Happy Belated Hearts Day

Happy Belated Hearts Day Like Anna H. ‘14 blogged a while ago, as my time has gotten more precious I’ve stripped away hobbies and for-fun activities and learned what I can and cannot leave behind. I’ve realized over the past year that some of the things that seem the most puntable are the things that make me me, have always made me me. One of my New Year’s resolutions has been to reconnect with the good parts of the person I was before MIT and reestablish some continuity of selfâ€"to read, to go for walks, to look people in the eye and put down electronics when we talk, to go to bed and get up at the same time and have breakfast every day. Some things are still missingâ€"skiing and then ???????? for dinner, forests and rivers and mountains, stars and quiet nightsâ€"but I’m trying to build what I can build from a distance. Here’s one of the stories my parents tell about the person I was as a child. We had just moved to the United States. I had just learned English, and I had absorbed the consumerist ideal of an American Christmas in my American preschool (in the Soviet Union, Christmas was absolved of parties and presents and replaced with New Year’s). I was indignant at the lack of a consumerist Christmas in my newly American family’s home, so I directed my parents through what I had learned to be the appropriate motions: the purchase of the tree and the presents, the wrapping of the presents, the inviting of all my Russian friends and their confused Russian parents. I’m very attached to some material traditions, like lights and wrapped presents at Christmas and New Year’s and Old Russian Christmas and Old Russian New Year’s, candles on Hanukkah, candy and costumes on Halloween, and cards on Valentine’s. It’s not that traditions disappear in college, but they’re up to you and the peo ple around you to keep them going, which is hard when you’re focused on keeping yourself going. Valentine’s Day was awesome. Boston has been snowing sideways and up. Over the past week the view from my room has looked like this: And here’s Killian, on campus (the snow is entire-leg deep on some parts of the lawn):       Another one of our (mine with Cory’s support) New Year’s resolutions has been to eat healthier food that costs less money, with a weekly exception on Sundays to blunt the approaching week. For Valentine’s Day we moved our cheat day to Saturday and had clam chowder (which is apparently a very Boston food) and Lady Grey tea and maple walnut muffins.   I wanted to give my friends Valentine’s Day cards, but the ones we used to give out in elementary school are apparently (now that it’s my money) really expensive, especially since my class isn’t sized 30 people like it used to be and apparently  scratch and sniff  is trendy. A few evenings ago I drew a card, digitized it, and printed it out in bulk. Then I cut out heart stickers and glued them on so they could be reused, because that’s the kind of thing I would have liked as a kid. Some reflections: My left wrist hurt like crazy from folding. Writing physical notes is really fun. Stamps and envelopes are really fun. Glue tastes kind of sweet. I think I missed an important memo. Amazingly, one glue stick was enough for everything. I had a wonderful day copy/pasting in the physical world. Hopefully next up is a charcoal sketching kit and book my mom gave me for Christmas (which a young girl who seemed about the age of my inner self complimented me on at the airport, so I know it’s awesome). Cory and I delivered the on-campus ones just after dark, which because of the snow was still light, large snowflakes floating down around us, snow several feet deep, with piles of it taller than us on the edges of the sidewalk, squirrel tracks on the surface of the snow, bunnies probably thinking they’re camouflaged in the skeletons of the bushes, snow mobiles circling like predators. It was the most lovely walk. Here’s the card I mailed home to Pennsylvania, and the other 120-something in the whole group:     Since Valentine’s Day was on a Saturday you could plausibly still celebrate it today (or even Tuesday, if you don’t have school today). My little brother, who is small but not very small, reports that he only heard the phrase Valentine’s Day twice in school on Friday, that both times were during homeroom announcements, and that there weren’t cards or candy, which is suboptimal. If you want to use my cows to wish some of your friends a happy  belated Hearts Day this week, especially if you’re a  grownup  or otherwise not in elementary school, you can download them as a pdf here  (or make your own if you have time). Print them out. Fold hamburger, then perpendicular to hamburger. Cut out and glue a heart sticker  as a balloon for the top left cow on the inside (or just draw or color a heart (or tape a wrapped candy or chocolate if you’re really awesome)). That’s all. Go spread cheer. Happy belated Hearts Day!

