Letter to Friend Congratulating on Sucess free essay sample

It gives me great pleasure that you have topped the list of successful candidates in the Board Examination. It is all the more delightful to learn that you have secured distinction in all the subjects and in Mathematics you have secured 99% marks. Your grand success is a matter of pride for your family, friends, teachers and our school as well. It is, in fact, the result of your hard work and dedication, sacrifice and concentration. You have been very consistent all along your studies. You never ignored your studies. It has paid well now. Indeed, it is a moment of celebration particularly for your parents who have been very careful for all your needs and comforts. This success has opened up the door to various opportunities for your career. You can get admission in any of the good colleges in India. A bright future awaits you. Your bright success has secured your career. We will write a custom essay sample on Letter to Friend Congratulating on Sucess or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Again my heartiest congratulations on the happy occasion I am confident you will maintain this performance in future. Keep upthespiritand be careful to your health and performance. We will met soon to have a treat. With lots of good wishes for a bright future. Yours sincerely, Rishika My Dear Pramod, I am glad to see your result in today’s Rakasthan Patrika. Your outstanding performance in the RAS examination has secured you a good rank. I conveyed this happy news to my father who was sitting beside me. He too was overjoyed. I thank god for his kindness and wish you a bright future. You have been intelligent and diligent in your school and college days. Certainly, your success is due to god’s grace as well as your hard work and timely guidance of your respected parents. Keep it up! You will be of great asset to your family and more over to this nation. Please guide your sister also to overcome her IAS examinations which are due in November. Please convey my respectful compliments to your parents. Again, congratulations to you! Yours sincerely, Raj Kumar

Including Parents Essay Example

Including Parents Essay Example Including Parents Essay Including Parents Essay Including Parents Some parents do not know how they can get involved in their toddler’s life. This is especially the case for parents who choose to take their babies to child and day care facilities because they have to work. Parents give several reasons for their lack of involvement. Some parents have tight work schedules and they do not have the time to participate in other activities. Others do not know the type of activities that they can do with their toddlers. Some parents think that it does not matter, since their children are still babies and they do not think that it will affect them in any way. Some day care institutions do not make an effort to make the parents feel welcome. Parents therefore avoid these facilities because they do not know how they can participate. In some cases, parents have a lot of stress to deal with, either coming from work or from home. They are therefore not able to participate fully in the activities introduced. Others see it as a burden and they do not know how to get well with their toddlers (Better Kid Care, n. d.). Several steps can be taken to make sure that parents participate in different activities. Some of these include creating a welcoming atmosphere for the parents by asking for their involvement, reading to the toddler and introducing them to learning materials and physical activities such as play and dance Caregivers can encourage parent involvement by providing a welcoming atmosphere. They should make the parents feel they are welcome, by listening to their concerns and making sure that they ask for their participation. Giving parents an active role will make sure that they are fully engaged in the different activities. Some parents do not know how to interact well with their children. Most caregivers on the other hand, are experienced since they have done this for a long time. Caregivers should take the initiative to educate the parents concerning different issues (Children’s Corner Learning Center, 2010). When parents learn how to interact well with their children and have a good time with them, they will want to be involved in the different activities that are introduced. Caregivers can be culturally sensitive by observing the preferences of different cultures. For instance, they can restrain what is not accepted in the different culture. This will make the parents feel that they are important and valued. Toddlers are interested in learning and they enjoy looking at colorful picture books and learning new things. Caregivers can involve the parents by giving them some of the learning materials they use at the day facilities or they can advice them on the learning materials to buy (Oesterreich, 2001). Parents can choose books, which relate more to their particular culture. For instance, some animals are more common in some cultures and children can enjoy this, as it is something common to them. Parents should not only buy the books, but they should make sure that they read them together with their toddlers. They can enhance their child’s learning by telling them the different names of the pictures in the book. By the time the infant becomes a toddler, he or she has already learnt how to speak a few sentences. Toddlers can become a handful at this stage, as they usually try to explore everything they can. One of the favorite things they like to do is move around. This includes walking everywhere and dancing to the sound of music, or sometimes any sound at all. Parents can be encouraged to engage in their child’s playtime. They can use different toys to play with their children. Getting involved also means that they get the chance to monitor their toddler’s development. They can use the music the child likes listening to and they can dance with them. These activities can be made culturally sensitive by using the music that is most recognized in the particular culture or the toys that are more familiar in that culture. For instance, parents from an English background will appreciate games such as soccer, while many American parents will prefer sports such as baseball or basketba ll. References Better Kid Care (n. d.). Secrets of how to get parents involved. Retrieved from betterkidcare.psu.edu/†¦/GetParentsInvolved/GetParentsInvolvedWkBk.pdf Children’s Corner Learning Center. (2010). Infant program handbook. Retrieved from childrenscornernursery.com/infant_program.html# Oesterreich, L. (2001). Ages and stages. Iowa State University. Retrieved from extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1530A.pdf

8 Steps to Writing a Magnetic College Student Resume

8 Steps to Writing a Magnetic College Student Resume This right here is a post that approached the art of magnetic college student resume writing from a rather unorthodox perspective. But hey, that’s what it’s going to take for most grads in the modern world to land a sweet job! This is current, insider info. Step 1. Quality Approaches vs. Quantity The first thing to realize is that it’s better to focus fire your efforts on a small number of ideal options (1-5), rather than planning on designing a resume to send out en masse. Why? Who cares why? It should be obvious. If it’s not, then you better keep reading because you’re out of touch with the inbound marketing world. Because of the modern job market, you need to come across in a serious and personalized way to stand out from the crowd. How many other grads are applying to this position? Furthermore, if you lack experience and haven’t had the chance yet to prove yourself, then you’re going to need to really make up for that fact with a magnetic and irresistible college student resume (among other things). More details in our blog post on how to write a resume with no job experience. Step 2. Inventory Specs Benefits Take an hour out of your day, grab two pieces of paper and a pencil and do some masterminding. On one page, list your specifications. These are all the basic skill-sets and book smarts you have relevant to the position. Include certifications, degrees etc. On the other page, you list the benefits of hiring you from the company’s perspective. Now, realize that in today’s world, the specs don’t mean too much. It’s a results-driven world out there. Where’s the results you’ve created? If there are none, then the only leverage you have are the benefits of hiring YOU. And, the good news is that there’s only one of you. How can you capitalize on that fact? Step 3. Consider How You Might Break the Rules Study the resumes that most HR personal will expect to see and then ask yourself if there’s anything you can do to break the rules, but in a way that works in your favor. It’s hyper-competitive out there folks! Snap some intern out of their daze for a minute and get noticed! What do you have to lose by showing a bit of personality? Because guess what, most startups out there (and there’s millions of them paving the way for the future of the technologically driven world) are looking for young, creative and personable folks to work with. Communicate that millennial spirit. However, you should take into consideration that there are still some rules about writing a resume that are better to follow. Step 4. Come Out Swinging Be Direct Don’t think you can beat around the resume bush and get away with it. You can’t. Get straight to the primary benefit of hiring you and then list off your most impressive specification first. Stack the deck so that they see only the biggest selling points you have. Then, taper as you go but keep your resume ideally packaged on one page. With every word and sentence you put on that resume, ask yourself if you’re getting to the point or avoiding something. Boom! You’re not knocking on the door here folks, you’re kicking it in. â€Å"Here’s why you should hire me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bam, Bam, Bam! Also, dont forget about the power of words. Find out what good adjectives for a resume are and try to use them! Step 5. Harness the Power of Formatting I want you to look at your resume the way a copywriter looks at an expertly formatted advertorial web article. You know, the kind that you can’t help but reading and then have you pulling out your credit card for something. The title of your resume is as important to you as it is to a business trying to land on the first page of Google search results. The content must be easy to scan through. Subtitles, bullet-point lists, benefits and specifications. The content begins with a short introductory paragraph that serves as the hook. This should be crafted using your primary benefits. Check out good resume examples on websites which weve added to the list of top 10 resources about college graduate resume writing. Step 6. Yes, Have an Editor or Proofreader Look at It There’s no question. Unless you yourself are some kind of trained editor or proofreader, have someone else do it. In fact, you might want to consider actually paying a professional to look at it. Speaking of which†¦ Step 7. Consider Outsourcing These days you can hop online and pay freelance resume writers to craft something super-professional and impressive. All they’ll need is everything you wrote on those two pieces of paper from earlier and the list of companies you’re focusing on. Step 8. Maintain a Current Resume As time goes by and you collect more benefits and specifications that are resume worthy, be sure to update your resume. Things move quickly. Jobs can come and go before you know it. Always maintain your resume with the mindset that you could be on the job hunt at any moment. After the perfect resume is created, you should send it out! If you wont get the answer soon, dont be desparate. Consider sending a follow-up letter after sending a resume!

