The Evolution of the First Tetrapods

Its one of the iconic images of evolution: 400 or so million years ago, way back in the prehistoric mists of geologic time, a brave fish crawls laboriously out of the water and onto land, representing the first wave of a vertebrate invasion that leads to dinosaurs, mammals, and human beings. Logically speaking, of course, we dont owe any more thanks to the first tetrapod (Greek for four feet) than we do to the first bacterium or the first sponge, but something about this plucky critter still tugs at our heartstrings. As is so often the case, this romantic image doesnt quite match up with evolutionary reality. Between 350 and 400 million years ago, various prehistoric fish crawled out of the water at various times, making it nearly impossible to identify the direct ancestor of modern vertebrates. In fact, many of the most celebrated early tetrapods had seven or eight digits at the end of each limb and, because modern animals adhere strictly to the five-toed body plan, that means these tetrapods represented an evolutionary dead end from the perspective of the prehistoric amphibians that followed them. Origins The earliest tetrapods evolved from lobe-finned fishes, which differed in important ways from ray-finned fishes. While ray-finned fishes are the most common type of fish in the ocean  today, the only lobe-finned fish on the planet are lungfish and coelacanths, the latter of which were thought to have gone extinct tens of millions of years ago until a live specimen turned up in 1938. The bottom fins of lobe-finned fishes are arranged in pairs and supported by internal bones—the necessary conditions for these fins to evolve into primitive legs. Lobe-finned fishes of the Devonian period were already able to breathe air, when necessary, via spiracles in their skulls. Experts differ about the environmental pressures  that prompted lobe-finned fish to evolve into walking, breathing tetrapods, but one theory is that the shallow lakes and rivers these fish lived in were subject to drought, favoring species that could survive in dry conditions. Another theory has it that the earliest tetrapods were literally chased out of the water by bigger fish—dry land harbored an abundance of insect and plant food, and a marked absence of dangerous predators. Any lobe-finned fish that blundered onto land would have found itself in a veritable paradise. In evolutionary terms, its hard to distinguish between the most advanced lobe-finned fish and the most primitive tetrapods. Three important genera nearer the fish end of the spectrum were Eusthenopteron, Panderichthys, and Osteolopis, which spent all of their time in the water yet had latent tetrapod characteristics. Until recently, these tetrapod ancestors nearly all hailed from fossil deposits in the northern Atlantic, but the discovery of Gogonasus in Australia has put the kibosh on the theory that land-dwelling animals originated in the northern hemisphere. Early Tetrapods and Fishapods Scientists once agreed that the earliest true tetrapods dated from about 385 to 380 million years ago. That has all changed with the recent discovery of tetrapod track marks in Poland that date to 397 million years ago, which would effectively dial back the evolutionary calendar by 12 million years. If confirmed, this discovery will prompt some revision in the evolutionary consensus. As you can see, tetrapod evolution is far from written in stone—tetrapods evolved numerous times, in different places. Still, there are a few early tetrapod species that are regarded as more-or-less definitive by experts. The most important of these is Tiktaalik, which is thought to have been perched midway between the tetrapod-like lobe-finned fishes and the later, true tetrapods. Tiktaalik was blessed with the primitive equivalent of wrists—which may have helped it to prop itself up on its stubby front fins along the edges of shallow lakes—as well as a true neck, providing it with much-needed flexibility and mobility during its quick jaunts onto dry land. Because of its mix of tetrapod and fish characteristics, Tiktaalik is often referred to as a fishapod, a name that is also sometimes applied to advanced lobe-finned fish like Eusthenopteron and Panderichthys. Another important fishapod was Ichthyostega, which lived about five million years after Tiktaalik and achieved similarly respectable sizes—about five feet long and 50 pounds. True Tetrapods Until the recent discovery of Tiktaalik, the most famous of all the early tetrapods was Acanthostega, which dated to about 365 million years ago. This slender creature had relatively well-developed limbs, as well as such fishy features as a lateral sensory line running along the length of its body. Other, similar tetrapods of this general time and place included