5 Writing Rules Every Blogger Must Know

Growing up, were you the kid at school who always turned in homework on time, finished class assignments before everyone else finished, and always had their hands up to answer a question a teacher asked? Or, were you the kid who finished their homework during breakfast, sat in the back of the class and didnt want to be called on? No matter what type of kid you were during grade school, everyone Im sure was grilled on writing skills and grammar rules. And if you are a blogger or freelance writer, you may think those skills are essential to your ability to create awesome content. Im here to tell you that if you want to ace your next blog post, dont listen to what your teacher told you about grammar rules. In fact, dont even listen to yourself. Having a blogging career means taking what you learned about grammar in school and throwing it out the patio door. You are no longer sitting in a school desk, listening to your teacher lecture about natural resources and then going home to write a report on three ways natural resources can be used for economical gain. As a blogger, you have the luxury to blog wherever you want, write on whatever topic you want and share it with your readers. Of course, if you have clients that require you to write or blog in a more formal manner about e-learning content or about medical training strategies, then please ignore this post! I know it can be hard not to slip into the formal style of writing you were taught all throughout your school years. Its ingrained in you and you may even feel a little anxious thinking anything but formal writing is wrong. I mean, if you make a living doing this, why wouldnt you follow all the grammar rules and write in a very formal matter? It only shows your professionalism to potential clients, right? Brian Lash, Creative Director of First Blog Media, wrote on CopyBlogger that anything but a conversational and informal writing style will kill your online career. People dont want to read a blog post like its an academic paper. Online users are scanning your blogs, barely reading any of it with their pointer finger on the mouse ready to click to a new page. They definitely dont want to be boggled down with reading a formal style using technical words. So, if you want to ace your next post and still have a career, I suggest you follow these 5 rules about grammar (for bloggers), because its fluid and constantly changing. Oh, and by the way, I was the kid who always turned in their homework on time and was eager to answer any question my teacher asked. But that all changed once I entered high school!   1. The Changing of Words and Meanings Most bloggers tend to write as if they are talking directly to their audience. This is not a wrong thing to do. I often write like Im talking, as its comfortable for me and helps me engage with my readers on a more personal level. With writing like you talk though, you may encounter some words that you wouldnt normally use in your high school book report because they may be too juvenile or not even a word! Lets take a look at some and feel free to use them for your next post. Very Very is a word that, if used in your writing at school, would get crossed out with a note telling you to avoid using this adverb. But in online writing, using very can help with signaling emotion in a particular item, story, or product creating a positive impact on what you are trying to describe to your audience amplifying your verbs and nouns Hopefully   Traditionally, hopefully, indicates in a hopeful manner as in I hopefully waited for the show to begin. Recently, though, people have been using hopefully to mean it is hoped that. This way, it becomes a sentence adverb, modifying the entire sentence. For example, Hopefully, well get a chance to visit the Grand Canyon next summer. So go ahead and use hopefully in the beginning of a sentence. Alright If you dont already know, alright is technically not even a word. You should be using all right. But, recently, alright as a word to mean its just satisfactory is becoming popular to use in writing. 2. Your Sentences Can End in a Preposition Are you biting your nails at this thought? All throughout school, I remember it was drilled into my head that ending my sentences with a preposition can drop your paper a whole letter grade. I made sure that I never ever finished my sentences with an at, of, up or over for fear of getting a C or worse on my papers. But after starting my venture as a work-at-home mom and freelance writer, I learned quickly that not ending your sentence with a preposition is an actual grammar myth. So dont fear the thought of an imaginary lecture from your teacher and feel free to end your sentences with a preposition! Just dont add them if they are unnecessary. For example, you dont need to say Jane got off of the bed to get her morning coffee. Instead, drop of and say Jane got off the bed to get her morning coffee. 3. You Can Start a Sentence With And, Or and But Ooo, another rule thats probably making you cringe, right? I know for myself, I cringed when I saw other bloggers and freelance writers start their sentences with and or but. I thought, did they not get the Coordinating Conjunctions lesson in school? If you missed that lesson, think FANBOYS. And, Im not talking about the next One Direction. FANBOYS is the acronym for the seven coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. These words help conjoin words and phrases in a sentence. As writers, you do have the option of starting your sentences with and, or and but if, stylistically, fits what you are trying to say. 4. Go Ahead and Exclamation Point that Blog Post Up! There has been a recent shift in the readers experience in online content and they are starting to prefer an abundance of exclamation points. But it doesnt stop there! Its now commonplace to use them in texts, emails and after any standard written greeting. Why are we bombarding our readers with exclamation points? Using emphatic punctuation helps deliver the tone in your writing. Its not always easy to convey sarcasm or excitement when writing. Since most readers are rushing through your post, using exclamation points also Helps readers locate subtle information that might be beneficial to them Attracts readers eyes when you use multiple exclamation points in your post Makes sure you provided the most helpful information for your readers! So dont give it a second thought when you sit down to write your next blog post. Your readers will appreciate the sincerity in your tone and return the favor by commenting! 5. You Dont Have to Spell Out Your Numbers Theres something about numbers that intrigues our minds. When our brain processes what we read, we tend to stop and focus on numbers and lists. Effective bloggers use numbers in their headlines as they Entices the reader to click and read further Promises the reader to deliver a specific number of reasons, tips or tricks that they want to learn about Captures the reader amongst a sea of insignificant headlines Reassures the reader of a predetermined ending, satisfying their need of completion Because of its eye catching quality, using numbers instead of writing them out, helps with grabbing readers attention and stopping their scanning. Keep this in mind when writing your numbers in digits Use numerals in your sentences and at the beginning of sentences or bullet points Use numerals up to one billion. After that, write out your numbers as its confusing seeing too many zeros Avoid using numerals for general facts, like I did in my previous bullet point For more information about when to use numerals and when to write out your numbers, visit the Nielson Norman Group. With these 5 grammar rules for bloggers, you are now equipped to lure your readers with a numbered list headline, grab their emotion with proclaiming your love of exclamation points, risk criticism for using alright in a sentence, and show your boldness in starting a sentence with and. Do you find any of these 5 rules hard to make use of in your everyday writing? I find that I tend not to use too many exclamation points in my writing. Im naturally a bubbly gal, but it may not come across that way online. In this post already, Ive used more exclamation points than in any other post, so thats a start! Let me know what you think,, what kind of  child you  were in grade school,  and if you adopt any other rules. Im looking forward to hearing from you! Please remember to pin me!

