Monday, November 25, 2019

Lessons from the Womens Fiction Festival in Matera

Lessons from the Womens Fiction Festival in Matera United We Stand - Lessons from the Women's Fiction Festival in Matera Here’s an excerpt from  Ricardo’s guest post for the Alliance of Independent Authors â€Å"self-publishing advice† blog. You can read the full article here.Unity and connection between authors has been widely discussed over the past few weeks. This is mainly the result of the much too commented Amazon vs Hachette dispute, which is rekindling the opposition between some traditionally published authors and the indie community.This is why I was particularly looking forward to the panel on the last day of the conference called â€Å"United we stand†. Four American indie authors were present: Bella Andrà ©, Tina Folsom, Debra Holland and Shelley Adina (who is also Bella’s copy editor) along with the representatives of a new European association, the EWWA.About the Women’s Fiction FestivalBut before I get there, let’s talk a bit about the festival itself. It is organized essentially by three incredibly energetic women: Elizabeth Jennings (author and translator, and a member of the ALLi), Maria Paola Romeo and Mariateresa Cascino. It has been taking place every year for the past 11 years in the magical city of Matera (I spent most of my spare time taking pictures.The choice of the city, which might be surprising for a truly international conference, isn’t a coincidence. Matera is currently running for the â€Å"2019 cultural capital of Europe† title, and thus supports and sponsors a lot of cultural events and conferences. Moreover, it is a city laden with history. It underwent an exceptional change over the past 50 years, and is now living in a mix of traditionalism and modernism. Much like the publishing industry†¦Read the entire post on The Alliance of Independent Authors’ blog.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

What are the strengths, limitations and challenges of ethical and Essay

What are the strengths, limitations and challenges of ethical and socially responsible business practice - Essay Example The smaller versions of such corporations are still present and not to mention relevant in the society but they have had the doors opened in terms of the possible heights that can be scaled (Habisch et. al 2005). It is with this in mind that there has arose a need to shed light on certain issues such as control and regulation of these business entities to ensure that there is no negative backlash from their activities. It is essential that a corporation not only remain profitable, but serve the society as well so as to live in harmony within its environment. Two subjects that can be said to have attempted to breach this matter is the emergence of business ethics as well as the social responsibility. These two topics have grown in intensity as they have served to provide a viable solution in which the business community can take part in their regulation working together with independent bodies. The issue of maintaining ethical business practices by corporations has become an interesti ng subject as though the concept is appealing, the practical implications in some cases may tend to cause profit hungry conglomerates to shy away from such measures. There are two good examples that can be taken as case studies in recent years and thus portray the value of business ethics and social responsibility. One such case is that Of the BP oil spill that caused a lot of damage to the environment when it happened. The clean up and rehabilitation of the animals there was part of the company showing the Social responsibility it had to the society. The organization was also fined heavily for the part they played in the accident. Another case is that of the horsemeat scandal that was uncovered in the UK involving Tesco industries. This situation is a portrayal of what could have been avoided should the organization have decided to implement strict business ethics in their practice and operations. Doing what is best for the company does not always mean doing what is best for the society and the Tesco horsemeat scandal proves that. Business Ethics Business ethics can be described as the practice of maintaining ethical principles in the decision-m aking and operations of a company with regard to the effect that their actions may have on the society (Greenfield, 2006). It can be seen as the process of ensuring that businesses stay in line during their quest for profitability and that this objective does not hinder the advancement or progress of the surrounding community. Business ethics can be said to have been set up to ensure that companies behave in their day to day activities be they long or short term (Murphey et. al 2007). The ethics were developed in a bid to provide guidelines to the businesses on proper forms of interactions and inconsiderate trajectories. A number of external independent bodies that with the corporation of the involved corporations have strived to encourage the practice of these ethics by every business have backed the development. Business ethics can be considered to take up a wide range of issues as it deals with all aspects of a company with regard to their conduct and operations. This means that the business’Â  activities as a whole are not the only sections that will be evaluated and individual’s activities for example will be taken into consideration should they be acting as a representative of the corporation. The code of business ethics hopes to cover all scenarios in a bid to improve the interaction between the businesses and the society. This ensures a harmonic existence as mentioned earlier that allows both sides to flourish. Social Responsibility Social Responsibility refers to the relationship that an organization has with the members of the society in which they operate. A company should

