Tuesday, November 26, 2019

What is Proofreading And Can You Do It Yourself

What is Proofreading And Can You Do It Yourself What is Proofreading? And Can You Do It Yourself? Whether you’re a student, a mechanic, a doctor, or a professional writer, you’ve probably come across proofreading in some form or another - though you might not be aware of it. So much of the work people do these days revolves around the written word. Mistakes in their writing can have a massive impact on their success - which is where proofreading comes in!In this post, we’ll have a look at the ins and outs of proofreading, from the perspective of experienced proofreaders in the publishing trade.What is proofreading?Proofreading is the act of reading written work and marking any errors. These mistakes most commonly involve spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency.In publishing, proofreading comes into play at the very end of the editorial process, after a manuscript has been corrected by a copy or line editor. The proofreader’s job is to comb through the document and look for any mistakes that may have slipped through the cracks. Regardless of h ow meticulous the writer and editor have been, there will almost always be errors when you’re dealing with a book of 80,000 words or more. Find out what proofreading involves right here. What Are the Meaning of Proofreading Marks? Read post Can you proofread your own work?Many writers can and do proofread their own work. Simply reading back something you’ve written will usually reveal typos and ungainly passages. In situations where your writing isn’t intended for a massive audience (for example, in an email to your boss), you can usually rely on an online spelling and grammar checker such as Grammarly to catch any major mistakes.However, when it comes to a longer piece of writing meant for wider consumption - like, say, a book - there’s still nothing that can beat a trained professional.Who should use professional proofreading?In traditional publishing, every book will be proofed before it’s released to the public. If a reader were to find more than a handful of typos or grammatical mistakes in a novel, for example, it could negatively color their reading experience (and damage the publisher’s reputation).In self-publishing, where independent authors often look for ways to reduce th eir costs, proofreading is becoming a non-negotiable part of the editorial process. As indie authors become more professional in their approach, the specter of the â€Å"poorly edited self-pub book† is quickly becoming a thing of the past.Outside of trade publishing, proofreaders will often find work in areas such as academia, journalism, and even advertising. In some corporate settings, they can even be hired to check through slide decks before presentations. Find out how much it costs to hire a pro proofreader. How much does a professional proofreader cost?Based on statistics from Reedsy’s marketplace, proofreading a book costs $10 per thousand words, on average.Of course, this is only a ballpark figure and the final rate will depend on a number of other factors. For example, if the proofreader needs to cross-check the index, this would naturally escalate the cost.In non-publishing industries, costs may also vary. A proofreader with a deep background in technical writing may choose to charge extra for their expertise, for example. But whatever the cost, you can be sure that getting a professional proofreader is worth it. They might just be the difference between a few frustrating typos and a perfectly polished piece.Looking for a proofreader? Sign up for a free Reedsy account and browse through the best freelancers in the business.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

What to Do on a Long Weekend

What to Do on a Long Weekend Not sure what to do on a long weekend coming up? From Labor Day in the fall to Presidents Day in the spring, long weekends are a wonderful break from the craziness of college. Unfortunately, however, they can often slip away quite quickly, somehow leaving you with more to do than before the weekend started and no idea of where your time went. So how can you make the most of your long weekends in college? Aim for the 1-1-1 Plan A basic idea that can make your weekend all you need and more: Spend 1 day on personal stuff, like doing laundry, going to the store, catching up on sleep, and exercising. Spend 1 day doing fun and social stuff, like doing something off campus during the day, hanging out at a Greek house, and attending a campus party. Spend 1 day doing homework. The best part? While doing the fun stuff, you dont have to feel guilty, since youll already have done or scheduled in when to do the not-so-fun stuff. Get off campus You may need to head home to get some TLC. You may want to spend a romantic weekend away with your partner. Or you may just want to take a road trip with some friends to somewhere youve never been before. No matter where or why you go, though, you might be surprised at how much better and more energized you feel when you get back. Start preparing for graduate school tests Do you know youll have to take the GRE? MCAT? LSAT? GMAT? No matter what test you have to take, youll definitely have to study for it. Take the extra time you have over the long weekend to figure out a study plan- and start on it. Volunteer Nothing helps keep things in perspective like volunteering. If youre feeling overwhelmed with your responsibilities in college, consider volunteering one morning of the long weekend. Youll undoubtedly get a new look on things while helping out those who are less fortunate. Kick-start/Refocus on your health Did you plan to live a little healthier this year in school? Have those resolutions fallen by the wayside? Consider using the long weekend as an opportunity to refocus on your health. Catch up on sleep, eat well, exercise, and figure out a few healthy ways to keep the momentum going for the rest of the semester. Organize your college life Does it sound lame? You betcha. Will you be glad you did it? Holy cow, yes. Crank up the music in your room and get to work. Clean up your living space, do your laundry, organize stuff for your classes, get your time management system in order, and overall get your college life in order. True, not many people like cleaning up stuff, but nearly everyone likes clean stuff. Just focus on how much better things will feel (and work! and look!) afterward. Get a head start on your academics In looking at your course syllabi, do you know you are going to be completely slammed at the end of the semester? Consider getting a little ahead of your class projects. True, you may not need or want to finish up your research project, but doing something simple like spending a few hours focusing on a topic means you can spend time later in the semester doing research on that topic instead of aimlessly trying to find one when youre stressed out. Earn some extra cash Most long weekends come with big sales at retail shops. Consider applying for a temporary position or, if you already work in retail, asking for extra hours over the long weekend so that you can have some extra cash in your pocket. Spend time researching your future Eliminate a little stress in your life (cue your parents voices: What are you going to do after graduation? What about this summer? Have you even thought about it yet?) by at least starting to look into what your options might be. You can look at short-term options what to do for Spring Break, what to do over the summer - as well as long term options, like graduate school or job opportunities. Get your resume and a cover letter together No matter what youre doing this summer, chances are youll need a resume. Whether youre applying for jobs, looking at internships, considering studying abroad, or getting materials ready for graduate school, your resume (and possibly a cover letter) will be an important part of the process. Put something together as best you can- and then make sure to have someone at the campus career center look it over.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Individual marketing article analysis which happened in 2012 Essay