Hynerpeton, Tulerpeton, and Ventastega. Paleontologists once believed that these late Devonian tetrapods spent significant amounts of their time on dry land, but they are now thought to have been primarily or even totally aquatic, only using their legs and primitive breathing apparatuses when absolutely necessary. The most significant finding about these tetrapods was the number of digits on their front and hind limbs: anywhere from 6 to 8, a strong indication that they couldnt have been the ancestors of later five-toed tetrapods and their mammalian, avian, and reptilian descendants. Romers Gap Theres a 20-million-year-long stretch of time in the early Carboniferous period that has yielded very few vertebrate fossils. Known as Romers Gap, this blank period in the fossil record has been used to support Creationist doubt in the theory of evolution, but it is easily explainable by the fact that fossils only form in very special conditions. Romers Gap particularly affects our knowledge of tetrapod evolution because, when we pick up the story 20 million years later (about 340 million years ago), there is a profusion of tetrapod species that can be grouped into different families, some coming very close to being true amphibians. Among the notable post-gap tetrapods are the tiny Casineria, which had five-toed feet; the eel-like Greererpeton, which may already have de-evolved from its more land-oriented tetrapod ancestors; and the salamander-like Eucritta melanolimnetes, otherwise known as the creature from the Black Lagoon, from Scotland. The diversity of later tetrapods is evidence that a lot must have happened, evolution-wise, during Romers Gap. Fortunately, we have been able to fill in some of the blanks of Romers Gap in recent years. The skeleton of Pederpes was discovered in 1971 and, three decades later, further investigation by tetrapod expert Jennifer Clack dated it smack to the middle of Romers Gap. Significantly, Pederpes had forward-facing feet with five toes and a narrow skull, characteristics seen in later amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. A similar species active during Romers Gap was the large-tailed Whatcheeria, which seems to have spent most of its time in the water.

Mountain Dew - 2117 Words

Corporate background Mountain Dew has been through many changes since it was introduced in 1942. It started out as a yellow-green drink in a green bottle that had a rush of citrus flavor and more sugar and caffeine than any other soft drink. During the introduction of Mountain Dew it was well known throughout the Eastern seaboard. At this time the objectives was to gain market share. Mountain Dew became popular because of the stock car racing circuit known as NASCAR. During the 1960s Mountain Dew’s objective was too continued with its heritage from where it originated and began having characters such as Willie to promote the brand. By the 1970s the Mountain Dew brand was assigned BBDO, and the objective for the ad agency was to†¦show more content†¦Also another opportunity is to come up with a new target market to reach new consumers. The number one threat is the innovation of new drink categories that is stealing away market share from Mountain Dew. Not being able tot stay competitive in this category can make or break a company. I think that the major competitors of Mountain Dew are faced with this same issue. I’m sure they are coming up with new ideas to compete with the new products and drink categories. Target Market Coming up with a target market that is consistent with Mountain Dew varies from decade to decade. Each Decade brings new cultural trend. Mountain Dew has done an excellent job at keeping up with these trends and targeting consumers that make their product something they can relate too. Right now Mountain Dew’s target market is male teens 18 years of age. Also trying to keep the brand appealing and create a cross-over appeal among the 20-39 year old males. The type of buyer that Mountain Dew is targeting is one who has an exhilarating lifestyle and associated with extreme sports. The characteristics of this buyer would be a male in his teens that wants to fit in and be associated with sports. Also this buyer wants to make you think he lives life on the edge and drinks carbonated soft drinks for energy. Mountain Dew’s marketing mix is strong due to the continual growth in sales. TheShow MoreRelatedMountain Dew Case Study1595 Words   |  7 PagesWha t is the ad campaign of Mountain Dew that created awareness to its consumers? What is the impact of the Mountain Dew Ad campaign to its prospective customers? How did Pepsi Cola Company respond to the growing threat of non-carbonated soft drinks, especially energy drinks and tea? ANSWERS: In 1992, senior management at PepsiCo sensed an opportunity to increase business on Diet Mountain Dew. Diet Mountain {draw:frame} Dews distribution was limited mostlyRead MoreMountain Dew998 Words   |  4 PagesMountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Introduction â€Å"Do the Dew!