Inventing solutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inventing solutions - Essay Example As such, most inventions are for commercial purposes since the invented product is equally costly. This paper will address the invention of the Air blade Tap by James Dyson for commercial purposes. Indeed, the Air blade Tap is of great significance to the engineering and construction industry. James Dyson with the help of the British engineering group, Dyson engineers, invented the Air blade Tap with a built-in dryer in 2006. The invention manifests top class technology in engineering. Indeed, the inventor James Dyson states that Dyson engineers used laser-cutting techniques to manipulate marine grade steel in creating this intuitive and high performance tap that can wash and dry hands (â€Å"Dyson† n.p.). Actually, the significance of the Air blade Tap has drawn widespread recognition in the world where it has won prestigious awards like the Best workplace product innovation and Best Overall Product at Interbuild in 2007. According to the Dyson engineering group, the Air blad e tap combines a high-speed hand dryer with hot and cold-water outlets to offer services to the users. Indeed, technology is the basis for the company's Air blade dryer that is now available in most countries. Actually, in the operation of the Air blade dryer, cold air replaces hot air in blowing off water. Notably, this is a deviation from the norm in operating conventional dryers where hot air blows off water. In addition, the Air blade dryer uses 430mph blast from wings of either side of the tap to dry hands in 12 seconds (Warman n.p.). This is an improvement in technology since other conventional dryers are much slower. Indeed, the Air blade Tap significantly reduces drying time by a quarter. As such, the Air blade dryer stands out as the fastest hand dryer. Moreover, the device has guaranteed durability as it has lifetime antimicrobial coating. Indeed, the device is bound to last. To ensure this, there have been various tests on its durability and resilience to physical and che mical abuse. In addition, engineering-grade steel applies in boosting the durability of the Air blade dyer. As such, the Air blade tap has a guarantee of five years. The device is equally easy to operate as it has a touch-free operation and uses a HEPA filter (â€Å"Dyson† n.p.). More so, the device has a picture of hands on the dryer â€Å"wings† thus making it easy to recognize and use. This makes the device reliable, durable, effective, and faster. Worth noting is the fact that the significance of the Air blade dryer emanates from its technological components. Indeed, the Air blade dryer consists of a stainless steel head unit that facilitates the inflow of water and out flow of unheated air at 430mph (â€Å"BBC News† n.p.). The device also contains an air filter and sound-silencing equipment. In addition, it has a pipe that carriers the water, electrics and air to the tap. Moreover, it has a digital motor of 1600w that allows it to reach 90,000rpm in 0.7 sec onds (â€Å"Dyson† n.p.). This is arguably the smallest motor in the world. Notably, all these components lie underneath the sink and hence do not interfere with the usage of the device. Additionally, the digital motor consists of springs and silencers that aid in minimizing vibration and noise while the device is in operation. Indeed, the motor stands on springs thus

Dubai VS tempe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dubai VS tempe - Essay Example In both cities there is freedom of worship; with Tempe’s dominant religion being Christianity and Dubai’s dominant religion being Islam. Both cities are important transit routes to various global destinations and are homes to various multinationals, modern shopping malls and numerous financial services providers. The system of government in Dubai is that of constitutional monarchy whereas Tempe is governed by County government of Maricopa. Dubai’s population is bigger than Tempe’s. Dubai has a total of 1,137,347 people whereas that of Tempe is 158,625.The official currency in Dubai is the dirham abbreviated as DH whereas the official currency in Tempe is the United States dollar, abbreviated as USD. Thus Dubai and Tempe are important economic hubs for their respective countries and are very crucial to the development of their local economies. The two cities are also important tourist resort cities and attract numerous visitors annually. Thus Dubai and Tempe are key strategic cities whose contribution to their countries’ economic development cannot be

