Please, Please Do Your Homework Before Pitching

Please, Please Do Your Homework Before Pitching Frequently I receive emails from prospective writers asking what I seek for FundsforWriters. Some go as far as to ask what I pay, how I pay, and how quickly I pay without so much as a hint to what they propose to write. While I know cultures change from country to country, even state to state, the fact is its rather presumptuous to ask how youre going to get paid before you demonstrate youre a writer. If you wish to pitch a magazine, website, newsletter, anthology or prospective client, please do the following first: 1) Read up all you can on the entity before you make a connection. If its a magazine, study the ads, the old articles, and the masthead to see how many articles are usually written in-staff versus freelance. And if they have guidelines, 2) Have a website or blog that demonstrates who you are and what you are capable of doing. 3) Know what youd like to pitch to the publication after understanding what they need. When you pitch, do NOT say the following: 1) You are a new writer seeking to break in. 2) You want to know how and when youll get paid. 3) You want the editor to tell you what to write. 4) You cannot find the guidelines. 5) You are retired, a student, a stay-at-home mom, disabled, a PhD candidate, etc. unless that has everything to do with what you are pitching. Its all about the article and your experience in writing THAT article, not your lifes history or ID. When you pitch, the editor absolutely wants the following: 1) A memo to them personally, not the team, or the editor, or to whom it may concern. 2) A pitch for a story that matches the publication perfectly. 3) Enough

