Find Your Profitable Freelance Writing Niche (And Say Goodbye to Your 9-5 Job for Good)

Its so frustrating, isnt it? You decided that you want to ditch your 9-5 job and finally do what youve been dreaming about fo evah! – make a living as a writer. But, youre just not sure if youre doing this right since you havent landed any decent gigs. Why not? Where are all the highly profitable writing jobs you keep hearing about? How come you cant find them? Well, Ive been a freelance writer for over two years now, and if theres one thing I know is to really make it as a freelance writer you need a high-paying freelance writing niche. Because, if you have a high-paying niche under your belt, you will have no problems securing consistent and lucrative work. As a Newbie, My Rate Was Low (Because My Freelance Writing Niche Was Saturated) When I started my freelance writing biz, I had no idea what to charge for my writing service. My background was Psychology and – at that time – being a first-time mom. So, I quoted, $.04/word. But, I didnt pull this number out from thin air. During this time I also thought about my niche and decided to write in the parenting niche and natural health niche. The jobs in those niches often quoted $.04/word. See, at the time I didnt know that the parenting and health freelance writing niche were overly saturated. This meant that it was easy for businesses to find writers to write about being a parent or write about healthy tips. Now, this doesnt mean you cant find a lucrative gig in these niches – I did. It just means that if you want to make sure you arent writing for pennies, you need to find your profitable writing niche. Your Freelance Writing Niche – Mix and Match When trying to find your profitable freelance writing niche, the first thing I recommend is to look at your experience and passion. What is your experience or background that you can use to write about? You can look at your past jobs and your degree. Next, you want to look at your passions. What do you enjoy to write about and what are you knowledge about that could help you with your freelance writing? For example, are you up-to-date with pop culture or entertainment? Course student Kate Muller uses her passion for media to write on Time Warner Cables blog. Finally, you want to think about what kind of writer do you want to be. For example, you can be a blogger or a copywriter. With all this information, you can create a table and list your items. For example, in my Write Your Way to Your First $1k course, I give my students a Niche Worksheet full of tips, a table, and a mind map to help them discover their profitable niche. After filling the table, you can mix and match and see what niche is created (Finance Marketing Ghost writer). Of course, not all mix and matches will make sense, but its a fun activity to start thinking about honing your niche. Your Freelance Writing Niche – Validate Your Niche What good is your writing niche if there is no market for it? The next thing you want to do is find out if there are any content jobs out there. And the best way to find out is to look on job boards. For example, I searched for tech writer in ProBloggers job board. From the results, it looks like there is a need for writers that know the tech side of things. Next you want to dig deep into each of those job ads and see if they list a quote. From my quick research, many dont, but some do. Those that list a rate, quoted a low rate ($20 per post), but I did notice a few profitable ones ($200-300 a post). So, it looks like there is definite room to raise your rate in this niche to attract top tier tech clients. Of course, job boards arent the only places to find a freelance writing gig. You also have to look on social media like Facebook groups or LinkedIn Jobs. Your Freelance Writing Niche – Create Samples in this Niche If youre new to freelance writing, you may not have samples yet of your writing. And the best way to grab samples is to guest post on sites in your niche. This shows prospects that other bloggers liked your writing enough to post it on their blog. This social proof can really increase the, I like this writer so Ill hire her thinking in your prospects mind. Your Freelance Writing Niche – Become an Expert in Your Niche Now that you have a freelance writing niche thats profitable, its best to become an expert in that niche. Start reading about your niche and follow influencers in that industry. By being in tune with your writing niche and writing about it on a daily basis, you will become an expert over time. Thats it! Four steps to finding your profitable freelance writing niche. Or Reverse It All and Pick a Profitable Freelance Writing Niche You know, theres another easy way to find a profitable niche. Pick a profitable niche! You are guaranteed that its well-paying and you can make a living by writing in that niche. So, want to know some highly lucrative writing niches for online writers? Here are five of them: Finance Business Marketing (digital, email, content) WordPress B2B (business to business) But, dont you need experience? Many of these niches you can learn on the job. Thats what I did with digital marketing. I read as much as I could about this industry, guest posted and landed clients in this niche and eventually dabbled in digital marketing when I launched my course. So there ya go! Ive found that these specific five are high-paying niches. My course also mentions seven more lucrative writing niches and helps you find a profitable niche with the niche you already have. Say Goodby to Your 9-5 For Good Now is the time to say farewell to that 9-5 job you hate. Over to you – whats your freelance writing niche and is it paying your bills?