The Great Gatsby2 essays

The Great Gatsby2 essays The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitsgerald, is about the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach its imaginative goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is common in many novels. This dream is different for fidderent people, but in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire happiness. To get this happiness Jay must reach into the past and relive an old dream and in order to do this he must have wealth and power. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the story , is a character who longs for the past. Suprisingly he devotes most of his adult life trying to recapture it and, finally, dies in its pursuit. In the past, Jay had a love affair with the extravagant Daisy. Knowing he could not marry her because of the difference in their social status, he leaves her to obtain wealth to reach her high standards. Once he acquires this wealth, he moves near to Daisy, "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay," and throws extravagant parties, happen,he asks around casually if anyone knows her. Soon he meet Nick Carraway, a cousin of Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, "He wants to know... if you'll invite Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, "He wants to know...if you'll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over." Gatsby's personal dream symbolizes the larger American Dream where all have the opportunity to get what they want. Later, as we see in the Plaza Hotel, Jay still believes that Daisy loves him. He is convinced of this as is shown when he takes the blame for Myrtle's death. "Was Daisy driving?" "Yes...but of course I'll say I was." He also watches and protects Daisy as she returns home. "How long are you going to wait?" "All night if necessary. "Jay cannot accept that the past is gone and done with. Jay is sure that he can capture his dream with wealth an ...

What is the best type of data to use when doing research in your field Essay - 1

What is the best type of data to use when doing research in your field of - Essay Example e need to design and implement efficient international relations guidelines and practices, it has become imperative that more accurate international relations researches are conducted. Among the issues surrounding international relations researches is that of the best research method and type of data to be used. Central to these debates are quantitative and qualitative data, which are the two major types of data used in most disciplines. This paper explores the type(s) of data that is best suited for researching international relations, taking the stance that these two types of data can be used complimentarily in international relations research since each has its strengths and weaknesses, which could be complimented by the other. That the two data types can be combined to ensure accurate international relations researches is supported by the fact that while quantitative data are numerical representations and the manipulations of the obtained observations to describe and explain international phenomena, qualitative data emphasises meanings and processes that may not be measured (Mahoney & Goertz, 2006). From these definitions, it is quite evident that both numerical and non-numerical aspects of international relations would be catered for if researchers combined both qualitative and quantitative data (Mahoney & Goertz, 2006). That is, qualitative data presents, interprets and explains non-numerical aspects of an observation so that underlying international relations patterns, issues and meanings are discerned and understood. In other words, the two types of data have relative values depending on the nature and the objectives of the international relations research to be conducted. The aspects of international relations issues that qualitative data may help explore and explain are issues whose quantity, intensity, amount or frequency may not be rigorously measured. In other words, this type of data would emphasise the social nature and the relationships of

