Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Trade-Offs of Technological Advancements essays

The Trade-Offs of Technological Advancements essays With continual advances in health, science, and technology, all aspects of a person's life are greatly improved. Once devastating diseases are now better understood and sometimes even treatable. With transportation advances, people easily hop on a jet and soar across the world in a matter of hours. Similarly, information is changing by the second, with the Internet providing immediate 24/7 access anywhere, anytime. Technology has even changed entertainment, as X-Box or online players vie worldwide. However, there are always trade-offs in life, and it is not any different from these medical, transportation and communication advances. During the 20th century and now into the 21st century there has been continuous progress in the health field. One of the most notable is the discovery of penicillin by bacteriologist Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928 when he observed colonies of a bacterium. This was the beginning of curing numerous illnesses with vaccines and antibiotics that greatly reduced the annual death rate. The average seniors, people over 50 years old, are living longer and healthier lives than ever before. The life expectancy is greater than ever in the U.S., just about 78 years, according to the Center for Disease Control. According to Encarta, however, medical enhancements brought an increase in other diseases. Since the arrival of "miracle drugs," cancer rates have risen despite significant improvements in treatment. Cancer and heart disease were the leading causes of death at the beginning of the 21st century, partly due to the increased aging population and ability to cure other ailments. In addition, an unhealthy lifestyle is becoming more common due to increased well being, with too many Americans eating high-fat foods and high-calorie snacks and not exercising. Automobiles, fast trains, and supersonic jets allow people to get to one place to another very quickly and easily. This transportation has greatly improved the ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How To Revise A Novel A Step-by-Step Guide