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

US History project 1A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

US History project 1A - Essay Example This over taxation led to the "Taxation without Representation† uproar. Additionally, other events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party escalated the conflicts between England and the American colonies into a revolution. Consequent to the many events that led to the American Revolution, England and the colonists had different views of the American Revolution and call for independence. While some believed that the American Revolution was justified, others’ opinions opposed the revolution. This paper explores the events that led to the start of the American Revolution and the colonist and the English views of the revolution. Events Preceding the American Revolution In the years preceding the American Revolution, certain events, which culminated in the revolution and the independence of the American colonists, occurred. For instance, in 1754 a plan was drawn by representatives from Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island an d New Hampshire at a meeting in Albany, New York against the prospect of war between the French and Britain. Although the individual Colonial legislatures rejected the common defense plan drawn by Benjamin Franklin, the members of the Albany Congress approved the document. Though it failed, the plan was among the first major attempts by the colonists towards the formation of a union and the basis for the fight for independence. The other event that preceded the American Revolution was the ascension to the throne of the twenty-two year old Prince of Wales to become King George III after the death of King George II. In addition to the Acts mentioned earlier, the Parliament passed the Currency Act, which prohibited the American colonies from printing paper money. In 1965 came the enforcement of the Quartering Act at the request of the commander-in-chief of all British military forces in the colonies General Thomas Gage. This act required colonists to provide shelter and food for Britis h soldiers and their horses. In the same year, a colonist group referred to as the "Sons of Liberty" rapidly grew throughout the colonies and became violent to stamp agents and supporters of the Stamp Act. In august of the same year, a mob burned the home belonging to Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson, followed by serious rioting in New York. Closer to the independence and bowing to pressures caused by the unrests in among the colonists and pleas from British merchants that were hurt by the colonies' boycott of British goods, the British Parliament repealed most of the acts in 1770. However, others such taxes, such as the tax on tea was retained. December 1770 was marked by the ending of the trials of Captain Thomas Preston and eight other soldiers charged with murder in the "Boston Massacre". The English point of view Generally, in the 1763-1783 periods, the British had constantly varied and fluctuating views of the American Revolution. That is, there was never a massive conviction among various segments of the British population, Tories, Whigs, or radical eighteenth-century Commonwealth-men on the American Revolution and independence (Mackesy & Shy, 1993). In fact, only a few British greatly perceived the political principles and issues central to the British and colonist conflicts. Furthermore, even in situations where such men had a common stance

Monday, November 18, 2019

Discussion board forum Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Discussion board forum - Assignment Example However, there are certain advocates that indicate that this is an incorrect approach. Instead, these individuals promote the understanding that a far more effective technique is to modify the job, organizational structure, or management style as a function of reducing the impact of such stressors itself. Unfortunately, there are a number of key drawbacks with respect to this particular approach. The first of which has to do with the fact that stress itself will still be exhibited regardless of the organizational structure or approach that management might take to seeking to assuage this particular issue. As such, even if efforts are made to change the dynamic by which stress is passed on to the stakeholder, it is virtually impossible to diminish or otherwise read an entire organization or business/group of stakeholders from known stressors. Whereas it is of course admirable that firms are seeking to perform such a function as a way of shielding their employees from the detrimental physical and mental aspects that stress create, thereby considering the Golden rule and how the importance of treating others as one wishes to be treated itself is important, the difficulty and application of this particular approach is considered the fact that if stakeholders were successful in seeking to reduce the impact stress individuals at the lower end of the organizational chart, the stres s will necessarily be transferred to managers and leaders within the organization. Rather than moving the stress from one part of the organization to another, a far better approach is to understand that stress is a very real part of life and that the firm/organization/or group of stakeholders must take it upon each other to reach out and assist their fellow employees in situations in which extreme personal or departmental stress is being exhibited. In perfect application,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Differences of the psychodynamic and behavioural approaches