To make argument about your own academic experience to an academic Term Paper

To make argument about your own academic experience to an academic audiene - Term Paper Example Ideal may differ from person to person. Something which is ideal to me may not be ideal to others and vice versa. During my management I did my specialization in marketing. Lot of people did their specialization in finance. I think marketing as a subject/course is more ideal than a finance. Before discussing why marketing is more ideal than finance lets first understand what does an ideal college experience means. An ideal college experience means an experience in discovery. It can be related to a particular subject or also personal discovery of self. So an ideal course can be new ways of learning, learning new values, learning new ways of solving a problem or addressing an issue. It is not mere reading a book, remembering a subject and then writing the same in the exam. It is about applying your knowledge and tools to think critically. It is about handling different situations in different ways and finding solutions for all kind of problems Marketing as a subject has got very little to do with theories and concepts. Yes, theories and concepts are important but not from a reading or remembering point of view but from the point of applying it in day to day life. Marketing is about thinking and applying the concept learns during the lecture to handle tricky situation. It is about creating different, new and innovative methods to sell you product or services. It is about creating ideas and strategies. ... That is something a student needs to decide. This is where a student is really tested as in how good is his ability to think and rationalize. Advertisement is a part of marketing. Creating an ad for a particular product or service is a challenging job. That is where the analytical skills of a student is tested. You can judge how creative a student is. Marketing research is also a part of marketing where a student analytical skill is tested. Marketing has got to do with lot of group activities. Where a students learns how to work in a team. He learns the ways to respect you superior and work with you subordinate. Finance on the other hand involves more of theories than practical. Lot of reading is involved in finance. You need to be thorough in the concepts and you need to remember lot of definition. Practical knowledge and activities are very less in finance. Calculation and analytics are important elements of finance but other than that not a lot of all round skills of student is te sted in finance. Further finance has got to with numbers and application of numbers. But when it comes to practical application of finance it definitely is bare minimum. Finance is a very important department in corporate and is essential for any organization. But in studies it has very little do when it comes to group work or applying it in practical purpose. It is mostly theories and concepts and less of practical, creativity and inter-personal skills. Finance is far from being an idea subject because it is one dimensional and does not focus on most of the skills that a student needs to develop. So when you compare a marketing and finance as a subject you will agree to the fact that marketing

Musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Movie Review Example It's hard not to wince when Michael Ball, chubby and cheerful as inventor Caractacus Potts, puts his twins to bed with "a gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain softly blows over Lullaby Bay" or when those kids fete Emma Williams's demure Truly with "when you're near us it's so delicious, you're the answer to our wishes", or when everybody is yearning for "someone to care for, someone to be near to, someone to do for, muddle through for". It's a very exciting an adventure, and it's a combination of a lot of tunes, the title track which is "our fine four-fendered friend" is extremely catchy, the other tones and songs in the musical are quite gloomy. Some of them are very long and drags in a few of the romantic scenes. The instruments used for the music was the piano and vocal with guitar chord symbols. This bright and bouncy tune from the film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang offers all instruments an opportunity to play the melody. Violins I and II and Viola begin this familiar tune in unison with the Celli an octave lower. With the pick up to 29 - 36, the Basses and Celli are featured with the melody. This arrangement also has ample eighth and quarter note bowing variations (https://www.primamusic.com/InstrSearchResults3). Two musical numbers which are quite different f... This arrangement also has ample eighth and quarter note bowing variations (https://www.primamusic.com/InstrSearchResults3).Two musical numbers which are quite different from the rest when it comes to the utilization of musical instruments one of them is "Toot Sweets" because there are a huge number of flutes used in the song; and the theme of "Me Ol' Bamboo" is given a special touch by the xylophone. The song also includes Potts doing a Morris dance amid a troupe. ConclusionAll in all the entire musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang gives a new meaning to musicals as there are a multitude of instruments being used . Each song is unique in its own way, and carries wizard of oz kind of touch. Thus it can be said that the music and instruments used in this musical is what made it a hit. Work Cited https://www.primamusic.com/InstrSearchResults3 retrieved on December 11