18 ACT Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Score

18 ACT Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Score SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for some quick fixes to improve your ACT scores? Look no further. In this article, we give you severaltips and tricks for the ACT so that you can get your best possible scores on every section. First, I'll go through specific tips for each of the five sections (English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing). Then, I'll provide you with overall tips you can use throughout the test.Note that these are all last-minute test-taking advice tidbits rather than in-depth study hacks. Therefore,it's best to view them as light icing on top of a delicious cake representing the ACT expertise you've developed over a longer period of time. ACT English Tips The first section you'll take on the ACT is the English section, which focuses on your knowledge of grammar as well as your editing skills. #1: Choose the Most Concise Answer ACT English questions look for answers that result in the most straightforward, logical sentence structure, so try to find the choice that provides all of the necessary information for the sentence to make grammatical sense- and nothing extra. The best writing says what it needs to say clearly and concisely! #2: Read the Paragraph First A good plan of attack for ACT English is to read the whole paragraph that has the sentence you must revise before you look at the answer choices.This will give you context for your choices and a better grasp on the structure of the sentence and how you might need to change it.With this strategy, you can reduce the number of errors you make caused by careless misreadings. #3: Be Careful With "No Change" Answers On ACT English questions that ask you to choose the answer that makes a sentence grammatically correct, you'll have the option to pick "No Change." This is a dangerous choice because if you aren’t aware of more obscure grammar rules, you might be tempted to choose it on some questions for which the sentence actually can be improved. Thus, it’s really important to double-check all other answers before settling on "No Change" as the correct choice. That said, keep in mind that "No Change" really is the correct answer around25-30% of the time it's an option, so don't second-guess yourself if you're relatively certain there isn't an error. Read the sentence through with each of the possible suggested changes before you bubble in â€Å"No Change† to ensure that you’re ultimately making the right call. ACT Math Tips Up next is the ACT Math section. Here, we give you two key tips you'll need to know in order to get a high Math score on test day. #4: Pay Attention to Diagrams The ACT Math section will often provide you with diagrams of figures that describe the problem you’re trying to answer.It’s important to pay attention to these figures, asthey will give you clues about which answer choices are the most logical. If a problem asks you to figure out an angle, for example, and some of the choices are acute while others are obtuse, you’ll be able to eliminate at least a couple of these answers just by looking at the diagram.If it doesn’t seem like an answer is possible based on the visual aid alone, it’s usually safe to cross it out. #5: Plug In Answers and Numbers Two of the most important strategies to help you confirm you've got the correct answer on a math problem are to plug in answersand plug in numbers. Here's how to plug in answers: if a question asks you to solve for x,simplyplug each answer choice back into the original equation and see which one works. This will tell you which answer choice is the correct one. You don’t even need to really solve the problem! Plugging in numbers is a little different. With this strategy, you'll choose random numbers to plug into algebraic variables. This strategy lets you analyze the problem using real numbers instead of unknowns, and works best for questions with multiple variables. While helpful, these strategies can sometimes be more time consuming than just solving the equation directly, so only use them as a last resort if you're stumped. All you gotta do is find the right answer cord. ACT Reading Tips With ACT Reading- the third section on the test- you'll need to know how to read and interpret passages both quickly and accurately. #6: Start With Your Strengths The ACT Reading section is always structured the same way with four topic areas in the same order. Each topic corresponds to a passage or pair of passages.These topics are as follows: Prose fiction/literary narrative Social science Humanities Natural science To make sure you’re getting the most out of this section, start by reading the passage(s) that correspond to the topic area in which you are most comfortable.This might simply mean starting with subject matter that is most interesting to you and will thus make for a quicker read. This way, you can get the questions that are easiest for you out of the way first and won’t risk running out of time before you have a chance to answer others. #7: Skim Passages There’s a lot of time pressure on the ACT Reading section, so try to read the passages as efficiently as possible.For some students, it might be manageable to read passages normally and still have enough time to finish the section, but you have to be a really quick and thorough reader in order to pull this off. The best strategy for most people is to skim the passages instead.In order to skim effectively,read the introduction and conclusion paragraphs as well as the first and last sentences of every body paragraph.This will give you a good overview of the main ideas and allow you to answer most main point questions.When you get to questions about details, you can then reread specific parts of the passage if necessary. ACT Science Tips For the Science section, you'll need to know how to interpret data and must answer questions dealing with graphs, tables, and scientific experiments. Here are our two best tips. #8: Do the Conflicting Viewpoints Section Last Theconflicting viewpoints section on ACT Science is usually the most time consuming for students. In case you’re not familiar with it, this part of the section asks you to read two or three passages that detail different viewpoints on a scientific issue.You'll then answer questions about these viewpoints and how they relate to one another. Since this is more reading-intensive and can eat up a lot of time, it’s best to save this part for last so that you don’t end up missing other questions later on in the section that will be quicker and easier for you to answer. #9: Rely On Visuals The ACT Science section hits you with a lot of complicated terminology and unfamiliar facts that make it seem overwhelming.The best policy when faced with all of this information is to ignore it and go straight for the graphs, which should provide enough information for you to answer the majority of the questions you’re faced with. Most of the information you’re given is just extra stuff thrown in there to make this section seem more difficult than it really is. In reality,ACT Science is more about logical reasoning and data interpretation than it is about actually knowing any science. As long as you can read the graphs, you'll be fine! If you can't read this graph, drink more coffee. ACT Essay Tips The ACT Writing section, or Essay, is an optional section and the last one you'll take (if you signed up to take it). Below, we give you two expert tips to help you get the Essay score you deserve. #10: Pres Since ACT Essay prompts are relatively predictable, you can do some of your own essay planning before the test to save yourself time and stress.Choose concrete examples from art, history, literature, and/or personal experience; try not to use hypothetical or vague examples to support your points. Keep in mind that all of the facts you use in your essay don’t necessarily have to be true. Graders don’t have time to fact-check, so they'll take everything you write at face value. This means you can make up statistics or historical facts to support your thesis, and you won't be penalized! #: Write a Great Intro and Conclusion It’s likely that the essay graders will read your introduction and conclusion more closely than they will the rest of your essay. If they can find your thesis easily, you're already on the right track to earning a great Essay score.As long as you have body paragraphs that make sense and support the points outlined in your thesis, graders will likely give you at least a 4 in the Organization and Ideas and Analysis domains. You'll also need to write a conclusion paragraph thatrestates your thesis andshows a strong understanding of how all your points relate to one another. If you can demonstrate basic knowledge of how to logically structure an essay and stay on topic, you'll be good to go. Overall ACT Tips Now, let's wrap up with some general ACT tips to help you feel more confident for test day. #12: Skip Hard Questions On the ACT, time pressure is a very real problem for many students. To avoid losing points, you need to learn to skip questions that are giving you trouble before they eat up too much of your time.