Differences of the psychodynamic and behavioural approaches While psychodynamic and behavioural approaches are the two major approaches to personality, they view personality from different perspective. Psychodynamic approach argues personality is caused by forces in the unconscious but not learnt. Individuals have little control over their behaviour as it is predetermined, and early childhood plays a crucial part in shaping ones personality. Behavioural approach, on the other hand, recognizes personality as learnt and focuses only on present behaviour matters. Given the differences, it has been argued whether, in terms of scientific merit, psychodynamic or behavioural approach is more comprehensive. The strengths of psychodynamic approach are consideration of childhood experiences and recognition of the unconscious part. On the contrary, behavioural approach focuses on behaviour that can be scientifically measured and verified, and recognizes the importance of external environment on personality. From the above arguments, it is finally conclu ded, in term of methodology and testability, behavioural approach is more comprehensive. Introduction The scientific merit of psychodynamic and behavioural approaches to personality is quite different in terms of supporting whether personality is largely inborn or learnt. The term scientific merit here is defined as the methodology employed and testability of the approaches. On one hand, it has been argued psychodynamic approach relies too heavily on unconscious mind whose existence is hard to prove; on the other hand, behavioural approach has also been criticized for being overly environmentally determinist while overlooking mental processes. The following essay is to critically compare and contrast these two approaches from various aspects, and deduce which one is more encompassing. The psychodynamic approach argues experiences in childhood have significant influence on the development of adult personality without their consciousness. Freud (1969), the founder of psychodynamic approach to psychology, suggested the psyche consists of the following three parts: the preconscious, the conscious, and the unconscious. Among these three, individuals are only not aware of the unconscious part, in which there is always conflict between the id and the superego. The id is unconscious basic drives present in the newborn, and the superego represents the conscience developed by living in a community. These two parts of the psyche has to be managed by the ego, which mediates between the impulses of the id and social constraints. Freud argued that every child must undergo the psycho-sexual stages and their experiences play a large part in adult development, particularly the development of personality. (Freud, 1969). According to behavioral approach, personality is viewed as a pattern of learned behaviors developed through either classical or operant conditioning, and then further molded by reinforcement such as punishment or rewards. Classical conditioning, first proposed by Pavlov (1936), is learning through association, which suggested individual learns to connect a neutral stimulus with a reflex response such as anger or delight. Also, operant conditioning, primarily proposed by B. F. Skinner (1974), is learning through the outcomes of behaviour. If ones behaviour is rewarded, then it will be maintained or increased; if it is penalized, it will be weakened and even extinguished. There are several substantial differences between psychodynamic and behavioural approaches. Comparatively, psychodynamic approach recognizes that experiences in childhood have influence throughout our lives without our consciousness. It provides important framework for judging ones personality and behaviour. For example, the reason for a person committing murder may be the fact that his violent father has always physically-punished him since childhood. Nevertheless, behavioural approach argued most human behaviour is mechanical, and ones personality is simply the product of stimuli and responses. Therefore, the psychodynamic approach acknowledges everyone can suffer mental illnesses and conflicts without their faults. Compared with the psychodynamic approach, another weakness of the behavioural approach is that it ignores the part of unconscious. According to Social Learning Theory, Bandura (1989) has suggested cognitive factors cannot be overlooked if learning is needed to be understood. Bandura has also noted that while reward and punishment substantially shape ones personality, cognition has as much impact as they do. Also, the principles of behavioural approach have mainly been tested on animals. It implies some findings may not be applicable to human being, who is much more complex. On the other hand, one of the strengths of behavioural approach over psychodynamic approach, in term of testability, is that it only focuses on behaviour that can be tested and observed, which makes it very useful in experiments under laboratory setting where behaviour can be observed and verified. Therefore, the results derived from behavioural approach have been, and continue to be, objectively and reliably measured. In terms of methodology, the behavioural approach focuses on the present instead of examining ones past or their medical history. In some cases, this can be a kind of strength, especially for those suffering from their abnormal behaviour. For them, instead of knowing the causes, getting rid of the unpleasant behaviour is much more important. For example, a person with an irrational impulse to brush his teeth unnecessarily many times a day is more concerned about ridding himself of this unnatural behaviour. Compared with behavioural approach, the major criticism of psychodynamic approach is that it cannot be scientifically verified or observed. In fact, no one is even able to design an experience which can effectively refute psychodynamic theory. There is no way to prove whether the unconscious really exists, and whether a restrained memory is real or not. Therefore, psychodynamic approach does not have solid scientific evidence underpinning the arguments about personality. Another weakness would be the fact that most of the evidence for psychodynamic theories was taken from Freuds case studies, such as Little Hans. (Freud, 1969). The main problem is that the case studies are based on studying one person in detail, and they tend to be highly subjective. This makes generalisations to the wider population difficult and not representative enough. Conclusion In term of methodology and testability, behavioural approach is more encompassing for the following reason. Firstly, unlike psychodynamic approach which can hardly be scientifically observed or tested, behavioural approach has proved to be useful in scientific experiments under laboratory setting where results can be reliably verified. Secondly, behavioural approach, in terms of methodology, recognizes the influence of the external environment on ones personality. Finally, most of the evidence for psychodynamic theories was taken from Freuds case studies, which is very subjective and it is hard to generalize results to a larger population.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Childhood Obesity Epidemic in the United States :: Obesity in Children