Steroids Abuse in Baseball - 1746 Words

Steroid Abuse Hurts Baseball The abuse of steroids among players in Major League Baseball is corrupting the image of Americas Pastime as well as endangering the health of those who use the illegal substances. The lack of testing and punishment for the use of illegal substances like steroids in the Major Leagues portrays a negative image to aspiring young athletes. They see their role models using steroids and becoming better athletes rather than seeing suspensions for the illegal behavior or the negative health effects. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic substances which increase skeletal muscle growth and increase male hormone production. Steroids are legal only through prescription. They are often prescribed for ailments†¦show more content†¦In fact, the details of the new policy reveal that the penalty for a first offense can be either a suspension or a fine of $10,000 or less; that there is no public identification of players who are fined instead of suspende d; and that even if players are suspended, the public disclosure is limited to the fact of their suspension with no official confirmation that the player tested positive for steroids (Davis, np). The committee also questions the leagues decision for who supervises the drug testing: Under the new Major League Baseball policy, many key implementation decisionsÂ… are to be made by a four-person committee that includes Robert D. Manfred, Jr., Major League Baseballs Executive Vice President, Labor and Human Resources, and Gene Orza, the Chief Operating Officer and Associate General Counsel of the Major League Players Association. According to the policy, some of these decisions must be made unanimously, giving both Major League Baseball management and the players union a veto (Davis, np). Another question brought up in the letter is the Anti-Oversight Clause: The new policy contains an extraordinary provision that in the event of a governmental investigation relating to drug testing of players, all testing Â… shall be suspended immediately. The suspension will remain in effect until the government investigation is withdrawn, the league and players union have successfully resisted an investigation at the trial court level, or bothShow MoreRelated Steroid Abuse Hurts Baseball Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesSteroid Abuse Hurts Baseball   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The abuse of steroids among players in Major League Baseball is corrupting the image of America?s Pastime as well as endangering the health of those who use the illegal substances. The lack of testing and punishment for the use of illegal substances like steroids in the Major Leagues portrays a negative image to aspiring young athletes. They see their role models using steroids and becoming better athletes rather than seeing suspensions for the illegal behaviorRead More Steriods in sports Essay1301 Words   |  6 Pages Steroids in Sports nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In my opinion, the initial reason a person starts to play any sport is to either to have fun or mainly to emulate their favorite sports figures. So many kids want to swing a bat like Barry Bonds, or rush the football like Jamal Lewis, or play soccer like Pelle’. When I was younger, I wanted to tackle like Lawrence Taylor. Since these children like to do what they see their role models do, what happens if they find out that their favorite person boostsRead MoreEssay on The Epidemic of Steroid Abuse in America1711 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epidemic of Steroid Abuse in America We as a people are preoccupied with the notion of greatness. Our role models are athletes, actors and actresses, and other figures in the public eye. Many of us often desire to be better off than our current state; to look better, to be in better shape, etc†¦ We compete with each other for jobs, for mates, for grades, for