The Gym Award free essay sample

The dreaded day is finally here. The mandatory mile test. My stomach is in knots, and all I can think is I do not want to do this. I stand at the starting line waiting, and Mr. Gersch yells â€Å"Go!†. I run through the cramps and the wheezing until finally I am at the last lap. I try to pick up the pace as I see those who have already finished looking as if all they did was take a short, leisurely walk. I cross the finish line, wheezing and bright red. I am proud of myself even though my best was other people’s worst. A buzz of excitement fills the dark auditorium as everyone waits for the awards to be called.The underclassmen, like me, can only receive academic awards, usually given to those with the highest grades in the class. My friends and I look out into the family section of the auditorium. We will write a custom essay sample on The Gym Award or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Do you see your parents?† â€Å"No, I don’t think so, wait, your parents are here!† I look out and see them waving at me, and I do a little wave back, wondering what award I will receive. My friends and I decide that the award will either be in science, art, or possibly English.Every one of the predicted awards goes by. My friends give me confused looks, and I shrug, just as confused as they are. I think there must be a mistake because what else could I get? Then Mr. Gersch walks onto the stage and calls out the recipients for the Gym Award. â€Å"Al Viglione and me.† My friends and I burst out into laughter, and I try to contain myself as I walk up to receive the award. Anyone who knows me knows I am not at all athletic. â€Å"Hey can I see your phone?† I ask one of my friends from across the room.He throws his phone across the room to me and of course I do not catch it. The phone falls to the ground, and I turn it over to see that the phone is cracked. â€Å"I am so sorry!† I say a million times to my friend who just learned a valuable lesson to never throw anything breakable at me. In little league softball, I could not hit the ball even when it was on the tee. My mom always hoped that I would be good at softball because it was her favorite sport, but sadly I am utterly horrible at anything that has to do with hand-eye coordination. So it makes sense that I am just a little confused as to why I received the gym award. At the dinner table the next night my mom said, â€Å"They gave you the award because you’re a good kid.† Although I am not athletic, I still try in gym. I never walk during the mile, I push myself to do the best I can even though my best is often someone else’s worst. I strive to do my best with athletics, character, school, and anything that comes my way and that is why I am proud that I received the gym award and not some other academic award.

DNA structure essays

DNA structure essays The remarkable feat of the discovery of the structure of DNA, in 1953, is usually associated with James Watson and Francis Crick. Maurice Wilkins also played a crucial role in this discovery, and he shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine with Watson and Crick for the discovery. However, another important figure involved was the brilliant by short-lived Rosalind Franklin, for without whom the discovery would not have been possible. In the early 1950s, the race to discover the structure of DNA was on, and at least two groups were hot on the trail. At Cambridge University, a British graduate student Francis Crick and an American research fellow James Watson, where studying DNA by trying to create physical models to narrow down the possibilities and eventually create an accurate picture of the DNA molecule. At Kings College, in London, Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins were also studying DNA taking an experimental approach using x-ray diffraction as their main tool, allowing them to obtain images of DNA. Four main ideas had to come together to obtain the correct and accurate structure of DN@ the molecule was a double helix the strands were antiparallel specific base pairing the phosphate backbone was on the outside of the molecule and all these ideas where successfully demonstrated through the model proposed by Watson and Francis Crick (1916 -) began working at the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University by 1949, where he was investigating the structure of proteins. In 1951 James Watson (1928 -), an American biochemist, joined the laboratory and the two formed a close working relationship. In the November of 1951, Watson attended a lecture by Franklin to bring the unit up to date on what she had achieved so far. Watson had not taken any notes, knew nothing about crystallography and had only a rather poor recollection of the facts the Frankl...

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Terrorism - Essay Example I would recommend to the President to halt all such surveillance in the territory of a sovereign state, because to continue to do so will only escalate the already tense situation between the two states. If, on the other hand, this event happened over international waters, then the president should make an extremely strong statement of condemnation to the Iranian government for the provocation. Furthermore, he should warn the Iranians that if a similar action takes place again, then the United States will not only tighten the sanctions that have been placed on Iran, it might also choose to make retaliatory attacks. Perhaps by doing this, the Iranians might discontinue their unprovoked attacks, fearing the American military might. However, the President should choose his words exceedingly carefully before making such a statement, because certain words, when used, tend to make people respond in the opposite way. If he were to make a statement that sounds threatening, for example, the Iranians might instead of reacting in fear, choose to respond in defiance. This would eventually lead to a war between these two states, something that will totally destabilize the Gulf

I have chosen to look at the Death Penalty in America. Each state in Research Paper

I have chosen to look at the Death Penalty in America. Each state in the US has a different view on what is and what is not a ca - Research Paper Example The execution of those who have committed capital offenses varies from country to country depending on the laws in place and in America it varies from state to state. Some states like Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, Hawaii and the District of Columbia have already abolished the use of death penalty while states like California, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, and Texas among others still enact the practice (Galliher et al. 6). According to (Berkowitz, 66), capital punishment has been in use for many years, since the time of King Hammurabi, as well as during the Roman Empire. However, it has spurred a lot of controversies along political, judicial and moral lines. The proponents of the death penalty argue that it deters crime especially homicide but researchers have over the years established that even though the punishment continues to be imposed, the states that have long abolished the practice have lower rates of murder than those that continue to use it (Morrison, 201 1). This begs the question whether death penalty really deters crime. Criminologists argue that death penalty is necessary as it’s a preventive social measure however, religious leaders belief in sanctity of life thus making intentional killing immoral. On the other hand, the offenders are given a chance to defend themselves and appeal before being sentenced to death though this does not prevent innocent people from being convicted. The constitution of many states also seems to offer too much protection to the accused person which then raises the question whether this contributes to further crime. The paper will discuss the various states that support death penalty and those that do not as well as the pros and cons on the death penalty and why it should not be adopted by every state. History of Death Penalty Death penalty is not a new phenomenon as it was in existence as early a 10th century A.D in Britain where criminals were punished by hanging (Herrmann, 4). Later, they we re punished by burning and beheading among other cruel means. The first person to be executed in USA was Captain George Kendall for being a spy for Spain in 1608. Nowadays, more means of execution which are more humane have been put in place such as use of lethal injection, electric chair, and gas chamber. Under the 8th amendment on the constitution, death penalty is prohibited as it is cruel and unusual but some states still enforce it. The offenders in early times did not have many protections as they do now. A death row inmate can have his/her sentence reduced to life imprisonment if s/he can prove that the sentence was racially discriminatory (Death Penalty Information Center). The convicts are also provided with defense attorneys, investigators and experts and the jury and the judge have to be qualified. They are also entitled to make appeals which are paid for using tax payers’ money. Besides, some states protect the women and the mentally retarded as well as the juveni les against such punishment. In the past, a convict was executed without delay unlike nowadays where the process is too lengthy and those convicted are rarely executed as they die of natural causes before execution; the time between conviction and execution is 25yrs hence convicts have ample time to appeal (DPIC). In the past offenders were executed for committing crimes such as; murder, treason, and drug trafficking. Many states nowadays execute the offenders for committing first degree murder although some states are calling for

History and Laws of Salmon Management in the Pacific Northwest Essay Example for Free