Individual marketing article analysis which happened in 2012 - Essay Example This is realized from the different point of views as per different analysts of firms with interest in IPOs and general investments. Hersey (1991) argues that there is no much news expected even with companies tying their best within a week. The earliest that this could occur is December 17th with series of meetings so as to interact with potential investors. This has been caused by the new rules, which governs the process of going public. Another hindrance is Christmas, which will come in the middle of marketing and may last for at least one week. The presidential elections also interfered with many companies, which could have had deals before the end of the year. Gaiman (2009) argues, however, not all of the companies had this, there were exemptions who pitched shares just a day after voting due to high levels of confidence in gaining potential customers attention, according to the chief financial officer. It still remains tricky to strike deals before the end of the year. There is a backlog of companies who have signed IPOs initial documents waiting processing but still having the lowest recorded dollar value of IPOs backlog, since the year 2009. Lomborg (2012) argues, however, according to the new laws grading IPOs, companies will have their planning confidentially. Those with an annual revenue less than one billion US dollars will have submissions of prospectus done out of public view. This would remain for at least twenty one days before the company sets off. It has been argued that deals can be underway before the public get a glimpse of the idea (Walter & Howei, 2012). This is not what is reflected by the silence in the markets. Many companies have already put up terms on offer or some have had their deals postponed after pitching to investors. A possibility is that the companies could decide to enter the fray quickly. This may come as a surprise to many who are not aware of what is happening. A typical

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

SHAME OF THE NATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SHAME OF THE NATION - Essay Example Nowadays it is used to think that democratic views and principles of equality play an overwhelming role throughout the world. However, an outstanding author and public activist Jonathan Kozol makes the emphasis that even the most democratic country, the USA, still has numerous examples of racial inequality.Making school segregation as an extremely significant problem in contemporary America, Jonathan Kozol and other numerous authors proclaim the necessity to solve it and develop democratic values as those, which lead to national prosperity and global piece. From the beginning of the 90s of the XXth century the process of school segregation has increased in a great extent. As a contemporary researcher mentions, "In 1992 nine schools in the Twin Cities area had a majority of students of color. By 2006, that number had increased to 248" (Magnusson 3). Another author also supports and proves the opinion of segregation turning back: "Resegregation, which took hold in the early 1990s after three Supreme Court decisions from 1991 to 1995 limiting desegregation orders, is continuing to grow in all parts of the country for both African Americans and Latinos.." (Orfield and Lee 5). Geographically, as the majority of researchers mention, the process of new segregation mostly occupies the territory of American South and West, since the structure of population introduces high concentration of immigrants there. Being closely connected to general economical aspects, school segregation contains the problems of poverty and discrimination, based on the social status. Undoubtedly, schools for White Americans introduce more conveniences and additional abilities for wealthier population, while schools for poor immigrants do not have the same level of treatment. According to contemporary online sources, "Schools in low-income communities remain highly unequal in terms of funding, qualified teachers, and curriculum..Schools with high levels of poverty have weaker staff, fewer high-ac hieving peers, health and nutrition problems, residential instability, single-parent households, high exposure to crime and gangs.." (Hawkins et al.). As Kozol mentions about suburban computer classes for the non-white, where "according to one student, "we sit there and talk about what we would be doing if we had computers" (Kozol 171). Therefore, racial segregation is closely connected with personal wealthy and social status, which people have today. Jonathan Kozol, being a true teacher and having the ability to investigate the problem of school segregation directly from his own experience, makes the emphasis on unequal status in urban public schools. Considering the differences between education in mega polices and suburbs, Kozol mentions: "in the fall of 2002 that only between a quarter and a third of children in the district had received even a single year of preschool and that less than five percent had been provided with the two years of pre-K instruction that are common in mo st affluent communities" (Kozol 51). Showing that only white suburban have the opportunity to get preschool education, Kozol demonstrates that racial minorities, in fact, have minimum chances to receive a successful formal education. Analyzing factual consequences of current segregation, Kozol and other authors mention considerably difficulties, which segregated students have with the precise process of their education. For instance, poor conditions and unattractive appearance of segregated schools usually cause stressful feeling and the lack of desire to study there. Efficiency-deprived schemes of studying, often overcrowding also

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Competition Bike Incs Essay Example for Free