parking spots, and in sporting activities. This competitive nature is a way of life, especially in sporting activities, often learnedRead MoreSteroids in the World of Athletes and Sports1603 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Steroids are a hot topic of debate and controversy in the world of athletes and sports. Steroids fall under the umbrella of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and are a dark cloud that have been hovering over the sports world for a long time. In the world today, steroids are the most relevant in major league baseball. Many baseball players, such as Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, and Mark McGwire, just to name a few, have ruined their reputations because of steroids. There areRead MoreSteroids : Steroids And Steroids1425 Words   |  6 Pages Steroids in Baseball Players like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Alex Rodriguez, just to name a few, have disobeyed the game of baseball, and for what? To add an extra 2-5 mph on their fastball, or to hit the ball farther. If scouts liked you when you weren’t on steroids, why would you need to go on to them. It totally takes out your natural ability of what made you the baseball player that scouts recruited you. This isn’tRead MoreAnabolic Steroids : A Fatal Attraction1734 Words   |  7 PagesAnabolic Steroids in Sports The market for top performing athletes in sports in the 21st century is a competitive one. Athletes are pushed to, be stronger, an heal from injuries faster. With the pressure to do well and get picked up by a professional team of sorts goes without saying that hard work is a must to elevate ones professional athletic career, but what if one has reached a plateau or hit a wall in a training regimen and just can not seem to push through? When some athletes hit the proverbialRead MoreEffects Of Performance Enhancing Drug Usage In Sports1056 Words   |  5 Pagesduring the usage of steroids advertised by the sports athletes. Professional athletes, such as baseball players, have been in the spotlight, especially during their season and the Olympics. In season athletes are the ones that use steroids the most to enhance their performance. Teenagers in high school also admit to have used anabolic steroids at some point of their life. After all, non medical use of steroids is illegal, amen dments have been advanced in the anabolic steroid control arrangementsRead MorePED in Sports Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pagesthe honesty of the game, but also can have broader social affects that one may not even realize. The use of performance enhancing drugs is especially apparent in Major League Baseball. This problem can be traced back to the 1980’s when baseball was facing one of its first â€Å"dark periods†. During the 1980’s Major League Baseball was experiencing a home run drought. Home run totals were down as far as they had been since Babe Ruth, and fans were seemingly becoming bored with the sport. The lack of homeRead More A Baseball Proposal Essay1574 Words   |  7 PagesA Baseball Proposal Ever since the creation of Americas favorite pastime, baseball, cheating has been an integral part of the game. Each era of baseball has offered new and improved techniques for cheating the game of baseball. Cheating has become a common occurrence in baseball, from the 1919 Chicago BlackRead MoreEssay about Media Sports: How did Baseball get Affected by Steroids?1246 Words   |  5 Pagesways. This can be seen in America’s national pastime baseball. Baseball is a sport that became the national sport in the United States in the late 19th century. From the beginning of the sport they tried to keep the highest standards to each player and ball club. There were times of scandal, but of all the things that happen to baseball substance abuse has been portrayed as one of the worst thing a player could do. To defame the baseball was to ruin everything the sport stood for. This research

