Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Using Más in Spanish as an Adverb, Noun, or Pronoun

Using Ms in Spanish as an Adverb, Noun, or Pronoun Ms is the word most commonly used in Spanish as the equivalent of more and sometimes most. It typically functions as an adverb but sometimes as an adjective or pronoun. Here is a guide to its usage: Using Ms to Mean ‘More’ or ‘Most’ In its most simple use, ms can come before an adjective or adverb to mean more or most, depending on the context. In the same way, ms is often the equivalent of the English suffix -er or -est.  ¿Cul es el idioma ms fcil para aprender? (What is the easiest language to learn?)Es ms difà ­cil vivir en el à ©xito. (It is more difficult to live with success.) ¿Si me baà ±o en cloro serà © ms blanco? (If I bathe in chlorine, will I be whiter?)La propulsià ³n warp de Star Trek se usa para viajar ms rpido que la luz. (Star Treks warp propulsion is used to travel faster than light.)El monte Fujiyama es conocido como la ms hermosa montaà ±a en la Tierra. (Mount Fujiyama is known as the most beautiful mountain on Earth.) When it comes before a noun, ms can function as a masculine or feminine adjective and also be translated as more. Its use as an adjective to mean most is possible but uncommon. Hay ms felicidad en dar que en recibir. (There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.)Puedes enviar una invitacià ³n por correo electrà ³nico a dos o ms personas a la vez. (You can send an invitation by email to two or more people at a time.) ¿Causa la contaminacià ³n del aire ms muertes extra al aà ±o que el tabaco? (Does air pollution cause more additional deaths each year than tobacco?) Ms can also function as a pronoun in the same way where it substitutes for ms noun: Tengo ms que tà º. (I have more than you.)Compramos ms cuando tenemos hambre. (We are buying more when we are hungry.)Lo ms que puedes lograr es ser nà ºmero dos. (The most you can accomplish is to be number two.) Ms Que vs. Ms De The phrase more than is nearly always translated as ms de or ms que. However, the two phrases are used in different ways, arent interchangeable, and should not be confused with each other. Ms de is used with numbers and quantities: Las olas, de ms de siete metros de altura, hicieron estragos. (The waves, more than 7 meters high, created havoc.)Habà ­a ms de un mil espectadores. (There were more than 1,000 spectators.)Es importante beber ms de dos litros de agua al dà ­a. (It is important to drink more than two liters of water per day.) Ms que is used otherwise. As in the second example below, an adjective or adverb can come between the ms and the que. Hoy te amo ms que ayer. (I love you more today than yesterday.)La paz es ms difà ­cil que la guerra. (Peace is more difficult than war.)Somos mucho ms que amigos. (We are much more than friends.) Using Ms With Verbs Although ms is often translated as more when used as an adverb following a verb, often it is better to let the context suggest a different translation:  ¡No puedo vivir ms con mis padres! (I cant live any longer with my parents!)Pienso ms cuando no hay distracciones. (I think better when there arent any distractions.)Esta pilas recargables duran ms. (These rechargeable batteries last longer.) Using Ms in Arithmetic In mathematical formulas, ms is the equivalent of plus: Dos ms dos es igual a cuatro. (Two plus two equals four.)La suma de cero ms cualquier nà ºmero da dicho nà ºmero. (The sum of zero plus any number gives that number.) Ms vs. Mas Ms should not be confused with mas, even though the two words sound alike and come from the same origin. Mas is a preposition meaning but. You wont hear it used very often- mas has a mostly literary use and in real life the word choice for but is pero. Centuries ago, ms and mas started out as the same word, with the former eventually getting the accent because it would get the stress as its more and but meanings diverged. Key Takeaways Ms is usually used as an adverb to mean more or most.Ms can also be used as an adjective or pronoun meaning more.Ms and mas are not the same word; the latter is a literary word meaning but.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Book Launch How to Launch a Book for More Sales [Printable Checklist]

Book Launch How to Launch a Book for More Sales [Printable Checklist] Book Launch: How to Launch a Book for More Sales [Printable Checklist] â€Å"Build it and they will come† is advice that rarely works when trying to sell books.Amazon is full of self-published books that have barely made any sales, leaving many writers dejected.If you want your books to succeed, to get into the hands of your readers, to potentially achieve bestseller status†¦. you need a book launch plan.After all, you’ve already spent months (or even years) crafting your manuscript. You’ve also spent a small fortune on a book cover, hiring an editor, proofreading, formatting, and other related expenses.The last thing you need after all you’ve invested is for your book to fail, to make exactly zero sales.(Okay you might make a few, to friends and family. But that’s not why you wrote your book, right?)If you have a book, or are looking to write a book, and are already thinking about promotion, then this is for you. Contrary to what you might expect, launching a book isn’t hard, and it doesn’t need to break the bank (although you do need to invest some money).NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereBy focusing on the minimal book launch strategy I’ll outline here, you’ll avoid being overwhelmed and launch your book on Amazon like a pro.Well guide you through how to:Price your book during launchBook launch checklistSet up your complete launch strategy during soft launchCollect reviews from your launch teamSet your book up with the best promo sites for both paid and freeStick to a minimalist launch planWhat to do Before a Book Launch Before you go any further, there are a few things you need to do in between finishing your manuscript and launching your book. I put together a 13-point checklist of these action items.You don’t need to carry them out with perfection since they can be tweaked later.But don’t launch your book with out doing these key tasks:Book Description - Create your book description using the Book Description Generator at Kindlepreneur.com.Keywords - Select 7 keywords for your book. I use KDP Rocket and Kindlespy. There is also Merchant Words and Google AdWords.Categories - Choose 2 main categories for your book in the KDP