Design of Phenomenological Research

Design of Phenomenological Research This is a philosophical movement concerned with the study of conscious experience, from the point of view of the first person (Moran, 2000). There is emphasis on the intentionality of experience – that is, the idea that conscious experience is directed towards some phenomena, rather than being merely aimless. Such purposefulness is usually contained in the meaning that the first person ascribes to his or her experience. Human experience is said to be conscious, meaning that we are somehow usually aware of an experience as it is happening, as opposed to for example Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic view in which experience isn’t always conscious. Conscious experience is defined in broad terms, incorporating a wide range of factors including sensation, perception, objects, events, time, self, others, space, sequence, emotion, logic, and so on, with particular emphasis on the meanings of these experiences (two individuals may have exactly the same experience, yet attac h completely different meanings). Historically, phenomenology has been a fragmented philosophy, with numerous variations emerging and becoming established especially since the early part of the 20th century, deriving from works of philosophers like Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Satre, Edmund Husserl, G.W.F Hegel, Max Scheler, and others. The basic tradition of Anglo-Saxon European philosophy as we know it has been dominated by phenomenology throughout the last century, and currently provides the philosophical basis for a major part of clinical studies, usually subsumed under the heading of qualitative research. EXPERIMENTAL (SCIENTIFIC) APPROACH Scientific experimentation forms part of the wider traditional positivist doctrine, developed by Auguste Comte during the early part of the nineteenth century (Coolican, 1994). Positivism dictates that only phenomena that can be quantified and measured, are worthy of scientific experimentation. Emerging from this philosophy is the hypothetico-deductive doctrine, which entails making observations, developing theories, formulating and testing predictions from those theories, and modifying or supporting the theory accordingly. This procedure is what many researchers refer to as the ‘scientific method’. Experimentation is often regarded as the ‘gold standard’ in scientific (clinical) research. It entails the deliberate manipulation of variables under controlled conditions, in order to establish causality, and important factor in clinical settings. Control is achieved primarily by random allocation of participants to conditions, effectively distributing any diffe rences between people evenly across the conditions, and hence ‘balancing things out’. Many experiments are also conducted in a controlled environment, such as laboratory. Experimentation is underpinned by a number of assumptions, including the idea that people can be isolated from their social environment and treated as a group rather than as individuals. Furthermore, it is possible for the researcher to remain objective, remaining distant from the subject and hence having no influence on their behaviour. RESEARCH METHODS Aims and Objectives Phenomenological research is exploratory, seeking to understand people’s conscious experiences through that persons’ own viewpoint, what ever it may be. By contrast experimentation focuses on testing specific hypotheses, which have usually been selected by the researcher, hence reflecting the researchers own perspectives, rather than those of the participant. For example, take the case of a patient who has recently being diagnosed as anorexic. She is receiving treatment but there is a need for research to establish whether the treatment is having the desired effect. Phenomenology will focus on the patient’s own conscious experience of anorexia and recovery, and the meaning she attaches to these experiences. For example, the individual may view anorexia as a devastating experience with feel that she is not recovering despite her treatment. The whole experience may have created a sense of revulsion about her condition and pessimism about the recovery. The phenomenologist will try to explore – to use Husserls Greek terms her â€Å"noesis† or intentional act of consciousness (e.g. her beliefs and feelings) and †Å"noematic†, meaning the object or phenomena (anorexia, recovery). By contrast, the experimenter will aim to test hypotheses that the treatment is or isn’t effective in eliciting recovery, which will be appraised in quantifiable terms, such as changes in body-mass index, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Given the different aims/objectives (i.e. exploration, hypothesis testing), the experimenter and phenomenologist could arrive at completely different conclusions. For example, the patient may feel and believe they are not getting better albeit experimental (medical) parameters suggest otherwise. Research Questions Hypotheses Phenomenological questions typically exploratory, asking how an individual has consciously experienced a phenomenon, such as illness or disease. There are no hypotheses. The question can take any one of several forms, depending on the area of phenomenology. For example, existential phenomenology will inquire about the persons’ experience of free choice (e.g. in selecting their treatment), generative phenomenology will explore the meaning of the phenomena to the individual with reference to historical factors (e.g. the way a disease has historically been interpreted in their society), while a transcendental phenomenology will ask about the person’s conscious experiences completely excluding questions about the external environment (e.g. how the disease is experienced, regardless the hospital environment, treatments, and other external factors). Experimental questions are often more precise, asking whether there is a relationship between two or more variables. The questio n is usually accompanied by testable hypotheses, which specify whether or not a relationship exists and the direction (i.e. positive or negative) of the relationship. So, for example the experimenter will ask whether a particular intervention will cure the illness, accompanied by a hypothesis (e.g. the intervention significantly improves health outcomes). Unlikely phenomenology, the experimental approach rarely involves exploratory or open-ended questions as it is a requirement that all variables (independent and dependent) are specified a priori. However, statements of hypotheses can be â€Å"two-tailed† whereby the precise relationship expected between two variables is left â€Å"open† (i.e. not specified). Design Phenomenological research is typically unstructured, with no specific ‘design’ or ‘format’. The researcher is at liberty to proceed as they see fit, merely ensuring that they conform to the basic tenets of philosophy, notably emphasising the first-person and targeting their conscious experience. The setting is usually realistic or naturalistic, so for example, no attempt is made to ‘remove’ the patient from their natural environment[1]. Experimental research is traditionally highly structured. There are specific designs available to the researcher, each with set parameters or protocols. Randomisation of subjects