How To Revise A Novel A Step-by-Step Guide How To Revise A Novel: Taking Your Manuscript From Scruffy To Spliffy Last updated: 2017/07/11A week after NaNoWriMo, it is time for you to go back to your novel and ruthlessly revise it. To help you with that, we asked our specialist developmental editor Maria D’Marco to share her top tips on how to revise a novel. Follow them and you might be able to turn your first draft into material worthy of submission.The first thing to keep in mind once you have finished your first draft is that the writing process is not over. You have to accept that creating ever-improving iterations of your manuscript takes time. Your goal here is not perfection (you’ll have to work with a pro editor to get there), it is balance; so do not get hung up on minutiae and work quickly through your drafts.How to revise a novel in 9 key stagesThere is one underlying concept that should drive your revision process: the foundation of Continuity and Relationships, or how everything relates to every other thing in the story.Of course, you shouldn’t try to tackle ev erything at once; instead you should avoid mind-boggle by approaching your re-writes progressively, stage-by-stage.Share this infographic! Click below  to tweet about it or Pin it on your board 🙂 The first 4 stages of the revision process are primarily developmental and should be tackled as individual reviews and re-writes. Each stage will potentially represent a new iteration of the draft. A novice author should expect to perform at least 3 total revisions of their manuscript, before moving into the writing reviews (the last 2 stages). Character reviews are the most time-intensive, deservedly so.Time LineAs the author, you have a running timeline or chronology for your story. It is vital to remember that the reader is not privy to this timeline until you share it with them. Do not leave them to their own devices! This is your story- lead the way!Again, consistency is your gate-keeper, so your revision must ensure that your time line makes sense, supports the story, and has no "whaaa?" factors. You can also check for innovative ways to introduce your time line, which may enlighten as to the time of day, day of the week, month, year, season, etc. Using well-known events can es tablish multiple time points, as well as having a character who is a bit (or very) obsessed with time and checks watches and clocks regularly.CharactersYou have an intimate knowledge of all your characters- well, most likely anyway. To capture their essence on the page and ensure continuity, follow each character through the entire manuscript. Do their actions make sense? Do they contribute to every scene they occupy? Do they elicit emotion? Do they create a turn in the plot (however small)? Are they clichà ©? Does their dialogue add to the scene or the progression of the story?Each character must have a purpose to the story, so perform your revision by 'seeing' the story through their eyes and enriching their interactions, actions, and dialogue as you go.Environments ScenesYou 'see' the environment of every scene vividly, but have you created that vivid environment for the reader? You know the season, the time of day, the placement of each character (plus their mindset importanc e to the scene) within the scene, what the character is wearing, how the action will progress within the scene, etc.As you revise, is every environment and scene written to engage the reader's imagination? And are they imagining what you want and need them to imagine?From worldbuilding to a space the character only occupies for a moment, you must scrutinize each environmental element for opportunities to enrich your story and build a stronger draft.Transitions PacingThese are related elements that can be sticky to refine. The need to identify any lack of consistency in the movement of the story is the goal.Transitions, whether paragraph breaks, chapter breaks, or scene changes are finessed partitions that conclude or leave things hanging and set up or anticipate moves within the story. Transitions can come at the end of a paragraph, chapter, or scene, but can also occur at other times, particularly as set up or anticipatory dialogue or 'hint dropping'.Pacing ties to transitions, as well as to types of scenes, and can keep readers breathless and excited, bored to tears, or precariously tormented between the two. It is the engagement factor that determines the rate at which your story is absorbed. Some refer to pacing as 'flow', not to be confused with 'readability', which refers to comprehension.Revise your story transitions, re-writing to improve focus and positioning, while cementing pivotal transitions that function as story turning points. A 'log' of transitions can help track the movement of the story. This same log can be a complementary tool in your pacing review, allowing you to further indentify and re-write material to support story continuity.Assumed KnowledgeThis is, to me, the greatest pitfall in authoring any novel- or any other type of writing. We have a wealth of knowledge about our book, from personal experience and observations to careful research. We have saturated our minds with endless details, as well as visions of our story, characters, and environments. We then write from that empowered position; and often, assumption of knowledge skewers our story.In every revision, along with the foundation of continuity and relationships, be mindful of assumed knowledge. Shore up the information presented to the reader when necessary so the reader can experience your story from your deeper perspective.Sentence Starts StructuresStrictly a writing review, with the objective of exposing repetitive writing habits. Such habits can dramatically affect your story, as they eventually become predictable to the reader, which then makes them aware of you, the author, instead of your story.Everyone has writing habits. They are tied to our accustomed way of communicating. Some are so ingrained that they become known as our 'style'.This revision isn't meant to dilute your style, your special voice, or any other uniqueness in your writing. Instead, you will be checking for unimaginative sentence starts, obtuse or convoluted sentence structur es, and repetitive phrases or words or use of character names, among other things.Continuity isn't bettered by starting nearly every sentence with a pronoun or a character's name. Combining related concepts in a complex sentence can enrich a transition or deepen emoting. Creating 40-50 word sentences that over-explain, confuse, or present concepts at cross-purposes can tire a reader and even cause them to abandon your story.Identify when, where, and if these lame or aggravating writing habits appear in your story, and then re-write to strengthen your story.DialogueYou probably can envision most of the conversations held between your characters, but have you framed these conversations in an engaging way, avoided using actions or reactions as dialogue tags (we can grimace, but cannot 'grimace' words), or ensured that a conversation actually contributes to the story?Once again, continuity and the relationship of dialogue to the scene and story should guide you in your revision and re-w rites. Consider the entirety of the scene, what it is meant to accomplish, and if the dialogue promotes that goal. Does the dialogue expand and deepen the understanding of the story, the characters, and the relationships between all?An additional review aspect is to identify any instances where dialogue is used as an info-dump, back-story or otherwise. Determine if that material is better presented as narrative. Dialogue that informs is fine, as long as it is the most appropriate and powerful way to present the information.Are you looking for more advice on how to revise your novel? Check out some of our  other editors' advice on the Kobo blog.Of course, nothing trumps working with editing professionals. And we happen to have the best ones (like Maria) on Reedsy, so check out our marketplace here.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Hervey Dunns and the Indian artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hervey Dunns and the Indian artwork - Essay Example Regarding movement, both artists have directed the viewers’ eyes across their artwork. The artists have showed direction and action in the manner through which they direct the movement of eyes across the artwork. The artists have utilised rhythm in the manner they direct the movement of the eyes across the artwork. Rhythms are displayed in the way the elements are arranged in the artwork. The artists organised the elements in an orderly manners, such that, the artists follow the elements in an orderly manner. Hervey Dunn’s art displays a unity design, where everything works, or fits together as a team. The Unity design is highlighted through continuity, where the alignment of the shape and figures ensures that a viewer moves from one part to another in a definite order. Proximity is another unity design elements, all the parts of the art are grouped together, clustered, and enclosed into sets. The art displays harmony, where related materials, colours, and textures are used. The unity design is brought about by harmony, whereby, the related colours and materials are utilised in the elements, such as flowers. In the Indian artwork, the unity is displayed through proximity; the elements of the artwork are grouped together. About the colour, Hervey Dunn and the Indian artwork utilises hue that is, they use primary colours. In chroma, the intensity of the colour in the images can be characterised as bright. The colour value of the image as light, with the intensity of the hue, such as, red, yellow, etc.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Characteristics of Business Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Characteristics of Business Leadership - Essay Example He conquered the world technology arena with his compact visions and innovations and thus emerged as the idol of innovations in the computer coliseum. As Mclnerney (2011) reflects, Jobs is regarded as the ‘father of digital revolution’ and the ‘master of innovations.’ Steve Jobs is well known as the co-founder, CEO and chairman of Apple Computer Inc. It was his vicissitudes and visions that made apple the most sought out IT brand in the world. He is considered as the strenuous daredevil of the personal computer revolution. Jobs started Apple with one of the most successful personal computer series Apple II series. He utilized the vast potential of the graphical user interface which used mouse for operations and brought in a number of new ideas into computer technology which later became a bible for the technology world. Though he left Apple in 1985 as an aftermath of a power struggle with the board of directors, Apple had to appoint him as the CEO again in t he late-90s when they were nearing bankruptcy. Thereafter, the world witnessed Apple perplex growth as the world’s #1 computer brand under his leadership. It took him just a year to lift up Apple from bankruptcy to profit. IT giants like Microsoft; IBM etc. posed benumbed challenge on Apple in the hardware and software areas. That was the greatest challenge in front of Jobs. It can be mentioned that it was the exclusive thoughts of Steve Jobs that kept Apple alive in the competition with other corporate. Apple had to use the product called NeXTSTEP which Jobs developed when he was outside Apple to make the Mac OS-X which was Apple’s most prestigious operating system ever. Thereafter Apple never had a bad time in the industry. As Halliday (2011) points out, Apple outraged all other electronic and IT brands through their range of products which are commonly referred by the name ‘i’- iMac, iTunes, iPod, iPhone and the latest iPad. Steve Jobs was not the kind of the business leaders that the world had witnessed before. And he will be counted unique for the future also. He is often termed as a futuristic leader. He was a leader who mingled with his staff as a co-worker and demanded the delivery of complete potential from the staff. He was a frank criticiser. Steve Jobs created gadgets which were going to be the gadgets of future in the present. That is something which made him stand up among other leaders. He showered energy to his staff and motivated them. He encouraged them to think crazy like him and that is why we see such products are coming only from Apple while other companies are merely copying them. Jobs wanted to stand first always and he effectively has done that. He had a strong mind and his mindsets were always clear. He made strong decisions whenever there were criticalities within the enterprise and he was never double minded in making any decision. He told his employees: â€Å"The cure for Apple is not cost cutting. The c ure for Apple is to innovate its way out of its current predicament† (cited in Maddalone, 2012). He was not reluctant to speak out frankly to the world about his bold decisions in carrying on Apple. This describes his methodology of leading the company. He knew how to draw the full productivity from the workers, and that is why Apple still sustains its reputation. Jobs brought behemoth waves in the field of music with his iPod. He