Competition Bike Incs Essay Horizontal analysis compares a company’s performance from year to year. I will be reviewing Competition Bikes Inc(CBI) balance sheets and income statements. During CBI year 6, 7 and 8 I have found their net sales , cost of goods to be fluctuating, and few various other items. The net sales from year 6 to 7 increase 33.34 %. The cost of goods from year 6 to 7 was 31.82 %. The gross profit increase 30.89. Comparing year 6 and 7 I found that year 7 improved, but when I compared year 7 to 8 the results were not good for year 8. The company had experienced a 15 percent reduction in net sales. Cost of goods drops 14.8 % from year 7 to 8. Advertising Expenses CBI advertising expenses increased by 37.5 % from year 6 to 7. CBI made a great investment from year 6 to 7 because the net sales increase at a higher rate the increased advertising cost. CBI reduced their advertising expenses by 16.3 % from year 7 to 8. I believed this was done because of the fragile economy. Many companies are trying to make cuts back during a weak economy. These reduces expenses will hold them over until the economy becomes stronger. Website/Sales The website creation and maintenance expenses during year 6, 7 and 8 stayed the same price. Sales commission increase 33.371 % during year 7 from the previous year. Sales commission decrease by 15 % the following year (8). Distribution Network The Distribution network expenses had a positive increased in year 7 by33.3 % jump from the previous year. Distribution expenses are normally supposed to maintain similar numbers, but when you have an increase in sales it is acceptable to increase the distribution expenses. Distribution network expenses decreased 15 percent in year 8. This was caused due to less revenue. Transportation CBI had 33% transportation increase from year 6 to 7. This was caused CBI had more products sold and required more products to be shipped. CBI saw 15 % transportation decrease from year 7 to 8. CBI had less products sold and this caused transportation to decrease in year 8. Administrative Expenses from year 6 to 7 saw 21.43% increase. Administrative Expenses maintain the same expenses from year 7 to 8. Executive expenses increased 29.42 % from year 6 to 7. Year 7 and 8 maintain the same level of expenses. Employment taxes rose by 25.81 % increase from year 6 to 7. Year 7 and 8 maintain the same level of employment of expenses. Administrative expenses are expected due to company having increase production and sales. Utilities expenses rose 3.84 % from year 6 to 7. CBI operation worked proficiently in year 7, and this helped them experienced only an increase of 3.8% in utilities. This was caused due to increase production. CBI utilities increased by 11.11 during year 8. I would suggest CBI have their utilities monitor from day to day to see how they can prevent an increase in expenses when the company is not performing well compared to the previous year. Research CBI saw research and development saw a 37.5 % percent increase from year 6 to 7.During year eight CBI reduces their research and development expenses by 16.3 %. A company should never reduces their research and development if they company perform well in the previous year. I believe this was one of the reasons why CBI had a great year during 7 because they knew what consumers wanted. Due to lack of spending on research and development this caused their sales to drop. Research and development is an important component of competition against other companies without a company will fail to succeed. Interest Income CBI interest income rose 38.1% from year 6 to 7. During year 7 CBI income was properly invested. During year 8 CBI investments had a 3.4% reduction. The reduction was small, but small things do add up over time. I would suggest CBI to monitor their investments and make plans to move around their money if the current trend continues. Balances sheets CBI accounts receivable rose 164.3% from year 6 to 7. During year 8 CBI accounts receivable drop 15 percent. CBI should monitor accounts receivable more closely to make sure past due balances are paid on time. This was caused due to the company noticing a large increase on accounts receivable during year 7 and they tried to capitalize on it. This caused their accounts receivable to drop. Raw Materials CBI manages their raw materials well during year 7. CBI had 3.1% percent reduction in year 8. CBI should incorporate lean production method and Just in time production to avoid wasteful spending and production. Liabilities CBI liabilities increase 1.2% from year 6 to 7. This is expected due to year having 7 having an increase in sales and productions. CBI reduces their liabilities by 3.1% from year 7 to 8. This is good because CBI had a 15 percent reduction in net sales. Vertical analysis A method of financial statement analysis in which each entry for each of the three major categories of accounts (assets, liabilities and equities) in a balance sheet is represented as a proportion of the total account. The main advantages of vertical analysis are that the balance sheets of businesses of all sizes can easily be compared. It also makes it easy to see relative annual changes within one business(Investopedia,2013). Income Year 7 net sales were 7% higher than year 6.CBI preserved their selling expenses at 6.7% of total Net Sales. CBI reduced General Admin Expenses from 17.1% during year 6 to 15.5% during year 7.This would lead to an increase in Operating Income from 2.8% of Net Sales from year 6 to 5.3% in year 7 and CBI Net Earnings would increase from 1.1% (year 6) to 3.3% (year7). CBI did not perform well in year 8 because their expenses increase during year 8. This caused CBI net earnings to reduce.. CBI Administrative expenses increased 15.5% from year 6 to 7. CBI net sales increase 18.4% from year 7 to 8. CBI operating expenses income was reduce 5.3%of net sales to 1.9 % causing CBI net