History and Laws of Salmon Management in the Pacific Northwest Essay 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understanding the regulatory framework for managing salmon Five major environmental or regulatory laws that impact salmon Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. According to Conservation Library, (2010) it empowers regional fishery management councils to prepare plans for the conservation and management of each federally managed fisheries in the exclusive economic zone and thus establish standard habitat conservation measures aimed at conservation anadromous fish such as salmon. It seeks to identify these habitats and delineate them so to protect habitats for all anadromous fish. The act requires that before the federal agencies that involve in any activities that might have adverse impacts on the habitats for anadromous fish, they have to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service in order to carry out environmental impact assessment of the project so that the NMFS gives its recommendations. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1974 requires that the federal regulatory and construction agencies should undertake environmental impact assessment on fish and wildlife resources before project planning is done on any water related activities or before making applications for federal permits and licenses thus they must consult with state and federal fish and wildlife agencies before doing this (Conservation Library, 2010). This act ensures that environmental impact assessment is done whenever any project in water or that would affect life in water so that appropriate mitigation measures are put in place or the project cancelled. Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 requires that any industry discharging its wastes into water has to acquire permit from the Environmental Protection Agency. Thus the agency must check the measures put in place by the industry to treat its effluents before issuing any permit (Conservation Library, 2010). This act ensures that fish or any other living organism in water is not affected by the pollutants from industries. Anadromous and Great Lakes Fisheries Conservation Act of 1965 gives the secretaries of the Interior and Commerce authority to establish terms and conditions that ensure permanent protection of estuarine areas (Conservation, 2004). According to (Resource Laws, 2010) it also gives him or her authority to enter into cost sharing agreements with the states and other non-federal interests in conservation, development and enhancement of the nations anadromous fish. This act protects and conserve estuaries where most fish bread or grow and develop since most salmon fish tend to live at estuaries in the oceans and any interference with such features might greatly affect the production fish since it would interfere with the fish habitat. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. According to Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (2010) this law requires that federal agencies environmental impact assessment on activities that affect the quality of human environment in order to analyze the short term gains of the activity would have on the long term productivity of the environment. In doing this they have to apply an interdisciplinary approach in decision making on matters affecting the environment. Considerations on both the technical and economic impacts are also done. Since the human environment includes all the living things around him, this act protects the anadromous fish like the salmon fish. Any activity that has an adverse effect on water has to be analyzed in its totality and appropriate action taken before being carried out.  Agencies and organizations involved in managing and restoring our salmon The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as a state agency aims at improving the protection of the endangered salmon fish by identifying wild roaming salmon fish and returning them back to water. It involves communities its programs and seeks to identify fish habitat and to construct fish hatcheries. It is also involved in removing barriers to fish migration by removing invasive plants along rivers, wetlands and estuaries; restoring wetlands and estuaries; and restoring and protecting fish habitat including stream habitat which is very important to salmon fish. This agency therefore plays a major role in salmon migration, spawning and incubation of its eggs. (Resource Laws, 2010). Yuba River Fish Passage Feasibility, according to Edmondson, (2008), is an organization which was established with an aim protecting and conserving the anadromous fish in Yuba River under the Fishery Conservation and Management Act. It is contracted to conserve and manage the essential fish habitats in the Yuba River above Englebright Dam, Central Valley spring-run Chinook and California Central Valley steelhead. It carries out studies and does analyses and evaluation on options for restoring access to spawning and rearing; and sustainable habitat for the anadromous fish. This would include identifying potential suitable habitats and routes for fish passage and mechanisms to support movements of fish upstream and downstream during their migration. This organization there focuses on how best to enable migration of the anadromous fish such salmon from the ocean to stream and from the sea to ocean. 2010 10 â€Å"Waters to Watch, according to Resource Laws, (2010), is an organization which seeks to conserve aquatic life through partnerships. It includes projects in; Bobs Creek, Pennsylvania; Diamond Lake, Iowa; Fairbanks and Soda Springs, Nevada; Georgetown Creek, Idaho; Green River Basin, Colorado, Utah; Wyoming Koktuli River, Alaska; Lake Vermilion, Minnesota; Mackeys Creek, Mississippi; Wasilla Creek,   Alaska; West Branch; and Machias River, Maine. The project seeks to improve the current conditions rivers, streams, lakes and watersheds by co-ordinating the conservation efforts in these various regions. This organization aims at improving the habit for fish including the anadromous fish which is ever migrating in various maters. The Salmon River Restoration Council (SRRC), according to Harding, (2008) is an organization that was established in 1992 to protect and conserve Salmon River watershed in California by conserving its ecosystem particularly the anadromous fish such as the salmon fish. It involves the local community in its programs aimed at conservation of the ecosystem so as to achieve a sustainable economy. National Marine Fisheries Service which is a state agency was established to conserve and manage living marine resources in USA. According to Conservation Library, (2010), its function is to oversee and undertake conservation of marine ecosystem thus promoting healthy marine ecosystem within the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone which extends to about three hundred and seventy kilometers from the coastline. The agency is mandated to endangered marine species like wild salmon, whales and sea turtles. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a state organization mandated to protect valuable fish and wildlife resources along the Gulf coast. It monitors activities that may have negative impacts on marine ecosystem and involves geological survey it involves deep water manning to determine impacts of certain occurrences as well as mitigating the impacts of such hazards on marine life. It does impact assessment and give recommendations on the anticipated occurrence. (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2010) The Environmental Protection Agency which established the Federal Clean Water Act aims at controlling water pollution setting standards to be met by industries and other organizations discharging effluents into water resources. It therefore protects wetlands and aquatic habitat in general throughout the USA and its waters. These provisions put by this agency aims at restoring development of fish by improving the habitat for fish by fully implementing the Federal Clean Water Act. (Whatcom Salmon Recovery, 2003). Washington Department of Ecology in Washington aims at protecting and preserving Washington’s environment. This agency plays a role in the health of salmon fish by involving in planning watershed utilization, allocation of water rights and conserving the quality of water within Washington. (Department of Ecology state of Washington, n. date).  The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, according to Whatcom Salmon Recovery, (2003) is an organization which seeks to return naturally spawning salmon to streams in Whatcom County through restoration and monitoring. They also engage in salmon production by placing woody debris habitat structures in streams. The organization strives to achieve all these through community education.   The Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission is the only agency that given the authority and responsibility to manage the Atlantic salmon fishery in USA (Conservation Library, 2010). It has the responsibility of protecting, conserving and restoring salmon h abitat in inland waters and ocean waters. Summary Salmon management and conservation is not only a concern to the government but a concern to individuals, communities, corporates and non-governmental organizations. Conservation related activities such as providing financial donations to agencies committed to conservations the salmon fish; conducting research activities on salmon’s habitat; providing education to communities living around the water resources and the general public by writing articles and books on salmon fish; and conservation, protection, restoration and management activities towards the salmon fish. 2. History and economics of salmon In 1770s and below America was mainly populated by the Indians and they depended on salmon fish, mainly for food. Euro-Americans began coming to the Pacific Northwest in 1770s. In 1880s, Lewis recognized the salmon fish and wrote descriptive detail about it long before it was given a taxonomic name. The migration of the Euro-Americans into the Pacific Northwest greatly influenced the native’s culture and perception towards the exploitation of natural resources, salmon fish included. Most of these immigrants became farmers. According to National Academies of Sciences (1996), conflicts arose between American Indian ways and non Indian ways and therefore to resolve this, treaties were signed beginning 1854 between the Euro-Americans and the Indian tribes recognizing their land ownership, sovereignty and rules for fishing and hunting. These treaties marked the beginning of radical changes in salmon’s history. There was a transition from ownership salmon landscapes ownership to a more communal ownership which was the beginning modern ways of harvesting, marketing, engineering and conservation. Intervention and mitigation measures were now put in place for sustainable development.  These treaties have been included in the US Supreme Court and have created a solution to contemporary fishing by the Indian tribes. The Bellion decision of 1969 and Boldt Decision of 1974 enabled the signatory tribes a right to access the salmon fish (National Academies of Sciences , 1996). Continued exploitation of natural resources by Euro-Americans led to the decline of the beaver which was very important for the coastal streams as well as the arid regions more importantly provided a rearing habitat for salmon fish (National Academies of Sciences, 1996).  The first salmon cannery was established in 1864 along the Sacramento River in Northern California along the west coast. The cannery was shut down in 1886 and transferred along Colombia River due to sediments which were caused hydraulic mining. From then, many canneries were established and the canneries grew to forty by early1990s. Most of these salmon fish which were harvested to be taken to the canneries were Chinook salmon. However, by 1870s, Chinook salmon catch form the rivers began to steadily decline and so they had to harvest other species of salmon fish which included, Coho, Sockeye and Steelhead salmon (National Academies of Sciences, 1996).  Due continued decline in the fish population, these canneries had to close down and the last to close down along River Colombia was in 1975. The fish catch had significantly dropped form forty three million in 1880s to about two and a half million in 1990s. This was majorly attributed by high inland and ocean fishing, dam constructions along the rivers and modification fresh water streams such as irrigation projects which greatly affected spawning and rearing habitats for the salmon fish (National Academies of Sciences, 1996). These concerns about over fishing and salmon depletion led to the construction of salmon breeding station along Clackamas River in 1877 by the Oregon and Washington Fish Propagation Company. It was later shut down in 1888 because it could not be sustained. This led to construction of hatcheries in 1890s and has greatly increased in numbers to date. It was noted that salmon population did not have any significant increase whenever fish were released from the hatcheries. Thus, between 1930s and 1950s many hatcheries were closed down due to their low returns and problems of diseases and instead this period witnessed an increase in the construction of dams until 1970s. The negative impacts of the dams on the upstream of rivers made most of the salmon fish to migrate to the lower streams of the river (National Academies of Sciences, 1996). In 1960s pasteurized and formulated feeds were invented and this became a solution to diseases caused by artificial propagation thus more hatcheries we re built. Today hatchery facilities are widely distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest (National Academies of Sciences, 1996). The effects of livestock grazing in the rangelands have also had a massive impact on the production of salmon fish. Most of plants that are important for maintaining the wetlands have been seriously reduced and besides, many tanks and dams are constructed along the fresh water streams to provide drinking water for livestock. Overexploitation of trees by humans through lumbering has also contributed to this. The first sawmill to be constructed was in 1827 in Vancouver, Washington. This has destroyed the water catchment areas for most streams. Decline in salmon population is linked to among many factors, global climatic change and other human activities. According to Stanford University (2003, September 23), there has been a decline in salmon fish catch of about 80% between 1970 and 2000. This has mainly been attributed by the global climatic change. It states that salmon fish farm production has greatly improved since the 1980s and has a high market share world wide while the market share for wild-caught salmon from Alaska, British Columbia and Washington has been declining.