There is an alarming rise in childhood obesity throughout the United States, making it an epidemic in our country. Obesity has become a threat to the health of many children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.(Childhood Obesity Facts, 2015) What is Obesity? Obesity is defined by Webster’s dictionary as increase body weight due to excessive accumulation of body fat. It is a condition or disease in which the â€Å"the natural energy reserve of humans or mammals, which is stored in fat tissue, is expanded far beyond usual levels to the point where it impairs health.† Obesity is most often measured by using the BMI (body mass index). BMI is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height squared in meters. A desirable BMI for children to sustain a healthy life is between 18.5 and 25. A child with a BMI over 25.0 kg/m 2 is considered overweight. A BMI over 30.0kg/m 2 is considered obese, and a BMI over 40 is morbid obesity. â€Å"An estimated 80% of overweight adolescents continue to be obese into adulthood, so the implications of childhood obesity on the nation’s health are huge†. (Survey on childhood obesity, 2014). Obesity is a chronic condition that develops as a result of genetic, behavioral and environmental factors. Causes of Childhood Obesity There are many factors that may influence the occurrence of obesity in children. These factors can be broad and may vary depending on the individual child. Research has shown the impact genetics has had on the development of obesity in children as well as unhealthy home environments. Other external factors may include the education system and the food industry, because of their promotion of unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity in children. The Role of Genetics: Genetics can play a huge role in the development of obesity in children. Studies have shown that obesity can be inherited. A child’s chances of being overweight or obese are increased by 25 percent if their parents are overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) states that â€Å"the latest study from Stanford University has found that having overweight parents is the biggest risk factor for childhood obesity†(para 1). The Childhood Obesity Epidemic in the United States :: Obesity in Children There is an alarming rise in childhood obesity throughout the United States, making it an epidemic in our country. Obesity has become a threat to the health of many children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.(Childhood Obesity Facts, 2015) What is Obesity? Obesity is defined by Webster’s dictionary as increase body weight due to excessive accumulation of body fat. It is a condition or disease in which the â€Å"the natural energy reserve of humans or mammals, which is stored in fat tissue, is expanded far beyond usual levels to the point where it impairs health.† Obesity is most often measured by using the BMI (body mass index). BMI is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height squared in meters. A desirable BMI for children to sustain a healthy life is between 18.5 and 25. A child with a BMI over 25.0 kg/m 2 is considered overweight. A BMI over 30.0kg/m 2 is considered obese, and a BMI over 40 is morbid obesity. â€Å"An estimated 80% of overweight adolescents continue to be obese into adulthood, so the implications of childhood obesity on the nation’s health are huge†. (Survey on childhood obesity, 2014). Obesity is a chronic condition that develops as a result of genetic, behavioral and environmental factors. Causes of Childhood Obesity There are many factors that may influence the occurrence of obesity in children. These factors can be broad and may vary depending on the individual child. Research has shown the impact genetics has had on the development of obesity in children as well as unhealthy home environments. Other external factors may include the education system and the food industry, because of their promotion of unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity in children. The Role of Genetics: Genetics can play a huge role in the development of obesity in children. Studies have shown that obesity can be inherited. A child’s chances of being overweight or obese are increased by 25 percent if their parents are overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) states that â€Å"the latest study from Stanford University has found that having overweight parents is the biggest risk factor for childhood obesity†(para 1).