Killing a whole family Essay Example for Free

Killing a whole family Essay Rodolfo again faces Eddies angry side, which asks him to get out of his house. But Rodolfo has nothing to do with him and is more concerned of the arrival of Marco, which could lead to sparks flying between his brother and Eddie. He calls out to Catherine to leave now, while Beatrice suggests to Eddie to leave the house and go somewhere else. But Eddie refuses to move as this was his house, and now Beatrice is totally fed up with his behaviour and asks him that why he hates Marco now. Eddie refers to the time when Marco called him a rat and claimed that he had killed his children, which he says caused such hatred. Now Rodolfo tries to make things better by apologizing from his brothers behalf and he takes all the troubles and brings up the comradeship. But Eddie still sticks with his claim that Marco stole his name and asks Rodolfo to tell him to give it back in front of the whole neighbourhood. Eddie feels that this explanation isnt enough, now Beatrice can no longer hold the truth. She knows what Eddie wants, and in front of everyone and the arriving Marco, she says you can never have her. Beatrice asks Eddie to bid farewell to his niece forever, and that truth is not as bad as blood. Catherine is shocked, Eddie I horrified and [clenching his fists] he denies having such thoughts and asks Beatrice what made her think like that. Marco now calls out for Eddie and Eddies attention is diverted as he steps out of the apartment to challenge Marco. Rodolfo pleads them to stop and tells Eddie that he would be killing a whole family. But nothing can stop Eddie now and he has a murderous look and with a bit of fake laugher puts forward things that they have done wrong. He says that he knows that Marco feels that what h did wasnt right and should apologize for taking his name away and accusing him for killing his children despite the fact that he put his roof over them and food in their mouths. He further provokes Marco by repeatedly calling him a liar and then they get physical as Eddie lunges at Marco. Marco strikes him in the neck and calls him a animal. Eddie goes down and when it seems Marco has full control of the situation, Eddie brings out a knife. Louis tries to stop Eddie, but Eddie is totally out of control and he lunges with his knife at Marco, who with a final cry of Anima-a-a-l!   grabs his arm and presses the blade into Eddie. Mike and Louis separate the pair, but time has run out for Eddie whose words to Beatrice were his last ever. Beatrice covers Eddie while people around are praying, lights shine on Alfieri who is in the crowd. So as the play has progressed, this dominant and generous hero of the play is made to seem like a selfish and rude villain, whos immense love, narrow minded nature and feelings of insecurity have led to him falling into his own trap of death. I do indeed think that Eddie was responsible for his own death, and it was bound to happen as soon as he had made the phone call which in my view was the hubris, the point of no return. But just like Alfieri, the audience does tend to feel sorry for this hard-working man, who despite having displayed his generosity, his life had to end in this manner. His selfishness and his flaw, which was his immense love, ate him up, and he was always very stubborn to his decisions and never took advice from either Alfieri or Beatrice. His deterioration was clear and could be monitored as he first felt honoured to welcome the Italian brothers, then when they he entered he asked them when they would leave and towards the end asked them to get out of their house. When Alfieri says at the end of the play, And yet it is better to settle for half, he is trying to send a message that despite the fact that Eddie displayed honest emotions through out, he still never compromised with everyone because of his narrow-minded beliefs and that eventually cost him his life.

Mexico in South Phoenix :: Arizona Mexican Culture Essays Papers

Mexico in South Phoenix â€Å"It’s like going to Mexico without ever leaving Phoenix.† This was a quote by Mr. Virgil, the Manager of the Ranch Market. A tour of the Ranch Market showed his statement to be true, hence the title of this paper. The following will discuss the Ranch Market and Mexico in South Phoenix. To begin, the tour was absolutely intriguing. The class was introduced to Mr. Virgil. Then we proceeded to get a really in-depth insight into what was up with the Ranch Market. While the Ranch Market is really just another store to purchase canned food, fruit, personal hygiene products, and even a meat department, the real attraction is the food service department. The class and I learned about the revenue intake of the entire Ranch Market; and as things go, the food service department accounted for over 40% of the income. I thought the food was awesome, as did the several hundred patrons. The food service department consists of several components. The most prosperous of the components is the Mexican food deli, followed only shortly by the bakery. The Mexican food that is prepared right in front of you consists of tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, nachos, and about any other type of Mexican food one could think of. The bakery is awesome. The prices are very appealing to the frugal, but the availability of all types of bread (donuts, to loafs, to cakes and pies) is appealing to basically everyone. However, the whole Ranch Market seemed to be focused on appealing to the Mexican culture. This type of environment reminded me of a reading that was assigned; it was titled American Apartheid, Segregation and the Making of the Underclass. This reading addressed the segregated society. A few sentences really interested me, such as â€Å"†¦extreme racial segregation did not just happen; it was manufactured by whites through a series of self-conscious actions and purposeful institutional arrangements that continue today.† This reminded me of how South Phoenix has been shunned by the Valley of the Sun and a haven for illegal immigrants who do not speak English. Another reference from American Apartheid is â€Å"Although poor black neighborhoods still contain many people who lead conventional, productive lives, their example has been overshadowed in recent years by a growing concentration of poor, welfare-dependent families that is an inevitable result of residential segregation.

Ethical Issues in International Business

Ethical refers to the approved right or wrong in doing and especially in making a decision for the business. Businesses focus on profit maximization drops ethical practices in their daily doing mostly for the long term effect. Ethical involved in business are like, bribery and corruption, environment regulations and human rights.The use of ethical minimizes legal problems to business. Business which avoids law compliance to its operation incurs huge loses when caught in erroneous. This may results to sanctions, high legal fee charges or heavy fines. Due to public awareness and publicity the business damages its reputation which highly affects it than fees and fines. Business that maintains ethical, experiences conducive environment and has no law suit challenges (Wolf, R., & Issa, T. (2015). Ethical creates high morale to the employee by good and respectful treatment. This is passed through to the customers by employees, bringing in repeat business. These good morals improve market share. A business that observes ethical has high chance of winning a competitive advantage in a client. Any shareholder feels satisfied in investing in such business structure where their shares are not at risk of unethical activities.The business objective is a better world, this can be achieved ethically .Promoting strong public image. A business observing ethical is advantaged to growth, earning customer royalty, conducive working environments thus building an organization of high value to all stakeholders. Such a business observes the environmental and contributes towards community projects. This ethical enhances growth of business and moreover betterment of the world class. Ethical in business can be achieved and improve both profit and world betterment. ReferencesIn Wolf, R., & In Issa, T. (2015). International business ethics and growth opportunities.Rothlin, S., & McCann, D. (2016). International Business Ethics: Focus on China. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Aerobic Exercises act as Brain Boosters