Freedom of Speech The Engel Vs Vitale Case Essay example

Freedom of speech was a big topic spoken about in the 1950’s and even today. Schools in the 1950’s had to recite a specific prayer every morning in school not like today. Students had to recite the â€Å"twenty two word regents prayer†. The Engel Vs Vitale case has to do with separation of church and state, meaning that there should be a separation between peoples views on religious freedom and the government. In the first amendment, Thomas Jefferson introduced this law and rule during the colonies but then this later evolved into the United States, where into the 1950’s became a huge debate on who was right and who was wrong. The Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale expanded the rights of Americans because the Supreme Court ruled in favor of†¦show more content†¦Petitions were filed and New York State upheld the case and then sent it to the Supreme Court(Britannica School High paragraph 2). A couple of the families were Jewish, another family was atheist, one parent was Unitarian and the last parent was of an ethical culture society. The Parents were to believe that the school was violating the first amendment of the constitution and this was not right; that according to Thomas Jefferson there should be a separation of state and church. Never before had the public school board been argued against with prayer like issues ( Haas, pg 7-20). The Supreme court case started in 1959 and ended in 1962, surprising the whole nation. One of the most historic most remembered cases was announced on June 25th, 1962 giving a lot of people anxiety and releasing a lot of stress. The voting came out to six votes to one vote in favor of Engel and the students ending the eight second prayer called the â€Å"Regents Prayer†. 2 votes were unsolicited, because Justice Byron R. White was a new Justice and did not think it was right to vote right on admittance to the system. The other vote was not taken by Justice Felix Frankfurter because he was about to retire, due to old age andShow MoreRelatedIntent of the Framers1628 Words   |  7 Pagesintent of the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and criminals’ rights. I will explain current views of the provisions of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and criminals’ rights. I will assess which events and opinions have changed the intent of each of these provisions over time. I will evaluate the effects of Supreme C ourt decisions related to these provisions and express consideration for the future of these provisions. Freedom of speech is part ofRead MoreUs Bill of Rights First Amendment1740 Words   |  7 PagesU.S. Supreme Court Cases that challenged the â€Å"First Amendment.† The â€Å"First Amendment† includes the Right to Choose Ones Religion, and does not allow the government to create any laws in respect to establishing a religion. The â€Å"First Amendment† also includes the rights to, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Right to Assemble and Petition the Government to address Citizen’s Grievances. Here is a summary of three important and controversial â€Å"U.S. Supreme Court Cases.† All of which posedRead MoreThe Civil Liberties Of The United States Essay1513 Words   |  7 PagesCivil liberties is the individual rights and freedoms that government is obliged to protect, normally by not interfering in the exercise of these rights and freedoms. However, over the years the rights for the people have either have become open and free or it has become restrictive. The bill of rights in terms of scope in civil liberties protection has changed by three paths such three paths are increased in authority of federal government, the Supreme court shifted its interpretation of constitutionalRead More1st and 2nd Amendment1723 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ The First and Second Amendments of the United States Constitution On September 25, 1789, The Bill Of Rights was submitted to the states for approval, based on the previous Constitutions insufficient assurances for civil freedom, liberties and justice. Concerned that the Constitution neglected to clearly state the basic civil rights of the citizens of the United States, Anti- Federalists opposed the Articles of Confederations, which gave state governments more authority (â€Å"Bill of Rights, n.dRead MorePrayer in Public Schools894 Words   |  4 Pagesdifficult to bring forth any kind of change that will bridge the gap between school and religion. There have been several attempts over the years to use the power of the first amendment of the United States constitution which expresses the right to freedom of speech and religion to justify prayer in schools. Although the first amendment clearly sets out to protect religion from government intervention, the U.S Supreme court has ruled prayer in public school â€Å"unconstitutional† because it violates the separationRead MoreThe First Ammendment and Dealing with the Separation of Church and State1741 Words   |  7 Pagespersonal freedoms in the United States has been significantly important (Klinker, 1991: 109). The original Constitution did not contain a bill of rights because the convention delegates felt that individual rights were in no danger and would be protected by the states. However, the lack of a bill of rights was the strongest objection to the ratification of the Constitution (Klinker:109-110). Even in the early stages of American history there was an urge to put legally protected freedoms into writtenRead MoreAp Government Chapter 15 Study Guide1893 Words   |  8 Pagesreferred to as â€Å"negative rights†) are freedoms that are guaranteed to an individual. These are restraints on the gov. Civil liberties declare what the government cannot do. d. Civil rights (â€Å"positive rights†) are powers and privileges that are guaranteed to the individual and protected against arbitrary removal at the hands of the gov or individuals. Like the right to vote or free expression and stuff. 3. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion in two clauses: e. TheRead More Prayer in Public School Essay3032 Words   |  13 Pagesschool, despite the fact that prayer is actually substantial. The First Amendment of the U.S Constitution states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for the redress of grievances (Greenberg). This first amendment protects both believers and nonbelievers from government interference in theirRead MoreThe Supreme Law Of The Land1989 Words   |  8 Pagesor original understanding of its provisions, betray the rule of law and make a mockery of their oath of fidelity to the Constitution. Justice Scalia was the epitome of an originalist. He was known for his colorful but bold dissenting opinions in cases which usually included a debate about inalienable rights. As mention earlier Scalia believed many judges gave citizens rights which they were not granted by the United States Constitution. For example: Roe v. Wade, the Court ruled in a majori ty opinionRead MoreThe Separate But Equal Doctrine Is Plessy V. Ferguson Essay2095 Words   |  9 Pagesthe American society were that (1) schools were segregated,(2) the whites finally accepted the equality of African Americans, (3) the American society was changed forever after this case, (4) the whole U.S. acts differently towards cases that involve mixed genders now, and (5) Strict laws were changed because of this case. B. Separate but equal was a legal doctrine in United States constitutional law according to which racial segregation did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States