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Overview of the Skeletal Essay Example for Free

Overview of the Skeletal Essay The purpose of this exercise is to learn the skeletal systems and the components associated with the system. I will be exploring the major types of bones and cartilage. Are there any safety concerns associated with this exercise? If so, list what they are and what precautions should be taken. Handle the microscope and the slides with care; when taking the chicken bone out of the oven use caution because the bone is extremely hot. The Chemical Components of Bone Questions A. Describe the effect that the lemon juice (acid) had on the chicken leg bone. The Lemon juice caused the bone to change colors and soften B. Describe the effect that baking (heat) had on the chicken leg bone. The bone is really dry and brittle; I also noticed the color of the bone changed C. Rickets is a disease where the bones are not formed completely in children due to a lack of Vitamin D. Does the heated or acid-soaked bone represent a child with rickets? Explain why. The acid-soak bone represents a child with rickets, when the bones aren’t getting enough Vitamin D the bones softens and tend to bend. When the bones harden back up they stay in the shape it was bent when it was softened. Exercise 2: Microscopic Structure of Bone obseRvations Observe the structure of the Haversian system. Sketch what is seen and identify the following: central canal, lacunae, concentric lamellae, canaliculi and an osteocyte. See attached photo Questions A. Which part of the Haversian system was the hardest to see on the slide of compact bone? Why do you suppose this is? Osteocytes are the hardest part to see on the slide because they are so small. B. Which structures in the compact bone deliver nutrients to the osteocytes? Canaliculi deliver nutrients to osteocytes through haversian canal. C. Which structures are found inside the central canal? Cerebrospinal fluid; Spinal cord Exercise 3: Structure of a Long Bone obseRvations A. From step 4 in the procedures Observe the epiphysis. Identify as many of the following structures as possible: articular cartilage, compact bone, spongy bone and bone marrow. Make a sketch of the bone in the Lab Report and label the structures you identified. See Attached photo B. From step 5 in the procedures Observe the section of diaphysis. Identify as many of the following structures as possible: periosteum, compact bone, endosteum and bone marrow. Make a sketch of the diaphysis in the Lab Report and label the structures you identified. See Attached photo Questions A. How does the femur of the skeletal model compare to the diagrams in your textbook or this manual? The model and the diagrams match. The only difference is the sizes and the detail B. Using your chicken bone, how does the texture of articular cartilage (or hyaline cartilage) compare to that of periosteum? Note: Articular cartilage (made of hyaline cartilage) is found on the ends of the bones. It absorbs compression and allows for smooth movement. C. What is the function of spongy bone?

Friday, November 15, 2019

Twelfth Night Comedy by Shakespeare and Its Effect on Other Writings Es

Twelfth Night Comedy by Shakespeare and Its Effect on Other Writings While Great Expectations and Gulliver’s Travels were not written as comedy, humor is seen in them. The comedy in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night can be related to the comedy in those writings, although Shakespeare used a variety of comedic techniques, not used in either Great Expectations or Gulliver’s Travels. The comedy in Twelfth Night varies greatly from the comedy in Great Expectations and Gulliver’s Travels at times. Irony is a common comedic element seen in all three works. Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is commonly known as a satire, therefore it uses improbable irony as a tool. The misfortune, ridiculousness and contradict of Gulliver’s adventures is funny. For instance, he, an almighty human, was tied down and restrained by people the size of his finger. In Twelfth Night irony is also used. For example, Olivia fell in love with the woman, viola, dressed as a man, Cesario, who was to woo Olivia, for the duke. It is an unexpec ted, contradicting turn, mostly because of the couple’s gender, but also because of the going-ons during which it happened. In the following Viola finds out of Olivia’s love: â€Å"Viola: I left no ring with her. What means this lady? Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her! She made good view of me, indeed so much That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue, For she did speak in starts distractedly. She loves me, sure! The cunning of her passion Invites me in this churlish messenger.† (Shakespeare, Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 15 and 20) The love triangle Shakespeare uses to twist the plot is ironic. In Great Expectations is the main comedic tool, although it is not a satire. It is ironic how Estella, who was out to break Pip’s heart at the beginning, has her own heart broken and seems to reconcile with him in the end, appearing to intend to never again part, â€Å"I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and as the morning mists had risen long ago when I first left the forge, so the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting form her.† (Dickens, 516) Because common aspects from Shakespeare’s writing can be seen in Great Expectations and Gulliver’s Travels, and similar comedic techniques were used in the writings, the works’ comedy ... ...he past and how doing that prevents future. This is also seen in Twelfth Night with Orsino dwelling on Olivia. Another idea Great Expectations has in common with Twelfth Night is the general plot. The book’s general theme can be seen as influence from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, when Malvolio was invoked by Maria’s letter, he expected Olivia to be interested in him. â€Å"Olivia: God comfort thee! Why doust thou smile so, and kiss they hand so off? Maria: How do you, Malvolio? Malvolio: At your request! Yes, nightingales answer daws! Maria: Why appear you with this ridiculousness before my lady? Malvolio: ‘Be not afraid of greatness.’ ‘Twas well writ. Olivia: what meanest thou by that, Malvolio?† (Shakespeare, Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 25 and 30) Clearly, Great Expectations uses irony and has traits influenced by Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night offers comedy in every scene. It has obviously influenced some of today’s literature and common comedic aspects can by seen in all three works. Each novel clearly has human insight to offer, all true is certain circumstances. Certainly, Great Expectations and Gulliver’s Travels has been influenced by Shakespeare’s writing.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Four Elements of Transformational Leadership Essay