Many newspapers, magazines and online articles have in the past reported research findings done by other people. For those people who may not be critiques, the information found from these media avenues may be complete sources of information, but for those that are interested in verifying any given information, then studying the original research will be very vital. This is because the research reports in media may not provide finer details of methodology or other cautionary statements that have been made by the researchers.This term paper makes a critical analysis of Peter Jaret’s article on the CNN’s website entitled â€Å"Brain boosters: Exercising your mind as you age. † Research: Aerobic Fitness Reduces Brain Tissue Loss in Aging Humans The research entitled â€Å"Aerobic Fitness Reduces Brain Tissue Loss in Aging Humans† was conducted to examine the relationship between aerobic fitness and brain tissues in an old adult population (Colcombe ET al, 200 3). The research was important in that the brain starts losing tissues as one gets older which in turn makes the cognitive performance to decline.This can enable measures that can reduce costs related to geriatric care put in place. This may be done by coming up with mechanisms that can be used to reverse or reduce this brain deterioration. The research was also done to either confirm or refute the previous researches that suggested that aerobic fitness training does improve the cognitive function of old people and that it can improve the brain health of aging animals tested in the laboratory (Colcombe ET al, 2003).The targeted population was made up of older adults in the community who were over fifty five years, were right handed, high functioning, and had been recruited for public fliers, campus wide e-mailings and newspaper advertisements (Colcombe ET al, 2003). Those who were excluded were those that were below the stated age, got less than twenty in Mini-Mental State Examinati on and had a history of organic brain dysfunction and stroke. Also the participants were excluded if the reported claustrophobia or had pacemakers or metallic implants, this was done for safety reasons pertaining to magnetic resonance imaging setting.The respondents were also to get written approval letters from their doctors so that they can undergo the cardiovascular stress test. The research was approved by the University of Illinois’ Institutional Review Board in addition to the researchers meeting ethical standards that were relevant (Colcombe ET al, 2003). The first part of the research methodology was to measure the gray and white matters of the brain from the Magnetic Resolution (high density) images and then the estimates of the maximal oxygen uptake (V O2max).The brain images were taken using three dimensional spoiled gradient sequences on a General Electric scanner. The Rockport 1-mile walk protocol was used to assess the participant’s cardiovascular fitness . The impact of cardiovascular fitness on brain tissue differences in density that are age related was accessed using a voxel-based morphometric technique. The technique is useful in that it provides a means of estimating tissue atrophy in the entire brain with spatial resolution that is high which then allows conclusions of the variables on brain matter change (Colcombe ET al, 2003).Before analysis was done the images were taken through different preprocessing stages. First the tissues that are non brain were removed from the image of the head of the participants. The other three images were divided into three maps to represent the density of the white matter, the grey matter and the cerebrospinal fluid. All the images were then examined by experts who did not have prior information of the participants’ fitness so that they could be objective in their calibration (Colcombe ET al, 2003).Though sixty individuals had expressed their interest to participate in the study, fifty f ive were eligible to complete both faces due to the fact that three were younger; one person had an implanted pacemaker, eight had claustrophobia and one scored less MMSE score. The participants were aged between fifty five and seventy nine years meaning that the age mean score was 66. 5 years. Generally the sample was 44. 4 percent men; many being well educated (average 16. 1 years in education). The results showed that the white matters of the brains were being lost as one continued aging.Also, those regions that are mostly affected by aging are the ones that showed the greatest advantages of aerobic fitness. Fitness according to the results plays the role of moderating decline in tissue density that is related to age. The results showed that tissue densities in the parietal, frontal and temporal cortices of the brain reduce as the aging process progresses. Also it was found that the losses were reduced by the cardiovascular fitness function even when other variables were controll ed (Colcombe ET al, 2003).The research was very important as it was a confirmation that there is a relationship between cardiovascular fitness and the degeneration the fact that had previously been hypothesized. There was also the confirmation that cardiovascular fitness protection and enhancement of the cognitive function in the older adults has a biological basis. This is a justification of the other studies that had shown that taking antioxidant supplements could reverse aging in older brains; cognitive training could assist in the preservation of brain function.The research report also suggest that there are aerobic exercises’ benefits that go beyond health markers (cardiovascular) which can even affect the brain (Colcombe ET al, 2003). Synopsis of the article In the CNN’s article online that is entitled â€Å"Brain boosters: Exercising your mind as you age,† there are some research issues that the author, Peter Jaret has handled. He states that the research ers have established that physical and mental activities protect one’s memory and helping him or her stay alert (Jaret, 1999).He also refers to the previous researches stating that the speed of brain processing does slow down as one continues to advance in years and also that between the age of twenty five and fifty five people can loose about twenty five percent of their synapses (connections which relay messages between neurons). Also that the older people experience problems in coming up with either numbers or names; this being because memory takes more time in retrieving the data.He also mentions Robert Dustman’s article in 1990 that states that those people who are aerobically fit are better in staying alert and pay attention or even in remembrance of information. He quotes the director of Gerontology at the University of Texas who states that two physical factors are the ones that predicts the performance (on tests of information processing) of a person. The auth or gives the reason why aerobic fitness affects the brain precisely because exercises allow blood vessels to remain open and the heart to remain strong, thus allowing the brain to function properly since the nutrients can reach the brain cells.He states that neurons that make two percent of the total body weight use about one quarter of the oxygen and glucose intake by the body. Exercises also allow parts of the balance and movement that keep the connections of the neurons strong (Jaret, 1999). Jaret (1999) also mentions the researches that found out that mental gymnastics are useful in the preservation of brain power. He cites the research by Meyer who recorded his research findings in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society in 1990 stating that blood flow for those who have allowed their minds to be inactive declines.The author mentions the 1998 issue of Neuroscience where the researchers found that brain cells can reproduce; the study that was done using rats. He also menti ons Robert Goldman’s suggestions on the ways one can develop brain connections that are underused. First, one can play games that require thinking, memorize poetry and verses, reading articles and books that are challenging and finally engage in practices that are regarded as complex or difficult (Jaret, 1999).Critique of the Article Studying the article, it is clear that the author had done enough research before he decided to submit it for publishing. This is because many of the research findings that he mentions are either preceded or followed by their authors or the sources from where the information had been gotten. Information about the speed of brain’s processing slowing with the advancement of age had already been proved in the researches by Colcombe ET al.Other claims that the author has made and that are verified by the findings of this research include the percentage of the synapses that are lost as age progresses, between the age of twenty five and fifty fi ve and that exercises keeps the blood flowing to the brain cells facts that are also mentioned in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. When he states that mental gymnastics can preserve brain power he aggress with the research done by Marks Et al (2007) entitled â€Å"Role of aerobic fitness and aging on cerebral white matter integrate. †Despite the researched facts that the writer of the article has given, there are details that he has not given the readers perhaps because of the space limit allowed in the media publications. The methodology used by the researchers has not been indicated and other important details such as research designs, data collection methods, and the variables. This makes the readers unable to get the final details of the researches. This however does not at any form mislead the reader as the author was careful to cite the sources of the information that he has written.Conclusion In conclusion, it is clear that Peter Jaret article was well written, citing the sources from where the information has been retrieved. However, the article could have been made more informative by giving finer details of the original researches that were conducted. REFERENCES Colcombe, J. et al (2003). Aerobic fitness reduces brain tissue loss in aging humans. The Journal of Gerontology Series: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 58:M176- M-180. — (2003). Aerobic exercise training increases brain volume in aging humans. The Journalof Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 61:1166-1170. Erickson, K. , Kramer, A. (2008). Aerobic exercise effects on cognitive and neural plasticity in older Adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43:22-24. doi:10. 1136/bjsm. 2008. 052498 Jaret, P. (1999). Brain boosters: Exercising your mind as you age. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://archives. cnn. com/1999/HEALTH/aging/12/15/brain. boosters. two. wmd/index. html Marks, B. Et al. (2007). Role of aerobic fitness and aging o n cerebral white Matter Integrity. New York: New York Academy of Scienc