† This was a long time tag line for the Mountain Dew brand. In 1995 marketing managers for Mountain Dew realized the tag line had lost consumer interests, understanding this they changed the direction of the creative. Though the creative changed, the target market for Mountain Dew remained in line. Mountain Dew’s ad campaign between 1995 and 1999 did not fare extremely well. PepsiCo decided that in 2000 Mountain Dew would be featuredRead MoreMountain Dew1446 Words   |  6 PagesAug 13,2010 Case Analysis Mountain Dew: Selecting new Creative 1. Introduction:- Product/Brand under study – Mountain Dew is a Carbonated Soft Drink Invented by Hartman Beverage Company in 1940.Its Bright yellow – Green in color and has more sugar, Citrus flavor, and Less Carbonation as compared to the other soft drinks available in the market. It was taken over by PepsiCo in 1964 and now stands 3rd in the soft drinks category. 5 C’s:- Company – PepsiCo is one ofRead MoreMountain Dew914 Words   |  4 PagesMountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Back Ground * Mountain Dew was invented by the Hartman Beverage Company in Knoxville, Tennessee in the late 1940s. The bright yellow-green drink in the green bottle packed a powerful citrus flavor, more sugars and more caffeine that other soft drinks and less carbonation so that it could be drunk quickly. * Pepsi co. amazed by Dew’s success in what brand manager would come to call the â€Å"NASCAR belt† * Mountain Dew is looking a new concept andRead More Mountain Dew Essay1068 Words   |  5 PagesMountain Dew Its cool and refreshing. Its satisfying and invigorating. Its Mountain Dew. But its not just regular pop. Its a lifesaver that keeps many college students alert during strenuous moments in their college life. Mountain Dew is a favorite of many students on the GC campus because it is relatively cheap to purchase and not difficult to come across. This power drink can be found in the cafeteria, at the Leaf Raker, and in many of the vending machines on campus. StudentsRead MoreMountain Dew Essays1163 Words   |  5 PagesBryan Schaeffer Mountain Dew The Mountain Dew case centers on the decision that the BBDO team and Pepsi executives made in regards to the Super Bowl advertisements to be aired in 2000. The creative team came up with 10 possible scenarios. Since their meeting took place in October (4 months prior to the Super Bowl) they had little time to produce the ads. The 10 concepts were quickly whittled down to 5 and the executives wanted to whittle them down to 3 in which to produce. From those 3, theRead MoreMarketing Report on Mountain Dew8655 Words   |  35 PagesReport Of Mountain Dew Introduction: Company Description PepsiCo, Inc. is among the most successful consumer products companies in the world, with 1999 revenues of over $20 billion and 116,000 employees. The company consists of: Frito-Lay Company, the largest manufacturer and distributor of snack chips; Pepsi-Cola Company, the second largest soft drink business and Tropicana Products, the largest marketer and producer of branded juice. PepsiCo brands are among the best known and most respectedRead MoreMountain Dew: Market Analysis988 Words   |  4 PagesMountain Dew Mountain Dew is a sugary green drink that has quenched the thirst of millions of Americans for decades, practically ensuring its place as 20th century Americana. The brand originated as an early energizing drink that would keep mountain trekkers powered through their hikes and outdoor activities. Since these humble times, Mountain Dew has maintained an image of a very rural American drink, satisfying customers through vending machines and convenience. In the 21st century, howeverRead MoreRacism And Sexism : The Mountain Dew1004 Words   |  5 Pagesthese issues of racism and sexism especially violence against women, and how they systematically affect specific subsets of people. The Mountain Dew commercial is one of three, the very last commercial. It opens with a line-up of men and a goat. The woman is asked by the police officer to point to the assailant. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the Mountain Dew ad â€Å"Nasty Goat† from a cultural studies perspective by criti quing the criminalization of African American men as well as violence againstRead MoreThe Worst Month Ever?890 Words   |  4 Pagesme what I was doing. I told her I was watching TLC. After I told her, she told me that I was watching men. I was confused, but I remembered that she was not in her right mind. While I was sitting beside her, she told me told put the lid on her Mountain Dew bottle, so I did. Then she asked me to do it again and again, even though it was already screwed on. I went to the living room. I started believing that she is ready to go home to God, so when I got home that night, I prayed and prayed. I told