The Journey To Becoming A Nurse Nursing Essay

The Journey To Becoming A Nurse Nursing Essay My intellectual interests, academic and, professional objectives encouraged me to pick my field of study in healthcare, to be specific, the profession of nursing. During adolescence, children are encouraged to consider various majors and future career options. Some mature fast and realize their goals during early adolescence, some realize it mid-adolescence and, others late. I was uncertain about my career path during my early stages. However, my passion for the medical field was and still is firm. I come from a family made up physicians, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory technicians, and physician assistants; this, of course, influenced my familiarity with science majors.   With such an interest in mind, I began volunteering in hospitals at a young age, where I was surrounded by patients who approached me for assistance. I was able to assist the patients to the doctors office and always tried to have a conversation with the patient. In such an occurrence, I embraced the feeling of n eed and comfort from those whom I have helped. One notable experience that I have had was caring for my grandmother, who was difficult to cope with due to her massive mood swings and impatience. I knew she trusted and depended on me as she clutched my hands for guidance. At that time I knew I want to definitely take part in medical field. Therefore, I decided to take up field in health care profession after undergraduate studies. Passion, determination, and patience are important key terms to succeed in a health care profession: these characteristics work to my advantage. During my academic life, I continued exploring majors that would fit my goal. After much discussion with my college advisors, I came across Letters, Arts and Sciences at Abington College. As I researched further into the degree, I was sure I wanted to do LASAB. This is my chance to challenge myself by creating my own major that will help me fulfill my requirements for post- graduate studies, in nursing career. This academic helped me to find the way to the right career path that will introduce me to the healthcare world where it ______ me to earn a masters degree after finishing my bachelors. Over the course of my undergraduate studies, I have taken many courses that have helped me grasp the phenomena of science and patient care. College opened a new chapter in my life, a chapter filled with science. I comprehend with the facts and theories of the human body and admire the discoveries of new cause of illness and treatments which becomes a great advantage to the world as a whole. College life has made a great input in my life by helping me enter adulthood and gradually learning to cope with stress, manage time, and make responsible decisions for myself. The four core areas of the Letters, Arts, and Sciences major are Research Methods/ Projects Critical Analysis Communication Skills Theory/ Application Skills The courses that I have chosen to apply to these core requirements will fulfill the requirement for this degree and will benefit me in my planner Nursing career. The skills I gained from these courses are fundamental to becoming successful in a health care profession. Research is a process of study or examination of a subject from different points of view.  I have selected Microbiology 107; Elementary Microbiology Laboratory, and Chemistry 111 and 113; Experimental Chemistry to the Research Methods/ Projects to fulfill the core requirement. Microbiology 107: Elementary Microbiology Laboratory gave me an introduction about microbes. I learned the importance and the proper handling of microorganisms through demonstrations and working on each experiment. The lab has also helped me to identify and count bacteria, effects of chemical and physical agents on microorganisms. This course has helped me learn the importance of controlling microbial growth on peoples bodies and how failure to do so can lead to the spread of disease, especially in the hospital setting. Chemistry 111 and 113: Experimental Chemistry introduced me to chemicals and challenging experiments. It helped me better understand how to interpret data about various experiments that dealt with introductory chemistry. I learned to write a formal laboratory report, interpretation of data using statistics, and an appreciation for what instruments can do. Each of these courses will help me focus on areas that are relevant in the medical field. International Studies 100 fulfills to the Critical Analysis core requirement.  I believe it is important to be able to understand people and their background/culture, especially when working in the health-care profession. There is a great chance of meeting people from different diversity in my field. As a health care professional, I must learn and know about patients cultures while I treat them. This course has given me a basic understanding of the many cultures and their global issues, such as financial crisis, racism, health issues, and human rights issues. This course helped me to connect with different cultures, their domestic issues, and responses to human rights violations. In a hospital setting, health care professionals are faced with patients that have many different issues and one main issue would be race. Health-care professionals must understand that all come from different culture with different issues; therefore, we should not be judged by the race because we are all humans. We must treat people equally. We will be able to connect to patients better and help them deal with their illnesses better if we are knowledgeable about their culture. The course will help me to understand everyone better.   I apply INART001, Integrative Arts into the core requirement of communications skills. This course helped me to develop critical perception, knowledge, and judgments through examining the basic arts through communication. Communication is very important and this course helped me to communicate in both art and non- art situations. When one thinks of the health care, a complex array of professions come into mind. In order for all these professions to provide the best possible care for their patients, communication between them is vital. For example, suppose a patient has a penicillin allergy and the doctor ordered a medication that is a penicillin derivative. In that case, the pharmacist calls the doctor and a new medication is prescribed. This course helped me communicate in simple way that others will understand and gave me more confident. During my internship at the hospital, I noticed that communication is very important and presenting a simple communication will help the patie nt understand the nurse better. On the other side, Integrative arts such as art, music, dance or drama introduced as Art therapy in health care. This therapy was used to help child survivors of Hurricane Katrina overcome mental traumas and people with schizophrenia BBC news.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I place Anthropology 45, Cultural anthropology to the core requirement of Theory/Application skills. As I mentioned earlier, it is important to be able to understand people when working in the health-care profession. All societies have rules, standards, conventions and beliefs. Studying anthropology allowed me to understand how social culture work. As a health care professional, it is important to understand the society, government, religion and their culture. This course focused on human culture; I learned to appreciate cultural diversity. An in-depth knowledge into the human culture is especially important in todays health care, especially in a diverse country like the United States. Take, for example, the culture of Jehovahs Witnesses. This denomination prohibits blood transfusions for their believers. Respecting their wishes, hospitals now have bloodless surgeries where newer techniques have been developed that do not require blood transfusions, even for m ajor invasive surgeries like coronary artery bypass graft. Also in this day, a healthcare provider sees patients from various countries and various cultures. Something considered elementary in a culture might be considered taboo in another. For example, in the American society women have the same rights as men and considered capable to make their own decisions, as where in some cultures, its the man who makes the decisions in the family. In cases like this a healthcare provider must respect the differences and work with their patient to provide what is the best possible care for their female patients. Therefore, I must understand the rules and beliefs of other cultures so I can understand the patients better.   Everyday people face many different types of problems. It could be physical, emotional or mental stress. As a health care professional, it is important to understand the reasons for those problems and assisting the exact treatment Psychology is the science that enables me to connect to an individual through the mind to understand and deal with the mental processes and behavior of individual human beings. I have chosen five 400 level courses from three areas that relate to my theme. Those are Kinesiology 445: Alcohol and Drug Education, Psychology 470: Abnormal Psychology, Psychology 424: Applied Social psychology, Counselor Education 401: Foundations of Chemical Dependency Counseling, and Biology 495. Kinesiology 445: Alcohol and Drug Education helped me to understand and learn more about many types of drugs and alcohol uses not only in the American society but worldwide. Moreover, it has taught the drug physiology, drug-related health effects and issues related to social and psychological effects of drug use and abuse. Alcohol and Drug can affect peoples lives so fast. I did a research paper about Alcohol and drug, as part of the research I surveyed twenty neighbors and 80% of them addicted to alcohol and drugs. Most of them were addicted due to stress but some of them started out as a fun hobby. Many people find Alcohol and Drug as a solution to their problems. Therefore, I will definitely come across many patients that are addicted to alcohol and drugs. I am sure I am able to use the fundamental information from this course and apply it to the patients I might come across in my professional field. Another challenging course was Psychology 470: Abnormal Psychology has taught me the understanding of types of abnormal experience and behavior personality, as well as mental and psychotic disorders that impact multiple areas of a human life that might not be able to be diagnosed on a personal basis.  The most common disorders are Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Eating disorder, Autistic Disorder, Borderline personality disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. This course is mostly focused on the identification, treatment and understanding of abnormal behavior and psychopathology. It taught me the different diagnoses of types of behaviors, and it will definitely help me in my health profession, especially if I decided work on psychiatric department. Psychology 424: Applied Social psychology, gave me an overview of social psychological theories and research methods to field settings and to the study of social issues. It taught me how to conduct a survey and analyze a report based on a study. It has also helped me to understand the social life and how psychology applied to social life every day. Especially in health care settings, I must apply social psychology to understand social and practical problems thats happening around us. I must be motivated , making sense of my co-workers, social perceptions, and understanding the bias order for me to perform a satisfaction job that will draws a general impression for my characteristic such as intelligence. Counselor Education 401: Foundations of Chemical Dependency Counseling introduced me to the concept related to drug and alcohol dependency, diagnosis and assessment, its prevention, counseling and treatment of dependencies. It has helped me to understand how to deal with that are addicted to various types of drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines. A person becomes chemically dependent due to several factors such as environment, psychological, or genetic. Health care provide residential, outpatient, extended, and aftercare treatments for someone who is chemically dependent. On the other side, Twelve-Step meetings are available for those who interested in self-help recovery. I was assigned to attend a Twelve-Step meeting for Alcoholics Anonymous(AA). The stores that I heard during the meetings were depressing because they were so addicted to alcohol and regret their past. This meeting is part of the treatment to be sober. Chemical dependency is chronic and can be fatal. Somet imes, chemical dependency affects health care professionals and co-workers are aware of the signs and symptoms. I have selected Nutrition 251, Sociology 035, and Biology 110 to full fill the humanities and the social science area. Nutrition 251, Introductory Principles of Nutrition, is a course that gave me more knowledge on principles of nutrition. This course broadens my knowledge about the physiological functions and food sources that related to human growth. It helped me to focus on my nutrition better and stay healthier. Especially in healthcare, it is important to make sure the patient is getting the right amount of nutrition. If the patients nutrition is imbalanced, it can cause diarrhea and risk of infection. Therefore all the knowledge that I learned from this class about nutrition will help me to provide a better nutrition life style to my patients. Sociology 035, is the study of aging in older people. The common beliefs, aspects of aging, how economy and family influence the aging process. The course helped me to be more kind, warm and practical with people .A nurse must be kind, sympathetic and compassionate because when I work with patients it will give me better knowledge on how to deal with everyone. I have compared facts that I learned from this class with my parents and grandparents behavior, which helped me understand them better. For example, as my grandparent get old, the chances of them listening to their kids are rare. Even if they are right or wrong , they want the kids to accept it. Once the kids get married and leave the house, the parents starting a new life where they are bonding more to each other. Thats something I have noticed in my grandparents life. All the knowledge that I acquired from this course will help me understand older peoples relation to others and how they would accept the world to live their li fe. Biology 110, Basic Concepts and Biodiversity, taught me the foundation of the basic concept of evolution. It gave me an understanding of living organisms, how genetic processes provide continuity between generations and how evolutionary processes take place. This course includes both lecture and lab. It is the study of living organisms; all life depends on certain physiological and chemical functions. To work in healthcare you must have a basic understanding of the underlying principles of life. These courses that I have listed above are important in my future education that I plan on focusing on after graduation. In health care, it is critical that students understand any individuals different characteristics and behaviors before I respond to patients symptoms. As a capstone course: BIOL 495, I have an internship, at Temples Jeanes Hospital in North East Philadelphia a. As an intern at the hospital, I have been assigned to the same day surgery unit department with patients. This opportunity will also allow me to work with professional staff and patients. It is my duty to go to each patient to check on them to make sure they are doing great because they are recovering from the surgery. Sometimes they would ask juice/water and some of them might need to use the rest room so it is my responsibility to take care of them. Meanwhile, I go with the nurses to each patients room when they go over the surgery procedures and learn how pre admission is done on a patient. I will be attending to the needs of patients that are undergoing different procedures and an opportunity to interact with surgeons, physician assistants, and nurses. It also will be hands on experience with all the skills and materials that I have learned in the courses that I have lis ted in this proposal   In conclusion, I feel that my education has shaped my life to what is today and these courses listed have gave me a better understanding about medical issues happening in this world. Health care profession is not a relaxing profession but demanding and stressful occupation, yet I am ready to face the various situations I may be in and become stronger and wiser in my profession and as a person. It is also a profession where every day I am guaranteed to touch a life or be touched by the lives of others. Letters, Arts, and Sciences at Abington will help me reach my goals after my undergraduate education is complete.