â€Å"Too much of your time† means something different for each section: English: more than 30 seconds per question Math: more than 60 seconds per question Reading: more than 45 seconds per question Science: more than 45 seconds per question As a rule of thumb, if you feel like you’re not any closer to figuring out a question after about 30 seconds, move on.Circle that question so that it’s easier to spot later on when you want to go back to it. Then, make a quick pass through the whole section and answer all of the easy questions first so you don’t miss points by running out of time before you're able to get through everything. #13: Use the Process of Elimination For every section of the ACT, use the process of elimination as your main strategy for attacking tough or confusing questions.This ties into the fundamental rule of ACT reading, which says that for every question there is only one completely correct answer- the rest can be eliminated based on evidence in the passage. The process of elimination is more foolproof than trying to pick out the correct answer from the pack. Look for reasons to get rid of choices rather than reasons why they might work. This will help you be more picky about which answer you bubble in, and will also prevent you from thinking that more than one answer might be correct.If there’s even one tiny thing out of place in an answer choice, get rid of it! #14: Bubble at the End You can save time on the ACT bywaiting until the end of a section to bubble in your answers. This cuts down on your time per question by letting you avoid the process of going back and forth between your test booklet and answer sheet.It’s more efficient to circle the answers you choose in your test booklet and then fill them in all at once later. Before using this tip, though,make sure you can reliably finish the section with at least three to five minutes to spare!Don't risk running into a situation in which you don’t have enough time to bubble in your answers even though you’ve gone through all of the questions. Just as you are legally obligated to pop all of the bubbles in a sheet of bubble wrap, so too must you fill in all bubbles on the ACT. #15: Answer Every Question Since there isno penalty for guessingon the ACT, make sure youfill ineverybubble!An incorrect answer and an unanswered question both have the same impact on your raw score, so even if you have no idea how to answer something, it's best to go ahead and guess anyway. #16: Get a Good Night's Sleep the Day Before the Test It might sound cheesy, but you'll feel a lot more prepared (and awake) on test day if you get a solid amount of shuteye the night before the test. How many hours you need to feel well rested varies depending on the person, but generally it's good to aim for at least eight hours of sleep. Heading into test day feeling sleepy and exhausted can dramatically affect your ability to focus and potentially lower your score. So get to bed early! #17: Eat a Hearty Breakfast In addition to the tip above, it's equally important to eat a healthy, satisfying breakfast before you take the ACT. This way you'll feel more awake and energized before taking the test. What's more, you won't have to worry about a growling stomach later on! #18: Stay Calm The most important thing to remember during the ACT is to keep a cool head.Especially given the time pressure, students who suffer from test anxiety often freak out if they have to skip a few questions.Don’t let this happen to you! Keep moving forward and answer what you can.You might find questions that initially seemed impossible are much easier when you come back to them. The nice thing about the ACT is that once you get through a section, you’re completely done with that subject. So you won’t have to worry about it until the next time you take the test (if that time even comes!). Review: 18 Tips for Improving Your ACT Score You can quickly improve your section scores on the ACT if you remember to use these 18 tips before and during the test. Let's recap: ACT English Tips Choose the Most Concise Answer Read the Whole Paragraph First Be Careful With "No Change" Answers ACT Math Tips Pay Attention to Diagrams Plug In Answers and Numbers ACT Reading Tips Start With Your Strengths Skim Passages ACT Science Tips Do the Conflicting Viewpoints Section Last Rely On Visuals ACT Essay Tips Pres Write a Great Intro and Conclusion Overall ACT Tips Skip Hard Questions Use the Process of Elimination Bubble at the End Answer Every Question Get a Good Night's Sleep the Day Before the Test Eat a Hearty Breakfast Stay Calm Remember, these are quick fixes that aren’t substitutes for studying content and gaining a deeper understanding of your mistakes.You should read some of our other articles, like this one on how to get a 36 on the ACT, to supplement your use of these tips and tricks! What's Next? If you're looking to do some more hardcore studying, take a look at this list of the top 10 books you should be using for ACT prepand this list of the best websites for ACT prep. Are you taking the ACT soon and need some advice on last-minute strategies you can use? Here are the bestguides to read for last-minute ACT prep. Haven't scheduled your test date yet? Find out the best ACT date for you! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. 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Civil Rights Movement in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Rights Movement in the US - Essay Example It lasted until national civil rights legislation was passed in the mid-1960s. African-Americans and other racial minorities rejected this regime. They resisted it and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909. It struggled to end race discrimination through litigation, education, and lobbying efforts. Its crowning achievement was its legal victory in the Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that rejected separate white and colored school systems and by implication overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson.Invigorated by the victory of Brown and frustrated by its lack of immediate practical effect, private citizens increasingly rejected gradualist, legalistic approaches as the primary tool to bring about desegregation. In defiance, they adopted a combined strategy of direct action with nonviolent resistance known as civil disobedience, giving rise to the African-American Civil R ights Movement of 1955-1968. Notable legislative achievements during this phase of the Civil Rights Movement were passage of Civil Rights Act of 1964, that banned discrimination in employment practices and public accommodations; the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that restored and protected voting rights; the Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965, that dramatically opened entry to the U.S. to immigrants other than traditional European groups; and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, that banned discrimination