Moral Relativism free essay sample

The world is becoming an increasingly smaller place, culturally speaking. The modern world has more bridges to other cultures and ways of thinking than ever before. This phenomenon is due largely to the advent of the internet, global industry, and increased travel for business and pleasure to opposite corners of the world. This â€Å"global village† we live in introduces the average person to more cultural, and seemingly moral, differences than previous generations experienced. Ruth Benedict’s â€Å"Case for Moral Relativism† claims beliefs and practices form irrationally and randomly, creating a world where no one morality is ‘better’ than any other morality. In this paper, I will discuss moral relativism and cultural relativism, and how they relate to each other. Further, in discussion of Pojman’s objectivism, ‘holes’ in the relativist moral theory will rear their ugly heads. I believe there is a middle ground between the two theories, Objectivism and Relativism, and that tolerance is not always a bad thing. Moral relativism is often equated with cultural relativism. However, anthropologists cringe at this notion, as defended by Thomas Johnson in his essay, â€Å"Cultural Relativism: Interpretations of a Concept. † Johnson argues that true cultural relativism should not â€Å"†¦prevent an educated person from taking a stand on a variety of moral issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Johnson 794). Rather, cultural relativism is a tool for the objective study of a different culture and leads â€Å"†¦to a much stronger notion of moral values, values that can and should be acted upon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Johnson 795). This view differs from Bendedict’s moral relativism in that while cultural relativism is a tool from which moral attitudes and actions may stem, moral relativism maintains all cultures are equal, and therefore all cultures and cultural practices must be tolerated. Benedict is not alone in her biased presumptions. In his article, â€Å"In Defense of Relativism,† Frank Oppenheim asserts, â€Å"A relativist may, without inconsistency, favor discrimination or equality, and practice intolerance, tolerance, or over-tolerance† (Oppenheim 416). This suggests that a wide range of relativists hold these contradicting views, and give each equal weight, without assigning a concept of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ to any single view. The cornerstone of Benedict’s moral relativism is that people are malleable (164), and will accept anything if it is institutionalized. She cites examples of ‘abnormal’ behavior and practices in Western society, namely, homosexuality, trance, and catalepsy, which have been accepted and promoted in cultures such as Ancient Greece, some Native American tribes, and even in the glorification of mystics and stigmatists in the Catholic Church. Moral taboos, as well as accepted practices, according to moral relativism, are the products of institutionalization. Since this is a random and irrational process, no one morality is better than another. Herein lies the one absolute of moral relativism: tolerance. In Pojman’s â€Å"The Case Against Moral Relativism,† he divides ethical (moral) relativism into subsections, one of which is entitled â€Å"The Diversity Thesis. † This thesis, another name for cultural relativism, Pojman explains, presupposes that there are few similarities between cultures, achieving the normal and abnormal extreme cases Benedict cites. Pojman references the work of Clyde Kuckholn, highlighting the numerous similarities between cultures, â€Å"Every culture has a concept of murder, distinguishing this from execution, killing in war and other ‘justifiable homicides. ’ The notions of incest†¦the prohibitions upon untruth under defined circumstances , of restitution and reciprocity, of mutual obligations between parents and children – these and many other moral concepts are altogether universal† (Pojman 178). Although different societies can come up with some ‘out there’ moral practices, basic values and codes of conduct share the same themes across cultures. The view Benedict supports, one which â€Å"†¦recognize[s] that morality differs in every society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Benedict 163) ignores the common emphasis different cultures place on the aforementioned moral concepts. In Pojman’s evaluation of relativism, he makes the concession â€Å"†¦the objectivist could concede complete cultural relativism, but still defend a form of universalism† (Pojman 178). Cultural relativism and diversity is not in