The 8 Most Common SAT Writing Mistakes Students Make

The 8 Most Common SAT Writing Mistakes Students Make SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips I’ve worked with dozens of students as they studied for the SAT, and the writing section is often the most confusing for them.It tests a lot of grammar concepts youmay not havelearned in school or else haven’t studied in many years- even if you're an A student in English class, there are probably some rules tested on the SAT that you aren't familiar with. Happily, the test asks about the same few concepts over and over again, so there aren't that many topics you really need to know. Avoiding just a few of the most common mistakes students often make can really help your score. Let’s go through these common mistakes one at a time: Trying to listen for errors Not looking at all of the choices Misusing gerunds Allowing unclear antecedents for pronouns Fixing the original error but creating another Mixing upidioms Missing dangling modifiers Comparing non-equivalent nouns Feature image: Terrance Heath/Flickr #1: Trying to "Listen" for the Error The single biggest mistake students make on SAT Writing is assuming they'll be able to catch errors by ear. However, SAT English is very different than day-to-day spoken English: SAT Writing questions routinely contain phrases that sound finebut are actually wrong or sound weird but are actually correct. Avoid falling into this trap by making sure you know the key grammar rules you'll be tested on and how to approach the questions systematically. Check out our post on the secret to SAT writing for more details. #2: Not Looking at All of the Answer Choices Many students forget tocheck every answer choice before picking one, and this oversight really hurts their scores. SAT Writing questions often include more than one answer that seem like they could be correct, but there will be something significantly off about all but one of them (or, in the case of Identifying Sentence Errors, only one will include a real error, even if some of the other choices seem weird). On SAT writing questions, make sure to always read the entire sentence, the question (for Improving Paragraphs), and all of the answer choices. Image: thisisbossi/Flickr #3: Misusing Gerunds Gerund (-ing verbs) errors are some of the most common on the SAT Writing, and most students don't understand how to use them correctly. Let's clear up some gerund-related misconceptions: Gerunds aren't actually verbs, they're nouns.Gerunds represent the action that the verb describes. Gerunds seem correct, but they often indicate an error. Watch out especially for "being," which is almost always wrong when it appears. Gerunds errors on SAT writing are much more common than you might think.A lot of SAT writingadvice treats gerund issues as relatively rare, but they are actually quite common, because gerundsare involved in so many different types of questions. Here are the three major types of SAT writing questionsthat involve gerunds: Wordiness. Gerund use in Improving Sentences questions often indicates overly wordy constructions. Consider whether there's a more straightforward way to phrase the sentence. Parallelism. A list of gerunds often indicates a parallelism error- check to make sure all the items in the list are the same form. Fragments. Sometimes you'll see a gerund used in place of a main verb, creating a fragment. You can findmore general info about gerunds in our guide to verb forms and tenses. #4: Allowing Unclear Antecedents for Pronouns Pronoun agreement issues are another extremely common error. The simpler ones are easy to spot: you'll probablynotice something's wrongif a sentence uses "him" to refer to "Mrs. Smith." Slightly more complicated, and much more common, are the questions thattest you on whether you can recognize if a pronoun should be plural or singular. For example, is "Every child must bring their own notebook" or "Every child must bring his or herown notebook" correct? It's the latter because "child" is singular and "their" is plural. The trickiest pronoun agreement questions, however, deal with absent or ambiguous antecedents. (Antecedentsare the nouns that pronouns take the place of.) These errors occur when it isn't clear what noun a pronoun is referring to. For example: Incorrect:Jose and his dadwere concerned about whether he could finish his project. Correct:Jose and his dadwere concerned about whether Josecould finish his project. The first sentence is incorrect because it's unclear who he is (it could be either Jose or his dad), and the second one fixes the errorby specifying that it's Jose'sproject. The key rule to remember for pronoun questions is that every pronoun- including words like which and that- must have a clear noun antecedent. If you're confused about these concepts,you shouldread this full breakdown of everything you need to know about pronouns for SAT writing. Image: Topher McCulloch/Flickr #5: Fixing the Original Error but Creating Another On Improving Sentences questions, you need to make sure that you don't inadvertently create a new issue when you solve the original error. Two key points: Make sure to read all of the choices and pick thebestanswer, not just whichever one seems acceptable. Avoid overly complicated or wordy answers- the rightanswer is generally the shortest grammatically correct option. For a more in depth discussion of how to systematically approach these questions, take a look at our guide toImproving Sentences questions. #6: Mixing UpIdioms Idiom questions are tricky because they're the one exception to rule number one: you usually have to judge them based on what sounds right. However, idiom questions only test specific types of constructions: matching verb and preposition pairs and choosing between gerunds and infinitives (to + verb). Let's look at an example of the first type: Incorrect:Isabella wants to go atDisneyland to ride the Space Mountain coaster. Correct:Isabella wants to go toDisneyland to ride the Space Mountain coaster. "Go to," not "go at," is the correct expression. Here's the sameexample sentence but witha gerund versus infinitive issue: Incorrect:Isabella wants goingtoDisneyland to ride the Space Mountain coaster. Correct:Isabella wants to go toDisneyland to ride the Space Mountain coaster. Keep in mind that questions about idiomatic expressions are limited to these two types of phrases. If you see a weird-seeming word or phrase that doesn't fall into either category, it's probably correct (unless, of course, you can find another specific problem with it). You can find more details on idioms, including a full list of common ones, here. Image: Andy/Flickr #7: Missing Faulty Modifiers Dangling modifiers are a relatively common topic on SAT Writing that can be very tricky to spot because they aren't obviously incorrect. This type of error occurs when a descriptive phrase at the beginning of a sentence isn't immediatelyfollowed by the noun it's modifying. For example: While tending to the garden, a snake appeared, startling Lola. This sentence mayseem fine, but it implies that the snake is tending the garden, which doesn't make much sense. Modifiers must always be next to the thing that they're modifying. Let's look at a corrected version of the sentence: While tending to the garden, Lola was startled by the appearance of a snake. Now the modifier "while tending to the garden" is appropriately placed next to Lola, the person it's describing. Most faulty modifier questions are structured like this example, but for further exploration of modifier errors, see our full poston the topic. #8: Comparing Non-Equivalent Nouns Illogical comparisons are challenging because like dangling modifiers they don't come up that much outside of SAT Writing. Luckily, these questions follow a single basic rule: you can only compare equivalent things. For example, you can compare a golden retriever and a pug, because they're both types of dogs, but not a golden retrieverand a pug's face, because one if a type of dog and the other is a dog's face. Let's look at a sentence: Boulder High's trackteam is much faster than Fairview High. What is the comparison between? "Boulder High's track team" and "Fairview High." That comparison doesn't actually make sense: the sentence is trying to say thatBoulder High's track team is faster thanFairviewHigh's track team, not faster thanFairview High. The correct version of the sentence specifies this fact: Boulder High's trackteam is much faster than Fairview High's. Now it's clear that we're comparing the two teams. Since you're likely to see at least one of these questions on the SAT, take a few minutes to read the complete explanation. What's Next? If you're worried about grammar rules, check out our guides to some of the other commonly tested topics like subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, and confusion of adjectives and adverbs. The Improving Paragraphs are a small but important part of SAT Writing. Make sure you know the best way to approach them. Do you often find yourself confused about the "No error" option? Learn how often it's correct and when you should pick it with our full analysis. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