Critique of What I’ve Learned from Men

In Barbara Ehrenreich's article â€Å"What I've Learned from Men† she discusses that women can learn a lot from men. How the lack of toughness in a woman's personality can negatively affect their progression and position in life. The author also discusses how some of the â€Å"ladylike† qualities can prove to be hindering to progress. Barbara's article is persuasive because the writing style was appealing, the evidence was logical, and the article was well structured and easy to follow.The article's extreme sarcastic and humorous tone helps transmits the wanted concept, unlike most feminist articles which consists of redundant repetition of needed freedoms, mistakes and needs. A great example of this humorous approach is how the writer avoided falling into the â€Å"ladylike† category by saying, â€Å"We're still too ladylike. Let me try this again- We're still too damn ladylike† (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308), using a swear word (damn) to break the existing f emale stereotype.The sarcasms was emphasized in the introduction, where countless differences between the genders have been listed, such a light hearted start give a sense of acceptance of what is to come. On a more serious note, the article discusses, with evidence, important issues. How women think it is their responsibility to â€Å"niceness† attitude in a conversation, and how this alleged responsibility negatively affected the author first hand.Another issue is sexual harassment; the writer speaks from personal experience as she explains the story of the professor that sexually harassed her over the course of a 20 minute conversation; where she did not react as she was maintaining â€Å"nice† environment (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308). Such a story appeals to logic, one may wonder, â€Å"How can highly educated prestigious professor react in such an unethical manner? † Examples like this indicate that change must take place to avoid these predicaments.This shor t example also appeals to the emotional side of thinks, as one can sympathize with her position. Finally, the essay was well structured and easy to follow, which made the transmission of the writer's ideas simple. The writer hooks the reader and establishes her agenda in the first couple of paragraphs (through both humorous and direct language). The author then lists her evidence, and also stats her recommendations of â€Å"cutting back on the small acts of deference that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ehrenreich, 2005, p.  308).Lastly, the writer was able to formulate a successful conclusion; she put her recommendation to action by reliving the scenario that took place with the â€Å"prestigious† professor, stating what she would have done differently, how she would take control from the very start by moving her chair away from the professor, reacting negatively to his hollowness and ending it with a confident exit.It is an essential to think about why women are usually sexually harassed . Maybe the answer is for women to toughen up, and step forward to take praise as the writer Barbara suggested. Imagine a male dominated world where sexual harassment is extremely common. Would you like to raise a daughter in such a world? Critique of What I’ve Learned from Men In Barbara Ehrenreich's article â€Å"What I've Learned from Men† she discusses that women can learn a lot from men. How the lack of toughness in a woman's personality can negatively affect their progression and position in life. The author also discusses how some of the â€Å"ladylike† qualities can prove to be hindering to progress. Barbara's article is persuasive because the writing style was appealing, the evidence was logical, and the article was well structured and easy to follow.The article's extreme sarcastic and humorous tone helps transmits the wanted concept, unlike most feminist articles which consists of redundant repetition of needed freedoms, mistakes and needs. A great example of this humorous approach is how the writer avoided falling into the â€Å"ladylike† category by saying, â€Å"We're still too ladylike. Let me try this again- We're still too damn ladylike† (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308), using a swear word (damn) to break the existing f emale stereotype.The sarcasms was emphasized in the introduction, where countless differences between the genders have been listed, such a light hearted start give a sense of acceptance of what is to come. On a more serious note, the article discusses, with evidence, important issues. How women think it is their responsibility to â€Å"niceness† attitude in a conversation, and how this alleged responsibility negatively affected the author first hand.Another issue is sexual harassment; the writer speaks from personal experience as she explains the story of the professor that sexually harassed her over the course of a 20 minute conversation; where she did not react as she was maintaining â€Å"nice† environment (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308). Such a story appeals to logic, one may wonder, â€Å"How can highly educated prestigious professor react in such an unethical manner? † Examples like this indicate that change must take place to avoid these predicaments.This shor t example also appeals to the emotional side of thinks, as one can sympathize with her position. Finally, the essay was well structured and easy to follow, which made the transmission of the writer's ideas simple. The writer hooks the reader and establishes her agenda in the first couple of paragraphs (through both humorous and direct language). The author then lists her evidence, and also stats her recommendations of â€Å"cutting back on the small acts of deference that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ehrenreich, 2005, p.  308).Lastly, the writer was able to formulate a successful conclusion; she put her recommendation to action by reliving the scenario that took place with the â€Å"prestigious† professor, stating what she would have done differently, how she would take control from the very start by moving her chair away from the professor, reacting negatively to his hollowness and ending it with a confident exit. It is an essential to think about why women are usually sexually harasse d.Maybe the answer is for women to toughen up, and step forward to take praise as the writer Barbara suggested. Imagine a male dominated world where sexual harassment is extremely common. Would you like to raise a daughter in such a world? Ehrenreich, B. (2005). What I've learned from men. In A. Abusalim, N. Bilikozen, T. Ismail, & S. Sayed (Eds. ), Where I stand: The center and the periphery (1st ed. ) (pp. 307-311). United Arab Emirates: Oriental Press.