to conditions is critical, to minimise the counfounding effects of nuisance variables. Therefore it is essential to recruit a sample of individuals who serve as participants. They can either be exposed to all conditions of the experiment, leading to a within-groups design, or assigned to just one of the conditions, creating a between-gro ups design. Independent and dependent variables must be specified clearly, so that there is no uncertainty about the conditions being manipulated, the direction of causality, and outcome measures. The setting is typically artificial – for example a laboratory – with a low degree of realism. It is important to point out that some phenonemonological research assumes that conscious experience is a function of neurological activity in the brain, known as neurophenomenology. This overlap with physiological sciences means that an experimental design may be used to establish the authenticity of certain aspects of conscious experience (e.g. determining whether an experience of motor activity is accompanied by electrical activity in the appropriate regions of the brain). Data Collection Data is typically collected using one-to-one interviews between the researcher and the participant, rather similar to private sessions between a patient and their psychiatrist or psychotherapist. The interviews are typically open-ended, thereby letting things show themselves, to use Heidegger’s terms. Data collection in experimentation may involve one or more techniques including observational methods (participant and non-participant observation, role playing and simulation, the diary method, and naturalistic observation), interviews and surveys (psychometric tests, structured/semi-structured interviews, clinical method). Whatever technique is used, the goal is to generate quantitative data which would allow mathematical assessments of reliability and validity, and also statistical analysis. Reliability relates to the consistency of a participants responses, while validity indicates whether the appropriate phenomenon of interest is being measured in the first place. Questions in interviews and surveys are typically close-ended, so that the participant can only respond using a pre-determined range of options provided by the experimenter. Data Analysis The phenomenological method assumes first-person familiarity with the particular experience of interest to the researcher. Data analysis essentially entails description of a conscious experience exactly as it is lived by the participant and presented to the researcher, who does not interfere. The researcher may then attempt to interpret the experience from their particular phenomenological perspective. For example, hermeneutical phenomenologists, such as Heidegger, will try to make sense of the experience by placing it in a social and linguistic context (e.g. who else is involved, and how do the parties communicate). By contrast a naturalistic constitutive phenomenologist will relate the experience to nature, seeking out links with natural environment (e.g. climate, culture, ecology). Regardless of their area of phenomenology, it is essential for the researcher to analyse the type of experience presented, identifying any unique features for further investigation. More recently, data analysis may entail a logico-semantic approach that aims to identify the truth of an experience (e.g. â€Å"this disease can be cured†) and the conditions necessary to satisfy an intention (e.g. â€Å"I will feel better if I take my medicine†). Phenomenologists also use modern techniques for analysing qualitative data, such as thematic analysis, typologies, quotations, and so on. Data analysis in experimentation requires the use of statistical tests in order to establish the â€Å"significance† of any observed changes in the dependent variable, following manipulation of the independent variable. Usually, a ‘level of significance’ is set, depicting a specific probability (e.g. .05) that observed differences between groups or conditions occurred by chance. Typically, the probability of chance must be equal to or less than the chosen significance level in order for the test results to be regarded as significant. There is no attempt by the experimenter to â€Å"impose† any interpretation or subjective analysis on the data without the use of statistical tools, which introduce some mathematical objectivity. However, the likelihood of obtaining significant results is often affected by analytic and methodological considerations, such as the sample size and the sensitivity of the chosen statistical test. Furthermore, results that are statistically significant may nevertheless have little or no clinical significance, for example in terms of Quality Life Years, and morbidity and mortality rates. Table 1 Differences between phenomenological and experimental approaches (selected issues) Phenomenological Experimental Method Unstructured Structured Research Question Exploratory Hypothesis testing Perspective First-person Third-person Subject Matter Conscious experience Quantifiable phenomena Data Analysis Intuitive Statistical Setting Naturalistic Artificial Clinical Application Detailed insight Efficacy CLINICAL PRACTICE Phenomenological and experimental approaches both have an important role to play in clinical practice. Nevertheless, each method may offer very different perspectives on the same medical quandary, or may be more suited to certain problems rather than others. Consider the effectiveness of nurse-led thrombolysis on patients present at an Accidence Emergency unit with cardiac symptoms. A phenomenological approach would be suitable for obtaining detailed insights into nurses feelings about their effectiveness in administering the procedure, their confidence, doubts, anxieties, suspicions, resentments, and other feelings and beliefs that may explain their clinical competence or otherwise. This may provide managers and consultants with valued ideas about how to support nurses, hence improving service delivery. By contrast the experimental approach will be more amenable to establishing the clinical effectiveness of nurse-initiated thrombolysis, for example in terms of the percentage of fatalities and door-to-needle times. A E units could be randomly assigned to a condition in which nurses implement thrombolytic procedures, or a control condition in which the intervention is performed by busy consultants. Patient satisfaction rates and hospital delays could then be compared across both conditions using statistical procedures. Although phenomenology and experimentation approach the problem differently, findings from both paradigms will have some clinical benefit if service delivery is ultimately improved. BIBLIOGRAPHY Coolican, H. (1994) Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology. London: Hodder Stoughton. Moran, D. (2000) Introduction to Phenomenology. London and New York: Routledge. Smith, B. Smith, D.W. (eds.) (1995) The Cambridge Companion to Husserl Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press. Wikipedia (2006) Phenomenology [online]. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenology/ [Accessed 22 July 2006]. Footnotes [1] Although in the interest of privacy researcher and patient may seek a quiet location that may be somewhat atypical of the subjects’ usual setting.