Monday, November 11, 2019

I Am From

I'm from â€Å"Let's eat! † and â€Å"Man I sure am stuffed† Cheesy chicken spaghetti and rich death by chocolate. Burned bacon and slimy squash given to the dog to avoid eating. I'm from pineapple cheese pizza with caramelized pineapples atop And creamy chicken Alfredo with delicious golden strands of pasta. I'm from nana's homemade brownies and double chocolate chip cookies Stirred slowly and mixed with a â€Å"secret† recipe and baked with ark chocolate shavings For special occasions such as 4th of July parties and birthdays.FAMILY/MUSIC I'm from a song shared with Shelby. Air Guitar is our main profession. Driving in circles with the windows down Just to find the perfect song to live to Until we were pulled over for screaming the lyrics to We Can't Stop. I'm from Mac Miller blaring through my headphones and car speakers. I'm from Linkin Park. The Lumineers A Day to Remember And always: Maroon 5. Until I grew older and closer to God, and discovered TobyMac.I'm from a brown playful puggle we named Slade; Being lazy and sleeping on any soft surface in 2003. I'm from Alice, the playful powerful puppy. And Daisy our loveable Boston terrier Who chewed up all my socks with her sharp puppy teeth. And unfortunately had to be put down when my step brother was born.I'm from drinking hazelnut coffee beside Shelby on my front porch. Or near the sounds of the waterfall from the creek behind her house. I'm from Heather Hannel in Columbus, Ohio where horses run wild.Silly laughs and precious secrets shared between us. Heathers kindness and guidance Help me through life. I'm trom dreaming And living And my red 2001 Chevy Cavalier. I'm from The Voice And the Carroll family. I'm from wishing and playing and working at ArbVs. Like making roast beef sandwiches. And working with my best friend, Shelby. I'm from stormy Forks, Washington Beautiful Paris, Extravagant England, Exhilarating Disney World. I'm from here. Now. Face-timing my friend and typing my poe m.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Facts

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Facts The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the only known species of hummingbird to breed or even regularly reside in eastern North America. The breeding range of ruby-throated hummingbirds is the largest of all the species of hummingbirds in North America. Fast Facts: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Scientific Name: Archilochus colubrisCommon Name: Ruby-throated hummingbirdBasic Animal Group: BirdSize:  2.8–3.5 inches in lengthWeight: 0.1–0.2 ouncesLifespan: 5.3 yearsDiet:  OmnivoreHabitat: Summers in eastern North America; winters in Central AmericaPopulation: Estimated 7 millionConservation Status: Least Concern Description Male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds differ in their appearance in several ways. Males are more vibrantly colored than females. Males have metallic emerald-green plumage on their back and metallic red feathers on their throat (this patch of feathers is referred to as a gorget). Females are duller in color, with less vibrant green feathers on their back and no red gorget, their throat and belly plumage is a dull grey or white. Young ruby-throated hummingbirds of both sexes resemble the plumage of adult females. Like all hummingbirds, ruby-throated hummingbirds have small feet that are not well suited to perching or hopping from branch to branch. For this reason, ruby-throated hummingbirds use flight as their primary means of locomotion. They are superb aerialists and are capable of hovering with wingbeat frequencies of up to 53 beats per second. They can fly in a straight line, up, down, backward, or hover in place. The flight feathers of ruby-throated hummingbirds include 10 full-length primary feathers, six secondary feathers, and 10 rectrices (the largest feathers used for flight). Ruby-throated hummingbirds are tiny birds, they weigh between about 0.1 and 0.2 ounces and measure between 2.8 to 3.5 inches in length. Their wingspan is about 3.1 to 4.3 inches wide. Larry Keller, Lititz Pa.  / Getty Images Habitat and Range This hummer breeds in the summertime, throughout the eastern United States and Canada. In the autumn, the birds migrate to their wintering grounds in Central America from northern Panama to southern Mexico, although some winter in parts of South Florida, the Carolinas, and along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. They prefer habitats which have lots of flowers, such as fields, parks, backyards, and open clearings in forests. Migration round-trips can be as long as 1,000 miles. Migration patterns of ruby-throated hummingbirds vary: Some migrate between their breeding and wintering grounds by flying across the Gulf of Mexico while others follow the Mexican gulf coastline. Males start their migration before females and juveniles (males and females) follow on after the females. They migrate south between August and November, and north again between March and May. Diet and Behavior Ruby-throated hummingbirds feed primarily on nectar and small insects. They occasionally supplement their diet with tree sap if nectar is not readily available. When gathering nectar, ruby-throated hummingbirds prefer to feed on red or orange flowers such as red buckeye, trumpet creeper, and red morning glory. They often feed while hovering at the flower but also land to drink nectar from a conveniently located perch. Scientists have long been fascinated by the hummingbirds hovering flight. Unlike larger birds, they can perform sustained hovering as well as regular cruise flight and maneuvering. Like insects, they use a leading edge vortex over their wing surfaces to gain lift in the flight, but unlike insects, they can invert their wings at the wrist joint (insects do that with a pulse of muscles).   Reproduction and Offspring During the June–July breeding season, ruby-throated hummingbirds are highly territorial, behavior which is reduced during other times of the year. The size of the territories that males establish during the breeding season varies based on the availability of food. Males and females do not form a pair bond and remain together only during courtship and mating. Female ruby-throated hummers lay up to three broods a year, in groups of one–three eggs, most typically two, which hatch after 10–14 days. The mother continues to feed the chicks for another four to seven days, and the chicks fledge and leave the nest 18–22 days after hatching. Hummingbirds become sexually mature the next season about one year of age. Studio One-One/Getty Images Threats There are an estimated 7 million ruby-throated hummingbirds in the world, and they are classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System does not list them as endangered at all. However, continuing climate change affecting their migration patterns and those of related species may have impacts that are as yet unclear. Northern migration dates of ruby-throated hummingbirds have already been measurably impacted by global climate change, with warmer winter and spring temperatures correlating with earlier arrivals, especially at lower latitudes (below 41 degrees north, or generally south of Pennsylvania). In a 10-year study (2001–2010), the differences ranged from 11.4 to 18.2 days earlier in warmer years, leading to concerns about competition for food resources going forward. Sources Bertin, Robert I. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and Its Major Food Plants: Ranges, Flowering Phenology, and Migration. Canadian Journal of Zoology 60.2 (1982): 210–19. Print.BirdLife International. Archilochus colubris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22688193A93186255, 2016.Courter, Jason R., et al. Assessing Migration of Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus Colubris) at Broad Spatial and Temporal Scales. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 130.1 (2013): 107–17. Print.Hilton, Bill, Jr., and Mark W. Miller. Annual Survival and Recruitment in a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Population, Excluding the Effect of Transient Individuals. The Condor: Ornithological Applications 105.1 (2003): 54–62. Print.Kirschbaum, Kari, Marie S. Harris. and Robert Naumann. Archilochus colubris (ruby-throated hummingbird). Animal Diversity Web, 2000.  Leberman, Robert C., Robert S. Mulvihill, and D. Scott Wood. A Possible Relationship between Reversed Sexual Size Dimorphism an d Reduced Male Survivorship in the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. The Condor: Ornithological Applications 94.2 (1992): 480–89. Print. Song, Jialei, Haoxiang Luo, and L. Hedrick Tyson. Three-Dimensional Flow and Lift Characteristics of a Hovering Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 11.98 (2014): 20140541. Print.Weidensaul, Scot et al. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2013.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Tips for Concentration in Homework Preparation