dashboard. Once your book is live you can email Amazon and request to have your book put into eight additional categories.Landing Page - Create a landing page for your book. This can be used to collect email addresses and give away a chapter of your book before its release (optional).Upload Manuscript - Upload your manuscript to KDP. Proofread your book using the KDP online previewer.Upload Cover - Upload your Kindle cover to KDP.Launch Price - Set your launch price at 0.99.Lead Magnet - Insert a lead magnet into your book, both at the front and back. Connect this to your email list provider such as Mailchimp or ConvertKit.Audiobook (Optional) - Get your audiob ook created. Plan to release your book through Audible or ACX.Paperback - Get your paperback version created. You can set up your paperback at CreateSpace. Optional: Your paperback can be launched after the Kindle release.Emails - Pre-write emails that you’ll send to your launch team.Goodreads - Goodreads account created and author profile setup. Your book will end up there either way, so it’s worth setting up an account to associate the book with.Launch Plan Model - Map out the specific action steps you are taking for each day of your launch. I have provided a model for this further down the post.Download Your book Launch Checklist Your free pre-launch checklist for landing yourself a Bestseller banner! Just like there are a variety of business models to choose from when planning your venture, there are a variety of book launch strategies to choose from.For example, you could follow Steve Scott’s 5-Day Launch Plan That Works which he used to effectively lau nch the bestselling book 10-Minute Digital Declutter that he co-authored with Barrie Davenport. Or you could emulate Nick Loper, of Side Hustle Nation fame, and his successful launch strategy which sold 2600+ copies of his book Buy Buttons. There’s even the detailed launch plan of Rob Cubbon, the author of The New Freedom.These are all plans that work because of one thing: They are strategic in their planning and strategic in their execution.However, while there seems to be a lot of steps, an effective book launch plan isn’t complicated. Your launch plan will depend largely on:Your objectives and purpose.Your platform. The bigger your platform and access to influencers, the bigger (and more diverse) your launch.In the strategy I’ll show you, I keep things simple. It’s a 12-day launch, including a 3-day free promo through Amazon.If you’ve ticked everything on that checklist, then it’s time to hit publish on your book and to start your launch strategy.But, before we dive into that, there are a few things you need to know about Amazon’s algorithm as it informs your book launch strategy.The Amazon Algorithm: A Few Basics for Your Book LaunchAmazon uses an algorithm to measure and track book sales, and everything else on their platform. It’s worth remembering that Amazon wants you to succeed: if you make money, Amazon makes money.Knowing a few basics of it can help you to have a greater launch and to sustain the life of your book for months (and years) after the launch buzz wears off.Here’s how it works in a nutshell: Your book starts ranking as soon as someone buys a copy. Every purchase of your book pushes the ranking up the ladder. As a book moves up, it jumps ahead of the other books in your selected category. The rankings are based on recent sales and Amazon favors a book that is getting consistent, ongoing sales.A book that runs a promo and gets 200 sales in one day, but then nothing else for the week, will not perform as well as a book that gets the same number of downloads over the course of a ten-day period.Slow, steady traffic and a long-term plan is the way to succeed with your book.Steady, organic growth will always outperform a sudden burst of downloads.It’s worth noting also that while reviews and the price of your book do not affect your sales rank, they’re still worth having. The more quality reviews you have, the more credible your book will be to shoppers.This affects their decision-making power to buy, which translates into more downloads and an increase in sales rank. Focus on getting as many quality reviews as you can during this launch phase. Then, continue to work on getting reviews from organic traffic.With that out of the way, let’s look at two necessary steps you need to do before you promote your book.Setting Up Your Amazon BestsellerTheres a very specific formula to follow during your book launch that will have you hitting those Ama zon bestseller lists. And you definitely want to become a bestseller so you can increase your sales and maintain your position at the top.The $0.99 Launch StrategyI know what you’re thinking, â€Å"$0.99? Why would I essentially give my book away for free? I didn’t get into this business to fulfill the starving artist stereotype.†I know how you feel, but trust me, there’s a good reason for launching it at this price. You may be selling it at a super-low point now, but the rewards are coming later.Remember: think long term.It’s better to have a book that has steady sales in the long term than to just have a burst of downloads now, then zero in the future.Action Item:Go to the KDP dashboard and set your book at $0.99. With the exception of the free promo period (which we’ll get to shortly), your book will be at $0.99 for the duration of the launch.The Free Book Launch StrategyI mentioned that our strategy will have a 3-day free launch. Setting this up is easy. If you plan to run a free promo for your book, you can set this up as soon as your book is live on Amazon. To run a free promotion, your book has to be enrolled in the KDP Select program for 90 days.A book that is listed for free will be ranked in the free store and books set at a price are ranked in the paid store.If you don’t have a following (email list) or you are just getting started, I suggest you do the free promo. The free promo gets your book into more hands (that will hopefully read it) and increases its visibility across more platforms.Action Item: Go to the KDP dashboard, and under â€Å"Kindle eBook Actions,† enroll into the KDP Select program. While enrolled in the KDP select program your book has to be exclusive to the Kindle Store.Action Item:Go to the KDP dashboard and set your book at $0.99. With the exception of the free promo period (which we’ll get to shortly), your book will be at $0.99 for the duration of the launch.Book Promotion Sites: Free and PaidWhen launching your book, especially during