Religion in the Workplace Essay

Introduction Religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. Under the First Amendment, Americans enjoy two freedoms with respect to religion: the right to be free from a government-imposed religion, and the right to practice any religion. While private employers are not bound by the Constitution’s restrictions on government, they are subject to federal and state laws that ban religious discrimination in employment. Given the number of employed persons, the diversity of religious faiths in this country, and the freedom we enjoy to express our views, the subject of religious discrimination continues to pose tough questions for employers and the courts. The Workplace Because of our country’s great diversity, employers may hire employees from a great variety of countries and religious backgrounds. In an ideal work environment, the religious beliefs of a given employee, or of the employer, do not create conflicts. Either is free to believe as he or she chooses and, as long as the work gets done satisfactorily, neither will encounter difficulty on the basis of religion. Yet, in the world we live in, a number of issues can arise to create friction. An employer and employee may discuss, or even argue over, religious principles. Religion is not simply a matter of belief. The faithful practice their religion through various actions to include; styles of dress, manner of keeping or wearing one’s hair, trying to recruit others to their faith, following certain diets, praying, fasting, avoiding certain language or behavior, and observing  certain religious holidays. Put simply, the many characteristics of different religions provide ample ground for disagreement, conflict, or even harassment among employers and employees on the job. In deontology, the golden rule is to treat others as you would have the treat you. I know that if I respected someone’s beliefs to be Muslim, I expect them to have the same respect for me and my belief in God or whatever religion I choose to place my faith in. Deontologist insists that actions should not be evaluated on the basis of the action’s consequences. Utilitarianism and Discrimination A utilitarian might argue that in a given company, the majority of its members belong to a certain faith tradition. The greatest good for the greatest number would seem to allow that majority to pray and participate in religious activities in the way they desire (Mosser, 2013). Rule utilitarianism argues that participating in something that causes harm decreases the happiness of those who participate, even passively, in that harm. For example, discrimination occurs when the employer maintains (or allows) a hostile environment for employees of particular faiths. Typically, this arises where co-workers harass an employee on the basis of his or her faith, to the point of creating an abusive or intimidating work environment. The harassment must be severe or pervasive in order to constitute discrimination under a hostile work environment theory. Thus, a simple disagreement over religious principles would probably not constitute unlawful harassment. Severe insults or threats, or continuing words and actions meant to harass or intimidate an employee on the basis of religion; however, it may cross the line of lawful conduct. Relativist Relativist believe that different cultures have different attitudes towards life, as well as when it begins and ends. They say the same about religion. Many believe that God created life and God ends life. Take a survey in the workplace and you will probably get a more diverse answer. Different cultures have different religions. But who is to say which religion is right? Some companies believe that the workplace is not a place for religion. Their attitude towards life is basically work is work and your  personal life (which includes your religion) is simply that. Your personal life should not conflict with your job. Leave your religion at home. Little do they know, religion is what’s keeping majority of their employees. Accommodating Religion in the Workplace While employers have a duty to accommodate the religious beliefs of their employees, the employer does have some leeway in how it conducts its business. There is a point where the changes that are required to accommodate an employee become a burden on the employer. Most likely, a request by an employee to trade shifts when his or her faith prevents working on Saturdays is likely to be reasonable. However, less reasonable might be a request that an employee have a particular holy month off each year. Whether an employer’s policy that limits the conduct of members of a particular faith is unreasonable depends on the circumstances. For example, a restaurant owner may require its cooks to wear hairnets or short hair, even if this creates an inconvenience for members of a faith that does not allow them to cut their hair. A job may also have certain qualifications or requirements that have the effect of limiting participation by a particular religious faith. A radio station that pla yed rock and roll music, for example, would be allowed to fire a disc jockey that refused to play rock and roll because it was against his religion. Deontology Deontology tells us to act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other. All human beings deserve dignity and respect and to treat a human being solely as a means to an end, to treat a human being instrumentally is to violate the categorical imperative and, thus, to act in a fundamentally immoral way. Regarding the workplace, we should treat each other’s religion as we would want our religion treated. Someone might need their religion at their job to keep them calm and sane. Some may need their religion at their job to keep peace and love between the employer and employees. In conclusion, the law gives broad protections to employees and managers when it comes to religious beliefs, â€Å"but once an employee’s conduct in the workplace creates problems because of their beliefs, it is problematic  (Tahmincioglu, 2012). Maybe religion should be accepted at work but at a distance. Use it to the point where it is accepted and once it gets out of hand, remove it. REFERENCES Mooser, K. 2013. Ethics and Social Responsibility, Second Edition. Tahmincioglu, E. 2012. Religion at work can bring fire and brimstone. From http://www.today.com/money/religion-work-can-bring-fire-brimstone-460844