REL201 New Testament Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

REL201 New Testament - Essay Example In considering the setting, all of Jesus’ disciples were gathered around him and Jesus recites the Beatitudes to draw them together, to emphasize with their suffering, and to show the path that he is teaching in words wrapped in enigma. The wisdom of the Sermon of the Mount is considered to be the heart of Christianity and from the first prayer Jesus is exalting the virtues of the poor, the humble, and the righteous who suffer through worldly problems, attacks, and discrimination to follow him and hear his message. If his followers feel poor or excluded from the society of the Jews or the Imperialist of Rome, he fills them with hope and takes their worries from them as an initial gift. This is just one example of the way that Jesus filled his followers and disciples with hope and gave them strength to endure their trials. Looking deeper into the passage, Jesus states that the meek are blessed, and this is a consistent theme of his ministry, the respect and love for the poor.

Growing up around drugs & alcohol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Growing up around drugs & alcohol - Essay Example My father had problems because he consumed drugs (mostly marijuana but occasionally some other drugs) most of the time and he could not always keep his jobs. Because he was always "high," he had problems keeping a job because of absenteeism. My mother would often consume alcohol when her children were making too much noise. The two of them together created a dysfunctional pair that was not able to take care of their family. I remember many times when I did not have much to eat if my mother was on a bender and would not help. One good thing is that my aunt Jenny, my mothers sister, would try to help us and tried to help my mother. My mother would always reject her help, but she would let her bring food for us. For this, I was always grateful. Because I was a young child, I was not sure what was happening in my home. Sometimes my mother was actually kind and loving to us. At other times, she was mean and cruel. I was never sure how she was going to be from moment to moment. My mother seemed to be very unhappy with her life and she took it out on her children. Sometimes my parents would have a party or they would have other family over who were also into drugs or alcohol or both, and this would create more problems. As an example, since my father was always high, he thought it was funny to let someone grab one of us and blow marijuana into our faces. This would make us stagger around and eventually we would go to sleep. For some reason, they did not understand that this was child abuse and that it may cause problems for us later. In fact, one of my siblings has a neurological problem that I believe happened because of constantly inhaling second hand marijuana smoke. Another problem for us growing up is that in school, it was difficult to understand what the teacher was saying, especially in more difficult classes like math or science. My mind was always wondering and I sometimes felt ill. My teachers were sometimes concerned with me because I would fall asleep