your free promo, you want to put it into the hands of as many readers as possible. Amazon ranks your book in the free store based on how many downloads it gets.The higher you rank, the more downloads you’ll get from Amazon browsers. Which means to maximize your launch, you need an initial surge of readers that don’t come from Amazon.This is where book promotion sites come in. You can use them for both your paid and free launch. In the launch scenario later on in the post, I’ll show you how to batch these sites together to give your book the boost it needs.An aside if you have a healthy email list: you won’t need to rely on these sites as much. This is especially beneficial for authors who are just starting out and don’t yet have a strong platform.Keep in mind that results vary for each site and your performance will largely depend on your book’s quality.You still need the essentials: a great book cover design, a compelling book description, and an eye-catching book title.Below is a list of my favorites that I have personally used, in combination with an email list to launch multiple bestsellers. You can also check out Dave Chesson’s blog on this as he covers the best sites to use for both free and paid.The price for each promo site varies depending on the niche and category.The Best Book Launch Promotion SitesBuckbooks. If you can get onto any of these promo sites, Buckbooks is the one you want to try to get into. You need 10 reviews before they’ll schedule you. Note: You can promote the 2nd book on the same day for only 25% of the price. Great deal. But you can only promote once every 6 months for each book. If you use their Archangel Ink book production services you’ll get a guaranteed placement.Robin Reads - (need 10 reviews and a 4.9 rating) Takes a couple days to get approved ($55). Great results. I usually get anywhere from 60-100 downloads with this one. https://robinreads.com/author-signup/ Note: They have a calendar that is usually booked out weeks in advance. In this case, consider using Robin Reads for future promos of existing books already launched.BookSends - $40. If you can match this up with Robin Reads or Bucks on the same day it’s a great little boost. https://booksends.com/BKnights (Fiverr) You can’t go wrong for $5. I would also take the extra gig for $5 and get in on their daily newsletter. Downloads average 12-30 depending on the book.eReader News - Great gig but hard to get approved at times. takes several days for a response. Various prices. https://ereadernewstoday.com/Booksbutterfly. You are basically paying for downloads, one of the few (if only) sites that do that. They have various packages for everything. I recommend the Silver Eagle ($90) that gets you 50+ downloads + KU borrows. (https://www.booksbutterfly.com/bookpromo†¦/paidbookpromotion/)The Fussy Librarian (https://www.thefussylibrarian.com/). Great promo but very hard to book in advance. They are usually booked out 2-3 weeks ahead. Need 10 reviews to get accepted. Various price ranges. Strong results.Bargain Booksy. I love this one, no reviews needed and you can sign up right away and get approved. $25 for nonfiction. Lots of categories and good results. https://www.bargainbooksy.com/sell-more-books/eBooks Habit. Great little promo, I recommend the guaranteed placement for $10. https://ebookshabit.com/for-authors/Awesome Gang. This one is great for the price, $10. They have a free option but go with the paid. https://awesomegang.com/submit-your-book/Many Books. Great little gig, average returns, $29. You can also sign up to become a featured author. https://manybooks.net/promoteDigital Book Today ($40). Good gig, average returns and works better with fiction than non-fiction. https://digitalbooktoday.com/eBook Stage. Another great little promo site, reasonably priced. $10. https://ebookstage.com/Book Runes (https://bookrunes.com/). Global reach with over 50k mailing list, $25. Average to very good results.BookBub. This is by far the biggest and the best promo site. Very tough to get accepted and it is expensive, but worth every dime. At the very least you should set up an Author profile on BookBub and start to get people to follow you. They have a great blog too that gives powerful tips on how to get a BookBub feature. https://insights.bookbub.comEmail your list (if you have one). if you don’t, BUILD one. This is by far better than all of the promo sites combined. If you don’t have a list yet, start building one with Mailchimp, Mailerlite or Convertkit.The Book Launch Sequence and Set-UpTo keep things simple, I’m giving you an example of a book launch that covers 12 days. This is similar to the launch that I did for my book Relaunch Your Life, except that I didn’t run a free promo. However, for this post, I will look at ho w to include a free promo as well.Your launch will look and perform differently than this, but you can use this as a model and tweak as required. This launch assumes you are launching your book at $0.99 with a free promo set up through KDP for 2-3 days.What is the difference between a soft launch and the actual launch?I use the term soft launch below, which is different from your actual book launch. Your soft launch begins from the moment you hit publish.As Amazon takes about 24 hours to set up your book, I recommend hitting the publish button at least 24 hours before you begin your actual launch. For example, if your launch plan beings on a Sunday, then publish your book on a Saturday.The 12-Day Book Launch ModelReady for your book launch? In this book launch model we use 3 days for our soft launch window, and then begin the actual launch on day 4.Day 1: First Day of Soft Book LaunchThe first day of your soft launch is critical. This is the day when you are going to set up your boo k to successfully launch over the next 11 days. The price point is set at $0.99.Here is a brief checklist of what to do on day 1 of the soft launch:Create your Amazon Author Page. Set up your bio and upload an author pic.Claim your book by hitting the ‘add more books’ tab. This will appear on your author page within 24 hours.Email your launch team. Let them know the book is ready for verified reviews.Email Amazon customer support. Request that your book is placed in additional categories.Set up a few promo sites for days 2 or 3 while your book is at 0.99. This starts to build momentum. Recommended Awesome Gang, Bknights, and Booksbutterfly.As soon as you have ten reviews, set up the rest of your promo sites for the week. Not all of these promo