Organizations emphasize the concept of leadership in training managers or group leaders to propel a team or the organization forward. Within leadership, the effectiveness of the transformational versus transactional leader is often debated. Transactional leadership relies more on a â€Å"give and take† understanding, whereby subordinates have a sense of duty to the leader in exchange for some reward. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, involves a committed relationship between the leader and his followers. In 1985, industrial psychologist Bernard Bass identified and wrote about four basic elements that underlie transformational leadership. Ads by Google Stanford Exec. Leadership Where innovation and visionary leadership meet. Learn More. gsb.stanford.edu​/​SeniorLeadership Idealized Influence Transformational leaders act as role models and display a charismatic personality that influences others to want to become more like the leader. Idealized influence can be most expressed through a transformational leader’s willingness to take risks and follow a core set of values, convictions and ethical principles in the actions he takes. It is through this concept of idealized influence that the leader builds trust with his followers and the followers, in turn, develop confidence in their leader. Inspirational Motivation Inspirational motivation refers to the leader’s ability to inspire confidence, motivation and a sense of purpose in his followers. The transformational leader must articulate a clear vision for the future, communicate expectations of the group and demonstrate a commitment to the goals that have been laid out. This aspect of transformational leadership requires superb communication skills as the leader must convey his messages with precision, power and a sense of authority. Other important behaviors of  the leader include his continued optimism, enthusiasm and ability to point out the positive.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Martha Stewart’s Loss Reputation Essay

Martha Stewart is a well-known and respected woman who represents the successful women that made it on their own in today’s society. Not only is she a stock broker, but her fashion, style, good taste, TV show and her line of house wares is what got her the popular publicity among many. When allegations against Martha Stewart surfaced many questioned her ethical actions. Due to allegations her profit reduces and the MSO dropped. Martha Stewart’s main target consisted of women who were attracted by her charisma. Let’s face it Martha was good at what she did, and women wanted to be like her by purchasing her products. Martha’s customers trusted her products and believed in its purpose. When the accusations rose against Martha, many started to question her ethical actions and wondered if they knew the real Martha and what she stood for. As days passed Martha continued to take the highlight of top new, at the same time her revenue reduced tremendously. As the profits went down, investors were getting ready to pay less and less for the shares of MSO. After doing some research on MSO financial statement I realized that MSO revenue has rapidly increasing before her reputation was harmed. In 1999 MSO total revenue was $232,314 and in 2001 it was $295,627. You can defiantly see the increase in the numbers. Even though the economy and MSO competition I would assume that the revenue would keep on rising if Martha’s reputation weren’t harmed. According to MSO financial statements, even though the MSO total revenue dropped to $212,433 in 2005, but by 2007 it was already up to $327,890. Based on total revenue predictions I would assume that the same would happen with the stock price. If Martha’s reputation was not harmed the stock price would have kept on increasing. Regardless of legal actions, in my view Martha was ethically wrong. When the allegations first rose if Martha was innocent she should of came forward and defended herself. At the same time complying with police investigation would of helped with her reputation. To a person like Martha Stewart $45,673 would not have been a good motivation to break the law and most importantly damage her reputation. If she didn’t do anything wrong she could of donated that money to charity, which will show her well intentions. Martha also could of made a donation to a local community at need. Insider training is not only illegal but it’s also unethical. Everyone deserves a chance at fair opportunity to make investment decisions. Regardless of Martha Stewart’s actions I still believe she was unethical and her actions is what caused harm to her reputation. Texaco: The Ecuador Issue â€Å"Around 1964 Texaco Inc. started operating through a subsidiary company TexPet in the Amazon region of Ecuador† (Brooks & Dunn, 2010). TexPet was a minor owner of the project and its partner was Petroecudar. Petroecuador is a government owned oil company. Overtime thanks to TexPet’s operations Ecuador greatly benefited, however at the time no one saw the bigger picture and long-time damages. Not only did Ecuador receive â€Å"approximately 98 percent of all money generated† (Brooks & Dunn, 2010), but it also helped the economy by providing more then 2,800 job positions. At this time it looks like Texaco was ethically wrong. They were doing their business, which they were very successful at. At the same time they are able to help out country at need. For the short-term everyone seemed to be perfectly okay with Texaco doing oil business in Ecuador. But then what happened? Even though Texaco has pulled out of the consortium in 1992, three big lawsuits were filed against them. By 1998, the $40 million remediation project was completed, which included clear lands were replaced, contaminated soil was remediated, and producing water systems were modified. This right here shows that Texaco had some kind of moral and ethical consideration towards their actions. â€Å"In 1994, a cancer study released by the Centre for Economic and Social Rights in New York confirmed the health problems in the region† (Gillis, 2011). After reading this article written by Gills, I would say that Texaco was ethically wrong for what they did, and Ecuador had every right to sue them in United States. There had to be some kind of truth behind Texaco knowing what the possible negative effects were going to be, and someone has to stop the companies from unethical behavior. In situation where oil spills were caused by natural disaster the company should not be held liable. If there was a documented earthquake and Texaco could prove that the oil spill damages were cause by the earthquake then they should not be held responsible. Every company should have procedures in place to prevent from oil spills in case of natural disaster and try to control the action as much as possible. They way there is always a plan A, B and C in place. While the three lawsuits had significant points, I must say that Texaco’s argument showed evidence of concern. After all they did spend $40 million on remediation project. This act shows that they were concerned about the outcome of their actions. But was it already late for their generosity? Their actions did not match their concerns at all, which makes my point more valid that they acted unethically. Where Were the Accountants? Norm, is a graduate student who is about to apply to an accounting firm for a job when he notices few issues that are bugging him. After applying what he has learned and the rules and regulations of GAAP, Norm came to conclusion that the actions taken were unethical and wrong. Considering that he is second guessing himself about becoming a professional accountant I would remind him what he has learned, what his beliefs are, and what the rules and regulations were of GAAP. First of all I would make sure to point out to Norm that he is a great accountant already for noticing those issues. Maybe those mistakes were made on purpose but maybe they were done by error with a poor judgment. Norm’s knowledge is fresh and he has so much to offer to every accounting firm that they would be lucky to have him. Next to his brilliance are his morals, which I would remind him of. The fact that he notices something wrong in those articles is big. But what is even bigger is that he is willing to do something about it. Trust is very big when it coms to accountants and its clients. Norm needs to keep in mind that he needs to establish a relationship based on trust with his future clients. Last but not least I would remind Norm that the best he can do is at all the time follow the rules and regulations of GAAP. If he sticks to the rules and regulations he will not have to worry about being in same position as those articles were. Anyone can do the job, but not everyone can do the job the right way. With that being said I would remind Norm of all the curses we took together and how we aced on all of them. Norm doesn’t need any help on figuring out what to do with his career. What he needs is a gentle reminder of what he knows and where his ethical stand is. As someone who went to school with Norm, I would make sure to tell him that I believe he would be a good accountant. Reference Brooks, L., & Dunn, P. (2010). Business &professional ethics for directors, executives & accountants. (5th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western. Form 10-k: Martha stewart living omnimedia inc-mso. (2008, March 17). Retrieved from http://library.corporate-ir.net/library/96/960/96022/items/284892/10-K_as_Annual-Report.pdf Gillis, C. (2011, April 27). Ecuador vs. chevron-texaco: A brief history. Retrieved from http://www.counterspill.org/article/ecuador-vs-chevron-texaco-brief-history