How to Edit a Book 101 a 3-Step Guide to a Bestselling Novel

How to Edit a Book 101 a 3-Step Guide to a Bestselling Novel How to Edit a Book: a 3-Step Guide to a Bestselling Novel So you’ve finally gotten to the last page of your draft and have just typed, â€Å"The End.† Congratulations! Is it time to pop open the champagne?Not quite. Authors who have successfully completed a draft now face an even more important task: the edit of the manuscript. If your first draft has taught you what you want to say, this is the step that will craft it into a story that’s actually worth reading.To help you learn how to edit a book, this guide will walk you through the process of self-editing. Feel free to click here to download our editing checklist as we dive in.Do you really need to edit your book?The short answer is: yes.Editing is the act of refining a piece of written work. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a completely different skillset from writing - one that requires objectivity, keen insight into story mechanics, and a certain level of ruthlessness. 150 Famous Writing Quotes to Help You During Every Stage of Writing Read post Here's the long answer: every book benefits from an edit, simply because no story is perfect from the get-go.  As Stephen King said: â€Å"When your story is ready for a rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt. Revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.†Ã‚  Saying that your book doesn’t need editing is like walking outside without any clothes on: you might be able to get to the grocery store, but nobody's going to want to serve you.With that said, you do have a number of people (and a support system) to whom you can turn when it comes to editing, which leads us to the next section. "When your story is ready for a rewrite, cut it to the bone. This is going to hurt." - Stephen King Who can properly edit your book?In a traditional publishing house, manuscripts generally go through three rounds of revisions: a developmental edit, a copy edit - which often includes line editing- and a proofread. Like the crafting of a diamond ring, this rigorous process turns out the polished books that you find in stores.Self-publishers, while not always privy to in-house editors, have a number of options at their disposal. Here are three ways that writers can go about editing their bestseller-in-the-making.👠¤ The Self-EditA self-edit is pretty self-explanatory: it’s a thorough edit of your manuscript that you conduct yourself. You’d take it upon yourself to trim your plot, expand character arcs, spot crutch words, and manage all of the other elements that go into editing a book.This approach is challenging if you’re serious about editing, simply because it’s hard to be objective about your own work. If you choose to self-edit, we recommend th at you read through your entire draft twice: once to resolve story snags, and the second time to proofread. (The editing checklist at the end of this post will help you out.)👠¥Beta ReadersA beta reader provides feedback from the perspective of a casual reader. Think of beta readers for your book as the equivalent of a focus group for a feature film: they anticipate the reading experience of your future audience.A beta reader can point out concerns that you might not have caught by yourself. (Such as: â€Å"What happened to Alexandra? I thought she was the most interesting character,† or â€Å"The plot twist in this chapter was weird and confused me for the rest of the book.†) You can ask anyone to be your beta reader, whether it’s a friend, family member, or someone who you met through an online writing group. To dig deeper into this subject, check out our guide to beta readers and where to find them. And, if you're curious about what a sensitivity reader actually does, check out this guide on the topic.📠Professional EditWorking with a professional editor on your book results in a professional edit. As a result of the rising freelance economy, experienced editors are much more accessible to the general public than before. (As an example, Reedsy’s marketplace is home to more than 1,000 professional editors - many of whom hail from the Big 5 publishers.) When you’re ready to revisit your manuscript, feel free to use the points below to help you edit. Note that this checklist isn’t comprehensive (again, we stress that you need the eyes and experience of a professional editor to get a qualified edit). But it includes some key guiding questions to guide you through the process.1. The â€Å"Big Picture† StageðŸ“â€" Editing Checklist for: StoryTheme and conflict__ Is a compelling dramatic question present throughout the book? __ Is the theme well-developed? Clear and compelling? __ Can you sufficiently state your story in a single sentence: ? __ Is the central conflict clear? Is it resolved by the time the denouement comes around? __ Does the conflict escalate over the course of the book?Story arc __ Do you have a strong beginning, middle, end? __ Does your exposition effectively set the story? Introduce the cast of characters? Impart enough backstory? __ Is your rising action triggered by a compelling inciting incident? Does it escalate the conflict and raise the tension? __ Is your climax satisfying? Does it successfully combine both external and internal journeys? __ Does your falling action effectively bridge the climax and the resolution? __ Does the denouement wrap everything up? __ Is the story structure clear and effective? __ Is the pace of each act in the narrative arc appropriate?📈 Editing Checklist for: Plot __ Is the plot engaging? Believable? __ Does the plot maintain forward movement in each chapter? __ Are all major plot threads resolved by the denouement? __ Are all subplots resolved by the denouement? __ Are there too many subplots? Do the subplots make sense in the context of the story or do they distract from the main plotline? __ Do the plot points flow logically? __ Do the plot points sync with the narrative arc and theme that you want to convey? __ Do the plot twists make sense? Are there plot holes in the story? __ Does the plot match the conventions of your genre?ðŸâ€" £Ã¯ ¸  Editing Checklist for: CharactersProtagonist __ Does the protagonist have strengths and weaknesses? Does this interact with the story appropriately? __ Does the protagonist have defining mannerisms? Clear character traits? __ Does the protagonist have story motivation? __ Does the protagonist have external and internal story goals? Are they visible throughout the story? __ Are the stakes for the protagonist clear and substantial? __ Does the protagonist act believably in each scene? Is the protagonist’s behavior consistent? __ Chart the protagonist’s character arc over the course of the story. Is it clearly and compellingly conveyed in the story?Antagonist __ Does the antagonist have a story motivation? __ Does the antagonist have a believable backstory? __ Is the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist clearly defined?Supporting cast __ Is the supporting cast fleshed out? __ Do the secondary characters have a reason to be there? Do they reveal key details? Advance the plot? Motivate the protagonist? Help define the setting? __ Are interactions between the secondary character and the protagonist believable and well-placed?â› °Ã¯ ¸  Editing Checklist for: Setting __ Does the setting make sense for the purposes of the story? Does it matter to the plot? __ Are descriptions of the setting rendered effectively and appropriately? __ Is a clear sense of place and time conveyed in each scene? __ Is the worldbuilding unified? Consistent? __ Does the setting impact the conflict and plot? __ Fact-check each scene in relation to the setting. Are objects, props, mannerisms, and behaviors native to the time and place of the story?2. The â€Å"Scene Level† Stage🎠¬ Editing Checklist for: Scenes and Chapters __ Is the opening scene effective? __ Does it start in the right place? __ Does it have a hook? Is the hook immediately gripping? __ Are there are a sufficient number of scenes? __ Are the scenes appropriately paced to grab the readers’ attention? Are the chapter lengths effective? __ Does each scene serve a purpose in the story? __ Is each scene oriented in terms of time and place? __ Are scene transitions smooth?💠¬ Editing Checklist for: Dialogue __ Does the dialogue serve a purpose in each scene? Does it provide information? Advance the plot? Help the pace of the story? __ Does each character have a distinct voice? __ Is the dialogue believable for the time and place of the story? __ Is the word choice reflective of the time period? __ Does the dialogue use action beats to control the pace of the scene? __ Are there excess dialogue tags? Excess adverbs in the tags? __ Search for words other than â€Å"said† and â€Å"asked† in your manuscript. Is their use absolutely necessary?âÅ" Ã¯ ¸  Editing Checklist for: CompositionVoice and Point of View __ Is the narrator’s voice consistent? __ Is the voice appropriate for the story? __ Is foreshadowing used effectively, if applicable? Metaphors? Similes? __ Is the viewpoint character always clear? Is it consistent between scenes? __ Is the point of view suitable for each scene? Is there a better alternative for a viewpoint character in any given scene?Prose __ Is purple prose present in your story? __ Does each sentence contribute something to the story? __ Is the backstory of the world or characters efficiently woven into the story? __ Do you â€Å"show, don’t tell† your dialogue, characters, and setting?3. The â€Å"Line-Edit†__ Check for the use of passive voice and replace with active voice, whenever appropriate. ⠝Å' The ball was kicked. âÅ"ӕ ¸  She kicked the ball.__ Limit the use of adverbs in your dialogue tags. (Show, don’t tell!) ⠝Å' â€Å"Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?† said Harry angrily. âÅ"ӕ ¸  Harry upended the table. â€Å"Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?†__ Limit the use of weak verbs + adverbs in general. ⠝Å' Leonard ran quickly to school. âÅ"ӕ ¸  Leonard sprinted to school.__ Delete vague and subjective words. ⠝Å' â€Å"could,† â€Å"might,† â€Å"maybe,† â€Å"more,† â€Å"poor,† â€Å"good,† â€Å"excellent,† â€Å"bad,† â€Å"some,† â€Å"multiple,† etc.__ Delete crutch words. ⠝Å' â€Å"really,† â€Å"literally,† â€Å"suddenly,† â€Å"simply,† â€Å"just,† â€Å"a little,† â€Å"almost,† etc.__ Check for the use of other dialogue tags and replace with â€Å"said† and â€Å"asked,† unless absolutely necessary. ⠝Å' â€Å"Did you just stab me with this thimble?† asserted Amber. âÅ"ӕ ¸  â€Å"Did you just stab me with this thimble?† asked Amber.__ Replace all â€Å"hidden† verbs. ⠝Å' Offer an explanation âÅ"ӕ ¸  Explain__ Use â€Å"telling† words such as â€Å"felt,† â€Å"saw,† â€Å"knew,† â€Å"was,† and â€Å"seemed† sparingly. ⠝Å' His head was in pain. âÅ"ӕ ¸  His head throbbed.__ Delete all instances of clichà ©s in the text. ⠝Å' It was a dark and stormy night.__ Check for excessive repetition (like so) in the text. ⠝Å' Go to ⠝Å' She shrugged .__ Check for instances of overly complicated language. ⠝Å' In close proximity âÅ"ӕ ¸  Near__ Check that all of your dialogue is formatted correctly. ⠝Å' â€Å"I love you.† Said Pam. âÅ"ӕ ¸  â€Å"I love you,† said Pam.How much editing is enough?You might be visualizing an endless amount of editing right now - or a future in which you either faint from exhaustion or go blind from fixating on commas. Needless to say, that wouldn’t do any author any good! So how many rounds of editing is enough?Most editors will tell you: as many rounds as the book needs. That said, three passes at the manuscript - maximum - generally should get you somewhere. But it depends on the book: some stories are structurally sound and could benefit more from a thorough copy-edit, while other stories will require multiple takes during the â€Å"big picture† stage.However, a word of caution: resist the urge to over-edit. Since many authors are perfectionists, it can be tempting to edit until the book is flawless. But you should remember that â€Å"perfection† is actually unachievable. More importantly, you’ll risk stagnation if you over-edit. At so me point, you will want to put a book out into the world. The only way to do that is to curb the impulse to keep editing and put your manuscript down - once and for all.Download: The Ultimate Self-Editing ChecklistIf you'd prefer to have a checklist right next to you as you edit your book, we've got you covered. Simply enter your email address below to download our Ultimate Self-Editing Checklist in PDF format!How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book in 2019? Read post Can you get away with editing a book by yourself? It’s possible, but it’s certainly not ideal. Most authors are too close to the source material to edit objectively. A better solution is to find another pair of critical eyes to honestly review your book, whether that’s a beta reader or a professional editor. The average cost of an editor is between $1,000 to $3,000 - an investment that just might make the difference between an average book and a bestseller.