The inflammatory phases of Atherosclerosis Free Essays

Abstract Aim – This review describes recent investigations in to the impact of atherosclerosis on the vessel using four inflammatory stages eventually leading to cardiovascular complication. Research in to atherosclerosis has intensified globally as it has become one of the main reasons for increased mortality among individuals particularly within western societies. Inflammation has been established as the principal concept due to it stimulating progressive lesion development. We will write a custom essay sample on The inflammatory phases of Atherosclerosis or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a result it is known as a chronic inflammatory disorder. Numerous cellular and molecular inflammatory mediators participate in the formation, development and rupture of the atherosclerotic plaque. Several experimental studies have demonstrated that monocyte- derived macrophages as well as T-lymphocytes are the most distinctive cells to accumulate within progressive plaques and induce the production of pro-inflammatory components, more recently, potential anti-inflammatory mediators have been identified in the inflammatory response. The rate of progressive plaque development varies in different types of people. Risk factors increase the development of this condition and promote the occurrence of physical symptoms on the patient. Conclusions – (1) Inflammation attacks arteries systematically within phases and (2) the significance of the role of inflammatory molecules, linking inflammation to atherosclerosis. Introduction The management of cardiovascular diseases has significantly improved, however it is still not clearly understood as to why atherosclerosis remains the leading pathological cause of both morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Atherosclerosis is known to be a type of arteriosclerosis, but in addition to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, cholesterol begins to deposit within their walls. It is a multifactorial disease which includes build up of atheromatous plaque and accumulation of more complex lesions within the arterial walls specifically in the intimal layer leading to the rupture of these vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques (Skjot-Arkil et al, 2010). This process is initiated in childhood and according to the results of PDAY (pathobiological determinants of atherosclerosis in youth study), visible symptoms of atherosclerosis will occur between ages of 15-54 years (McGill et al.2007). Furthermore this disease can occur in both medium and large sized arteries including the aorta, carotid artery and even the smaller coronary arteries. Due to the fact that it affects multiple arterial locations, it can then lead to clinical diseases such as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, myocardial infarction. Jongstra et al. (2006) demonstrated that within the intima of VCAM-1 positive mice, local chronic inflammation predisposed to atherosclerosis. This provided further evidence to support previous studies that inflammation participates in the atherosclerotic process. Consequently, inflammation is progressively involved in the plaque formation, resulting in an inevitable stenosis (Vidal-Vanaclocha, 2009). Numerous epidemiological studies have revealed many risk factors that accelerate atherosclerosis development including age, male gender, obesity, smoking, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Moreover, a recent study (Holvoet et al, 2007) found that a positive correlation exists between an increased amount of oxidised LDL and the quantity of calcium built up in the coronary artery. Therefore showing that increased amount of oxidised LDL is a unique risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. The factors that facilitate this plaque formation are inflammatory mediators. As the endothelial cell is activated, this results in expression of many cell surface adhesion molecules including cytokines, chemokines, monocytes, immunoglobulins. These promote endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis as well as inducing foam cell formation with the assistance of macrophages. However, the functional mechanisms of cytokines in initiating and prolonging atherosclerosis are still not clearly un derstood. Aims To explore the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis To explore the mechanisms of inflammatory cell recruitment and accumulation within the plaque. To explore the function of various different mediators in this process, including both pro and anti-inflammatory mediators. Rationale of the aims To investigate the effects of the inflammatory cycle on arteries using atherosclerosis as the central condition. Hence, following the aims and objectives of the literature review, an overview of numerous meta-analyses of mediator involvement in this process is provided. This would be performed by reviewing the most relevant literature for the past five years using Pubmed, Science direct and Google Scholar. Table 1 Methodical reviews on the involvement of inflammatory components within the development of atherosclerosis. Type of componentMediatorExperimental sourceInflammatory effectEffect on AtherosclerosisAuthor, year ImmunoglobulinICAM-1Human plasma Human aortic SMC Human aortic endothelial cells^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Bielinski et al, 2008 Burton et al, 2009 Roth et al, 2007 ImmunoglobulinVCAM-1Human plasma Human aortic endothelial cells^ ^ ^ ^ Bielinski et al, 2008 Roth et al, 2007 CytokineTNF-alphaAPoE-/- micev v Bhaskar et el, 2011 CytokineIFN-gammaHuman RNA^ ^ Niedzielska and Cierpka, 2010 CytokineM-CSFHuman platelets^ Siezer et al, 2010 CytokineIL-6Human aortic endothelial cells Human Plasma APoE-/- mice^ ^ v ^ ^ v Roth et al, 2007 Hoshi et al, 2008 Bhaskar et al, 2011 CytokineIL-1 (beta)Human aortic SMC APoE-/- mice ^ ^ ^ ^ Burton et al, 2009 Bhaskar et al, 2011 ChemokineCXCL16Human and murine macrophages APoE-/-^ ^ ^ Lehrke et al, 2007 Wen-Yi et al, 2011 ChemokineCXCR6Human and murine macrophages^ ^ Lehrke et al, 2007 LigandCD40 LHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells^ ^ Chakrabarti et al, 2010 Monocyte ProteinMCP-1Human aortic endothelial cellsAPoE-/- mice^ v ^ v Roth et al, 2007 Bhaskar et al, 2011 Toll-like receptorTLR-2^ Doherty et al, 2006 How to cite The inflammatory phases of Atherosclerosis, Essay examples