Friday, November 8, 2019

How Your Freelance Writing Career Is Impacted By Blogging

How Your Freelance Writing Career Is Impacted By Blogging Writers have their own brand to build, and just like any other brand, they are encouraged to have a website with a blog. But other brands, and their blog writers, don’t make their living writing. The techniques and practices they use to promote their product or service use writing as a method. What about freelance careers, whose writing is the product? Can blogging hurt your freelance writing career opportunities? What Happens To Your Freelance Writing Career When You Blog? via @JulieNeidlingerThis is a topic near and dear to me, and it popped up on my radar both experientially (what was happening to me) and through the discovery of other writers suggesting that writers should not be blogging. There seems to be a two-pronged way of looking at this, and I want to clarify it before delving any deeper: Blogging for yourself and your own brand. Blogging as a writing format, in general. I’m going to approach it using both. Blogging Uses Up Creative Energy One of the main reasons I’ve seen writers suggest that blogs are a bad idea for writers is that they take up time and creativity that you should be devoting to your clients and big projects. Is spending time on creativity for your own blog detracting from devoting it to your clients?Do you ever feel like you've used up your allotted words for the day? It might be easier to slap out a long blog post than work on your next book chapter, and you might find that by writing blog posts, you successfully avoid doing the real work and also avoid feeling guilty about it. All the blog posts in the world aren’t going to help you get that other writing done! I found myself recently telling a friend that when I spend all day writing for clients, I don’t feel like writing for myself at the end of the day. â€Å"I’ve used up all the words allotted me for the day.† The reverse can be said. For some writers, there is a limited amount of writing energy, and if you have client work that needs to be done, you shouldn’t use it all up on blogging for yourself. Summation: Spending a lot of time and energy on your own blog will make a dent in the writing you’re able to give to your clients or your serious writing projects. Find a balance or a schedule if you must do both, and be aware of the danger. Guest Blogging Can Take Up Time I’m not going to devalue the importance of guest blogging. Getting your posts on successful blogs is a fantastic way to get your writing seen. You know the drill on that. However...there may, if you are successful, come a tipping point where you have garnered all the attention and audience you’ll get with that method. At what point will you turn to the pay model and act like a freelance writer, offering to write great content but for pay? Are you even thinking along that line? If a huge chunk of your billable time is devoted to blogging for free for other guest blogs, your income will take a hit. If you’re already getting the traffic and recognition you can get, devoting your writing energy to someone else’s blog may no longer make sense. Or, at the very least, you may need to reduce the amount of free guest posts you offer. One good judge is if your inbox is being flooded with requests to write guest posts. Thin that deluge out by requesting payment. Do guest blog. And do be ready to start transitioning over to accepting payment for your writing. Transitioning from free guest posting to paid blog writing means: Learning to accept some people will make known their surprise that you ask for payment now. Understanding that your go-to guest post sources may not always happily transition to paying for what they used to get for free. Realizing your paid client roster will, over time, be completely different from your guest posting roster. Pursuing and accepting clients you’ve never guest posted for. You will have a transition time where you still have some guest posting while new clients are being asked to pay. Many of my writing clients have seen my previously free writing elsewhere, and ask if I’d like to write for them. I respond promptly and professionally, indicating my rate. Some respond back. Some don’t. That’s how freelance writing works. The main question, as a freelance writer, is to try and be aware at what point you’ve established yourself enough to no longer need the validation of guest blogging and transition to receiving an income. Summation: Guest blogging is an excellent way to get momentum behind a freelance writing career, because you build a name for yourself and your writing. However, at some point, you have to transition to getting paid for your writing, and it’s difficult if you’ve built relationships solely on free guest posting.Suggested Reading: How To Make Money Blogging How To Make A Living Blogging 12 Signs You’re Underselling Your Freelance Writing Services 5 Steps To Make Your Freelance Clients Love Your Writing What You Say May Turn People Away Depending on your blog, your approach, or what you espouse, you might say things on your blog that resound with your audience but turn off potential freelance clients. I’m not saying to water down your content and fill it with caveats- there’s a place for controversial blog posts. And, in a world full of people who seem to want to be offended about something, you simply can’t account for everyone. Some people will never be your client if you’re doing your duty as a blogger. As a freelance writer, should you care if what you blog  turns some clients away?However, there are examples of people who blog in a way that seems to take delight in aggravating readers, or being offensive for offensive’s sake. Purposefully being a jerk on your blog will have an impact on your freelance writing if clients see your blog, particularly if your name is on the copy you write for those clients (ghostwriters may have a bit more leeway if the client doesn’t care what you say on your own time since your name is not associated with them). Just know that what might win you accolades on your blog or get you attention, because of a caustic or combative style, may not get you clients. There’s no guarantee, either way, how what you say will affect whether or not clients will seek you out to write for them, or whether they’ll look at your body of work and decide they want someone else to do the work. Summation: Everything you write illustrates your style, your voice, your capability, your strengths, and your weaknesses. It shouldn’t keep you from writing. It just means being aware that some clients will or won’t like it. Blogging Is An Online Activity Blogging is part of the Internet. Before there was Internet, there was no blogging. This seems obvious, but the point here is that anyone who is old enough to remember concentration levels, researching, and writing prior to the Internet will understand how the research and rewarded components of blog writing might affect other writing. For example, blog posts filled with images, quotes, outside links, embedded social posts, and so on are considered good form. To get these things, you are required to adopt a research and work habit that includes surfing the Web, social networks, Internet searches, and all sorts of distracting activity that can technically be needed but can also technically be a reduction in concentration. Writing projects that require long periods of concentration and different research are going to be