Business Kodak and Fujifilm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 10

Business Kodak and Fujifilm - Essay Example According to the study in 1976, the company had 90% market share in USA. But during the late 1990s the company started to struggle financially as the sales of photographic film declined. After that the company was able to earn in 2007 by selling digital cameras. In January 2012, Kodak filed for protection against in the District Court of United States. Kodak had sold many of its business and patents to various companies. Fujifilm Holdings Corporation which is generally known as Fujifilm and it is a Japanese company specialized in imaging and photography. It has it’s headquarter in Tokyo, Japan. The core businesses of Fujifilm are production, sale and servicing of color film, development, digital cameras, color paper, equipments for photo finishing, equipments for graphic arts, equipments for medical imaging, printers, optical devices and flat panel displays. Fujifilm was founded in 1934 as a manufacturer of photographic film. It has expanded to be a leader in various fields of business. During the 1940s Fuji photo entered into the market segment of lenses, optical glasses and equipments. This essay declares that in 1962, the company has launched Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd along with another UK based company Rank Xerox. In the 21st century, with the rapid pace of digital technology in the photography segment the company had transformed its business structures in to digital technology. Although the company was founded many years later than Eastman Kodak Company but Fujifilm was able to transform its business very quickly from film to digital technology. The diversification strategy of Fujifilm was also successful while Kodak failed on that.  