4-Step Guide How to Study for the SAT in a Month

4-Step Guide How to Study for the SAT in a Month SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you've only got a month before test day, don't freak out! Although it's not a ton oftime to prepare for the SAT, it can be enough if you useyour time wisely. In this guide, we share with you our best advice on how to study for the SAT in a month. We'll begin by analyzing the feasibility of studying for the SAT in a month and then go overthe critical steps you must take in order to get your plan going. Finally, we’ll leave you with 12 high-impact tips you can use during your studies andon test day to help you get the SAT score you need for college! NOTE: This article largely assumes you’ll be conducting a self-guided study plan. Those who'd prefer ahelping hand should takeadvantage of our expert SAT tutors as well asour completely customizableSAT prep course! Is Studying for the SAT in a Month Doable? Let's start by addressing the crux of this article: is studying for the SAT in a month a feasible endeavor? The answer is yes; however,how doable a month-long study plan is depends greatly on what kind ofscore improvement you're hoping for. In terms of total point improvement on the SAT, here are the (approximate) numbers of hours you'll need to study: 0-30 point improvement: 10 hours 30-70 point improvement: 20 hours 70-130 point improvement: 40 hours 130-200 point improvement: 80 hours 200-330 point improvement: 150 hours+ As you can see, the higher the score improvement you want, the more hours you’ll have to dedicate to studyingfor the SAT. Because the SAT is such an important test for college, and because high school students are busy people, our usual recommendation is to set aside at least six months for SAT prep. This way you won't have to squeeze in too many study sessions each week, and you should still be able to hit the score you need- even a fairly lofty one requiringan increase of 200+ points. For those who'd like to improve their SAT scores by something closer to, say,100 points,three months should generally suffice. But not everyone has three or six months to committo studying for the SAT. So if you've only got a month to get started, don't worry; you can still increase your score. You just need to be willing toclock in the necessary amount of study time whenever possible. There are limitations to this, though.If you want to improve your SAT score by something close to 200 or 300points (150+ hours of study time), one month likely won't give you enough time todo so. For a plan like this to work, you'd have to study about 38 hours a week, or more than five hours a day! This is waytoo much time for anyone todedicate entirely to SAT prep. At this rate, you're guaranteed to burn out after a day or two! So to recap, studying for the SAT in a month is doable, as long as you: Are ready to create a regular study schedule and stick with it. Want toimprove your total SAT score by no more than 130-200 points (equivalent to about 80 study hours). Now, let's take a look at how to study for the SAT in a month using our simple four-step plan. How to Study for the SAT in a Month:4 Critical Steps for GettingStarted Gettingthe most out of your month-long SAT study plan means figuring out what your current SAT score is, what kind of scoreyou need for college, and how you intend to achieve that score. Ouressentialsteps below will teach youhow to prepare for the SAT in a month, so you can take the test with confidence. Step 1: Find Your Target Score In order to determine how many hours you'll need to study, you must first findyour SAT goal score. This is the score most likely to get you into all of the colleges you're applying to. The easiestway to find your SAT goal score is to search for average SAT scores (which are usually presented as score ranges) on your schools’ websites. Get onGoogle and look for â€Å"[College Name] average SAT† or â€Å"[College Name] 25th/75th percentile SAT.† You can also browseour SAT requirements database by searching for "[College Name] SAT requirements PrepScholar."Here is an example of USC's SAT requirements page. Your target score should match or exceedthe 75th-percentile score for your most competitive college.Gettingthis score will give youthe best shot at gaining admissioninto all of your colleges, even your most competitive ones. Step 2: Figure Out Your Baseline Score Once you’ve found your goal score, it’s time to figure outyour baseline score (where you’re currently scoring on the SAT). You will use this benchmark score to determinethe number of points neededto hit your goal score (as described in Step 1). To get your baseline score, take anofficial SAT practice test. Be sure yourecreate a realistic test-taking environment as closely as you can: take the test in a quiet room and timeyourself exactly as you'll be timed on the SAT. Once finished, use your test’s answer guide to calculate your individual Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) scores as well asyour total SAT score. This total scorewill serve as your baseline score. You can also use thispractice test to get a feel for which areas of the exam and which question typesare most challenging for you. Step 3: Create a Study Schedule The third step is to come up with a study schedule you'll be able to follow fairly rigidly over the course of a month. First, findthe difference between your baseline score and your target score to get the total number of points required toachieve your target score. Then, look for your difference using the following point ranges to determine how many total hours you'll need to study over the course of a month. As I mentioned previously, one month should give you enough time to study for up to 80 hours and attain, at a maximum, a200-point score increase: 0-30 point improvement: 10 hours 30-70 point improvement: 20 hours 70-130 point improvement: 40 hours 130-200 point improvement: 80 hours The second half of this step is to divide yourhours into a feasible weekly study plan. Below are various schedules you can try out depending on the score range you're aiming for on test day. Alwayschoose the best plan that will work for you personally.So if you loathe the idea of studying for the SAT on weekdays, stick to longer study sessions on the weekends. On the other hand, if studying for more than an hour straight isutterly torturous for you, opt for shorter, more frequent study sessions scattered throughout the week. Light: You Want to Improve Your SAT Score by 0-30 Points If your baseline score is within 30 points ofyour target score, congratulations! You havea very doable month-long study schedule. For this plan, your total prep time is about 10 hours, or a meretwo and a half hours a week. Your options for aweekly study schedule are as follows: 2 hours and 30 minutes, once a week 1 hour and 15 minutes, twice a week 30 minutes, five times a week Medium: You Want to Improve Your SAT Score by 30-70 Points In this scenario, your baseline score is slightly more removed fromyour target score - but not by much! For this medium-sized plan, you muststudy a total of 20 hours, or five hours a week on average. Idealstudy schedules for this plan include: 2 hours and 30 minutes, twice a week 1 hour and 15 minutes, four times a week 1 hour, five times a week Heavy: You Want to Improve Your SAT Score by 70-130 Points Now we get to the tougher plans. With this schedule,you'll have to really startbuckling down to reach your goal of70-130 points. To do so successfullywithin a month, you must study for a minimum of 40 hours, or about10 hours a week. Possible study schedules are: 3 hours and 20 minutes, three times a week 2 hours and 30 minutes, four times a week 2 hours, five times a week Heavier: You Want to Improve Your SAT Score by 130-200 Points This SAT prep plan, though technically feasible, requires a high amount of diligence, regularity, and commitment. To improve your baseline score by 130-200 points, you must study for a minimum of 80 hours, or 20 hours a week on average. Note that at this rate, each of your study sessions will befairly lengthy at three or more hourslong. Your best options for a foolproof study schedule are as follows: 5 hours, four times a week 4 hours, five times a week 3 hours and 20 minutes, six times a week Impossible? You Want to Improve Your SAT Score by 200-330 Points This certifiably insane plan would require a total of 150+ study hours in a month - that's 38 hours a week! Therefore, due to its impractical nature,I do not recommend attempting this plan. Instead, it'll be more helpful for you toaim for a slightly smaller point increase (see plan â€Å"Heavier† above) and then retake the SAT at a later date if you want toimprove your score even more. Just be sure you give yourself more than a month of study time on the second go-around - ideally, anywhere from three to six months. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Step 4: Gather SAT Study Materials Now that you've gota foolproof study plan, it’s time to gather the SAT prep materials you’ll usefor content review and practice during your prep sessions. If you've already got a stash of SAT materials ready to use, awesome! If not, here is a convenient compilationof some of the best SAT resources currently available: The Ultimate SAT Study Guide for SAT Prep: This guide contains links to all of our most important and relevant SAT articles. Use this guide as a broad reference for information on both SAT study resources and test-taking strategies. You can also use it to answer any questions you may have concerning scoring and other SAT logistics. Complete Official SAT Practice Tests, Free Links:Go to this article to download all official SAT practice tests, answer keys, and answerexplanations.Be sure toprioritize newer practice tests(i.e., those based on theredesigned SAT) over older ones. Best SAT Prep Books 2017 (Updated for New SAT): Read this article for candidreviews of the best SAT prep books. All books on this list have been reviewed by a perfect SAT scorer, so you can rest assured they’re worth purchasing! The Best SAT Prep Websites You Should Be Using: Online study materials can be just as helpful as SAT prep books as long as you know where to find qualityresources! Use our guide to help you find the best online SAT resources, from practice questions and strategy guides to virtual prep courses. Khan Academy: A partner website of the College Board (the creators of the SAT), Khan Academy offers a plethora of realistic SAT practice questions and tutorial videos- all for free! Check out our comprehensive guide for tips on how toincorporate Khan Academy into your SAT study plan. As a bonus resource, our SAT blogoffers a vast amount of SAT information, from tips and strategies to testing logistics and more. So feel free to use this resource if you have any questions about the SAT or simply want toreview content using our free study guides! Once you've selecteda solid assortment of quality SAT resources, read on to see ourtoptipson how to study for the SAT in a month. How to Prepare for the SAT in a Month: 6 Surefire Tips A month isn't a particularly long time to study for the SAT, but with our six surefire tips, you're guaranteed to get the score you want on test day! #1: Familiarize Yourself With the SAT Format As is the case with any exam,knowing what to expect on test day can give you a big advantage, not to mention a little extraconfidence. Start your SAT prep byfamiliarizing yourself withhow the test is scored and what type of content it tests. Then, move on to the specifics of each SAT section by learning about what kinds of questions you'll encounter on the exam and what kinds of skills you'll need to master in order to get a high score. For an in-depth overview of each SAT section, refer to the following guides: What’s Actually Tested on the SAT Reading Section? SAT Reading Skills What’s Tested on the SAT Writing Section? Grammar and Questions What’s Tested on the SAT Math Section? Topics and Practice Knowing the SAT format inside and out will give you the upper hand on test day by ultimately eliminating the risk of surprises. #2: Take 2-3 Official Practice Tests to Measure Your Progress Once you've begun studying for the SAT, it's important you consistently check whetheryour SAT score is improving or not by takingofficial SAT practice tests. For a month-long study plan,two or three official practice tests should suffice.Takethe first test at the beginning of your study plan to get your baseline score (as described in Step 2 above). Then, take a second test abouthalfway through your study plan todeterminewhether your prep materials and study methods are actually helping you, and to see whether you have any glaring weaknesses you need to concentrate on more. Practice tests must be taken at the appropriate times to be most effective.So don't take a test too early (less than a week after you’ve started studying for the SAT) or else you likely won’t notice any significant changes. Similarly, don’t take a test too close to test day, as this will only drain your energy! #3: Review Core SAT Math Topics Your study plan would be incomplete if you don't spend any timereviewing the core concepts tested on SAT Math.Broadly, the three major SAT Math topics are algebra, advanced math, and problem solving and data analysis. Altogether, these three topics account for 90 percent of Math questions. But what exactly should you study?Startby mastering thebasics of integers. (You can also check out ouradvanced guide to integersfor detailson prime numbers, absolute values, exponents, and more!) Afterward, progress to the following critical SAT Math topics: For Algebra Linear functions, equations, and inequalities Single-variable equations Systems of linear equations For Advanced Math Quadratic and nonlinear functions and equations Exponential functions and equations Graphing functions Manipulatingpolynomials For Problem Solving and Data Analysis Statistics (mean, median, mode, etc.) Ratios and proportions (including percentages) Graphs, scatterplots, and tables We also offer individual Math strategy guides, which you can access throughour ultimate SAT math prep guide. #4: Learn Basic Math Strategies In addition to masteringcore SAT Math topics, it's imperative youlearn some of thebasic strategies for tackling SAT math. One key strategy you can use while studying is to re-solve math problems you’ve missed before looking at the answer explanations. Here's how it works: using high-quality math practice questions (those on the official SAT practice tests are always safe bets), you’ll answer various SAT Math questions and then check your answers one by one. As you do so, mark the ones you got wrong and then immediately attempt to solve them again, this timeusing the correct answer as a hint. Re-solving questions allowsyou to think more deeply about why you missed a question and what other ways you can use to approach it and come up with a solution. Additional Math strategies areplugging in answers and plugging in numbers. With these two strategies, you can attempt almost anymath problem, even if you’re clueless about how to solve it. These strategies work well if you don't knowhow to simplify algebraic expressions or how to use algebra to solve systems of equations and inequalities. #5: Review Core SAT Grammar Topics Switching gears now! For the SAT Writing and Language section, you must possess a working knowledge of written English conventions and then use this knowledge to correct and improve sentences in various passages. In short, you must understand all of the fundamental rules of English grammar and punctuation. Rules and conceptsmostcommonly tested on the SAT Writing section include: Commas, colons, and semicolons Apostrophes and possessives Subject-verb agreement Modifiers Homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings) Restrictive and non-restrictive clauses Redundancy Idiomatic phrases #6: Develop a Strategy for Reading SAT Passages Passages are abundant on both the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT; in fact, every question on these two sections is based on a passage! Therefore,it's important you cultivate the ability to interpret various types of passages both quickly and accurately. There are many methods for approaching SAT passages. Becausethe Reading and Writing sections pose different types of questions in regards to their respective passages, you may find it easier to develop separate reading strategies for each section. On the Reading section, test takers typically use one of the following strategiesfor reading passages: Skim the passage and then read the questions Skim the questions and then read or skim the passage Read the passage in its entirety and then answer the questions (not recommended) And on the Writing section, test takers tend to use one of these strategies: Answer questions as you read the passage paragraph by paragraph (highly recommended) Answer each underlined question in order as you read the passage Skim the passage and then answer the questions Read only the underlined sentences (not recommended) Ultimately, which passage-reading strategy you choose is up to you, and its success depends on how you read and digest information