itself ethical relativism, merely the palette of examples that seem to support it. Pojman makes the distinction between moral belief and substantive moral principle. While two cultures may hold the killing of innocent persons to the highest degree of abhorrence, they may differ on what constitutes a person, whether it is a fetus or a deranged serial killer, with drastically different moral implications. Relativism seeks to use the existence of differing moral view s on a subject between cultures as evidence for its theory, when the moral views are common with differing applications of the belief. While I agree with Benedict that people are malleable, and we tend to follow the crowd in moral issues, her explanation of relativism appears biased. There is no mention of the opposing view, that cultures from different corners of the globe place similar emphasis on the same moral concepts, simply emphasized in a different order. Benedict also fails to recognize the common human experience, namely, human nature. Pojman defines this common experience in simple terms; humans have a ‘common set of needs and interests’ (Pojman 185). To Benedict, societal structure is rooted in chance, morality in the ‘opinion of the majority. ’ The unfortunate consequence of this mentality is primarily the condemnation of ‘social deviants’ (Benedict 164). If the whole world population took on a true relativist view, heroes of justice, Jane Addams, Martin Luther King Jr. Ghandi, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, even Robin Hood, lose their place on the pedestal of ‘ideal’ morality or social conscience. These individuals fought against the ‘norms’ of society, in the name of equality and justice. Relativism does not allow for counter-culture affirmative action, this moral theory promotes passive ethics. Relativism makes no judgments, and therefore, relativists are no t inclined to ‘fight for what’s right’ because through the lens of absolute tolerance, there is nothing to fight against; right and wrong are relative. Pojman’s objections to relativism center upon the existence of common human nature and experience, and that â€Å"†¦it is possible to communicate cross-culturally and find that we agree on many of the important things in life† (Pojman 181). This correlates to the idea of common moral concepts among different cultures and societies. In this common experience of â€Å"needs and interests† (Pojman 185), it stands to reason that certain moral practices will better serve needs and interests than others. This contrasts greatly with Benedict’s all cultures are equal proposal. Benedict makes a valid argument that people develop moral codes as a result of their culture. There is no right or wrong way to develop a society, the only tried and true method is trial and error. Yet, perhaps certain cultures do not experience â€Å"better† ways of making moral decisions to increase the fulfillment of their needs and interests. It’s possible no culture has found these â€Å"better† ways, the advantage to relativism is that we can appreciate the attempt. The flipside is that relativism tends to view other cultures in comparison to the relativist’s native culture, defining ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ as seen through that culture instead of the studied culture. Pojman’s objectivism offers a step back from the situation, allowing the questions, â€Å"Does this moral concept or action better the society or the individual? † and â€Å"Do these values and practices promote fulfillment of human needs and interests? † Recognition of cultural diversity in moral norms, beliefs, and practices is valuable in our modern ‘global village. In this context, some principles of moral relativism are valid: people are products of their society and culture, there are always social deviants, and ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ behaviors are perceived in every culture. However, the existence of these ‘truths’ do not prove the theory of moral relativism. Pojman refines the se observed qualities of human cultures and connects them to a common set of human needs and interests. Every societal and moral system can trace its original purpose to the intent to fulfill those needs and interests. In this way there is no relativism, only differing applications of moral concepts. In May of 2007, the Vatican pegged â€Å"moral relativism† as â€Å"a serious threat to humanity† (Fellowship of St James 43), crediting the apparent downward spiral of morality in America to an increase in acceptance of moral relativism. I contend that this acceptance of moral relativism is really a cry of lethargy from the masses. Moral relativism is the lazy way to defend your apathy on moral issues. Objectivism offers a more proactive alternative in our ever changing, every shrinking world.