Consumerism and Happiness

Consumerism and Happiness Introduction The concept of consumerism stretches far back to 1915 when its recording started but originally, the phenomenon of buying and consumption of goods in excess and by customers date back to the start of civilization. Consumerism entails a social and economic decree to nurture a culture of purchasing and consuming goods far above one’s basic requirements. This remains a worldwide phenomenon practiced across many societies of the world especially before and after industrial revolution and globalization.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Consumerism and Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Being an order, consumerism covers consumer protection, which involves protection of the buyers from exploitation in terms of dishonest packaging and advertisement or promotion of consumer goods and services. In this sense, consumerism advocates for setting up of policies to control and regulate the standards of production, manufacturing, and advertisement of goods and services. Economically, consumerism stresses on the free choices made by consumers to determine the economic trends of a country. This phenomenon of over consumption meets criticism in which most of the critics argue that, it is worth considering such consumption is indeed a wasteful consumption (Glen 28). Here the critiques wonder whether having many dresses would make one dress decently. Advertisements all over the media, books, and magazines and in streets persuade people to buy materials that they have not planned for, simply because the words used in the advertisements tend to encourage people to buy goods such as cars, clothing, or get new jobs (Glen 29). More materials do not bring a lasting happiness in one’s life. The happiness brought about by acquiring a new property lasts for a short time, and the lack of satisfaction goes unabated as the desire to acquire a more expensive item sets in, whereby a person thinks he/she will get satisfaction by getting new things and the vicious cycle continues. True happiness and acquisition of materials Today’s mindset of many people in both developing and developed countries is to amass wealth through acquisition of more materials and consumption of materials at increasingly higher rate. Economic parameters judging economic growth of a country continue to favor production of goods and their fast consumption. To the surprise of Luedicke and Giesler, â€Å"The more goods produced and consumed in the society the higher the growth rate of the economy† (112). This indicates that, economic growth rate depends largely on the amount of materials, goods or services a person or a family acquires in a society. In these societies, property of the nation is a measure of per capita income of the dwellers of the society and therefore, people buy goods to replace others they presume inadequate in terms of service provision.Advertising Lookin g for term paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, in consumer societies, repair of broken items does not exist; instead, people buy new items to replace the broken ones. This continuous purchase of goods helps the economy from receding and depressing and improves employment creation efforts. On the other hand, the desire to own and consume materials in excess causes people to get job opportunities, which they do not enjoy doing or are not happy with, simply because they need money to acquire the much-needed materials. A comparison between the lives of departed ancestors who had little in their possession and the current life where all is in a cat and rat race to acquire property, there is little happiness now, than it was with the gone grandparents. According to Barber, â€Å"today’s young adults have grown up with much more affluence and slightly less happiness and are at much greater risk of developing depression and assorted social pathology† (108). Desire to purchase more materials arouses the feeling of discontentment and dissatisfaction, which leads to unhappiness within one’s conscience. Working to earn money for material acquisition deprives one of the time needed in social activities. Social involvement with family, friends, and relationships nurtures happiness. Thus, a person preoccupied with the hope and desire of materialism remains unhappy throughout his/ her life. Barber further explains that, â€Å"when people organize their lives around extrinsic goals such as product acquisition, they report greater unhappiness in relationships, poor moods and psychological problems† (110). The dissatisfaction posed by desire to have more leads to great expectations and failure to meet the expectations results into outright unhappiness to the affected parties. Happiness brought about by acquisition of a new property such as a car, house, or electro nic devices may not last for long as people in consumer societies always buy items to replace others. Large amount of property acquired by an individual or a family, on the other hand poses a threat of insecurity. As property means wealth, security for the property becomes paramount and a factor worth consideration. Over and above the cost of purchase of the property, there is additional expenses of security provision otherwise one risks losing the acquired property or damage without compensation. The thought of insecurity can snuff true happiness in the lives of those hankering for consumerism societies. Psychological disturbance resulting from discontentment causes depression, envy, jealousy, and increase in crime rates all in the pursuit of acquiring material goods, but in this sense large amount of goods in the society or communities.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Consumerism and Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page L earn More Problems of consumer epidemics Hungering for goods is a characteristic evident in consumer epidemic societies where people feel dissatisfied. The wishes of people and desires to possess material goods escalate but income determines the purchasing power (Durning 24). Craving for material goods preoccupies the minds of many people in the consumerism societies and this poses a threat of neglecting other important factors of life sustenance such as social and psychological factors. Thirsting for material goods can also lead people to poor working conditions or extra working to save the much-needed savings, which determines one’s ability to acquire the goods. Philosophically, increase in ones material wealth determines the economic status of that individual or community or society and therefore, overlying other economic detecting tools in the society such as good social and spiritual values of the society. Graaf, Wann, Naylor, and Vicki however observe that, â₠¬Å"Material wealth is the deciding factor whether a society is developing or not, spiritual values are under played† (122). The quantity of materials owned by the inhabitants of a society remains inadequate to determine the societal development. Other major factors of the society help to propel development in the society and the measurements need not to overlook such factors as they play concerted role with per capita income to economic development. In addition, problems of consumer good competition steps up in the market as many manufacturing companies produce large quantities of consumer goods hoping for a good sale because people thirst for the goods. Importation of cheap goods sets further competition between the imported and locally produced goods and these competitions negatively affect the market image of the local goods posing a major problem in the performance of the local manufacturing companies. Poor performance of the local industries can threaten closure of busine ss or can result into reduction in employment opportunities. Drastic changes in lifestyles of many people occur due to materialism; not based on spiritual or simplistic backgrounds. People are now more reluctant than it was in the past and as Graaf et al. observes, â€Å"people’s lifestyles have changed in the sense that they are more lavish, full of material comforts rather than focusing on simplicity† (123).Advertising Looking for term paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Philosophers argue that there is a stiff change from the lifestyles exhibited by the older generation and the current generation in which the current generation possesses a stereotype of high consumption generation depicting the ever-increasing desire to gain more wealth through high acquisitions of material goods. Ecological destruction continues as people push for expansion of industries in production of the much needed goods and materials to quench the spirit of consumerism. There is widely spreading natural habitat destruction due to industrial pollution leading to global warming which in turn sets in health problems to people and wildlife across the world. Another problem of consumerism is the tumbling of some economic sectors. For instance, the desire of every person in a consumer society to own a car would oversee collapsing of the public transport sector, which would affect economic expansion of the involved community or society. Criticisms of consumerism Consumerism as othe r philosophical phenomena would not go without criticismand disapprovals. According to Barber, â€Å"there are four different ways through which an item obtains value and needs considerations during purchase to avoid purchasing of obsolete items† (111). Items of low value and utilityfrom the initialintention lead to subsequent purchase of another item simply because the first item acquired did not satisfy the primary need. The ways focused here include functional utility, exchange value of the object, symbolic value, and sign value of the items. The phenomenon of consumerism does not put into consideration all these factors before the actual purchase of an item; instead, individuals are led by thirst to acquire property not considering and assessing their usefulness in their lifetime. It is therefore clear that lack of appraisal of items and property before purchase would cause dissatisfaction and then cause a desire to purchase another item. Critics of consumerism also argue that the close association of some people to specific high value items such as luxury cars and expensive houses creates a social and cultural class of people. Over time, these social and cultural regroupings degenerate into social or cultural dominance of these groups over the others who probably cannot afford the expensive property (Glen 29). The social and cultural grouping kills the native cultural and social trends of the society, which would affect the subsequent generations, as there is a total loss of the indigenous cultural and social practices. Furthermore, critics argue that, consumerism causes environmental damage as its insensitivity to environmental conservation and preservation puts natural resources into jeopardy and that underscores why critics advocate for change from materialism to simplicity of life where people would only purchase and consume items fit for them at a given time. Due to the need for the finished goods, industries mushroom all over and their emissi ons pollute the environment posing a threat of global warming (Graaf et al. 119). Mining and other environmental destructive procedures in pursuit of obtaining raw materials for the sprouting industries lead to environmental degradation, which critics of consumerism oppose. Graaf et al. warn that, â€Å"trying to reduce environmental pollution without reducing consumerism is like combating drug trafficking without reducing drug addiction† (120). This implies that, the critics of consumerism advocate for mitigation of environmental pollution and disintegration via reduction of consumerism. Economic critics of consumerism argue that, the rate of material consumption outweighs the resources and therefore, sustenance of the high production rate would deplete available resources resulting into an economic recession. Durning observes that, â€Å"human society is in a global overshoot consuming over 30% more materials than is sustainable from world resources† (26). The sedime nts here points to the over usage of the available materials in intensive production and manufacturing of unnecessary materials which to many people are only luxury goods and not basic requirements. In addition, many critics of consumerism oppose the idea of persuading people to purchase certain goods and thus contradict advertisements and promotions by arguing that, people have the right to decide what goods they want to satisfy their needs and need not persuasion to purchase them. In addition, the critics emphasize on peoples’ understanding and decision making concerning the items and property to use. Regular advertisement lures people to develop a desire to possess an item. On the contrary, critics of consumerism do not agree with the proponents on the idea of consumerism and happiness cum satisfaction associated with it. The critics argue that, true happiness does not depend on the number of materials one posses or the quantity of goods that a person’s consumes but happiness settles at the satisfaction of a persons’ need by use of an appropriate item. In the pursuit of satisfaction, the inherent desire to gain property deprives one the building blocks and essential ingredients of happiness, which include quality time with family and friends who bring happiness in one’s life. Decrease in time intended for social life impoverishes an individual’s important time to socialize and interact with others and therefore, affects one’s social status and can cause psychological problems. Conclusion Although consumerism remains an internationally practiced phenomenon, its initiation to different countries, nations and societies of the world met opposition and not swiftly welcomed. Some societies at first welcomed the idea but as the consequences of consumerism unfolded with time, many turned it away. At the first glance of consumerism, one might welcome the idea quickly but its negative effects are far above its positive effect s and therefore, one would consequently reject and oppose the idea as the critics of consumerism. Consumerism causes social, economic, environmental, and psychological problems in societies and thus, many turn out to reject the idea. Contrary to previous allegations that there is a relationship between high possession of goods and happiness, philosophers have found that our ancestors lived happily with little possession of material things as compared to the present generation. Life was happier in the gone days than today although people have more material goods than in the past. It is therefore clear that, there is no true happiness, which comes out of acquisition of material goods. Barber, Benjamin. Consumed: How markets corrupt children, infantalize, and swallow  Citizens whole. New York: W.W. Norton company, 1998. Durning, Alan. â€Å"How much is enough.† The consumer society and the future of the earth  42.6 (2008): 24-26. Giesler, Markus, and Luedicke, Marius. â₠¬Å"Consumption as moral protagonism.† Journal  Of consumer research 36.1 (2010):112-114. Glen, Calder. â€Å"Financing the American dream.† A cultural history of consumer credit 67.1 (2007): 28-29. Print. Graaf, John, Naylor, Thomas, Vicki, Robin, and Wann, David. Afluenza: The all  Consuming epidemic.USA: Berrett- Koehler, 2002.