earnings from 3.3% to a .7%. I would recommend CBI to monitor their general and Admin expenses. Majority of expenses stayed the same during year 6,7 and 8. However during year 8 the CBI did not perform well. I believed CBI needs to find ways to reduces expenses when the company is having a low sales volume. CBI should incorporate just in time principles and lean manufacturing principles. I believe this would help reduce wasted production and this would help reduce utilities expenses. Just in time principles and lean manufacturing principles could also reduce employee expenses. ASSESTS CBI in the cash and cash equivalent accounts drop from 6.2 % in year 6 to 2.7%. However, during year 7 more products were sold compared to year 6. CBI accounts receivable had a major increase from year 6(6.5%) to year 7(16.6%).CBI needs to monitor their accounts receivable accounts more closely and make sure they’re collecting the amount owed to them. During year 8 CBI cash and cash equivalents had risen from 2.7 %( year 7) to 10.3%(year 8). The reason why this happen was due to CBI had started to monitor their accounts receivable. This helped them collect the money they were owed on past due accounts. I would recommend CBI to avoid making purchase on accounts and find ways to use the cash in a more efficient way. CBI should realize it important they have enough reserves during a recession. This will help hold them over until the economy bounces back. â€Å"Trend Analysis is the practice of collecting information and attempting to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information (Wikipedia,2012).†CBI sales were lower than year 7, but they still were able to make a profit. CBI should expect to see growth in the next few years based on their current trend. CBI is expected to have 3,510 units sold in year 9. CBI will have 3,660 units sold in year 10. Finally during year 11,CBI will sell 3,800 units. The forecast numbers are based on the economy recovering. This will encourages CBI sponsors to invest in professional riders and this will increase new bike sales. Currently is cost CBI 1,047.50 to make each product. I would recommend CBI find suppliers who have the same quality parts, but at a lower cost. I would also make recommend CBI is following just in time and lean manufacturing principles. This could help CBI increase their profit margin. Ratio analysis- analyzes numbers Ratio analysis is a method used by businesses to assess their financial situation by comparing two sets of linked data. Current ratio will measure a companys ability to pay short-term obligations. CBI had a reduction from year 7 (5.9%) to 8(5.35%). Two wheel racing (TWR) current ratio was 4.2% for year 7 and 8. A debt ratio will determine if a business is able to handle any unexpected liabilities it that may come up. A business needs to make sure they enough money to pay off debt to avoid problems with their debt. During year 7 CBI debt ratio was 46.8%. The follow year the debt ratio was 46%. The debt ratio only drops .08 percent during year 8. TWR debt ratio was 38% in year 7 and 8. An acid test ratio will determine if a company can back their liabilities. CBI is doing better than (TWR) by 1.12% and .85%. Inventory turnover- determines the number of times a company can sell it average level of inventory throughout the year. CBI bicycles are customizes for customers so I am unable to compared CBI and TWR. Average collection period, This determines how well a company is able to collect money to the customers they extended credit to.CBI has higher collected amount compared to TWR. CBI was 11.3% higher in year 7 and 8. Gross Profit Margin, will tell investors how much revnue was gain after selling the product(Cost of Good-revenue/gross profit. TWR profit margin is 32.10% higher than CBI profit margin in year 7(27.4%) and 8(27.0%). TWR is operating more effectively. Operating profit margin Measures management efficiency (Operating income/total sales). CBI year 7 was 5.3% and TWR was 5.2%. Year 8 TWR performed better with 5.3% compared to CBI(1.9%). Net Profit Margin show investors the percentage of each sale dollar earn as net income. During year 7 CBI net profits was 3.3% and in year 8 it was .8%.TWR was 5.14% year 7 and 8. The portion of a companys profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock. Earnings per share serves as an indicator of a companys profitability(Investopedia,2013).TWR was $.08 for year 7 and 8. CBI was $.20 during year 7 and $.04 in year 8. Return on total assets-determine how successful a company is to earn profit with their assets. TWR total assets was 4.8% for year 7 and 8. CBI was 4.5% in year 7 and year 8 was .8%. Return on Common Equity- Income between net income and stockholder equity. During year 7 CBI equity was 8.5% AND TWR was 8.1%. CBI equity in year 8 was 1.5% and TWR was 8.1% Price / Earnings Ratio- Stock prices and company earning. CBI earning share 49.67 and TWR was 29. During year CBI price jump to 83.73 and TWR was still 29. Times Interest Earned Determines the numbers of times operating income can pay interest expense. Year 7 interest earn was 5.27 and TWR was 4.24. During year 8 CBI interest earn drop to 1.77 and TWR remained 4.24. ‘Working capital is a financial metric(current assets minus company liabilities) which represents operating liquidity available to a business, organization or other entity, including governmental entity(Wikipedia,2013).