Humorits Essay Example for Free

Humorits Essay Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and why not†, said by George Bernard Shaw (miscellaneous quotes). In society today, many people go about with things and don’t ask why they do such matter. In the article, â€Å"Corn-pone opinions† by Mark Twain, he uses a good example: he states that â€Å"fashion has established itself: it is admired, now, and no one laughs†. In other words, fashion is created, and people go along with it and never ask why they do so. Alain de Botton argues that humorists are not to entertain but â€Å"to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly†. In agreement, humorists play a vital role in society. As an illustration to how humorists play a vital role in society is in the article â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift, who creates a plan for eating Irish babies. Swift, is criticizing the English for their abuses against the Irish. Swift thought that eating the Irish babies would solve the â€Å"Irish problem†. However, the plan is ridiculous because it is used to describe how the Irish is being treated. The meaning thats being read in the article is that English dont value the Irish life. Instead of Swift saying so, he uses the comparison of eating babies and the abusing of Irish people. For this purpose, criticisms are being made and people dont realize them but they send a strong message. Another example of how humorists play a vital role is society is in the article ‘Corn-pone Opinions†, Twain shows another example by stating â€Å"Our table manners, and company manners and street manners change from time to time, but the changes are not reasoned out; we merely notice and conformed†. In this quote Twain tries to describe the fact that many things are changing and no one take the time to notice it; they just gone along with it. In addition, society does not realize things that is going on. They just feel that when something is being said or done that it may be the right thing so they just go along with it because they feel they need self-approval from one another and never notice that it is affecting our society.

Love through life and death Essay -- Article Analysis, Stephen Lowe

For Time Magazine, by Stephen Lowe You’ve probably heard of the Indian vs. emigrants shootings, the drowning of the Applegate family, and starvation on the Oregon Trail, but do you honestly know to what extent how hard the journey was for the emigrants to make this 2,000 mile journey (McGill; Wagner, 10-15, 109-110; Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). The emigrants had to go through endless hardship, varying from walking the entire journey to deadly unknown diseases (Boettcher and Trinklein; Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). According to the Oregon-California Trails Association, expected mothers were common emigrants to travel on the trail, meaning that majority of the wagons on the trail had at least one expectant mother (Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). Thousands of babies were on the Oregon Trail. When the food was limited, babies would cry, not understanding why they weren’t getting fed (Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). They would become malnourished and desperately thin (McGill; Boettcher and Trinklein). When the need for food became urgent, babies were passed from mother to mother in order to be fed milk that they desperately needed to keep them alive (Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). Those babies, thin and helpless, often had their lives taken by the trail. The Oregon Trail was a hostile and deadly route, though many don’t know the severity of the conditions on the trail. There are many stories gone unknown that show a family’s amazing perseverance through the trail. This article covers the eventful but unknown journey of the True family’s trek over the Oregon Trail, providing parts of Charley True’s journal to show what the Oregon Trail was like through the eyes of an emigrant. Having to deal... ...r disasters, and a bout of cholera within their wagon party. The last few stretches of the trail were the most difficult, though (Wagner, 109-110). A supposed shortcut turned out to be a dangerous and deadly trail that could have killed us all. After crossing a river, going through mountains, and pushing through desert, we faced all the fears of nature. We saw other families go down in the raging rivers and drown (Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). Frostbite and cold were associated with the mountains. Rattlesnake bites and dehydration were apparent in the desert (Life and Death on the Oregon Trail). In these last days, each day became harder and harder. More people were getting buried under the ground in shallow graves, and even more things had to be thrown out. The feet of the oxen split, and their shoes fell off (Life and Death on the Oregon Trail).