How and why is the idea of redistribution of equal resourses Essay

How and why is the idea of redistribution of equal resourses challenged by the idea of equal opportunity and recognition - Essay Example This is because these regions hold almost 80 percent of the world’s wealth. The Korean Peninsula, for instance, holds a fifth of the entire world’s wealth. The south is represented by Africa and Latin America (Shafir and Brysk, 2006). This region, compared to the rest of the world records high levels of poverty, ravaged by disease and is characterised by overall underdevelopment. Despite calls for re-distribution to reverse this trend, the recently emerging call for free-market thinking has placed re-distribution advocates on the defence. Nevertheless, equal claims for re-distribution have contributed a paradigm case for most theories that regard social justice for the past one hundred and fifty years (Fraser and Honneth, 2003). However, in the contemporary world, there has arisen another second kind regarding claims for social-justice referred to as politics of recognition (Robinson, 2003). The objective of the politics of recognition, in its most feasible shape, is a world that is keen on embracing the varied diversity that characterises humanity. Proponents of recognition call for a world where there will no longer be assimilation to majority cultural norms that are prevalent and dominant whereupon the consequent subscription to such norms is equated to the ultimate price of equal respect. A case in point would be calls to recognise diverse ethnic points of view as well as distinctive sexual and racial minorities as well as differences in gender. In the recent past, this claim has been on the rise among political philosophers. Additionally, the said political philosophers seek to endear their effort towards developing a distinct school of thought for justice centred on recognition. On overall basis as Bauman (1998) observes, it follows that the world is faced with a fresh constellation. The subject matter for social justice has now taken a dual perspective as it is split between recognition on one hand and re-distribution on the other. However,

Use Of Torture As A Counter Terrorism Tool Criminology Essay

Use Of Torture As A Counter Terrorism Tool Criminology Essay Torture refers to subjecting intense pain and suffering to a person leading to mental and physical pain so as to obtain certain information that the person is concealing. Therefore, Levinson (p.32) concurs with most scholars that torture is the intentional infliction of pain and suffering to persons usually for a certain purpose. Torture is mainly used as a tool by the United States and other countries to cause a breakdown in the personality of suspects so that they are subdued to give certain information. The most common methods employed during torture include, severe beating, sexual assault, suffocation and electric shock among other methods. Krauthammer in his article states that it was the Bush administration that led to the birth of torture in the United States landscape. According to Krauthammer, no one, not even the executive s allowed to use torture as a tool to obtain information. He further insinuates that the information is nor normally worth the torture. Security agencies should go back to the drawing board and adapt to forensic science techniques. There is need for the police and other security agencies to be empowered through training them on how to obtain information. The UN Convention and Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions prohibit torture (Kinsley, p.1). There have been questions as to whether torture should be banned as a means of compelling persons to give certain information. Torture has had severe consequences that are far reaching from the pain that the victims feel. While we accept that terrorism is a major headache worldwide, it is imperative to consider that nobody is guilty until proven innocent. Moreover, the Human Rights law is strongly against torture as a tool used to coerce suspects to volunteer certain information. Human Rights watchdogs are always against any pain and suffering inflicted intentionally. The United States has always found itself on the receiving end with such draconian laws that have put its image on the spot light. Many people who hear about the torture stories of the survivors or victims often hold a grudge against the government. This is due to the intentional pain and suffering that the suspect is made to undergo. There is an assumption that torture save millions of lives. The major question that makes torture to be at stake is the 50-50 chance. Normally, those who torture suspects assume that they have vital information. What if they do not? The suspects would have already suffered innocently. Krauthammer has put forth certain rules that need to be followed by the United States government. Proponents of torture fear that if the United State government follows these rules to the letter, then it might find itself not torturing anybody at all. We should acknowledge the fact that we are already living with the terrorism problem and are doing nothing on a personal level to reduce terrorism. Do we need the tool of torture to reduce terrorism? The answer here is a loud, NO. Indeed, we do not need any form of torture to reduce terrorism. We can be community police who will be watching our environment on a daily basis to avert terrorism. However, torture should be used as a counter-terrorism tool whenever there is inside information leaked from terror cells regarding an impending terror attack. In this case, torture would enable the suspects who have been nabbed to volunteer certain vital information that may save more lives. In this case, torture is positive as it leads to saving more lives. Therefore, in this case, torture is warranted as a tool to ensure that information is given out by the suspects. Such classified information is usually timely to enable the security agencies to act fast towards averting potential terrorist attacks. The problem comes in when the person being tortured is an innocent person. Most of the times the security forces that inflict torture usually have a fifty-fifty chance that the person being tortured is the actual suspect. In my opinion, torture should not be used as a counter-terrorism tool since it does not acts for the best interest of the general public that live under the constant mercy of terrorists. However, I strongly suggest that the use of torture should be regulated by the international laws. The regulation of torture is key towards ensuring that as much as it is used as a tool, it remains under control so that the suspects are not killed as a result of the infliction of pain and intense suffering. It should be further noted that during the torture process, vital information is normally obtained that is core to fighting terrorism, though with a 50-50 chance of obtaining such information (Kinsley, p.33). Therefore, torture aids in obtaining such information. Critics insinuate that torture has been successfully used as a counter-terrorism tool since it has enabled the police and security agencies to make the suspects to give very important information. As such, torture is worth the task of obtaining such vital information. In addition, the United Nations Convention against Torture prohibits the use of torture as a tool in the fight against terrorism. Torture has been condemned in many states due to the adverse effects that it usually has on its victims. The United States does not support torture at least in theory. There have been various reports and even documentary pointing to the Guantanamo bay prison where it is alleged that prisoners are tortured and even killed. The latest reports indicate that terrorism suspects are usually kept in this prison facility where they are tortured to the end. Research indicates that the information obtained during the process of torture is normally worth the entire process. Most of this information is used by the law enforcement agencies as well as security agencies to form solid evidence and develop on a case. It may also be useful in averting further deaths and property damage in case of a planned or botched terrorism attack. Andrew Sullivan is a strong advocate against torture and describes torture as the exact opposite of freedom. He further states that it is the denial of freedom from humanity and the taking away of selfhood. Andrew Sullivan is therefore against the use of torture as a counter-terrorism tool. Torture has indeed been the tool that most of the security investigation teams use on victims despite the negative image that the punishment comes with. Torture creates a negative picture or image of the police and investigating teams. Hence, this raises the question as to whether the information is worth obtaining in the manner that it is obtained via the use of torture. At times, torture is subjected to the wrong victims or suspects. It is for this reason that I advocate for the government to regulate the use of torture. In my ardent opinion, torture should only be used after investigations are complete and that they point towards a particular person. Otherwise, it would be unfair to subject an innocent person to torture when in fact they know nothing about terrorism. Investigating teams have to be succinct in their work to avoid the occurrence of this kind of errors; otherwise, it would amount to massive infringement of human rights. On the other hand, Krauthammer supports torture as a tool that assists the investigating teams to obtain useful information that indeed help them to unravel certain cases of terrorism. It is obvious that terrorism is not morally right. However, where saving many lives is concerned, torture would indeed be the ultimate solution. Terrorism has been a global problem and continues to be a problem in the wake of several terrorist cells. Recommendations The government should consider using other forms of punishments or methods that would coerce suspects to give certain useful information. However, this again poses a problem as to whether the terrorist suspects will volunteer information. Most of the terrorists usually take an oath that can only be broken through the use of torture. Personality breakdown has been proven to work just right for them. According to Krauthammer (p.2), the United Nations Convention should consider monitoring the submission and administration of torture as a tool that is effective for obtaining information from terrorist suspects. This should be carried out according to the laid out plans. Conclusion The pain and suffering caused by torture are often extreme and traumatizing. In fact, there is possibility that the suspect being tortured does not have the vital information required to fight terrorism and save millions of lives. Torture obviously goes against human rights and infringes on individual rights. It has often been suggested that the torture victims usually have rights just like the other people. Human Rights Watch has been stern in discouraging this form of punishment. I therefore do not support torture.