The Role of Human Resources in Enhancing Innovation in Tourism free essay sample

This paper delves deeper into innovation in the Hospitality industry and how managerial traits and training sessions for employees affect innovation. Innovation is an important part of all industrial sectors ,may it be hospitality or tourism or any other industry. Innovation is necessary to keep up with the world and other sectors and consumers that are on a constant path of progress and development may it be a technological innovation or a policy innovation. The information for this study has been collected via personal interviews where the hotel managers of 1 586 establishments from the Baldric islands were given a specifically designed questionnaire. A primary search with this questionnaire was carried on in 2001 ,later using the results of the 2001 questionnaire three other versions of the same questionnaire were introduced by adding some more questions into the questionnaire and were given out in the summers of 2004 , 2007 and 2010. The result of the research showed that managerial characteristics and internal training sessions have constructive impact on innovation in hospitality sector,and also addresses the question of ownership of a hospitality establishment which also has an optimistic impact on innovation ND innovative decision making process as it is owned by a family or a person decisions pertaining to the establishment can be made swiftly. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Human Resources in Enhancing Innovation in Tourism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However research also shows that experience factor in managerial characteristics has a pessimistic impact on innovation. Evaluation This research study carried on in the Baldric islands on managers of 1 586 hospitality establishments in Baldric islands has finally emphasized on how important innovation is as it is in many other industries. Innovation is being the change or adapting to the change thats happened already, the study aptly displays what are the constructive factors for innovation in the hospitality sector, also contrary to popular belief if a manager is highly experienced ,the manager does not keep an open mind towards innovation but would rather believe in themselves. Another variable of importance is the education variable ,the educational qualification of the manager of the establishment has a lot to do with the managers dealings with the staff and also innovation -However the education variable may have a tiny role to play when it comes to innovation decisions. Also another aspect that has been inspected in this study is the ownership of a hotel which is shown to have a constructive effect on innovation. Ownership of an establishment has positive effect on innovation and innovation decision making since the establishment is owned by a family and decisions related to the establishment can be made more swiftly. There are other factors internal and external other than the ones pointed out in this study that encourage innovation as pointed out by Lopez et al (2011) However the research has only focused on the factors that internally affect and give rise to innovation, in this study internal training sessions for employees were the focus. There are other external factors that have constructive effect on innovation as pointed out by Knives (2015) . This research that was carried out in the Baldric islands on the managers of 1586 establishments cannot be applied to other hospitality establishments elsewhere in the world because the sample is from a specific geographic region and results from one region cannot be uniformly applied to establishments in other regions. Conclusion This research though it sheds light on important aspects of how the hospitality industry can be more innovative but more importantly emphasizes the major factors that lead to innovation. This study one major flaw is that the outcome of this research cannot be generalized to other hospitality establishments around the world because the results only hold if it is applied to the establishments in the Baldric islands. Also more research needs to be done on factors other than the managerial traits and other internal and external sources that encourage innovation.