Tips for Concentration in Homework Preparation No Distraction Homework: Tips on How to Make It Work Like it or not, but homework still makes an inevitable part of school routine and students have to deal with it. Sometimes inspiration comes fast, and it is possible to accomplish tasks relatively easy and without procrastination. But on most days, homework just won’t let you handle it by evading your efforts through numerous distractions and temptations, not to mention fatigue. Is there any medicine against this disease that will end your fighting with parents over homework and will relieve your guilt about not doing it right now? Well, unfortunately, no one has invented the pill to cure this trouble yet, but there is another way to alleviate your struggles. It can be named not medicine but procedures and routines that you can develop – and easily set yourself into working mood every day. But what if nothing helps at all? Then we welcome you to our site where experts in various academic fields can provide assistance and write assignments of every possible kind. So one way or another, we’re going to pull you through this daily drudgery. Getting into the Mood First of all, you should attune your mind to tasks at hand, and the rest will follow. Once you learn to persuade yourself to work and learn what ways of motivation and scheduling work for you, stick to them. Basically, you have to hit two major goals: weed out distractions and bring in your natural capacities that will boost productivity. These goals consist of several small and clear steps (you do them or learn them once and then set up a routine): Observe closely what exactly distracts you; Give yourself moments of thinking chaos; Set priorities and stick to them; Use your levels of energy; Put devices far away (if you cannot turn them off for some reason); Give yourself breaks; No multitasking; Reward yourself for accomplishing tasks. Now a bit more details about every step. To get rid of distraction you should know what they are. Dedicate some time during your homework sessions to noticing and recording what annoys you or pushes you off your track. If at home, it is TV speaking loud, parents talking, siblings playing games? If you work in a library, is it someone texting, pushing chairs, using messengers in loud mode? At home, you can ask your parents and siblings to keep quiet or close the doors, in a library the only thing you can do is use headphones with relaxing sound to keep distractions off. Thinking chaos follows us everywhere, it is a state of mind when your thoughts race around and concern everything at once. Keeping focus is hard, but it is a valuable skill. You can switch between focusing on tasks and giving yourself a moment of thinking chaos, and so keep the balance. You cannot avoid this chaos, but you can keep it at bay. Setting priorities is a commonplace (but valuable one): begin with more important and end with less important things. The energy level is usually high at the beginning of work or at some point not far from this beginning. You warm up your mind, focus, get the grip of the tasks and go. So plan the hardest parts for this energy peak, and go easier on yourself towards the end of the working session. Yes, devices are enemies of homework. You may tell yourself that you need them to ask friends about something related to school, but let’s face it: you just want to browse and chat. No way. Keep devices in other room and work. If you desperately need to change focus, try reading pages from a different assignment, or looking in the window. But no gadgets, please. It is directly linked to breaks in work. Do some exercise, get out of the house, talk to mom, but do not touch gadgets. They will not let you go back to work. Yes, it is better to do one thing at a time. If you try to combat your homework all at once, like reading textbooks for one class, writing a paper for another, and repeating stuff for a test for yet one more class, you will fail at everything. So do it one by one. This is a foolproof strategy. Yes. Rewards. Keep yourself motivated not by guilt but by positive stimuli. Have a snack, cuddle with a pet or find some other way to reward yourself when you have completed yet another task. Environment for Work Is a Key Not everything depends on your willpower, though. Place and time of your work matter as much. It is easy to say – make yourself a comfortable room, but not everyone has a room to oneself, it’s true. But you can work out a place where you feel comfortable and have access to computer and supplies like books, pens and paper, and where most distractions are removed. It can be your bed, a table in your room or in the kitchen, or even a floor nest complete with a bean bag. Just have this spot, and know that this is your sacred working cave. Have enough light and no loud noise. Sit comfortably, but not too sloppily (otherwise you will fall asleep). Time is also important. Of course, it is not possible to sit down to homework at fixed hours every day because you have other extracurricular activities, but keeping at least an approximate schedule is also good. If you know that you start doing it at about 6 or 7 p.m. every day, then you get in the right mental track even before you arrive home or pull out your books and handouts. So, proper place, time, change of activities and small incentives will work wonders. 7 Steps to Homework Without Procrastination Now some more tips on how to move to homework matters and proceed without extreme stress. Make a habit of your homework. Do not skip days and do not do it at a different time every day. Keep it scheduled and regular, and like with everything else, the habit to do homework will set in in 21 days. Keep a calendar crossing out these three weeks day by day – it is also a kind of motivation. Plan ahead. Yes, keep track of weekly assignments and distribute your time and efforts so that you did not face one more paper to write when you assumed you were done with homework. Rule our distractions and annoying factors. As discussed, put away gadgets and mute noise. Stick to your study place. It motivates and helps you stay focused. Divide large assignments into steps. It is especially important with large projects that will not fit into one evening of work. Keep track of such assignments and schedule how you will accomplish them bit by bit every day. Today you research and copy articles and read chapters. Tomorrow you outline, pick sources and compile rough reference list. The day after tomorrow you write the first draft. Then edict and complete the final reference list. Otherwise, you can panic facing such an assignment on the eve of the deadline, and you can get too relaxed if the deadline is far. Eat this frog in small servings, but every day, and you will finish it without many efforts. Do not hesitate to change the order of work if you get stuck on a single task. If you feel bored to death, change activities. Take some other subject, have a break. Boredom is as unproductive as distractions. Let yourself get some rest, make small breaks. Your mind needs to relax from time to time to give it this opportunity. Even complex equipment does not work all the time and requires switching off or standby mode to cool down and reboot. You need rest too, just do not make it too long and do not get drowning in the virtual world. We hope that we covered all the major points that can keep you focused on work. Apply them one by one, and you will get into a routine of doing homework. But if urgent or not so urgent help is needed – mind, we are always here for you with our writing services. Just let us know you need them.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Interview a manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interview a manager - Essay Example The procedural dimension of ethical leadership includes problem-solving and decision-making practice within the circle of ethics. For instance, ethical leadership demands that the leaders, before practicing their decisions, discuss them with parties that are going to be affected by their decisions, so as to make them feel respected. The substantive aspect of ethical leadership includes knowledge, tough standards and guts to pursue ethical directions regardless of opposition. When I asked him if he had faced any ethical conflict in his career, he told me something. Last year, when his company announced vacancies, he was appointed to interview the candidates for selection. Mr. Harrison was obese. He selected him on the seat of disabled persons. Title I of Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 states that all employers, who have at least fifteen employees working under them, must give equal chances of employment to qualified disabled persons (U.S. Department of Justice 2005). When he discussed the matter with the managing director, he said that an obese person was in no way a disabled person. He stated Carrier (2000) who affirmed that â€Å"although courts initially were reluctant to recognize obesity as a qualifying disability for purposes of ADA protection, courts are increasingly willing to consider obesity as a disability giving plaintiffs status to raise ADA claims.† Finally, Harrison was selected. To my question about employee development, he answered that he totally believed in the concept. According to him, flourishing employee development programs and strategies guarantee improved employees’ performance, which leads to higher productivity and overall organizational success in the competitive market. Employee development leads to employee motivation and job satisfaction. A growth-oriented workplace culture works on improving small occurrences so that