Mary Shelly free essay sample

She didnt seem to have a clear worldview nor a Biblical worldview. Throughout the book Mary Shelley mentioned God, Man, and Nature. Whereas mentioning her view though the book was hard, for as the book was written about a madman who had created life into something that was lifeless. Since her worldview seems to be unclear, her view of God seems to be the same. Mary Shelleys view of God seems to be very unclear. Although when the monster was telling Frankenstein about growing and learning from other humans—he had found books and read them. In one of these books the monster learned about our omnipotent God. He felt like Adam, from the Bible, and he him self had a lot in common. But that soon changed when he realized that his creator, Frankenstein, had no love for him as our God cares for us. Mary Shelley, through her books, shows her view of God as loving and how he cares for his creation. We will write a custom essay sample on Mary Shelly or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Frankenstein made the monster when he was not ready for the responsibility for his destruction. What could not be expected in the country of eternal light? asks Walton. The Bible saying we need to be a light for the Lord. Although Mary Shelley most likely was talking about Walton and his love for science, but as a person of faith—the country of eternal light seems to be heaven. Man, as Mary Shelly pictured him, is being a light for what they love. Genesis 6:6 says, So the Lord was sorry He had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke His heart. God was disappointed He had ever made man. Mary Shelley shows that same disappointment when Frankenstein made his monster. Frankenstein showed love for this being he had made, and then the beauty he saw in his monster vanished when he realized that what he had made was bad. Frankenstein had said he was not mad, he proclaimed that he had discovered the cause of life—by giving life into a lifeless matter. Although knowin g that God created man and no other being is as all-powerful as He, Mary Shelley’s view on nature was very different from what we know. Although earlier saying that Mary Shelley’s view was unclear, if viewing her book with a Biblical worldview it is easier to comprehend the writers worldview. The problem with her worldview on God was there wasnt much mentioned about Him. Mary Shelley sometimes through out the book mentioned things about God, heaven, or nature. When the monster spoke of God and the devil—he was telling Frankenstein about the similarities between Adam and himself, also between Victor and God. God wasnt really mentioned about as an all-powerful God as we know Him. Mary Shelleys worldview seems to be somewhat Biblical yet not so much.

biological impoverishment

Nowhere on earth is the threat of biological impoverishment because of deforestation greater than in the Amazon Basin of South America. The Amazon supports approximately 300 million hectares of tropical forest, the largest single area of tropical forest communities in the world (Fig. 2). Estimates of global biodiversity point to the tropics as the source of 50 to 90% of all species on Earth (Wilson 1992); the richest forests often support over 300 tree species per hectare, approximately the same number of tree species in all of North America. Recent estimates of deforestation suggest that between 1 to 3 million hectares are being cleared annually in the Amazon Basin (Lawrence 1997; Fig. 3). Based on estimates of 1% annual tropical forest loss, the Amazon may be losing as many as 11 to 16 species per day (Wilson 1989), and the resulting ecosystems are often highly degraded (Buschbacher 1986). The deforestation of Amazonia presents a challenging study of the interactions among people, their values, and the environment. Is deforestation in the Amazon any different than what occurred in industrialized Europe and North America centuries past? Should Amazonians develop their lands as they see fit? Do peasant farmers actively clearing forests value their environment any differently than world conservation organizations, you, or I? What does the world stand to lose by watching the destruction of tropical forests? These are some of the most hotly debated environmental questions today, leading to several international conventions like the recent United Nations Convention on Biodiversity at the Rio de Janeiro "Earth Summit" in 1992. Factors leading to rapid tropical deforestation Why are tropical forests being cleared in the Amazon Basin at such an alarming rate? Historically, deforestation has been caused by the interaction of many factors, seven of which are presented here for simplici...