† The financial metric system will analyzes if a company will be able to pay their short term liabilities or do they need to take an alternative solution. CBI working capital in year 6 was $382,394: CBI working capital at the end of year was 1,306,617. CBI increased their working capital by 70.7% at the end of year 8. After reviewing CBI working capital the results indicated they will be able to pay their short term liabilities Recommendation I would recommend CBI to have their accounts executives to build a better relationship with customers and make sure they’re satisfied with the work they are receiving. One of the most important things a company can do is listen to their employees. I would also recommend CBI to reduce their accounts receivables. This could be done by making sure that larger orders from customer are sent out faster. CBI inventory cost increase over 24% from year 6 to year 8.CBI should follow the just in time and lean manufacturing principles. This will reduces inventory cost for CBI. CBI transportation expenses are one of their highest expenses. I would recommend CBI to consider to purchasing their own delivery truck and see if this will help them reduce their transportation expense. Internal controls Internal controls helps a company infrastructure run smoothly. Internal controls also help protect and prevent fraud. Internal control will try to remove the temptations for employee to act unethically in the aspect of putting the company at risk of lawsuit. CBI purchase department (PD) will purchases orders from suppliers based on their monthly budget. Once the order has been received the PD will evaluate bids from different suppliers. Once the order has been received they’re given to the production line. The invoice will be sent to the PD. If there are any supplies left they will be sent to raw materials. The PD will then send an accounting department who issues a check to the supplier. Recommendation I would recommend the whole entire processed be revamped. The first thing I would recommended is to separate the duties of researching the bid and purchasing orders. The next thing I would suggest is to make the receiving department in charge of verifying the shipping when the packages arrive. The receiving department needs to verify every item is there from the supplier and their no missing item from the delivery. The receiving department should maintain an inventory control system. After the receiving department has approved the invoice, they should forward to the purchasing department. The purchase order will be forward to the accounting department for payment. Accounting has currently been only receiving unverified invoices. Risk Accounting has currently been only receiving unverified invoices. The lack of verification could cause CBI to get double charge for item they already paid for. Currently their lack of inventory control system. Currently unused supplies are being sent to raw material without anyway of tracking it. This would make it easy for employees to steal because lack of inventory control system. Recommendation I would suggest an inventory control system be implemented. I would make sure all packages received by receiving department be verified by management to avoid being double charge. The inventory control system will help prevent theft from employees. I would also hire outside firm every quarter to check inventory levels to make sure no one is stealing from the company. Sarbanes-Oxley Act Sarbanes-Oxley Act is government regulation that congress pass in order to improve financial disclosures. This would help prevent accounting fraud and improve financial disclosures from corporations(Wikpedia,2013).†Section 302: A mandate that requires senior management to certify the accuracy of the reported financial statement Section 404: A requirement that management and auditors establish internal controls and reporting methods on the adequacy of those controls. Section 404 had very costly implications for publicly traded companies as it is expensive to establish and maintain the required internal controls (Investopedia,2013). CBI does not mention that they were audited by outside firm. I highly recommend CBI to hire auditing firm to review the company’s annual statement before releasing the numbers to the public to make sure there is no accounting errors. Internal controls are implemented and effective at the end of year 8(Dec 31). The CEO, and CFO certification is need because it is required by SOX and this could not be located. Auditor releases the following statement to shareholders. A material weakness is a control deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis Recommendations CBI needs to make sure they are in compliance with the regulations set forth by Sarbanes-Oxley CB. The first thing I would recommend is to conduct a internal control assessment. The next thing I would recommend CBI to hire accounting firm to review their internal controls. The control needs to be based on Sox guidelines. The CEO and CFO needs to certify they’re aware of the CBI internal control and the actions the company have taken to protect investor’s investments. It is very vital CBI CEO and CFO certifies they’re aware of internal control because Sarbanes-Oxley requires this to be done. Since the accounting firm made assessment that the internal control is effective their might be some problems that could arise from the following statement, â€Å"A material weakness is a control deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.† I would recommend the CEO or CFO to take action fix the internal control problem because they could face jail time for making statements that were not true. .† CBI should base their guidelines set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Tread Way Commission(CSOTWO). CSOTWO is joint inivate five private sector organizations devoted to providing leadership through progress and guidance on enterprise risk management, internal control and fraud dictation. This is a great way for C BI to improve the internal control process. References Free Dictionary(2013) http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Sarbanes-Oxley+Act+of+2002 Investopedia(2013) http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/horizontalanalysis.asp#axzz2Hh4rgfuE True Bussiness(2013) http://truetobusiness.com/finance/ratio-analysis Wikipedia(2013) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_control