sites require a set number of reviews. Check the list for links to the sites and submission requirements.Set up your Free promo in the KDP dashboard. Your free promo will be 2-3 days. This will start on day 4 (or however long you decide to run your soft launch). If you do a 5-day soft launch your free promo will start on day 6. Set up several paid promo sites to advertise your book for free. Although your book is free, the promos will cost you.For your free promo on days 4-5 contact:James H Mayfield (Note: his calendar is very busy. You might not get on for the days you want with short notice. Consider using your remaining free days at a later date and arrange to have James promo your book.)Bknights (free promo)Awesome GangFreebooksyBooksbutterflyIf you combine these promo sites with the organic traffic you’ll get from Amazon, you should do very well for free downloads.Day 2-3: Soft Book Launch (Optional: You can extend this up to 5 days)Social media burst to your FB page, mastermind groups, and other sources to spread the word. Dont forget about other social platforms with large reader audiences like Twitter and Tumblr.Day 4-6: FREE PromoThe promotional sites you got in touch with on day 1 will be ad vertising your book. Send an email to your team to notify them that your book is now free. Promote to social media!Day 7-10: Paid Promo SitesRun paid promo sites recommended from the list above. You can cluster these a day apart or combine 2-3 promos a day.Day 11-12: Winding Down the Book LaunchIf you followed the plan you should have had a considerable number of downloads for both your free promo and your $0.99 promo. Remember that your numbers will vary depending on your platform, book quality, niche, and sometimes, luck.Email your list and remind them the book will be 0.99 for only one more day. Contact your launch team and thank them for reviews and their support.This is the last call for reviews and downloads.Day 13: Increase the Price to $2.99Leave it there for one week and raise it to $3.99. You can test the pricing by going up to $4.99 and watching what happens. Monitor the sales and adjust accordingly.I usually spend around $300-$400 per launch minimum on promo sites but ho w much you spend is up to you. Stagger them out over the course of 10-12 days.Beyond the Book LaunchOne of the biggest challenges authors have is where to go after the initial book launch is over.How do you promote, market, and keep bringing in traffic so that your book doesn’t drop off into oblivion? Here are two things you can focus on:#1 Write another bookMultiple books create momentum. Look at the army of fans that Game of Thrones had before the TV Show launched. How did George R.R Martin build that? By setting up and writing the books as a series.Do you have a series of books you could write?A series is a great way to build your brand, a list, and to keep traffic growing with increased interest in your books.#2 Build your business on the back endCreate a business around your book with coaching, a course, or an automated email course that gets readers engaged after they are finished your book.They want to know more about you and so, if you have a business set up to kick in for subscribers, this is the start of what could be a great author business.Launching a book is a combination of strategy, imagination, and hard work. If you have a great book to promote and a team of people (a small team will do) backing you up, you can have a great launch that gets your book into the hands of your market.With every book launch, there is more to learn. If you keep launching, you’ll get better. And as you get better, you’ll get more fans.Eventually, you can turn your launch into a massive movement with thousands of fans standing behind you pushing your book towards New York Times Bestseller status or get featured in The Wall Street Journal.Imagine that.Whatto do Next!Its not enough to just read about launching your book.Learning from the best and then takingaction is where real success is made.#1 Learn more!The learning never stops not when it comes to this ever-changing (yet growing) field of self-publishing. And in order to stay ahead of the cu rve, you have to continue to invest in your knowledge.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Tokugawa period until 1868 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Tokugawa period until 1868 - Research Paper Example In fact, there had been no hiatus between high class and lower class cultures (Ng). Further I Ching scholarship which had achieved its highest status during the Tokugawa period and its aspects of yin-yang wu-hsing had also impacted on Tokugawa’s cultural aspects. The flower arrangement popularly known as Kado or Ikebana traceable to pre-Tokugawa period namely Kamakura period (1186-1336) had developed as a Buddhist art. It had been associated with nemustu (chanting to Amida Buddha) and renga (linked poetry) during the Muromachi period (1392 -1573). It came closer to chanoyu during the sixteenth century. The flower arrangement had been the most popular during the Tokugawa period. The yin-yang wu-hsing principle representing harmony of the universe was depicted in the flower arrangement relating to I Ching concepts of yin-yang, san-ts’ai associated with the three powers of heaven, earth, and man, and wu-hsing. The flower arrangement with three divisions was symbolic of hea ven, earth and man (Ng). Thus, the religions were the roots of Japanese culture and Tokugawa was no exception. Now the broad aspects of Tokugawa’s culture having been briefly examined, this paper will narrow down its research of Japanese Tokugawa’s culture to Theatrical forms (Kabuki) in the following pages. Kabuki Kabuki is depicted by the three Japanese characteristics referring to ‘dance, music and craft or skill’ as depicted below. Figure 1. (Source: creative-arts.net). Originally Kabuki was associated with â€Å"tilted† or â€Å"out of balance† characters depicted as ‘exotic’, racy, or debauched’. Though its origin comes from temple dance, Kabuki’s earlier recorded history shows much of its association with... The period between the ascendancy and the fall was the period of isolation of Japan from the rest of the world. The 268 years under the spell of Tokugawa clan had been characterized as ‘static political, social and cultural life’. Family structure, political structure and social class structure along with many values and ideas remained constant during the 268 years of Tokugawa rule. During this period, Buddhism