Drug Trafficking and the Financing of Terrorism Essay -- International

"International and Domestic Terrorism Organizations and their supporters engage in a myriad of crimes to fund and facilitate terrorist activities. These crimes include extortion, kidnaping, robbery, corruption, alien smuggling, document fraud, arms trafficking, cyber crime, white collar crime, smuggling of contraband, money laundering and certainly drug trafficking." -- Steven C. McCraw, Assistant Director, Office of Intelligence, FBI, May 20, 2003 In 2002, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy spent more than three million dollars to buy two commercials for the Super Bowl (Bovard). One of the commercials viewers posed the question of where terrorists get their funding. The answer suggested by that commercial was from buying drugs in the United States (Bovard). Most people in America viewed this as a joke and as an over-exaggeration of the truth. Recreational marijuana users (marijuana is considered a drug) saw no correlation between smoking marijuana and terrorism but more â€Å"hard-core† drug users may be in fact aiding terrorism. A main problem with the commercials put on by the White House was that with all the conflict surrounding Afghanistan and the Taliban government, the general public assumed, or was pushed to assume, that the terrorists responsible for 9/11 were the only terrorists in the world. Terrorist groups exist beyond the Taliban and Al-Qaeda including groups in Columbia, a country renowned for its drug traffic. Most Americans are not well-educated enough on drugs and the so called â€Å"War on Drugs,† not so much due to ignorance but because of a lack of teaching on it. It almost seems as if our leader’s believe in a â€Å"don’t talk about it and it will go away† kind of manner. If America... ...ation’s Fraud. 18 April 2015 . Gray, Mike. Drugs & Terrorism. 2002. NarcoTerror.org. 5 April 2015 . Huang, Reyko. Terroism-Drugs. 2 Nov. 2001. Center for Defense Information. Web 18 April 2015 . McCraw, Steven C. Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Web 18 April 2015 http://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/international-drug-trafficking-and-terrorism Mostert, Mary. Is the Attack on Condi to Cover Up Clinton’s Role in Arming Drug-Dealing Terrorists?. 12 April 2004. Banner of Liberty. 11 May 2015 . Schmid, Hans. The Kurdish Terrorism-and-Drugs Connection. 1995. 24 April 2015 .