Thursday, November 14, 2019

picking a college Essay -- essays research papers

Picking A College Picking the right college is an important step in contributing to the outcome of a person’s life. But finding the right college to suit the needs and desires of a young individual poses a difficult task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Much time and effort must be spent on deciding which college to attend. Avoid making a horrible mistake by rushing a decision and going somewhere not compatible with one’s aspirations. Visit the college, ask for information, look at the courses offered, and research its reputation for education. Check out the dorm rooms and campus life. Is it a beautiful campus, or just filled with buildings? Find quiet places that time could be spent reading and studying. Also look at its strengths, along with the weaknesses. Meeting with the professors and discussing what is offered are magnificent ways to learn more about the college. By thinking with a broad frame of mind, one doesn’t look just at colleges with the big names. Though these institutions may be wonderful colleges, they might not offer specific courses. Maybe the smaller, private schools -- with their much smaller professor to student ratios -- are more desirable places.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, considering the location of the college is crucial. For instance, interests in outside sports, such as golf, should be concentrated toward the lower half of the country. Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, and Mississippi are prime states regarding golf. A school without a strong go...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Juvenile Detainees Essay

Criminal Justice and the juvenile justice systems are almost the same but are different. When corrections’ officials have to deal with juvenile detainees, such a situation needs to be dealt with care. In identifying such situations, we will look at child development, punishment and deterrence. Juvenile detention officers work with incarcerated youth. Although juvenile detention officers deal with many of the same realities as other corrections officers, juvenile detention officers have the opportunity to assist young offenders in their attempts to be rehabilitated into responsible adults. In a sense a Juvenile detention officer is the perfect blend of a jailer and social worker. While the Juvenile detention officers must be alert and tough enough to work with young criminals, he or she must also be committed to helping troubled youngsters change their life. Since Juvenile detention officers work with youth, they have to see to it that young offenders receive all the services they need and that they are meeting their legal and therapeutic obligations. As such, Juvenile detention officers are responsible for making sure that inmates arrive on time to appointments within their facility and outside of it. According to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, a juvenile detention officer, â€Å"Prepares detained youth for court appearances, transports and escorts detained youth to medical, criminal justice, social services and judicial facilities as needed according to departmental and facility policy and procedures.† Of course, this implies keeping track of incarcerated youth and not letting them flee. Aside from insuring that juvenile offenders receive proper care and keep appointments, juvenile detention officers teach wayward youth how to function in society by acting as models of proper adult behavior. For instance, juvenile detention officers in Kitsap County, Washington are expected to † Assist juveniles in cultivating appropriate social, behavioral, and interpersonal skills and attitudes useful in community living; lead recreational activities and give instruction in games.† Juvenile detention officers may also lead the youngsters in cleaning and maintenance activities in order to model good hygiene and to demonstrate proper adult housekeeping habits. Although there is an emphasis on rehabilitation and inmate care in juvenile correctional facilities, juvenile detention officers are subject to the hazards of working in a locked facility with young criminals. In addition to rehabilitation and treatment related activities, juvenile detention officers may have duties similar to those of any other corrections officer. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the duties of detention officers include searching for contraband, weapons and drugs, resolving conflicts between inmates, and â€Å"enforcing discipline.† This means monitoring vehicles and packages coming in and out of locked facilities as well as frequent personal and room inspections. Juvenile detention officers are, of course, responsible for knowing the whereabouts of all inmates and preventing them from leaving the locked facility. Laws we have regulated the way we have set up punishment for juveniles. The punishments we have in tact usually serve to rehabilitate the juvenile to do better in the future. Our laws have extended that to sealing juvenile records for the sake of protection. Juvenile crime and punishments can be different from the types of punishments that are ordered in adult criminal cases. The first court established expressly for juveniles was built in Chicago in 1899 to address the issue of juvenile crime and punishments. Juvenile crime and punishments peaked in 1994. The 1990s saw a swell of public scrutiny over the perceived juvenile crime epidemic. In an effort to crack down on juvenile crime and punishments, many state legislatures have adopted harsher laws regarding juvenile crimes. In my opinion, the best two ways to prevent juvenile crime is strengthening families and education. In American Samoa, a block grant was introduced and tested from 2002 to 2004. This block grant was for Preventing Substance abuse targeting the families and children. The idea behind the program was to seek if a problem existed, what the effects of substance abuse and how it can be fixed. The interesting factor and I suppose the most important was how the Samoan family evolved from closely knit and knowing every aspect of their children’s whereabouts to children becoming simple renters in the parent’s homes. Long story short, American Samoa was awarded funding for 10 years or so long as the program is needed. The theme of the program was strengthening families. I believe that it is an important part in anyone’s life. Sociologist’s believe that one’s environment affects one’s way of life. However, in some unfortunate cases, not everyone has the chance to grow up with a traditional family. The idea is, one’s family should be the biggest and the most important supporters in their lives. We define our familes different, whether it is a mother, a father, brother, sister, grandparent or even your best friend’s family. The point is having the sense of strength in one’s home is important to one’s success or failure. Strengthening families can be accomplished by offering help to those that need it through information and education. Which leads to my second point is education. Juveniles feel lost as do most of us that don’t know what to do or which direction to head to. Through education we get an idea of where we would like to go in our lives. Some juveniles do not have access or do not see the importance of education until there is support, programs, and resources available to them. We promote education through the media and all sorts of things, but are we really making it available for everyone? My mother in law always tells us, children are like cameras, they take images of everything around them. The product of these images are the problems we face today. Reference: Seiter, R. (2011). Corrections: An introduction (3rd ed.). Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc

Saturday, November 9, 2019

My Favorite Hobbies

Movie is one of my biggest hobbies. Each film has its own beauty, therefore, it’s really hard for me to pick one to be the movie that I like the most. However, according to some films I have watched recently, it is nothing but ‘the pursuit of happiness’ which has great influence on me. The beautiful relationship between father and son is the thing that makes me like it. ‘The pursuit of happiness’ tells us the story of a father and his little son. After a fail investment, the father – which was acted by Will Smith – loses everything: his wife, his house, his money. The only thing that helps the man keep on living is his little son. The whole movie describes those worst days of his life. No money, no place to live, the two men even have to sleep in a public rest – room. I really like the way the main character protects his son, the way he fights against fate and the way he gets back his life. Thanks for the director – Gabriele Muccino – ‘the pursuit of happiness’ has a happy ending. Will Smith is famous for action films but this time, he shows the audience a new appearance. Rarely can I see such a wonderful movie about relationship between father and son like this. It is a bit embarrassing but I still have to admit that I cried when watching this movie. If you are the type of people who like movies about family, you should not miss ‘the pursuit of happiness’. I have many hobbies,such as reading,swimming,and watching TV. But reading is my favourite hobby. I like reading for three reasons. First of all,books introduce me to a new world,which is colorful and without time and space limit,Though reading,I can trace back to ancient Egypt,the cradle of human civilization. It can bring myself to the United states,a glamorous land I have been longing to visit. Secondly,reading can better myself by showing me a new horizon. In the past years,most of my knowledge has been obtained form books. I have learned form many people by reading about their ideas on science,politics,life and society. Thirdly,reading the gap between my dream and my goal. In order to succeed in my career in the future,I must keep reading,thinking and practicing. Reading has become part of my life. Every day,I spend some time reading books,newspaper and magazines. At night,I can hardly go to steep without a novel in my hand.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Biography of Louise Nevelson, American Sculptor