and Confucianism had been rejected. The native religion Shinto re-emerged. The culture of Tokugawa period is indeed overwhelming with the Kabuki players surviving the period of seclusion and rigors of Tokugawa’s clans over more than two and a half centuries. The seemingly vulgar culture alleged to have been portrayed by Kabuki plays actually had been well intended as revealed in the above account of Nishiyama and Groemer. Otherwise, they would not have survived. The popularity of Kabuki amongst the lower classes had its own repercussions. The crowds gathering at the performance places often used to turn boisterous that Shougun had to ban the actors and dancers from towns and permitted them to perform only at the remote places close â€Å" pleasure quarters† in 1608. Kabuki’s early history shows that there had been links between such places of entertainment and theater as a source of entertainment at the places of pleasure for the common man popularly known as ukiyo (floating world). The actors of Kabuki Theater were social outcasts and theater managers were kawara kijiki (riverbed beggars) until 19th century when the actors were accorded the status of artists.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Group Project Final Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Group Project Final Report - Essay Example After a certain time period, the evaluation can be carried out to find out if the investment is turning out as planned. The assumptions that can be applied the fact that the bond’s rate of return will remain constant and will be paid in time. The other assumption is that there will be no external factors that will adversely affect the running of a company. The reevaluation of assumptions can be done based on factors that affect the rate of return of bonds. The assumptions cannot be accurate because there are many external factors that largely affect rate of return. The things that did not work to our favor include the inflation rates. The inflation rates are dependent on a number of factors that cannot be controlled by a single individual. In reallocating, the investor can consider taking up investments that are in independent industries to ensure that profits are reaped even in the case of economic

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Environmental Impacts from over Population Essay Example for Free

Environmental Impacts from over Population Essay Introduction The population of human beings on this planet has been gaining exponentially, since the dawn of Man. A basic feature of an exponential increase is that the numbers increase faster and faster as the population doubles and redoubles, with each doubling occurring in the same amount of time (Wright, 2008), As the population continues to multiply, so do the impacts upon our environment and surrounding ecosystems. As human populations increase, the demands for food, supplies, and housing also increase. With these increased demands, there is now a greater strain upon our resources more than ever before. The question then becomes, what are the impacts upon our environment by our population situation, and is there anything that can be done to deal with the problems from this dilemma? Population Impacts As civilization has continued to grow and develop, so has the impact upon our environment by our exploding population. As mankind began to â€Å"modernize†, the Earth began to feel impacts by the choices made from its inhabitants. Beginning with the agricultural revolution, humankind became able to manipulate his environment (Sharp, 2000). During the agricultural revolution, man was able to plant and grow food. As societies were still nomadic in their nature, mankind would use the resources of the Earth to their fullest extent, and then move on to the next area. This started with slash and burn techniques, and for the first time, CO2 levels were modified (Sharp, 2000) As the population of the planet continued to surge, the next great impact upon the environment would be the industrial revolution of the 1800’s. With the boom of the industrial revolution across the world, the demand for natural resources and the impacts upon the environment would soar. More people and natural resources were needed to sustain the new industrial system and the needs of growing societies (Sharp, 2000). The impacts of the industrial revolution were great and vast. For the first time in our world’s history, we could see the potential impacts of using our natural resources and dealing with an ever-growing worldwide population. The effects of population growth upon the environment are becoming revealed at an alarming rate. Between 1960 and 1999, Earths population doubled from three billion to six billion people (Rand, 2000). The world has changed dramatically over the last several years. The landscapes and ecosystems that were present hundreds of years of ago are no longer in existence. We are consuming our natural resources at an alarming rate. In fact, many environmental experts believe that human beings have reached their carrying capacity of sustainable life. How do we meet the challenges of population growth and managing our natural resources without exploiting the environment? First, we must begin to invest in technology that does not degrade the environment (Sharp, 2000). This is very critical to the retention of a sustainable environment for our future. In the past, countries developed around their economic strength. This factor often meant that most nations did not consider long-term environmental impacts by their decisions. These â€Å"slash and burn† techniques by many nations have resulted in devastating consequences to our ecosystems. There are entire species that have become extinct, all in the name of economic progress. This short-term economic gain for many of these nations has resulted in effects that will be felt from generations to come. The eye of man can see the effects of population growth. It also can now project the effects of population demand in the future. One of the growing problems facing mankind today is global climate change. From glaciers melting, to rising oceanic temperatures, and even climactic weather events, the effects of population upon the earth, have impacted our future for many years. Research suggests that temperatures have been influenced by growing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which absorb solar radiation and warm the atmosphere (Rand, 2000). There is still a great deal that we can do to preserve the environment