Evaluation of Lamaze® Stack n’ Nest Birds

The toy industry is one that has evolved from creating items made simply for fun, to educational wonders that are developed to exercise the ever-growing mind of a child. These days, the â€Å"age group† suggestion listed on a toy’s packaging is not just used for safety measures. Instead, toy developers have taken the industry a bit further, and have opted to develop toys tailored specifically for designated mind levels. As adults, we are able to look at a toy and figure out that to get â€Å"the clown out of the box1†, you must crank the lever.For a child, however, the solution is not so forthcoming. Depending on the child’s age, the mind comprehends a toy in extremely basic terms. Because of this, a child must depend on his or her unsuccessful attempts in figuring out how a toy works in order to master the toy’s purpose. An important developmental stage in a child’s life occurs between infancy and toddler hood (Young, 2006). During this time , what a child is exposed to may set the stage for how he or she will manage challenges in the future.Basic understanding of inside and outside, big and small, over and under, in addition to many other physical elements, can be credited to the types of toys a parent selects for their little one to not merely play with, but learn with as well. For example, observing how a child handles not being able to fit a square shaped block into a square shaped cut out can indicate how the child will handle similar situations throughout life. Is the child patient, or frustrated? Will he continue to attempt to solve the challenge this toy provides, or will he simply move on to another toy? The answer will vary for all.To better understand how a toy influences a baby’s development, this composition will review an educational toy. The toy selected was developed by Lamaze ®. The â€Å"Stack n’ Nest 1. A traditional children’s toy is the Jack-In-The-Box, where continuously â⠂¬Å"cranking† a lever will, at some point, reveal a surprising clown, which pops out of the box in which it is enclosed. Developmental Toy Review 3 Birds © were designed considering the developmental needs of the 9-24month old child. Its function is to sharpen the child’s cognitive, motor, visual and auditory skills through various features this toy provides.With the assistance of a nurturing adult, this toy has proven its function above and beyond expectations. Lamaze ® by Learning Curve ® Lamaze ® is a subsidiary of Learning Curve, a company that strives in creating toys that encourage a child to think, be adventurous and imagine endlessly (RC2, 2005). Lamaze’s  ® specialty is focused on babies and toddlers. Their philosophy is based on the premise that a child’s development is all about timing, and introducing the right toy at the right time is key in guiding growth without pressure (RC2, 2005).Every toy released has undergone testing not only from the users themselves, but their parents as well, to determine sturdiness, interest level, and safety issues. Stack n’ Nest Birds © The Stack n’ Nest Birds2 are designated for age groups 9 to 24 months. Included are 3 separate birds, packaged stacked from top to bottom smallest bird to largest bird, with an additional 4th â€Å"egg shaped† bird safely strapped in beside his counterparts. The age designation significance can be credited to the learning needs of children this age (RC2, 2005).This toy provides many developmental lessons beneficial to the varying needs of this group. With a bit of imagination, many learning activities can be created. Each bird features plush and satin-like fabricant, vivid colouring and contrasting textures. While the colours are vivid, they are not the only thing that makes this toy pleasing to the eye. 2. Due to copyrights, a photo of the Stack n’ Nest birds is not available in this composition, but may be viewed at the following link http: www. geniusbabies. com/stack–n-nest-birds-lamaze.html Developmental Toy Review 4 The contrasting material features exciting patterns. Three of the birds are dome-shaped and are hollow inside, and are able to be nestled inside each other due to their varying sizes. The forth bird is egg shaped, made of soft rubber, is the smallest of the birds and completes the nestled set. Fun, colourful ribbon is sewn to the fabricated birds’ right and left mid-sections to create the appearance of ever-necessary â€Å"wings†. The smallest of the birds is the rubber, egg-shaped bird.Its feature is to â€Å"squeak†. To activate its feature, the bird must be squeezed, and released quickly. The creative child will learn that in addition to â€Å"squeaking†, the bird can also get stuck to legs, arms, and little foreheads simply by squeezing the bird, placing its flat bottom on a body part, then releasing quickly. With a small bit of effort, the bird will make a kissing sound with a sucking after-effect when it is pulled quickly from the body part. The fabricant birds each differ in size, from small to medium to large.The smallest of the fabricant birds is yellow and green in colour and its feature is also to squeak. The squeaker is located in the bird’s cheek and can be activated when gently squeezed, then released. In addition to its squeaking ability, its soft, flexible body includes a crinkly inner-lining that allows it to sound when being handled by little hands. The medium-sized bird is turquoise on blue, and features a rattle sewn in its lining. Additionally, it includes a crinkly lining that sounds when handled.The large bird is red on purple and features bells sewn in its lining. It also features crinkly lining that sounds when handled. This bird includes a 3rd feature: its beak is extended and textured for the teething baby’s convenience. The concept of these birds is to provide knowledge of varying sizes, inside and outside, Developmental Toy Review 5 cause and effect and sound differentiation. The user will learn to stack the birds from smallest to largest then nestle them inside each other from largest to smallest.The colourful plush and