Why the Second Amendment Should Not Give Citizens the Right to Own Essay

Why the Second Amendment Should Not Give Citizens the Right to Own Assault Weaponry - Essay Example The second amendment brings about a huge debate regarding the intended objective of this amendment. Some Americans and scholars alike are of the belief that this amendment brought forth an individual constitutional right for American citizens to keep arms (Maier 21). On the other hand, other scholars are of the opinion that the language of the amendment, with focus on the words, a regulated militia was intended at trying to restrict the United States Congress from legislating against a US state’s right to defending itself (Whitney, 42). On the idea that the amendment’s intention was to give Americans the constitutional right to arm themselves (Maier 21), the constitution of the United States tries to restrain legislating against citizen’s right to possess firearms. This school of thought explains that an amendment to denying citizens the right to own firearms would, in fact, be unconstitutional and therefore null and void (Halbrook 36). On the other hand, the sch ool of thought advocating that the amendment was meant at restraining the US Congress from legislating against the rights of US states to defend themselves argues that the local, federal and state bodies are the ones that are entitled the right of bearing arms. This effectively locks out private citizens and individual from the right to bear arms (Whitney, 42). In the case of United States, V. Miller before the Supreme Court of the US in 1939, the Supreme Court ruled that citizens do not enjoy the right to arm themselves and thus interpreted the Second Amendment to mean that the US Congress could, in fact, come in and regulate against the rights of private citizens owning firearms (Halbrook 44). The above case became a precedent until the year 2008 when another case on the same issue of the second amendment came before the US Supreme Court again. In the 2008 case, the court, in the case of District of Columbia against Heller determined that the constitution of the US had indeed esta blished the right to own firearms by individual citizens of the United States. As the plaintiff in the case, Heller was in court to argue against the legality of the ban on handguns in the state of Washington DC. This piece of legislation had been around for the last 32 years. The US Supreme Court, therefore, found the law to be unconstitutional and a violation of the right that US citizens have to bear arms. In addition to the ruling, the court also ruled that the US constitution could in no way refuse to let the mentally ill, as well as criminals, bear arms. The ruling brought about the increased debate as to the real meaning of the second amendment and what the framers of this legislation had in mind when they developed this piece of legislation. In the year 2010 in a case also related to the second amendment, in McDonald against Chicago city, the Supreme Court decided to adopt the argument that the second amendment was aimed at ensuring citizens enjoyed the right to arm themselv es (Halbrook 78). The court determined that the second amendment meant that American citizens enjoyed the right to bear arms for purposes of self-defense. One judge dissented on the ruling, but a majority of the judges and indeed the ruling was that the handgun ban of Chicago that prohibited private individuals from bearing firearms was against the spirit of the constitution (Whitney 22). According to the ruling of the Supreme Court in the year 2008 and 2010, the aim of the second amendment was to enable private individuals to bear arms.

Creative presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Creative presentation - Essay Example Environmental problems such as global atmospheric warming,  heavy deforestations, mass extinction of various wildlife, and depletion of the many habitats are addressed. The message being conveyed by the film is that as humanity continues its current exploitation and neglect of nature, the whole world will always be at the risk of environmental crisis. Based on extensive number of research into human dietary and nutritional consumption, this documentary film features interviews with medical figures and other prominent individuals in the field of public health and human nutrition. The primary message of this film is the outlining how the human diet has its effects towards the health of the environment. As people continue to feed more to satisfy their appetites and hunger, the environment undergoes changes due to massive resource consumption for such ends. This film is a documentary and real life social experiment in which a man and his family attempts to go about their daily life without having to depend on modern day conveniences and consumptions. It shows how difficult it is for human beings, especially people who live in a highly urbanized zone, to change to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and breaking the modern day human patterns of consumption. This is a documentary film regarding the present conditions facing the world and human beings. The film points out issues such as  fossil fuel depletion,  dramatic changes in the climate,  rapid increase of the human population  and the  extinction of various wildlife, as well as how things led to these problems. This short film is a fictional story set in the future. The main character is a plastic bag that searches for its purpose of existence and its origins. It travels around a trash ridden world to make its inquiries with other refuse that has been left behind by people. The short film gives a subtle message on how improper disposal of consumption by human beings have resulted to this