Author Eric Barnes on Publishing and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Author Eric Barnes on Publishing and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Youd think that ones post as the CEO of several major metropolitan newspapers throughout Tennessee, and author of multiple science fiction novels, would make the road to publishing an easy one. But Eric Barnes, host of Behind the Headlines on WKNO TV and author of four novels, including his most recently published post-Apocalyptic foray, Above the Ether, admits that its a little more complicated than that. Heres his advice for how writers can navigate the labyrinthine terrain of publishing without giving up, selling out, or letting rejection letters be the final word.Author Eric Barnes. Photo by Andrew BreigTonya: Our readers are a mix of indie authors and authors who have gone through more traditional publishing houses. What is your advice about the publishing process (either indie or traditional or both) from your experience?Eric: For the kind of novels I write, the publishing process is, to say the least, difficult. Its slow-moving and convoluted. Thats not a criticism of the publ ishers whove published my books. Its simply a comment on the reality of a very complicated business that has been in the midst of massive change for a few decades now.First there was the rise of big, corporate publisher, which bought up and combined many of the long-time independent publishing houses. Then there was the rise of massive chain bookstores like Borders and Barnes Noble. That was followed by the arrival of Amazon, a disruption that only continues as readers shift to e-readers even as independent bookstores increasingly find ways to thrive.In the midst of that, there are so many writers throwing so many manuscripts at a shrinking number of publishers who have a dramatically smaller universe of stores in which to sell those books.And meanwhile, the very process of assessing a manuscript is mind-blowingly slow. For fiction of some level of seriousness – I hate the term literary fiction but thats all there is – theres no way to fairly assess a manuscript with( out) spending quite a bit of time on it. Put another way, it takes hours (sometimes many, many hours) to read a book, no matter how quick a reader you are.Thats even before you get to the incredible cost involved in editing, designing, printing, distributing and selling a book.The process, in other words, is a labyrinth. Its slow, by necessity. And its all built on a business model that leaves little room for error.Tonya: Where did you get the idea for your newest book, Above the Ether, and how long did it take you to write it?Eric: The idea for Above the Ether came from my previous novel, The City Where We Once Lived, which is about a city thats been abandoned and the few thousand people who have chosen to live there. The city in that novel has been devastated not by a plague or some virus, but by bad decisions, inattention, abandonment. All animals have fled, all the plants and trees have died.The main character in City assumes that everyone, everywhere lives with this sort of dea th of plants and animals. But toward the end of the novel, a new person comes to the city. And, very offhandedly, he tells the main character why hes fled his home and come to this city.The animals that left this place, they didnt all just die. They went to other places. Like the city we are from. Huge packs of dogs. Feral cats. The failed efforts of the city to wipe them out with poison, so many dead animals that they had to leave carcasses in piles on corners and overflowing from dumpsters and still the animals roamed the street.The City Where We Once Lived by Eric BarnesAnd so I decided I wanted to write a book about that other city, and other cities and places like it, that were going through some kind of slow-motion disaster. Again, not plagues or runaway viruses or zombie apocalypses – just places dealing with the everyday decisions that we make or are made for us.Tonya: A lot of successful authors have a daily word count goal or specific method of getting a book writte n. Do you have either? What does a typical writing session look like for you?Eric: I need to write every day to be effective. I cant wait till I feel the inspiration. I have to schedule regular time, consistency, in order to be writing frequently enough that Im either at my desk when I feel inspired or the consistency itself generates more and more inspiration.Because of this, if I know I wont be able to write tomorrow, I will struggle to write today. Because if I cant write tomorrow, but todays writing goes badly, I will be incredibly frustrated.The reality, of course, is that I cant write every day. So I try to find stretches of time – 2 weeks or 4 weeks or sometimes as many as 6 weeks – where Ill be able to write for at least an hour most every day. That way I feel like Ill have some consistency, a routine, that I can rely on when writing goes badly. Which it does.I dont set a word count, just this goal of building a routine, but I do count words. I might write 100 words, I might write 1,500. But the goal is to write consistently.Also, I mostly write in the morning, usually from 5:30 to 7:30, then Ill read and edit what Ive written in the evening.Tonya: As CEO of several newspapers, you obviously have other obligations beyond writing novels. What is your advice for authors struggling to get a novel written when it isnt their primary occupation?Eric: It can be a nightmare. Writing is time-consuming and, at its worst, maddeningly frustrating. For me, I just have to be hyper-scheduled – down to the hour and minute of the day – as far as when I write, when I parent, when I see friends, and so on. Its hard on the people around you. You just have to accept that, as do they.The economic reality is that, for what I write (and, honestly, for what most fiction writers do), its exceedingly difficult to make a living off of novels. For many years, this meant I was personally at war with the two sides of