and place a halt to the devastating environment impacts of our population growth. Our sustainability not only depends on us meeting this challenge, but also presents an opportunity to provide for the future of our civilization. An encouraging note is the simple fact that many companies are now becoming â€Å"green† companies, meaning that they are attempting to be environmentally conscious and pursue policies that offer to protect and not neglect our environment. The answers to this problem are two fold. First, we must address the growing populations in the developing world. The populations in these areas are growing at an alarming rate. Many of these areas are already facing critical famines and food shortages of historic proportions. Unfortunately, efforts to implement policies that stress birth control have not been effective. We must address the growing populations in these areas, if we are to tackle the problems that population growth has created upon the Earth. The next problem we must address, if we are to maintain adequate sustainability upon the Earth, is our own consumption issues. As a nation, we are consuming natural resources at an alarming rate. We consume more energy per capita than any nation on this planet. Moreover, we must develop better land-use policies in the developed world. The â€Å"slash and burn† tactics of the past must be stopped and we must acknowledge the fact that we cannot destroy entire ecosystems that have taken hundreds of years to develop, and believe we can replace them by simply planting hundreds of trees that will take years to grow. The impacts of our decisions are great. The choice is clearly impacted by economic factors. As a nation, our demand for consumer goods is at a high level. While our population is growing at a slow rate, our consumption levels have never been higher. Many Americans do not focus on the environmental impacts of their decisions today. We must implement sound environmental policies that embrace this factor. The choices are clear for society. As the population of the world continues to soar, so will the stresses upon our environment. There will be a greater need for usable water, natural resources, and even greater energy demands. While these demands pose a potential calamity for the environment, they also create opportunity for new industries. As mankind begins to recognize the negative effects upon the environment by poor decisions and usage in the past, we as a society can create and environment that fosters the development of â€Å"green† industries and elect government officials that encourage policies that promote the well being of our environment. Conclusion The effects on our environment from our population are visible everyday. One need only look to the smog filled sky, or read the newspapers decrying the shortages of drinking water, and the battles that are ensuing to lay claim to that drinking water to realize the impact of the decisions that face us as a society today. We can change the way we live and stop the poor use of the environment, and we can control the growth of the population in third world countries, or continue the status quo. If we choose poorly, we will face an environmental impact that will test the sustainability, not only of our civilization, but also of our planet.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Canterbury Tales Interpretive Essay -- essays research papers

The Evil Side of Human Nature Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales became one of the first ever works that began to approach the standards of modern literature. It was probably one of the first books to offer the readers entertainment, and not just another set of boring morals. However, the morals, cleverly disguised, are present in almost every story. Besides, the book offers the descriptions of the most common aspects of the human nature. The books points out both the good and the bad qualities of the people, however, the most obvious descriptions are those of the sinful flaws of humans, such as greed and lust. One of the people’s traits affected by human nature in many stories is greed. As shown throughout, greed is an evil sin. This is especially obvious in the Pardoner’s Tale, where the Pardoner, a church-appointed official who collects gold for absolving people their sins, tells about the evils of money. In the story, three friends, who wanted to make the world better by killing death, find gold, and unwilling to share, start planning to kill each other. Two friends sent the third to bring them food and wanted to kill him after he came back. The victim, however, also wanted the money, and poisoned their drinks. As a result, all three friends die. â€Å"Thus were these two homicides finished,/ and the false poisoner too.† (Chaucer 365). Even though Chaucer’s conclusions are not expressed and actually are very different from what the Pardoner says, Chaucer manages to convey h...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe A Tragedy? Essay

The word â€Å"tragedy† refers primarily to a literary composition in which a central character called a tragic protagonist or hero suffers some serious misfortune which is not accidental, but in that the misfortune is logically connected with the hero’s actions. [1] When we read this definition of tragedy, it gives us a feeling that it is indeed Onkonkwo’s life summarized in a few lines, as in Things Fall Apart, he, being the protagonist has a complete reversal of fortune and in the end, all that he stood for, all his strengths bring him to his downfall. This ideal of a tragedy is very relevant in this novel. The title itself reinstates the fact that ‘things fall apart’ in this novel and therefore, tragedy strikes. For a work to be called a tragedy, the characters in it must possess certain traits [2]. Hence, to verify that â€Å"Things Fall Apart’ is a tragedy; we may analyze the character of the protagonist in this novel, who is Onkonkwo and get an overview of his qualities and traits. Firstly, the hero in the tragedy must be doomed from start, but bear no responsibility for possessing his flaw. In this novel, Onkonkwo since the beginning wished to be different from his effeminate, unsuccessful and lazy father, Unoka. As a result, he adopted his own ideals and values and gained will power, strength and determination. These qualities enabled him to become a great wrestler, strong warrior, wealthy farmer, and a highly respected member of his community. However, as he achieved more in life, his self