dec 2013] Web Materials The International Centre for Transitional Justice (2009) Justice, Truth, Dignity: Amnesty Must Not Equal Impunity [Online]; Available: http://ictj.org/publication/amnesty-must-not-equal-impunity [8 Dec 2013]

How to Build a Sherlock Holmes Mind Palace

How to Build a Sherlock Holmes Mind Palace Admit it. You wish you had a mind like Sherlock Holmes. Recalling the smallest details at the most significant moment, packing a lot of information in your head, remembering places and important events – thats what you want? Well, its absolutely possible. Seriously. You can learn how to control your memory with a help of a powerful technique that is called Mind Palace. It is not only extremely effective but also very fun and not hard to use at all. This technique is amazingly useful in all kinds of situations: memorizing a presentation, learning a new language, studying for exams and many others. Learn how to build your own memory palace and youll become a more confident and successful student. Choose Your Mind Palace First of all, you have to select a place you know very well. This method will be effective only if you can mentally see this place with ease. Think about something you can visualize in detail. You also need to imagine a specific route in your palace. This will help you to recall things in a particular order, which will make the technique much more powerful. A good choice of a Mind Palace could be your own home, a former school, your campus, familiar streets in your city. Just make sure you can imagine this object well. Define Distinctive Features Now you have to pay special attention to the features in your palace. For instance, if you have chosen your home, the first distinctive thing may be the front door. Then you have to mentally walk around the house and remember the things you see. Analyze each room looking from right to left, for example. What attracts your attention? Do you see something unusual? It can be a picture on the wall or a flower in a vase. Continue to explore the house and make notes in your head. Each feature will be used later to store a particular piece of information. Engrave the Palace in Your Mind To make the method work, you have to imprint the palace on your memory. The task wont be a difficult one if you are a visual type of person. Here are some tips that will help you to remember everything better: Walk through the route physically and repeat the distinctive things you see. Write down the features on a piece of paper and walk through them mentally. Look at the things from the same perspective. When you think youve finished, repeat everything one more time. Now you have your Mind Palace! You can use it as many times as you need to memorize the things you want. Mind Palace technique is great, however, you should know that there are much more techniques on how to develop photographic memory. Use Associations Symbols make the memories more manageable and they are really effective for remembering the things. The process of making associations is very simple: you take an image and combine it with a thing you need to memorize. To do that, you have to mentally transport yourself to your Mind Palace. The first feature you see is a front door. Therefore, if you are trying to remember a ship, imagine an anchor on your door. Then continue to associate the things until there are no items left to memorize. Visit Your Palace At this stage, you are done with memorizing the items. Now you need to do a rehearsal, repeating your journey at least one time in your mind. Go from the beginning to the end and try to recollect all the details. When you get the end of your route, turn around and go in the opposite direction until you return to the starting point. And remember, the more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to remember everything. With just a lit bit of practice, the things you memorize by using your Mind Palace will stay fresh in your mind for a long time. cover image credit: Robert Vigalskiy/Hartswood Films and BBC Wales for BBC One image credit: thenerdybomb.com