Moot Court Essay

Jitender Sharma was a young boy of 18 years of age. He fell in love with Poonam Sharma who was a girl of 16 years of age. One day they eloped from their respective homes and finally got married as per Hindu rites and ceremonies. Poonam’s family members were against this marriage. Even her Grand Father and Paternal uncle were not ready to accept this marriage at any cost. They threatened Poonam of her life and safety. Thereafter Poonam’s father lodge First Information Report (FIR) against Jitender at Gandhi Nagar Police Station, Delhi under section 363 and section 376 of Indian Penal Code. On 05.05.2010, a typed letter signed by Poonam was received at the Gandhi Nagar Police Station stating that ‘she had married Jitender with her own will and requested not to file any criminal case against Jitender’. Thereafter on 07.05.2010 Jitender and Poonam were apprehended from Bilaspur in Utter Pradesh and produced before respective court. Poonam refuse to undergo any medical examination. She did not state any thing against Jitender in her statement before the Magistrate under section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Thereafter Jitender was sent to Juvenile Home. Subsequently, Poonam gave in writing that she had left her parents home by her own will and went along with Jitender. The court sent Poonam to Nari Niketan for some time. Then on 17.05.2010, Poonam’s custody was handed over to her Parents. Thereafter, on 15.06.2010 Jitendre was released. Subsequently, he demanded cudtody of her wife by filing writ petition in Delhi High Court. Now argue for the both side and also the law and procedure in the aforesaid matter. Some the issues are listed below and are not limited to the below mentioned issues. These issues are as follows: 1) Whether Jitender is lible for the kidnapping of Poonam from her legal guardian? 2) Whether the marriage is voidable under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955? 3) Whether the Jitender is liable under section 376 of I.P.C, 1960? 4) Whether Poonam must be sent with Jitender under Guardian and Wards Act, 1890?

Horror Story Essay

It was a wonderful day in southern Spain and Sara and Kevin was out for a walk in the mouintains on their last vacation day. The view was extrodernery, olive plantings turning the otherwise dry land green and small white houses forming tiny villages, everything bathing in the strong Andalusian sunlight. As they walked upon an old path with a high cliff on the left-hand-side they passed a yellow sign with some text and the cliff painted in black, but since neither of them spoke Spanish they thought nothing of it. They walked on by and enjoyed each others companies very much, holding hands and talking about their holiday. Suddenly Sara stopped and claimed that she heard a noice of a rock falling down from the mountain beside them, but Kevin assured her that it was perfectly okay for them to continue their walk, since he was enjoying it so much. Just a second after he spoke those words a loud noise shoke the ground and before they even had time to react, massive rocks were flying down f rom the cliff just beside them. They threw themselves against a big tree next to the path as rocks kept falling down and dust started to fill the air. The horrible moment seemed to last forever†¦.. At last it stopped, and everything turned dead silence. After a few seconds a voice was heard shouting: ‘’Sara , are you okay? Where are you? It was Kevin ofcourse. He was lying under the tree, and seemed to be safe and sound despite the horrible incident. A few seconds went by without an answer from Sara. He started panicing and shouting, even louder and more anxious than before. Then silently, but still, a wage sound was heard. Kevin jumped up from the place he was lying on and started to look around. There, on the path, under a pile of rocks he saw a red thing but he couldn’t distinguish what it was. Coming closer, he saw that Sara was lying there and that the red was from her T-shirt which she wore that day. He quickly grabbed the biggest rock on top and started to push, at first it was all still which made Kevin again to panic. With all his force he pushed once again and now it slowly started to move and finally, after an heroic effort the rock slid off and Sara could get loose. She miraculously was also without any severe injuries and hugged Kevin harder than ever before, and they agreed that they won’t ignore signs they don’t understand ever again.

How to Find a Job After Being an Entrepreneur

How to Find a Job After Being an Entrepreneur Jason Alba, creator of JibberJobber.com, has literally written a book on how to make your own niche in the working world as a self-employed entrepreneur, but he also knows that being your own boss isn’t the best option all of the time. Sometimes it’s a question of timing, prioritizing a stable paycheck over following your bliss, family crisis taking precedence, or a market crash, etc. And he has some reassurance for you. It’s ok! You can quit one enterprise and seek out a job in someone else’s employ, without being a quitter or giving up on your dream. Take it from someone who’s lived it:Whether you are a cog in someone else’s wheel, or you create the next Facebook, you have value. Â  And as I mentioned earlier, circumstances change. Â  Maybe your role as cog today will lead you to successful entrepreneur in the future. Â  Or maybe you’ll be a great cog, with a great career, with financial stability and all the joys that can come fr om having a fulfilled life.Shuttering your small business, with all the blood, sweat, tears, and time you’ve sunk into it, can feel like failure–but it doesn’t have to. You too may have the heart of an entrepreneur, but thanks to timing and external circumstances, it may be just what you and your family need to take down that shingle and exchange it for a company ID. It doesn’t mean you’re done inventing, planning for the future, or directing your own life. Be ready for the right opportunity when it calls, and trust that you’re doing your best. Document all your responsibilities, risk-taking and successes in your next stellar resume, and take that confidence into your next job interview. Entrepreneurship will be waiting for you when you get back.When an Entrepreneur Quits and Has to Find a JobRead More at Jibberjobber