The Issue of Casinos in South Florida Essay -- Social Issues

Casinos on the 2014 ballot? Political committee lays the groundwork â€Å"After failing to persuade the Florida Legislature to pass a bill to open South Florida to mega resort casinos, gambling interests have taken the first steps to bring the issue directly to voters in 2014. A political committee under the name of â€Å"New Jobs and Revenues for Florida† was created April 10 with the purpose of promoting a â€Å"statewide constitutional initiative re gaming.† The committee chairman is Tallahassee lawyer and lobbyist John French and its treasurer is a political committee consultant and accountant Nancy Watkins of Tampa. The petition process requires that the organization get petitions signed by eight percent of the voters in the last presidential election to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot. The proposal must then be approved by 60 percent of the voters† (Klas, M. E., 2012). â€Å"The third level of inputs is external political actors that significantly shape the purposes, processes and actions of the bureaucracy. Administrative organizations do no exist in a vacuum; that is, without some degree of this external public support or hostility exercised either directly upon the agency or through intermediaries such as lawyers and lobbyists† (Stillman II, R., 2004, pg. 91). â€Å"Malaysia-based Genting Group spent more than $400 million to assemble roughly 30 acres along the Biscayne Bay waterfront here, including spending $238 million to acquire the headquarters of the Miami Herald newspaper. Genting planned to build the $3.8 billion Resorts World Miami, which company officials had boasted would become a dramatic feature along the waterfront of downtown Miami, with 5,200 rooms over four hotels, creating 30,000 permanent jobs, attracting almo... ... Santiago, F. (2012, January 28). Is the Herald Building Historic?. Common Sense Miami. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemiami.com/ Scott, J. C. (1998). Part.4 The Missing Link - Chapter 9 - Thin Simplifications and Practical Knowledge: Metis. In Seeing Like a State. (Pp. 309-341). Yale Agrarian Studies. Stillman II, R. (2004). The American Bureaucracy: The Core of Modern Government. (3rd ed.). (Pp. 91, 220). Belmont, CA, U.S.: Clark Blaxter. Stutz, H. (2012, February 19). Supporters Of Florida Casino Expansions Promise To Fight On. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved from http://www.lvrj.com/business/supporters-of-florida-casino-expansion-promise-to-fight-on-139622693.html Stutz, H. (2012, February 3). Florida Lawmakers End Casino Push. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved from http://www.lvrj.com/business/florida-lawmakers-end-casino-push-138663869.html