Biography of Louise Nevelson, American Sculptor Louise Nevelson was an American sculptor best known for her monumental monochromatic three-dimensional grid constructions. By the end of her life, she was met with much critical acclaim. She is remembered through many permanent public art installations throughout the U.S., including New York City’s Louise Nevelson Plaza on Maiden Lane in the Financial District and Philadelphias Bicentennial Dawn, made in 1976 in honor of the bicentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Fast Facts: Louise Nevelson Occupation: Artist and sculptorBorn: September 23, 1899 in present-day Kiev, UkraineDied:  April 17, 1988 in New York City, New YorkEducation: Art Students League of New YorkKnown For: Monumental sculptural works and public art installations Early Life Louise Nevelson was born Louise Berliawsky in 1899 in Kiev, then part of Russia. At the age of four, Louise, her mother, and her siblings set sail for America, where her father had already established himself. On the journey, Louise fell sick and was quarantined in Liverpool. Through her delirium, she recalls vivid memories which she cites as essential to her practice, including shelves of vibrant candies in jars. Though she was only four at the time, Nevelson’s conviction that she was to be an artist was present at a remarkably young age, a dream from which she never strayed. Louise and her family settled in Rockland, Maine, where her father became a successful contractor. Her father’s occupation made it easy for a young Louise to interact with material, picking up pieces of wood and metal from her father’s workshop and using it to construct small sculptures. Though she began her career as a painter and dabbled in etchings, she would return to sculpture in her mature work, and it is for these sculptures that she is best known. Though her father was a success in Rockland, Nevelson always felt like the outsider in the Maine town, notably scarred by the exclusion she suffered based on her height and, presumably, her foreign origins. (She was captain of the basketball team, but this did not help her chances at being crowned Lobster Queen, a distinction awarded the most beautiful girl in town.) Though her father was known around Rockland due to his professional activities, Nevelson’s mother secluded herself, rarely socializing with her fellow neighbors. This hardly could have helped young Louise and her siblings adjust to life in the United States. The feeling of difference and alienation drove young Nevelson to escape to New York by any means possible (a journey that reflects somewhat of an artistic philosophy, as she has been quoted as saying, â€Å"If you want to go to Washington, you get on a plane. Someone has to take you there, but its your voyage†). The means that presented itself was a hasty proposal from Charles Nevelson, who young Louise had only met a handful of times. She married Charles in 1922, and later the couple had a son, Myron. Advancing Her Career In New York, Nevelson enrolled in the Art Students League, but family life was unsettling to her. In 1931, she escaped again, this time without her husband and son. Nevelson abandoned her newly-minted family- never to return to her marriage- and departed for Munich, where she studied with the famous art teacher and painter Hans Hoffman. (Hoffman would himself eventually move to the United States and teach a generation of American painters, perhaps the most influential art teacher of the 1950s and 60s. Nevelson’s early recognition of his importance only reinforces her vision as an artist.) Louise Nevelson with her work in the 1950s.   Getty Images After following Hoffman to New York, Nevelson eventually worked under the Mexican painter Diego Rivera as a muralist. Back in New York, she settled in a brownstone on 30th Street, which was filled to bursting with her work. As Hilton Kramer wrote of a visit to her studio, â€Å"It was certainly unlike anything one had ever seen or imagined. Its interior seemed to have been stripped of everything...that might divert attention from the sculptures that crowded every space, occupied every wall, and at once filled and bewildered the eye wherever it turned. Divisions between the rooms seemed to dissolve in an endless sculptural environment. At the time of Kramer’s visit, Nevelson’s work was not selling, and she was often by her exhibitions at the Grand Central Moderns Gallery, which did not sell a single piece. Nevertheless, her prolific output is an indication of her singular resolve- a belief held since childhood- that she was meant to be a sculptor. Persona Louise Nevelson the woman was perhaps more well-known than Louise Nevelson the artist. She was famous for her eccentric aspect, combining dramatic styles, colors, and textures in her clothing offset by an extensive collection of jewelry. She wore fake eyelashes and headscarves that emphasized her gaunt face, making her appear to be somewhat of a mystic. This characterization is not contradictory with her work, which she spoke of with an element of mystery, as if it arrived from another world. Louise Nevelson in the eccentric costume she was known for, photographed in her New York studio in 1974. Jack Mitchell / Getty Images Work and Legacy Louise Nevelson’s work is highly recognizable for its consistent color and style. Often in wood or metal, Nevelson primarily gravitated towards the color black- not for its somber tone, but for its evincing of harmony and eternity. [B]lack means totality, it means contains all†¦ if I speak about it every day for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t finish what it really means, Nevelson said of her choice. Though she would also work with whites and golds, she is consistent in the monochrome nature of her sculpture. A characteristically monochrome abstract sculpture by Nevelson. Corbis/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images The primary works of her career were exhibited in galleries as â€Å"environments†: multi-sculpture installations which worked as a whole, grouped under a single title, among them â€Å"The Royal Voyage,† â€Å"Moon Garden One,† and â€Å"Sky Columns Presence.† Though these works no longer exist as wholes, their original construction gives a window into the process and meaning of Nevelson’s work. The totality of these works, which were often arranged as if each sculpture were a wall of a four-sided room, parallels Nevelson’s insistence on using a single color. The experience of unity, of disparate gathered parts which make up a whole, sums up Nevelson’s approach to materials, especially as the spindles and shards she incorporated into her sculptures give off the air of random detritus. By fashioning these objects into grid structures, she endows them with a certain weight, which asks us to reassess the material with which we come in contact. Louise Nevelson died in 1988 at the age of eighty-eight. Sources Gayford, M. and Wright, K. (2000). Grove Book of Art Writing. New York: Grove Press. 20-21.Kort, C. and Sonneborn, L. (2002). A to Z of American Women in the Visual Arts. New York: Facts on File, Inc. 164-166.Lipman, J. (1983). Nevelsons World. New York: Hudson Hills Press.Marshall, R. (1980). Louise Nevelson: Atmospheres and Environments. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc.Munro, E. (2000).  Originals: American Women Artists. New York: Da Capo Press.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Try to vs. Try and