confidence became his pride and his manliness turned into authoritativeness. Eventually, his strengths became his weaknesses. However, at the same time, Onkonkwo was forced into developing all these traits in him, because he had a fear of weakness due to having a father like Unoka. Another trait of a tragic hero is the fact the he should be a leader, so that his people experience his fall with him. Onkonkwo was indeed an important leader in his village. However, as he became more successful, he became vain and impatient with unsuccessful men. He openly flouted the many customs and traditions of the Ibo due to his unruly and violent behavior. He exhibited his anger unreasonably by beating up his wives and children, as he did in the week of peace which was considered sacred. Onkonkwo, however, committed his worst mistake when he participated in the killing of his adopted son, Ikemefuna. Despite being advised against it by the oldest member of the community, Onkonkwo disregarded him and he himself cut down his son, only because he was ‘afraid of being thought weak’. His ultimate blow came, when due to an accident, he shot dead the 16 year old son of Ogbuefi Ezeudu at his funeral. Thus, Onkonkwo lost all his prestige and was ostracized from the community, forced to live in exile for seven long years. Thus, due to his own tragic flaws there was a complete reversal in his fortune, which is another trait of a tragic hero. While in exile, Onkonkwo suffered greatly, as he was in great misery due to his son Nwoye, who also abandoned him and rejected him by changing his religion. When Onkonkwo returned from exile, he found a completely transformed community. He had lost all his respect. He always wanted his people to be strong and brave, but instead he found that all of them had become weak in front of the Christians, incapable of saving their traditions and culture. In the end, when a messenger from the District Commissioner’s office came to their village to hold a meeting, Onkonkwo impetuously killed him. His community however did not support him and his people backed away in fear. This eventually led him to his own death as crushed by the misfortunes, he committed suicide. Considering the traits of the hero in a tragedy again, he must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, as in the case of Onkonkwo, which in fact resulted in his sad demise. According to Aristotle, a tragedy must also have consistency, which this novel certainly does have, since Onkonkwo, the main character in this work, consistently remains true to himself. Onkonkwo throughout the book stands up for himself, his beliefs and his community. And although he possesses his own shares of flaws, he also has some good traits in him, which proves that he did not really deserve this fate. This arouses pity and empathy for him amongst the readers. In conclusion, we can clearly say that Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ is a classical example of a tragedy. However, it is not only about the main protagonist’s personal tragedy but also about the tragic destruction of the Ibo, the tribe to which Onkonkwo belonged. This tragedy is caused because the people, themselves turn away from their own traditional gods and culture. Thus, the causes of this tragedy are inherent within the culture itself and the tragic element in this book has truly enhanced it even more.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Unme Jeans Case Analysis

1. What problem confronts UNMe? The brand manager was trying to make a decision whether to advertise her brand in emerging social media. She has to consider the benefits and risks, how the new channel will work with the original media plan and what results she can expect. 2. What are the positives and negatives of UNMe’s current media plan? Current media plan: * 30-second TV ad on most popular programs for teenage girls * Full-page magazine print ad in beauty & fashion magazines * 60-second radio on Top 40 A corporate website * Online banner and display ad on the most popular websites for teenage girls * â€Å"key word† Google Positive: multiple ways can make UNMe reach maximum targeted market of women 12 to 24. The media she chooses are consistent with the style of UNMe, like Gossip Girl, American Idol, Top 40 radio and other online banner ad on girls’ favorite websites. She spends most money on TV ad, on which people spend most time on ad. Negative: audiences watching TV are declining. Consumer’s media habits were rapidly changing.They are turning from traditional media, such as TV, magazines and radio to new media choices. Consumers were devoting much more time to online channels. Since there is advertising clutter, the percentage of advertising that consumers remember was as low as 1% to 3%. So having more channels may lead to more costs than revenue.3. What are some potential benefits and risks to utilizing Web 2. 0 media tactics for UNMe? Benefits:   consumer co-creation, social affiliation, digital self-expression, sharing.Consumers can directly contribute to the online conversation. Women of 12 to 24 can create their own design of UNMe jeans on Facebook and share their designs. Web 2. 0 makes consumers more like participants with other people than being individual. They can also comment on other people’s design and forward it to more people, which increase the influence of UNMe. It’s an easy way to connect with their friends and family. MySpace and Facebook allow people to create their own profile online so that they can have social network and link with other friends.Young women have an enthusiasm in expressing their identities online. Web 2. 0 makes people to â€Å"be online † rather than â€Å"go online†. We can see from the exhibit 6, visitors of Facebook, YouTube are increasing quickly each year. 47% of teenagers and 69% of young adults have a profile and contact users and the majority of them visit social websites everyday. (Exhibit 7) The typical members of Facebook are high school and college students, highly matches the targeted market of UNMe.Risks: investment in new advertising channel is risky. Foley has to be sure that the money she spends on social media will make higher or comparable revenues as traditional TV, magazines and radio. There might be a lack of control over the content online. Some information on Facebook, youtube, Zwinktopia is inappropriate for UNMe and may have a negative influence on consumers.4. How specifically should Foley integrate social media into her media plan (if at all)? Why?