foreign to bloggers who have been consistently been rewarded for different work habits. Nicholas Carr’s The Shallows is an eye-opener in this area, showing that the Internet can decrease our ability to focus and concentrate for long periods of time. If your freelance writing clients demand more of you than a single blog post and ask you to create content from sources not online, you’ll face some challenges in both your ability to change how you research and to concentrate. If you’ve only known the Internet and have always relied on it, instead of older forms of research or writing with a typewriter or longhand, this point may be hard to validate or understand. But to old fogies like me, it isn’t. I’m highly aware of a diminishing ability to concentrate compared to my writing and work prior to the ubiquitousness of the Internet. I need to find as many routes to reducing my online time as I can, and if that means shaving back my own personal blogging or reducing the amount of blogging clients I take in favor of other writing projects, so be it. Summation: Blogging rewards research and writing behavior that don’t serve longer or more traditional forms of writing well. It may be tough to relearn how to research and concentrate for longer or more involved writing projects. Blogging Has Its Own Writing Style I can freely admit that focusing solely on blogging has done damage to my ability to create other forms of writing. Though I’ve been blogging for more than a decade, it’s only the last four years where that blogging has been my â€Å"day job† and the approach and focus has been different. Where I used to blog on a variety of topics for a personal audience (for fun) using humor or rants or fiction or poetry, the blogging I do now is decidedly of a different formula. There are headings. There are subheadings. There are: Bullet points Lists Pull quotes Bullet points Yes, bullet points. There are thesis statements in powerful introductions, supporting facts, and all of the reasonable teachable approaches to direct, clear copy that ultimately has to sell the reader on something. And, unless I’m writing a planned series, blog posts are short- even the longest blog posts of 2,000–4,000 words are not comparable to longer writing projects found elsewhere. Lovely, if that’s the kind of freelance writing you are focusing on. Less lovely if you also want to try your hand at different styles of writing. Something similar happened after several years of working as a newspaper reporter; I approached everything as if it were a newspaper article. If you become really good at the blogging format and develop the habits and systems that make it possible to write a post on any topic to fit any headline under any time crunch, that’s fantastic blogging. If you are able to twist your content to fit an audience that you’re selling to, again: fantastic blogging. But those same abilities will probably get in the way of trying your hand at creative writing or other types of freelance writing. As it is, when I sit down to do non-blog writing, I have a very difficult time not slipping into the blogging habits and churning out a three-point outline with facts and some bullet points and a call to action at the end. You can’t bullet-point your way to the end of a short story, though I often find myself thinking it would be easier to just drop a bullet list in rather than take the time to write it out in depth in such moments. And, because I’m used to how writing 2,000 words feels, everything I write tends to fit into that sort of rhythm. I seem to have learned to truncate thoughts, words, and explanations in a way that will ultimately fit that word count. When I want to write longer work for other projects and clients, it’s a real struggle; things seem to come out in 2,000 word chunks that don’t always segue well. What works great for blogging doesn’t work great elsewhere. Non-blogging clients will have their own style guides and preferences that may look nothing like a proper blog post and it will require you to work against your good blogging habits and proven blogging writing systems. Summation: If you want to do freelance writing outside of the blogging realm in different writing styles, some of the same habits that have made you a great blogger will work against you.Recommended Reading:  What A Newspaper Reporter Can Teach You About Blogging When it comes to breaking the blogging writing style, there are three ways to approach it. 1. Branch out with purpose. Write a different format/genre, and submit that writing somewhere that isn’t a blog. Get it in front of the eyes of a client, editor, or audience that isn’t blogging. Even if they are critical, it’s how you’ll understand what blogging methods you need to shed to make your writing work elsewhere. In some cases, you may not be paid much (or at all) for certain types of submissions, but if your goal is to try your hand at writing successfully beyond blogging, there is still merit in the editorial and critique process you’ll go through. 2. Take writing classes. Learn about other forms of writing. Go to writer’s conferences. Take writing classes online or in person. Read books about writing. In other words, meet and understand the writing world outside of blogging. I know it’s so tempting to stay in blogging (believe me, I know), but if you really want to do freelance writing beyond your own blog or blogging clients, you’ll have to learn a new writing language. 3. Set non-blogging writing goals. Set a goal to write something that has nothing to do with your blog or blogging. Maybe you’ll start a magazine or self-publish a book. Or maybe your goal will simply be one of starting each day using writing prompts and doing some creative writing exercises. Whatever it is, practice not blogging as part of your daily writing. If there was a recommended daily allowance for writing, make sure you have a well-balanced writing diet. How Blogging Makes You A Better Writer Despite all I’ve mentioned above, blogging can still help you be a better freelance writer as long as you don’t let the negatives overpower the potential. If you’re a serious blogger, you’ve acquired some skills that can help your other freelance writing projects. For example: 1. You write regularly. I’m participating in the James Patterson Masterclass just for some writing fun, and one of the things I found interesting was the difficulty some students expressed at the idea of writing every day. That’s old hat for me, at this point, and so when Patterson says write for an hour, write several thousand words, I think â€Å"is that all?† If you’re blogging seriously, you’re doing this already. 2. You learn to deal with feedback. Blogging (and then sharing on social media) means you’re immediately aware of what people think of your writing and your ideas. There is very little separation between you and the people you are writing to. While feedback and critique can be tough, it’s how you get better at writing. And because blogging allows for instant feedback, you can get better writing right away. 3. You learn to write when you don’t want to. Bloggers know how to write when they don’t feel like it, because there are deadlines to be met and topics to be covered no matter what. Writers often fall into the trap of waiting for inspiration before writing, but freelance career writers don’t have that luxury. You have to find ways to beat writer’s block and get moving.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Leopard Seal Facts