satin fabric provides texture awareness, and the solid to pattern layout allows for visual stimulation. Safety Features The creators of the Stack n’ Nest Birds © definitely considered their user when they developed this award-winning3 developmental toy (GB, 2006). These birds are made of soft fabric and do not include any sharp edges, shaping wires, and are well sewn to prevent any fraying or dismembering. They are easy to care for and provide a lifetime guarantee.These birds can be purchased in most toy stores and average in cost at 14.00 (RC2, 2005). Developmental Needs of the 9-24mos Age Group The developmental needs of this age group vary due to the span of maturity from 9 months to 24 months. On the early end of this group, th e 9 month old is in the midst of gaining interest in everything around him. However, his attention span is short, and therefore is not able to retain many of the new things he has learned (Shelov, 2004). Constant exposure to new activities is necessary in order to assist this young person in gaining interest in the brightly coloured items placed before him.His cognitive needs at this point are greatly influenced by a loving adult’s assistance. The 9 month old is very much intrigued by cause and effect. Stacking the birds, and then assisting him to knock them down with a hand or a foot can help him in understanding that he can make things happen. Playing a game of peek-a-boo will also be a game of interest for him. Placing the large bird on top of the small, rubber, egg shaped bird to hide it, then removing the large bird to reveal the small bird can introduce object permanence to him. 3.Winner of the 2006 Oppenheim Toy Protfolio, an organisation that tests the safety, soundne ss and overall worthiness of a toy. The award categories range from toys to videos and age range from infancy to later school years. Developmental Toy Review 6 Additionally, because the mouth is such a sensitive organ at this age (and for months after) the texture of the birds will be another treat the Stack n’ Nest Birds ® provide (Shelov, 2004). From plush to satin to felt to textured rubber, this toy provides a mouth-watering good time for the ever-curious baby.As the child ages, so sharpen his motor skills. The ability to master his pincer grasp4 as well as whole-handed grasp, transfer an item from one hand to the other and play using more than one hand5 are all motor skills being perfected at this age (Shelov, 2004). Because there is more than one bird, all varying in features, the child has the opportunity to sharpen the aforementioned skills. Their size and light weight adds the convenience of easy grasp, as well as the lessened possibility of dropping the toy becaus e it is too heavy. The older the child becomes, the more his needs change.While the 9 month old is short on attention span, the 18 to 24 month old is peaking in absorbing the world around him. He is aware of others, and is mastering his emotions (Shelov, 2004). By now the child understands the concept of stacking and nesting. It is quite an achievement to stack these darling birds from small to large, and large to small. Let us consider the psychosocial, or the psychological and social, needs of a child this age (EWED, 2006). On the psychological side of this achievement comes a sense of accomplishment, as adult assistance is no longer needed to complete this challenging task.In fact, an adult may be swatted away if they interfere with this toddler’s new found ability. On the social side, while a child at this point does not really â€Å"socialize† per say6, he may be enticed to take one of the 4 birds to another child in the room. He may stand back and watch as the ot her child plays with the toy, observing how someone else uses it, but back to the 4. The ability to grasp items using the thumb and index finger. 5. The ability to hold on to more than one toy utilizing both hands. 6.Parallel play, when children play side by side rather than with each other, will continue until about midway through the 2nd year of life. Developmental Toy Review 7 psychological side, when the child is ready to have his bird back, he will take it without acknowledging the other child’s feelings, and continue to play with his birds by himself. At this point, the older the child is, the less interest he has in toys such as these birds. His interest may shift to a more imaginative state, rather than for their intended purpose. The Results of the ReviewThe needs of a child in the age range of 9 to 24 months vary tremendously. However, the Stack n’ Nest Birds © by Lamaze ® have proven to cover all bases. From early development, when the child is at a midw ay point in grasping activity, to later development, when the child has mastered many activities he did not understand just months before, the Stack n’ Nest Birds © seem to adjust quite easily and are still able to hold the interest of the child. Fun sounds, interesting textures and vivid colouring are all features that make this toy a winner to babies and toddlers alike. References: Definition of Psychosocial. (2006) Bloomsbury Publishing, Plc.: Encarta World English Dictionary (EWED). ( North American Edition) January 2007. www.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861736125/psychosocial.html Developmental Milestones: Understanding Words, Behaviour, and Concepts. (July 2006) Baby Centre: Baby Centre Editorial Staff & Young, Paul. January 2007. www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babydevelopment/6575.html Our Story: The History of Learning Curve. (2005) Lamaze Infant Development System ®: Learning Curve/RC2 Company (RC2). January 2007. www.learningcurve.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4g3cdEvyHZUBACQDv8g. Shelov, Steven & Hannemann, Robert E. (1991, Rev. 2004). The Complete and Authoritative Guide: Caring For Your Young Baby and Young Child-Birth to Age 5. New York. Bantam Books. January 2007. Stack n’ Nest Birds. (2006) Genius Babies.com (GB). January 2007. www.geniusbabies.com/stack–n-nest-birds-lamaze.html