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Cost Effectiveness for Smoking Cessation Assignment

Cost Effectiveness for Smoking Cessation - Assignment Example This relatively new (it was invented in China, 2003) device fully reproduces the process of smoking. Moreover, it is not harmful and helps to give up a bad habit. Although smoking cessation by means of electronic cigarettes seems to be a good method, a lot of people do not want to try this. It happens because there is a myth that these cigarettes are too expensive and it is better to buy something else in this case. This statement does not face real situation. That is why it is necessary to investigate the cost effectiveness and peculiarities of electronic cigarettes. The research concerning the problem under analysis was conducted by means of the following methods: 1) An anonymous Internet-based and cross-sectional survey. It took place among the first-time purchasers of electronic cigarettes. 2) Interviewing of people who smoke 3) The systematization and analysis of the information received in the process of investigation. 4) Anonymous interrogation. As for the results of my resear ch, there happened to be more men than women in the study. Thus, there were 71.5 percent of men and 28.5 percent of women. The majority of people asked had been smoking for six or even more years. The first group composed approximately 81.1 percent. It should be noted that a lot of people participating in the investigation tried to give up smoking several times (64.7 percent), but nothing helped them and there seemed to be no way out of this situation. Below are the details concerning demographic information, smoking characteristics and reduction of tobacco use after electronic cigarette use. Table 1. Demographic Information Variable N (%) Gender of the participants Male 153 (71.5) Female 61 (28.5) Age of the participants 19-24 41 (19.1) 24-44 114 (53) 45-64 48 (22.2) Over than 65 12 (5.7) Table 2. Smoking Characteristics Variable N (%) Years smoked or smoking history Less than 5 32 (14.8) 5-15 77 (35.5) 16-30 67 (30.9) More than 30 41 (18.8) The number of previous attempts to quit 0 16 (7.8) 1-2 59 (27.3) 3-5 90 (42) More than 5 59 (22.8) Table 3. Cessation or Reduction of Tobacco Use after Electronic Cigarettes use Variable N (%) Reported reducing nicotine use Yes 106 (49.2) No 109 (51) Reduced amount of tobacco cigarettes per day after electronic cigarette use Yes 143 (66.7) No 71 (33.1) Quit or abstained for a period of time Yes 105 (48.9) No 109 (52) It is seen from the tables listed above that more than the half of the participants (about two thirds) noticed positive results after the use of electronic cigarettes. They noted that the desire to smoke was decreased by means of this device. These people started smoking nicotine cigarettes more rarely than usual. Approximately the half of the participants stated that they had given up smoking for a short period of time after buying electronic cigarettes. It should be stressed that more than thirty percent of respondents were not smoking at the six-month point. The relation of electronic cigarettes to six-mon th smoking status is demonstrated in the table below. Table 4. The Relation of Electronic Cigarettes to Six-Month Smoking Status Use Pattern % of not smoking respondents Total. Smoking status at six-month point (n=217) 31 (24.8, 37.3) The number of times applied per day No current electronic cigarette dose (n=98) 26.7 (17.9, 35.7) Less than 5(n=50) 28.0 (15.4, 40.6) 5-10 (n=31) 35.5 (18.3, 52.7) 11-15 (n=16) 31.3 (6.2, 60.4) 16-20 (n=12) 33.2 (6.3, 60.4) More than 20 (n=10) 70.1