What To Do When Your Writers Turn In Bad Posts

What To Do When Your Writers Turn In Bad Posts A few years ago, I had a side job moonlighting as an editor for a fairly successful app review and Apple rumors website. I was one of several editors, and I had about 10 freelance authors assigned to me. The skill levels of the various writers ranged widely, but one particular author stood out. Well call him Mike. The good thing I can say about Mike is that he was consistent. Unfortunately, the thing he was most consistent at was being a terrible writer. As if that wasnt enough, he was a prolific writer. Sometimes, Id step away from the computer to return an hour later to 3 or 4 more terrible posts marked as ready for review. The best way I can describe Mikes writing is with a word picture. Imagine the awful, awkward wailing sound that would assault your earholes if you were to steamroll a pile of bagpipes. It was like that, but for the eyes. Rules of basic grammar, spelling, logic, punctuation, and even common sense were all left bleeding on the floor with mortal wounds with every post he turned in. I probably would have felt sorry for Mike if I hadnt felt like he was torturing me. How to Handle the Mikes On your team, you may have your own Mike, but if the truth be told, sometimes we all have our Mike moments. If youre an editor, you are already well aware of this. So what should you do when someone on your team submits a real stinker? Here are a few tips. Be Gracious Some authors take their work more seriously than others and may require different handling, but you should always strive to be a gracious editor, slow to dole out a harsh word and quick to patience. If the post is terrible, it is important to ask yourself if this is a pattern with this author. If the answer is no, dont worry about it too much and just follow the advice below. But if it is a pattern, it may be time to reassess the value that author brings to your team. Is he creating more work for your editors? At one point, 85% of my time each night was spent on Mike. A bad author is like a plane flying with the landing gear down. Its just extra drag. Look for Silver Linings Believe me. I know that when a post is bad, its hard to focus on much else. But youre well-served to try to note the things the author did well before you launch into the negative. Note that this is not the same as patronizing or being insincere. In fact, if you genuinely cant find anything positive about the bad post, its better to move on than to make something up. What did the author do well? Was it an interesting idea that was just poorly put together? Was the intro or ending good, but just weak in the middle? Try to find the silver linings and you may be surprised to find how much more receptive the author is to hear your feedback. Be Honest I once heard an analogy about giving criticism. Its like throwing a brick because criticism is kind of heavy and no one really likes receiving it. Some people go out of their way to throw bricks because they just like to smash peoples feelings. On the other hand, some people hate giving criticism and their critique is just too mushy to be useful, which is more like throwing velvet. The happy medium is to throw the velvet brick. You want the criticism to be truthful, but easier to receive. So just as you should look for the silver linings (the velvet), you must also be honest. After all, as the editor, you are ultimately responsible for the content on your site. If something isnt working, and especially if it is part of a pattern, you owe it to your readers and even your brand to level with your author to let them know. You want your editorial criticism to be truthful, but easy to receive.Educate I have friends who constantly misuse then and than. For example, Red is better then green. Youve probably also noticed abuse of the word your and youre, as in Your going to regret that. The internet is full of these grammar abuses, and there is no shortage of grammar police who feel like these abusers evidently enjoy the word-equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. But most of the time, these are just honest mistakes. People forget grammar rules they learned in the 5th grade and just need a refresher. Be willing to carefully and constructively educate your authors who make these mistakes, especially the common ones. If they are good team members, they will want to help make your job easier. Educate them to self-edit, and they will do just that. Reevaluate Your Team Even though my mom didnt like when B.A. Baracus used the word fool, I used to love watching the 80s TV show, The A-Team when I was a kid. I liked the theme music, but I also kind of liked the idea that everyone on the team was a specialist at something. Hannibal was the brains and leader, Face was good with disguise, Murdock, though loopy, was a great pilot, and B.A. was the brute force because sometimes things just needed to be smashed. I attended a conference a couple of years ago where Dave Ramsey spoke on the importance of hiring a good team. He emphasized the importance of evaluating people thoroughly, even for the seemingly unimportant roles. His point was that everyone has a job to do, and you want to make sure you have the people on your team who have the skills to help get you there and not be a drag. We kept Mike for far too long. He wrote awful posts, and he came with a lot of drama that sucked down a lot of our time. It wasnt my call then, but we should have just let him go at the first signs of his resistance to be taught and improve himself. If you have an author that has a pattern of less-than-excellence, and honest criticism and education have not helped, its time to reevaluate. You probably have a C-member on your A-Team.