Leopard Seal Facts If you get the opportunity to take an Antarctic cruise, you may be lucky enough to see a leopard seal in its natural habitat. The leopard seal  (Hydrurga leptonyx) is an earless seal with  leopard-spotted fur. Like its feline namesake, the seal is a powerful predator high on the food chain. The only animal that hunts leopard seals is the killer whale. Fast Facts: Leopard Seal Scientific Name: Hydrurga leptonyxCommon Names: Leopard seal, sea leopardBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 10-12 feetWeight: 800-1000 poundsLifespan: 12-15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Sea around AntarcticaPopulation: 200,000Conservation Status: Least Concern Description You might think the obvious identifying feature of the leopard seal is its black-spotted coat. However, many seals have spots. What sets the leopard seal apart is its elongated head and sinuous body, somewhat resembling a furry eel. The leopard seal is earless, about 10 to 12 feet long (females slightly larger than males), weighs between 800 and 1000 pounds, and always seems to be smiling because the edges of its mouth curl upward. The leopard seal is large, but smaller than the elephant seal and walrus. The mouth of the leopard seal turns upward at the edges, resembling a smile. Peter Johnson/Corbis/VCG / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Leopard seals live in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters of the Ross Sea, Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea, South Georgia, and Falkland Islands. Sometimes they are found along the southern coasts of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.  The leopard seals habitat overlaps that of other seals. Diet Leopard seals eat penguins.  © Tim Davis/Corbis/VCG / Getty Images The leopard seal will eat just about any other animals. Like other carnivorous mammals, the seal has sharp front teeth and fearsome-looking inch-long canines. However, the seals molars lock together to make a sieve that allows it to filter krill from the water. Seal pups primarily eat krill, but once they learn to hunt, they eat penguins, squid, shellfish, fish, and smaller seals. They are the only seals that regularly hunt warm-blooded prey.  Leopard seals often wait underwater and propel themselves out of the water to snatch their victim. Scientists can analyze a seals diet by examining its whiskers. Behavior Leopard seals are known to play cat and mouse with prey, typically with young seals or penguins. They will chase their prey until it either escapes or dies, but wont necessarily eat their kill. Scientists are uncertain of the reason for this behavior, but believe it may help hone hunting skills or might simply be for sport. Leopard seal males hang under the ice when they sing. Michael Nolan / Getty Images During the austral summer, male leopard seals sing (loudly) underwater for hours each day. A singing seal hangs upside down, with a bent neck and pulsating inflated chests, rocking from side to side. Each male has a distinct call, although the calls change depending on the seals age. Singing coincides with the breeding season. Captive females have been known to sing when reproductive hormone levels are elevated. Reproduction and Offspring While some kinds of seals live in groups, the leopard seal is solitary. Exceptions include mother and pup pairs and temporary mating pairs. Seals mate in summer and give birth after 11 months gestation to a single pup. At birth, the pup weighs around 66 pounds. The pup is weaned on the ice for about a month. Females become mature between ages three and seven. Males mature a bit later, typically between ages six and seven. Leopard seals live a long time for a seal, partly because they have few predators. While the average lifespan is 12 to 15 years, its  not uncommon for a wild leopard seal to live 26 years. Conservation Status According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), scientists once believed there may be over 200,000 leopard seals. Environmental changes have dramatically affected species the seals eat, so this number is likely inaccurate. The leopard seal is not endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists it as a species of least concern. Leopard Seals and Humans Leopard seals are highly dangerous predators. While attacks of humans are rare, cases of aggression, stalking, and fatalities have been documented. Leopard seals are known to attack the black pontoons of inflatable boats, posing an indirect risk to people. However, not all encounters with humans are predatory. When National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen dove into Antarctic waters to observe a leopard seal, the female seal he photographed brought him injured and dead penguins. Whether the seal was trying to feed the photographer, teach him to hunt, or had other motives is unknown. Sources Rogers, T. L.; Cato, D. H.; Bryden, M. M. Behavioral significance of underwater vocalizations of captive leopard seals, Hydrurga leptonyx.  Marine Mammal Science.  12  (3): 414–42, 1996.Rogers, T.L. Source levels of the underwater calls of a male leopard seal.  The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.  136  (4): 1495–1498, 2014.Wilson, Don E. and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. Species: Hydrurga leptonyx. Mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Summary and Critical Response Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary and Critical Response - Article Example According to the author, this independent nature is not awful but it reduces the overall qualitative development of the students by hindering their academic work. The students will not be able to conduct their study according to the academic schedule. Moreover, the students will not be eligible for a better job in future due to the part time job and lack of educational development. Thus, it is eminent from the article that the part time jobs at every instance affect the educational field of the students (Rokicka, 2014; Etzioni, n.d.). The author Amitai Etzioni has argued over the facts that the jobs at fast food organizations affect the quality of the students. The reason behind this is that the part time jobs do not provide any skilled training or any sort of career building opportunities. The author Etzioni has attempted to drag the attention of the working students and their guardians in order to demonstrate the drawbacks of part time jobs in such organizations. Moreover there are some other contradictory arguments, which reflect the importance of such part time jobs in these organizations. According to Wang, Kong, Shan & Vong (2010), the employees working in the restaurants acquire specific knowledge regarding preparation of food and maintenance of machines, and cash registers among others. This knowledge that the employees are attaining is of no use for them. However, Knuth (2011) contradictory argued that the learning of cash registers and operating these do not reflect any significant skill development. Mo reover, the learning of such aspects does not provide any better opportunity for them in building their career (Knuth, 2011). The contradictory arguments by Wang, Kong, Shan & Vong (2010) also suggests that the students working in part time jobs are of considerable number. The reason behind this is that the employees of part time jobs are