my life – my writing life, and my day job. That wasnt healthy. Over time, I found a way devote enough time to both that they coexist much better.Tonya: What is it about the post-apoc/dystopian subgenre of Science Fiction that fascinates you most and do you have any favorite authors who write it?Eric: I grew up reading a lot – almost all – of Kurt Vonneguts novels and non-fiction. I loved how he could circle into and around science fiction, even as he was writing painful, funny, beautiful and deeply serious books. But I also read a lot of serious, entirely real fiction that I wanted to emulate, especially work by Raymond Carver, Richard Ford and others.But then there were three books I read over a number of years – For the Time Being by Annie Dillard, and Cormac McCarthys Blood Meridien and The Road – and I started wanting to write differently. Id always like complicated, multi-character narratives. My first two novels, Shimmer and, especially, Something Pretty, Something Beautiful, bot h had multiple narrators and a way that I could use the multiple narrators to shift time and place.Now I wanted to write with more unreal elements. More that was made up.With both The City Where We Once Lived and Above the Ether, though, what I did not want to do is write post-apocalyptic novels where thered been some sort of war or plague. Not that theres anything wrong with doing that, I just felt like, first, that had been done. And second, I wanted to shine more light and attention on decisions we make now and the outcomes of those decisions.Tonya: Do you have any specific advice for a writer interested in publishing in the post-apoc/dystopian subgenre? Is there any trope thats been overdone or any new slant publishers are looking for?Eric: I really dont know what advice Id give. For better and worse, Im not a writer who can write toward what publishers want or need. I have to write a story that interests me, which means taking a massive risk on whether that novel will also be o f interest to a publisher. Twice, Ive misfired and written novels that ultimately didnt get published. But I dont regret writing those manuscripts. Had I not written them, I wouldnt have written the ones that followed.

Education Sector Best Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education Sector Best Practices - Essay Example Curriculum entails more than an ordinary definition; it is a key issue in the process of education. The scope of career development is so large that it affects every person involved in learning and teaching. Inclusive education practices entail  making the students feel welcomed and valued in the school, and therefore the students are effectively able to undertake all school activities entail rams. Diversity is accepted and respected; students’ different cultures, backgrounds, skills interests and needs; are taken into consideration in school practices and programs. To achieve thi9s end, there exists inclusive practices tools like; student survey, community survey, staff survey, school review profile, inclusive practices and survey reports. Inclusive practices tools are applied in supporting primary, intermediate or schools in engaging in the review process. The main purpose of the review process entails supporting schools in the journey towards developing and implementing inclusive processes for learners, including learners requiring special attention and consideration. Continuous personal development entails; learning by participating in the continuing professional development process; and from the experience and even the feedback. Competent professionals; look for opportunities and challenges in personal learning and development; identify mistakes and use them for learning opportunities; continuously participate in professional development programs; change behavior towards the positive through feedback and reflection. (Booth, 2011 15).Opportunities for learning and development include, pursuing management development training program.

Employment law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employment law - Assignment Example Importantly, the laws are not the same in all the companies rather they differ depending on the cultural, political and economical factors of the countries. The employment law entails the relation between employees, employers, trade unions and the government. The employment law in relation to employees constitutes their rights at work. For instance in the UK Employment law; employment contracts, unfair dismissal, the Working Time Regulations, flexible working rights and equality aspects are outlined. With respect to the law, an employee is able to figure out the rights at work and how to acquire legal advice when discriminated against or unfairly dismissed from work. The UK employment law enables employers to comply with it thus treat their employees fairly and lawfully. Pauls dismissal due to his misbehavior is a controversial issue since other people may support or oppose the act. The employment law of UK outlines the procedure to be followed when an employee is to be sacked. As an HR manager in the store where Paul works, I will effectively advise the General Manager on what to do. This is because Paul has presented an unfair dismiss al claim to his Employment Tribunal Office. The course of action to be taken by the organization should therefore comply with the UK employment law. The organization should have considered Pauls source of the misconduct in order to proceed with the dismissal. A thorough and effective investigation was to be carried out before the dismissal. Therefore, Paul has a right to claim for the unfair dismissal to the local Employment Tribunal Office. The organization should have issued Paul a notice or warning before the dismissal. It did not follow the correct procedure of dismissal despite Paul involving himself into fighting which is considered fair enough for dismissal. According to the UK employment law, the organization should have carried out a proper investigation about Pauls misconduct instead of issuing