Try to vs. Try and Try to vs. Try and Try to vs. Try and By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Would you consider a post on the difference between try and [do something] and try to [do something]? [] I hear and read more people using try and [do something] but that doesnt seem as logical as try to [do something].   Is there a difference between the two terms?   If not, is one to be preferred?   I’m always amused when objections to idioms are raised on grounds of logic. â€Å"Try and† followed by a coordinate verb is an idiom; idioms don’t have to be logical. Nevertheless, a lot of speakers object to the use of â€Å"try and do† instead of â€Å"try to do.† What do the authorities think? Merriam-Webster is unambiguously supportive: Almost all disparaging criticism of â€Å"try and† comes from American critics; British commentators have generally been tolerant. There appears to be no rational basis for hostility to the expression and no need to avoid it in appropriate surroundings. The OED includes an entry for â€Å"try and,† but still labels it as a colloquialism. OxfordDictionaries observes that â€Å"In practice there is little discernible difference in meaning, although there is a difference in formality, with try to being regarded as more formal than try and.† Even M-W, with the reference to â€Å"appropriate surroundings† implies that â€Å"try to† is preferable for formal use. But is there, as our reader asks, a difference between such wordings as, â€Å"Try and stop complaining† and â€Å"Try to stop complaining†? Fowler discerned a difference: Though â€Å"try to do† can always be substituted for â€Å"try and do,† the latter has a shade of meaning that justifies its existence; in exhortations it implies encouragementthe effort will succeed; in promises it implies assurancethe effort shall succeed. It is an idiom that should be not discountenanced, but used when it comes natural. A Columbo episode has the title â€Å"Try and Catch Me.† A rebellious teenager might respond to a request by saying, â€Å"Try and make me.† In discussing a modern painting, art critic Sister Wendy says, â€Å"I’ll try and make sense of it.† In each of these examples, the and conveys something to would not. Perhaps we can add â€Å"effort† to Fowler’s â€Å"exhortation and promises.† How correct is Fowler’s statement that â€Å"try to do can always be substituted for try and do†? As a rule, it has its pitfalls. For example, consider the following headline and sentence: Two Judges Try and Fail to Shut Down Union Rights It’s better to try and regret, than not to try and regret. In the first example, changing the â€Å"try and† to â€Å"try to† would leave the reader wondering why the judges tried to fail in their purpose: â€Å"Two judges try to fail to shut down union rights.† Changing â€Å"try and† to â€Å"try to† in the second example would result in the sentence, â€Å"It’s better to try to regret, than not to try to regret.† The original sentence, however, means something very different: â€Å"It’s better to try [to do something] and regret [having tried], than not to try [doing something] and [then] regret [not having tried].† The note at OxfordDictionaries includes an explanation as to why â€Å"try and† remains questionable in formal usage despite its ubiquity in conversation: The construction try and is grammatically oddin that it cannot be inflected for tense (e.g. sentences like she tried and fix it or they are trying and renew their visa are not acceptable, while their equivalents she tried to fix it or they are trying to renew their visa undoubtedly are). For this reason try and is best regarded as a fixed idiom used only in its infinitive and imperative form. Careful writers will continue to scrutinize their use of â€Å"try and† in formal contexts, but they can still feel free in conversation and dialogue to follow Fowler’s advice about using it â€Å"when it comes natural.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†For Sale vs. On SalePractice or Practise?

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Micro-structure of ceramic, polymer and composite material Assignment

Micro-structure of ceramic, polymer and composite material - Assignment Example According to Whitney (2000), ceramic structures come in a variety and each structure has its own unique properties. For instance, some are very high thermal conductors while some don’t conduct heat at all but they possess other properties. Micro structures of Ceramics also vary in nature as some are pure glass, some crystalline and others are a combination of the two. Ceramics with glassy structures have properties that differ from metallic structures, and the difference in these properties is the atomic structure of the glass (Russell, 2009). Silica is the most common products that makeup glass where when it is fused together then placed in cold temperatures; the glass is formed. The main advantage of ceramic glass is its ability to be made into different shapes when it is still a soft plastic. Ceramics in crystalline form have the metallic and non-metallic atoms which should be balanced for the crystals to be made. During the crystallization, the arrangements in ions mainly determine the manner in which cells will be arranged. Whitney (2000) outlines that crystal structures are neutral in nature and the structures are closely parked together. These ceramics combines the properties of other materials to create a complete product, and they are hard in nature and mechanically stable. According to (Russell, 2009) Nitride ceramics are mainly used to cut wood materials due to their hardness. The process of making nitride ceramics is an irreversible process because of the arrangement in the lattices that are interchangeable. One of the main disadvantages of ceramics is the presence of impurities in the metals, and this affects its formation. There are also some defects that affect the neutrality of the atoms and these defects are, as a result displacement of atoms from their positions, therefore, creating a vacuum. Other shortcomings of ceramics are the formation of solids that lack clear chemical formulae due to their