List of Organs Damaged by Smoking Expanded

List of Organs Damaged by Smoking Expanded Smoking causes diseases in nearly every organ of the body, according to a comprehensive report on smoking and health from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Published 40 years after the surgeon generals first report on smoking which concluded that smoking was a definite cause of three serious diseases this newest report finds that cigarette smoking is conclusively linked to diseases such as leukemia, cataracts, pneumonia, and cancers of the cervix, kidney, pancreas, and stomach. Weve known for decades that smoking is bad for your health, but this report shows that its even worse than we knew, said U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona in a press release. The toxins from cigarette smoke go everywhere the blood flows. Im hoping this new information will help motivate people to quit smoking and convince young people not to start in the first place. According to the report, smoking kills an estimated 440,000 Americans each year. On average, men who smoke cut their lives short by 13.2 years, and female smokers lose 14.5 years. The economic toll exceeds $157 billion each year in the United States $75 billion in direct medical costs and $82 billion in lost productivity. We need to cut smoking in this country and around the world, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease, costing us too many lives, too many dollars, and too many tears. If we are going to be serious about improving health and preventing disease we must continue to drive down tobacco use. And we must prevent our youth from taking up this dangerous habit. In 1964, the Surgeon Generals report announced medical research showing that smoking was a definite cause of cancers of the lung and larynx (voice box) in men and chronic bronchitis in both men and women. Later reports concluded that smoking causes a number of other diseases such as cancers of the bladder, esophagus, mouth, and throat; cardiovascular diseases; and reproductive effects. The report, The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General, expands the list of illness and conditions linked to smoking. The new illnesses and diseases are cataracts, pneumonia, acute myeloid leukemia, abdominal aortic aneurysm, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, kidney cancer and periodontitis. Statistics indicate that more than 12 million Americans have died from smoking since the 1964 report of the surgeon general, and another 25 million Americans alive today will most likely die of a smoking-related illness. The reports release comes in advance of World No Tobacco Day, an annual event on May 31 that focuses global attention on the health hazards of tobacco use. The goals of World No Tobacco Day are to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use, encourage people not to use tobacco, motivate users to quit and encourage countries to implement comprehensive tobacco control programs. Impacts of Smoking on Overall Health The report concludes that smoking reduces the overall health of smokers, contributing to such conditions as hip fractures, complications from diabetes, increased wound infections following surgery, and a wide range of reproductive complications. For every premature death caused each year by smoking, there are at least 20 smokers living with a serious smoking-related illness. Another major conclusion, consistent with recent findings of other scientific studies, is that smoking so-called low-tar or low-nicotine cigarettes does not offer any health benefit over smoking regular or full-flavor cigarettes. There is no safe cigarette, whether it is called light, ultra-light, or any other name, Dr. Carmona said. The science is clear: the only way to avoid the health hazards of smoking is to quit completely or to never start smoking. The report concludes that quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits, reducing risks for diseases caused by smoking and improving health in general. Within minutes and hours after smokers inhale that last cigarette, their bodies begin a series of changes that continue for years, Dr. Carmona said. Among these health improvements are a drop in heart rate, improved circulation, and reduced risk of heart attack, lung cancer, and stroke. By quitting smoking today a smoker can assure a healthier tomorrow. Dr. Carmona said it is never too late to stop smoking. Quitting smoking at age 65 or older reduces by nearly 50 percent a persons risk of dying of a smoking-related disease. Unexpected Organs Damaged by Smoking Aside from the major organs- heart, lungs, brain, stomach, etc.- cigarette smoking and excessive exposure to secondhand smoke can cause damage to some unexpected parts of the body, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Ears: By reducing the flow of oxygen to the cochlea, a snail-shaped organ in the inner ear, smoking can damage the cochlea, resulting in mild to moderate hearing loss.   Eyes: Besides increasing the risk of blindness from cataracts, nicotine from cigarettes reduces the body’s ability to produce the chemical necessary for being able to see at night, especially dangerous when driving after dark. Mouth: Long known for causing disfiguring and potentially fatal oral cancers, cigarette smoke is now known to cause smokers to have more mouth sores, ulcers and gum diseases than non-smokers. In addition, smokers are more likely to have tooth decay and lose their teeth at a younger age. Skin and Face: By causing the skin to become dry and lose its elasticity, smoking can lead to stretch marks and wrinkles. By their early 30s, many regular smokers have already developed deep wrinkles around their mouth and eyes. According to the NHLBI, quitting smoking can protect the skin from premature aging.