best. To help you determine which strategy works wellfor you, test out the different strategies listed above using the Reading and Writing sections onofficial SAT practice tests (make sure you time yourself for the same amount of time you’ll be given on the SAT). After you take the tests, compare your scores for each section. Any scores that are significantly higher on one test shouldpoint to a strategy that suits you. 6 Additional SAT Study Tips for the High Achiever The following six tips are geared toward those who are planning to spend at least40 total hourson studying for the SAT in a month and would like additional tactics for reaching their SAT goal scores. #7: Carefully Analyze Real Questions Your study sessions will likely feel pretty long, so spendsome of your time carefully analyzing real SAT questions. The best resources to use for this are official SAT practice tests. As you peruse thequestions on these tests, look for concrete clues to help you identify the type of questions you're encountering on each section. For example, can you differentiate thebig picture questions on the Reading section from the little picture questions? On the Math section, can you identify which problems fall under theHeart of Algebra category? The Data Analysis and Problem Solving category? How doNo Calculator questions differ from those on the Calculator section? Examining how various types of concepts are presented on the SAT will allowyou tobecome an expert on the SAT format. As a result, you'll start to spend lesstime trying to comprehend SAT questionsand more time trying tosolve them. #8: Master ALL Applicable Math Topics and Grammar Rules Test takers hoping for a staggering point increase must move beyond the basics of SAT Math and grammar and start delving into more advanced (albeit less commonly encountered) SAT topics. For the Math section, spend extra time mastering the final10 percent of topics (called â€Å"Additional Topics in Math†). This category primarily covers: Geometry, including triangles, circles, 3-D objects, lines and angles, and arc lengths Trigonometry Complex numbers Additionally, try tomemorizeall of the major SAT Math formulas. Although you’ll be given a list of formulas on the exam, these formulas revolve exclusively around geometry (a less commonly tested topic). Thus, it's imperative youmemorize other relevant formulas, such as those for algebra and trigonometry, that will not be given to you on the test. That being said, you should still memorize the ones on the test, too; doing this willsave you time on test day, as you won't need to repeatedly check the list of formulas for help. In regards to grammar, those with ample time on their hands should make it a goal to master all of the rules detailed in our complete SAT grammar guide. This guide goes over some of the more complex grammar topics, includingrelative pronouns, parallel structure, and fragments and run-on sentences, that you'll need to know for the SAT. #9: Hone Your Reading Comprehension Skills To become an expert at SAT Reading, you must not only know how to read the passages but also how to select the correct answer. And here'sthe trick: there is always only one answer that is 100-percent, unambiguously correct. What do I mean by this? All correct Reading answers are supported bydirect evidencein the passages. So of the four answer choices given to you for each question, only one will be clearly correct - all of the other choices willcontain some sort of clue to indicate they are clearly incorrect. Make sure you practice honing this trick withhigh-quality Reading questions.As you do so,think deeply aboutwhythe incorrect answer choices are incorrect. Dead giveaways for incorrect answersare thosethat: Are too broad Are too specific Are unrelated to the passage Say the opposite of what’s written in the passage Contain extra information that isn’t written in the passage Offer a slightly plausible interpretation thatisn’t directly supported by the passage Even asingle word can make an answer choice incorrect, so alwayskeep a sharp eye as you consider answer choices on the Reading section. #10: Study Vocabulary Although vocabulary no longer constitutes a major portion of theSAT, those trying toincrease their EBRW scoresshould cover all of theirbases by studying vocabulary words likely to appear on the SAT. Luckily, all of the vocabulary on the new SAT is only about medium difficulty; the challenging part, however, stems from having to know tertiary meanings of common terms. For quality vocabulary prep, check out our selection of 150 ACT vocabulary words andScholastic’s 100-word SAT/ACT vocabulary list. (Note that thevocabulary tested on the SAT is now extremely similar to that tested onthe ACT, so it's perfectly OK to useACT vocabulary resources for your SAT prep!) #: Strengthen Your Weaknesses Another tip for high achievers is to target your weaknesses by drilling challenging SAT topics and question types. Focusing on your most difficultareas will help youhone your test-taking skills, effectivelyraising your SAT score. Doing this will also teach youhow todetect patterns in the errors you make, so that you canavoid making them again in the future. The best way to combat your SAT weaknesses is to dedicate more time to both content review and hands-on practice. Use high-quality resources such as prep books for comprehensive content explanations. Then, look for realistic practice questions on your most difficult topics (official practice tests and prep books are solid resources for questions). Work through the questions one by one and check their answers to ensure you understand what mistakes you’re making and how you can alter your habits to answer the questions correctly on test day. #12: Practice Pacing Yourself Don’t assume that just because you’re familiar with the content of the SAT that you’ll be able to breeze on through it! Instead, taketime to develop an ideal pace. One of the worst things you can do on the SAT is leave dozens of questions unanswered, but being aware of how much time you spend on each question should greatly reduce this risk. On practice tests, time yourself and try to see whether certain question types take you longer to work through than others. Then, work on developing faster techniques and strategies for the types of questions that usually eat up your time. On the other hand, if you’re routinely finishing practice tests with tons of time to spare but not scoring where you want to score, you’re likely moving way too fast. In this case, devote more time to double-checking your answers and re-reading any ambiguous questions, sentences, or passages. The Final Word: How to Study for the SAT in a Month Studying for the SAT in a month, though challenging, can be a feasible option for certain test takers depending on the number of points by which you’d like to improve your baseline score. The more points you want, the more hours you’ll need to dedicate to studying - and thus the harder it’ll be to stick to your study plan. If you are trying to improve your score by a significant number of points - say, 200 or more - one month likely isn’t going to be enough time for you to be able to successfully do so. To study for the SAT in a month, you must first find your SAT target score based on your colleges’ average SAT scores and then take an official SAT practice test to get your baseline score. After you've gotten both of these scores, select a study schedule that corresponds to the total point improvement you want to make on the SAT. Once you’ve gathered your SAT prepmaterials, follow thesesix tips to get the most out of your month-long study plan: Familiarize yourself with the SAT format Take 2-3 official practice tests to track your progress Review core SAT math concepts Learn basic math strategies Review core SAT grammar topics Develop a strategy for reading SAT passages And for those with more hours to dedicate to studying, use your extra time to: Carefully analyze real questions Master all applicable math topics and grammar rules Hone your reading comprehension skills Study vocabulary Strengthen your weaknesses Practice pacing yourself With these tips in mind, you should have no trouble implementing a surefire month-long SAT study plan! What’s Next? Feel like you're running out of time?Stay calm! With ourexpert last-minute SAT tips and strategies, you can still get the SAT score you want - no matter how little time you've got left before test day. Need extra help studying for the SAT?Check out our top 21 SAT tipsand learn everything you need to know aboutacing the SAT! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