Friday, November 1, 2019

Intellectual Property Law assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Intellectual Property Law assignment - Essay Example A copyrights issue, with regards to ownership and authorship of a book and photographs arises. Who between Burchill, the book author and Justin Timbersnake, the subject of the book, owns the copyright to the book and the photographs? Does Burchill own the rights to the photos of Justin Timberlake she took in the pretence of her personal use and do such rights allow her to publicly distribute the photos in question? As noted, this is purely a question of copyright law; most importantly, The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 and the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003, No. 2498. In particular, this case is about copyright laws because it touches on moral rights and obligations. In this case, the right of privacy for Justin’s photographs Burchill had taken for her personal use, of which she has now agreed to give to the editor of The Sunday Topical. Secondly, there is the issue of copyright infringement and moral infringement; has the editor of The Sunday Topical infringed on Justin Timbersnake’s rights to the contents of Burchill’s book and photos? It is a fact that Burchill is the author of the book biography of Justin Timbersnake and the photographs she took of Justin while at his mansion. ... Justin Timbersnake should not sue The Sun Topical for serialising the book since they have not in any way infringed on his copyright since Burchill owns the authorship rights. However, Timbersnake can go ahead and sue Burchill for giving his private photos to The Sun Topical for public display. Likewise, as the facts of this case those outlined above are concerned; the relevant law to this case is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, specifically in relation to authorship, ownership, infringements, moral rights and privacy. Based on the facts of the case, it is imperative that the issue of ownership of the book and of the photography needs to be established. It is also beneficial to determine whether, by allowing Burchill access to his personal diary, Justin Timbersnake’s granted or transferred his copyrights of the diary to Burchill. If there was an assignment or transfer of copyright ownership, it will be important to find out whether there is a written documentatio n signed by or on behalf of the assignor. Another issue that needs determining is the nature of relationship between Burchill and Justine Timbersnake with regards to both the photography and the book; was Burchill employed by Justin when she took the photographs? Or did Justin ask or commission her to write the book on his life? These questions help in determining the first owner of the copyright with regards to both the photographs and the book. In addition to solving the issue of copyright ownership and authorship, it is important that the issue of infringement is looked at. Determining whether liability exists is also important as is the issues of remedies in terms of damages and or criminal