Thursday, November 7, 2019

FCC and Mergers essays

FCC and Mergers essays The Communications Act of 1934 established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Its main purpose back then was to control and regulate all means of communication, from radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. It is governed by five commissioners, and reports to Congress. There are seven bureaus that operate under the FCCs umbrella. They include the Cable Services Bureau, the Common Carrier Bureau, the Consumer Information Bureau, the Enforcement Bureau, the International Bureau, the Mass Media Bureau, and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. These bureaus are responsible for developing and implementing regulatory programs, processing applications for licenses or other filings, analyzing complaints, conducting investigations, and taking part in FCC hearings. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has given much more control and jurisdiction to the FCC in regards to newer and newer technologies. Wireless data transfers were not an issue in 1934. But they are now. The FCC regulates not only the new technologies, but also the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines, as well as cable service, television, satellite transmissions, etc. If there is a means to communicate something, chances are that the FCC will be watching. Of utmost importance in the Act of 1996 was what it did as far as opening up new arenas in which to expand. It allowed the Bell Operating Companies to begin offering long distance service, allowed cable TV companies to expand into the telecommunications arena, let telecommunications firms begin providing video and cable programming, gave permission to free long distance providers to offer local service, and forced Internet Service Providers to restrict access to indecent material. This was a paramount decision, as it now opened so many new arenas for companies to expand into. As well as expansion, it also gave the FCC much more to keep an eye on, especially when many firms decided t...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Essay Expert’s Top 10 Lists of 2014

The Essay Expert’s Top 10 Lists of 2014 This is the time of year where typically I share LinkedIn’s list for the past year of overused buzzwords. Sadly, no such list has been issued this year. While one enthusiastic reader encouraged me to create my own list, I don’t have the analytical tools to discern the most popular words and phrases in LinkedIn profiles throughout the world. So I am appeasing myself with sharing a list of lists that span a range of topics, from LinkedIn to love. Here are some lists I will refer back to as 2015 unfolds. The first five are related to my professional wheelhouse- job search and LinkedIn- and the second five run the gamut on more personal topics! 10 Data-Driven Steps to Dominate LinkedIn Publishing. This list is a must-have for anyone publishing articles on LinkedIn. I was just reminded to publish my posts on Thursdays – and to write longer articles! Top 7 Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making On LinkedIn. This one comes from yours truly and it’s a must-read if you didn’t catch it the first time around! You will get some good reminders here whether you’re a beginning or more advanced LinkedIn user. The 25 Hottest Skills of 2014 on LinkedIn. As LinkedIn opines, â€Å"If your skills fit one of the categories below, there’s a good chance you either started a new job or garnered the interest of a recruiter in the past year.† By the Numbers: 120 Amazing LinkedIn Statistics. This article provides a treasure trove of LinkedIn-related numbers- and a compelling argument for why every professional needs a compelling and complete LinkedIn profile! 14 Job Search Predictions for 2015. Fourteen career experts offer their wisdom on the 2015 career landscape in this value-packed article! Non-Job Search Related Lists- Time-Saving Tools, Communication Tools, and More! The 10 Best Time-Saving Tools of 2014. I am inspired to start using some of these tools and start planning for how to use all those extra hours! 50 New Year’s Resolution Ideas And How To Achieve Each Of Them. This list is reassuring in that it lets me know I’m not alone in the goals I set for my life. And what great resources for achieving each of them! 20 Alternative Uses For Common Household Items. Did you know that petroleum jelly can keep your car doors from freezing shut and that raw honey is an antibiotic? That’s just a taste of the extremely useful tips offered in this article! 20 Life Skills to Keep Peace in Your Relationship. These self-awareness and communication skills will create healthy relationships with romantic partners, family and friends. I know I am doing the right thing when I see these skills improving in myself and the people around me! Top 100 Best Places to Live. I like this list especially because I live in the #1-ranked city – Madison, WI!! I also know that a lot of people reading this blog might be considering relocation, and lists like these are useful resources as you choose your next home. I also want to give a mention to 25 of the Most Creative Sculptures and Statues from Around the World, sent to me by my publicist Scott Becher. I’m sharing it, well, ‘cuz it’s cool and will exercise a different part of your brain. What’s your favorite list from 2014? Please share! I’m planning to make this an annual blog, so if you have candidates for the list as 2015 unfolds, please send them my way!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

LMX Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LMX Theory - Essay Example He or she may have a quality relationship with other subordinates of the group that could be characterized by warmth, trusting and open that could make followers group and could also have poor relationship with others that could characterized by coldness and suspicion which makes the followers hold back. It is the leader who initiates the relationship and through this exchange, could influence the degree of a subordinate’s relationship that could make them an in-group or an out-group. Leaders have close subordinates and are considered the in-group and their role in the group can be elevated to the degree of â€Å"trusted lieutenant† (Lunenburg, 2010 pg. 2). In effect, in-groups would be able to have greater latitude and influence in the process of decision making and enjoys the open communication from the leader. He or she may be given bigger responsibilities and more benefits to enjoy. The out-group members on the other hand are supervised according to the formality of their employment. The leader exercise his or her leadership not through the quality of relationship as enjoyed by those in the in-group but rather by the implicit relationship between a leader and a subordinate and exercises leadership as dictated by job function and does not extend beyond what is stated in the formalities of employment contracts. In sum, out-group members are treated as regular employees and only do what they are supposed to do as employees. The Leader-Member Exchange posits that relationships between leaders and subordinates go through the stages of role-taking, role making to routinization. Role-taking is the first stage when the manager’s first assesses the new member’s skills and other abilities as he or she joins the group. Role-making then follows where the leader assigns the new member either as part of in-group or out group. The members of the in-group are the trusted lieutenants of the leader whose relationships are characteristically positi ve. Often, they have the similar or share same personality with their manager. Out-group are those members who is outside the grace of the leader and whose job are not as rewarding as those who are in the in-group. The leader also deems those in the out-group as less capable. Finally, relationships are established in the routinization stage where the categorization of roles becomes self-fulfilling. In-group continues to work to maintain their status in the group where the managers delegates more responsibilities and groomed to advance in the corporate ladder while the out-groups receive casual treatment from the manager. II. Provide the results of your complemented questionnaire Score: 22 Low LMX: 20-24 III. Describe what you learned that you can apply to you leadership practice The exercise made me realized that my relationship with my leader falls into the category of low LMX. Our interconnectedness or dyad of relationship falls in the neutral and therefore, can be taken as based on the contractual nature of my employment. My leader is neither warm nor cold to me, nor trust or distrust me not initiates grand action that will make me believe him. It is basically grounded on the principle that if I do my job, I will be okay. Basically, my relationship to him is based on my job and falls on the out-group of LMX. This explains why I am not attached to the leader and to the organization because I felt that I am just an employee there whose