The Writer Unplugged - Freewrite Store

The Writer Unplugged - Freewrite Store This is a guest post by Selena Chambers, who writes in Florida. Selena  is co-author of the Hugo and World-Fantasy nominated THE STEAMPUNK BIBLE (Abrams Image), and is currently writing a travel guide to STEAMPUNK PARIS (Pelekenisis Press) with Arthur Morgan out later this year. You can follow her at:   www.selenachambers.wordpress.com or steampunkparis.com. Distraction is the greatest form of resistance a writer faces on a daily basis. I’ve been struggling with it for years, and have come close to throwing my laptop in the trash and running as far away from the publishing game as possible. What kept me from giving up? Slowly realizing that other writers (especially those who seem like they have their act together in the public eye) and creatives struggle with the same issues. Evading distraction and finding focus is, of course, a personal journey and you have to find what works for you and your environment, but in speaking with my friends and gazing into my own navel, I have realized that distraction comes in two forms:   that which takes you closer to writing, and that which takes you away from it. The former is Life and all its abstracts:   birth, death, health, sickness, economy, employment, politics, friendship, family, solitude, love, sex, hate, education, and travel. True, not much writing is happening while undergoing these experiences, but they all inform it by putting you physically in the world to observe, absorb, and feel. It shapes your perspective, gives you an impulse and ultimately grants you something to say. The other kind of distraction, that which takes you away from your writing, are the activities designed for amusement and instant gratification and while relaxing, do very little to inform the work, even though we may trick ourselves in to thinking so. For some, it may be playing video games, binging on Girls, fingernails that need clipping, or in my case, going online.   By no means is this some kind of Jonathan Franzen rant. I love the internet. It is ubiquitous with all the things, and while that is a modern-day marvel, its pervasiveness can be a modern-day time sink. When I sit down to write, I have no problem ignoring my eyebrows and the cat bunnies blowing by like tumbleweeds under the A/C vents, because I can resist the urge to get up from my desk to go handle them. Not so the online â€Å"to-do† list, which is much harder to disregard because all the tools are right here at my fingertips. More often than not, on days when the writing is like digging into dry Georgia clay, I find myself mulling over this list. With a few clicks, I am out of Scrivener’s composition mode, and am in Safari riding the instant gratification wave of multitasking immediacy. I’ll send out queries, answer e-mails, answer social media direct messages, respond to tags and mentions, make a blog post, share the blog post, console in friends and families tribulations, cheer on peers and colleagues triumphs, read this timely article and discuss that timely article, read this stupid drama and discuss even more, scan recent calls for submissions, research a story idea, seek source texts, and when all of that is done, pay bills. I can kill a whole day checking things like this off and feel pretty good about myself. The next day, however, when I am back with that blank page, I would realize how much was left undone and how much more was now left to do. On on that next day, I try to unplug. To do this, I have to get completely away from the computer. Sure, you can deactivate your Facebook, turn off wi-fi, unplug the router, or install some sort of time management or focus software, all of which can be turned back on, plugged in, or disabled. If I really want to avoid distraction, I scrawl in longhand or peck on a typewriter. Even with these two methods, I inevitably come back to computer when I have to transcribe into Word, which sometimes feels redundant and archaic. Even so, at the end of the day I feel more accomplished and nearer to my true writing goals than all the networking, posting, and chasing I do online. Social media and the writer’s platform is one of the puzzle pieces to gaining and maintaining a successful writing career, but what has become even more bewildering is that unplugging and working with focus and without noise is even harder for the twenty-first century writer to navigate. The Writer Unplugged - Freewrite Store This is a guest post by Selena Chambers, who writes in Florida. Selena  is co-author of the Hugo and World-Fantasy nominated THE STEAMPUNK BIBLE (Abrams Image), and is currently writing a travel guide to STEAMPUNK PARIS (Pelekenisis Press) with Arthur Morgan out later this year. You can follow her at:   www.selenachambers.wordpress.com or steampunkparis.com. Distraction is the greatest form of resistance a writer faces on a daily basis. I’ve been struggling with it for years, and have come close to throwing my laptop in the trash and running as far away from the publishing game as possible. What kept me from giving up? Slowly realizing that other writers (especially those who seem like they have their act together in the public eye) and creatives struggle with the same issues. Evading distraction and finding focus is, of course, a personal journey and you have to find what works for you and your environment, but in speaking with my friends and gazing into my own navel, I have realized that distraction comes in two forms:   that which takes you closer to writing, and that which takes you away from it. The former is Life and all its abstracts:   birth, death, health, sickness, economy, employment, politics, friendship, family, solitude, love, sex, hate, education, and travel. True, not much writing is happening while undergoing these experiences, but they all inform it by putting you physically in the world to observe, absorb, and feel. It shapes your perspective, gives you an impulse and ultimately grants you something to say. The other kind of distraction, that which takes you away from your writing, are the activities designed for amusement and instant gratification and while relaxing, do very little to inform the work, even though we may trick ourselves in to thinking so. For some, it may be playing video games, binging on Girls, fingernails that need clipping, or in my case, going online.   By no means is this some kind of Jonathan Franzen rant. I love the internet. It is ubiquitous with all the things, and while that is a modern-day marvel, its pervasiveness can be a modern-day time sink. When I sit down to write, I have no problem ignoring my eyebrows and the cat bunnies blowing by like tumbleweeds under the A/C vents, because I can resist the urge to get up from my desk to go handle them. Not so the online â€Å"to-do† list, which is much harder to disregard because all the tools are right here at my fingertips. More often than not, on days when the writing is like digging into dry Georgia clay, I find myself mulling over this list. With a few clicks, I am out of Scrivener’s composition mode, and am in Safari riding the instant gratification wave of multitasking immediacy. I’ll send out queries, answer e-mails, answer social media direct messages, respond to tags and mentions, make a blog post, share the blog post, console in friends and families tribulations, cheer on peers and colleagues triumphs, read this timely article and discuss that timely article, read this stupid drama and discuss even more, scan recent calls for submissions, research a story idea, seek source texts, and when all of that is done, pay bills. I can kill a whole day checking things like this off and feel pretty good about myself. The next day, however, when I am back with that blank page, I would realize how much was left undone and how much more was now left to do. On on that next day, I try to unplug. To do this, I have to get completely away from the computer. Sure, you can deactivate your Facebook, turn off wi-fi, unplug the router, or install some sort of time management or focus software, all of which can be turned back on, plugged in, or disabled. If I really want to avoid distraction, I scrawl in longhand or peck on a typewriter. Even with these two methods, I inevitably come back to computer when I have to transcribe into Word, which sometimes feels redundant and archaic. Even so, at the end of the day I feel more accomplished and nearer to my true writing goals than all the networking, posting, and chasing I do online. Social media and the writer’s platform is one of the puzzle pieces to gaining and maintaining a successful writing career, but what has become even more bewildering is that unplugging and working with focus and without noise is even harder for the twenty-first century writer to navigate.

Principles of Building Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Principles of Building Structure - Essay Example When the beam has sufficient supported against any form of buckling, a failure of the beam is experienced. This results in the generation of the maximum material yield at one point of the maximum moment (Brett 1989). Hence, the applied loads have the potential of ensuring that the beam reaches its plastic moment capacity. This beam is regarded as laterally supported beam and the yield stress governs the design strength. When beams bend on a major axis, they tend to develop a stronger stiffness and strength. Thus, such beams become vulnerable to failure that results from lateral torsional buckling before they acquire their in-plane capacity of the plastic moment, which will brace them against lateral twisting and deflection. These types of beams are regarded as laterally supported beams. Beams bending strength design is governed by yielding and supported against buckling. A laterally braced section of a beam has a bending strength, which is the plastic moment Mp. Inelastic deformation is expected at the service load when the shape factor of the beam is large. However, for shape factors that exceed 1.5, 1.5My limit is applied at the factor load in order to control the inelastic deformation of the various sections of the beam. Such a provision is not expected to limit the plastic moment for the hybrid section when the yield stress is considered to be less than the expected flange yield stress. However, web yielding is not associated with any significant inelastic deformations. When the inertia moment about the axis of bending is less or equal to the out of plane inertia moment, lateral-torsional buckling never develops. Therefore, for shapes, which are bent within the minor axis and those that have lz = ly, lateral-torsional buckling limit state does not apply. Such shapes include circles and squares. Lateral buckling of a beam does not occur when the compression of the flange is adequate and the flexural