Imago Dei Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Imago Dei - Research Paper Example In this attempt, Christianity, Judaism and Islam consider mankind as an image of God or consider them being created in the image of God. Genesis and Psalm are the Old Testament that are widely accepted and used as reference while discussing Imago Dei. Other testament passages are James 3:9 and 1 Corinthians 11:7. In order to understand the definition of Imago Dei, it is important to consider the actual meaning that can be derived out of this term, its theological aspects and human attributes that are perceived as a reflection of God and other perspectives present related to its functional view, relational capacity, humankind’s destiny and intellectual formation. Imago Dei not only emphasizes on religious aspects of this notion but also attempts to derive a scientific view out of this conception. In specific contexts, Christianity provides four definitions of Imago Dei. According to these definitions, humans bear similarity to God, they are God’s counterpart in this univ erse, human have dominion in this universe, and they are God’s representatives2. Substantive View of Imago Dei According to Gardoski, content and context of Genesis 1:26 help in viewing Imago Dei in a substantive manner. This substantive view illustrates that God has provided man with intelligence, volition, morality and spirituality. These characteristics helps man in operating as God on earth and this is how God has restored himself in creation of man which also differentiates him from other living beings. These spiritual and non-material aspects when combine with a physical body form a human in a holistic view3. Existence of man, his ability to function independently and rule the land does not make him capable of being a reflection of God. Instead, God gave him this body as a vessel or mean to enjoy the resources provided to him. However, along with these earthly blessings, he is also given an opportunity to exercise two significant corollaries of God’s image. These corollaries demand man to rule over other creation as the representative of God in whom all the trust and power of God has been bestowed along with enjoying cordial relationship with the creator and his creations. These corollaries provide us an indication as to why God made man his representative and created him in his image. Hence, this body provided to man is just a mean of fulfilling God’s will4. As far as view of a fallen man is concerned, a fallen man is a sinner who has digressed from the path of God but remains God’s creation and thus, inherits a reflection of God. However, for a fallen man, it is important to renew himself to be and act like God and live a life as God intends man to live. On the other hand, Christianity renders Jesus Christ as an example of restoration of Godly image in man and salvation believers expect to renew themselves in the same manner. Although attempt of seeking salvation in Jesus Christ does not restore the same image of God instead it affects the behavior and mannerism of the believer to match the conduct of God. Substantive view further illustrates that man attempts to match his actions to God’s and tries to seek conformity even in the daily life activities. Functional View of Imago Dei Imago Dei helps in identifying the functional purpose of humankind and his existence in a corporate sense. Hence, valuation of mankind can be performed and assessed. According to excerpts of Genesis in Klasson’