The Function of the Federal Reserve System in the US Economy

The Function of the Federal Reserve System in the US Economy When countries issue currency, especially fiat currency that is not specifically backed by any commodity, it is necessary to have a central bank whose job it is to monitor and regulate the supply, distribution, and transacting of currency. In the United States, the central bank is called the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve currently consists of the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., and twelve regional Federal Reserve banks located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, San Francisco, and St. Louis. Created in 1913, the history of the Federal Reserve represents the federal government’s   ongoing effort to achieve the goals of any central banking system - ensure a secure American financial system by maintaining a stable currency backed by the benefits of high employment and minimal inflation.   Brief History of the Federal Reserve System The Federal Reserve was created on December 23, 1913, with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act. In crafting the landmark legislation, Congress was responding to a series of economic panics, bank failures, and credit scarcity that had plagued the nation for decades. When President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law on December 23, 1913, it stood as a classic example of an all-too-rare politically bipartisan compromise balancing the need for a consistently regulated centralized national banking system with the competing interests of established private banks backed by a strong â€Å"will of the people† populist sentiment. Over the more than 100 years since its creation, responding to economic disasters, such as the Great Depression in the 1930s and the Great Recession during the 2000s, have required the Federal Reserve to expand its roles and responsibilities. The Federal Reserve and the Great Depression As U.S. Representative Carter Glass had warned, years of speculative investments led to the disastrous â€Å"Black Thursday† stock market crash of October 29, 1929. By 1933, the resulting Great Depression had resulted in the failure of nearly 10,000 banks, leading newly inaugurated President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare a banking holiday. Many people blamed the crash on the Federal Reserve’s failure to stop the speculative lending practices quickly enough and for its lack of an in-depth understanding of monetary economics necessary to implement regulations that might have lessened the devastating poverty resulting from the Great Depression.  Ã‚   In response to the Great Depression, Congress passed the Banking Act of 1933, better known as the Glass-Steagall Act. The Act separated commercial from investment banking and required collateral in the form of government securities for Federal Reserve notes. In addition, Glass-Steagall required the Federal Reserve to examine and certify all banking and financial holding companies. In a final financial reform, President Roosevelt effectively ended the long-standing practice of backing U.S. currency by physical precious metals by recalling all gold and paper silver certificates, effectively ending the gold standard. Over the years since the Great Depression, the duties of the Federal Reserve expanded significantly. Today, its responsibilities include supervising and regulating banks, maintaining the stability of the financial system and providing financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign official institutions. How Does the Federal Reserve System Work? The Federal Reserve system is overseen by a seven-member board of governors, with one member of this committee chosen as the chairman (commonly known as the Chairman of the Fed). The president of the United States is responsible for appointing Fed chairmen to four-year terms (with confirmation from the Senate), and the current Fed chair is Janet Yellen. (The regular members of the board of governors serve fourteen-year terms.) The presidents of the regional banks are appointed by each individual branchs board of directors. The Federal Reserve system serves a number of functions, which generally fall into a couple of categories: first, it is the Feds job to ensure that the banking system stays responsible and solvent. While this does sometimes mean that the Fed has to work with the three branches of government to think about explicit legislation and regulation, it more often means that the Fed works in a transactional sense to clear checks and to act as a lender to banks that want to borrow money themselves. (The Fed does this mainly to keep the system stable and is referred to as the lender of last resort, since the process is not really encouraged.) The other function of the Federal Reserve system is to control the money supply. The Federal Reserve can control the amount of money (highly liquid assets such as currency and checking deposits) in a number of ways. The most common way is to increase and decrease the amount of money in the economy via open-market operations. Open-Market Operations Open-market operations simply refer to the process of the Federal Reserve buying and selling U.S. government bonds. When the Federal Reserve wants to increase the money supply, it simply purchases government bonds from the public. This works to increase the money supply because, as the buyer of the bonds, the Federal Reserve is giving out dollars to the public. The Federal Reserve also keeps government bonds in its portfolio and sells them when it wants to decrease the money supply. Selling decreases the money supply because the buyers of the bonds give currency to the Federal Reserve, which takes that cash out of the hands of the public. There are two important things to note about open-market operations: first, the Fed itself isnt directly responsible for printing money. Printing money is handled by the Treasury, and there are multiple channels by which the money gets into circulation. (Sometimes, for example, the new money just replaces worn-out currency.) Second, the Federal Reserve doesnt actually create or issue the government bonds, it just handles them in secondary markets. (Technically, open-market operations could be conducted with a number of different assets, but it makes sense for the government to manipulate the supply and demand of an asset that was issued by the government itself.) Other Monetary Policy Tools Although not used nearly as frequently as open-market operations, there are other tools that the Federal Reserve can use to change the amount of money in the economy. One option is to change the reserve requirement for banks. Banks create money in an economy when they loan out customers deposits (since both the deposit and the loan count as money), and the reserve requirement is the percentage of deposits that banks have to keep on hand rather than lending out. An increase in the reserve requirement, therefore, restricts the amount that banks can lend out and thus reduces the money supply. Conversely, a decrease in the reserve requirement increases the number of loans that banks can make and increases the money supply. (This, of course, assumes that banks want to lend more when they are allowed to do so.) The Federal Reserve can also change the money supply by changing the interest rate that it charges banks when it acts as the lender of last resort. The process by which banks borrow from the Federal Reserve is called the discount window, and the interest rate that the Federal Reserve charges is called the discount rate. When the discount rate is increased, it is more expensive for banks to borrow in order to cover their reserve requirements. Therefore, a higher discount rate causes banks to be more careful about reserves and make fewer loans, which reduces the money supply. On the other hand, lowering the discount rate makes it cheaper for banks to rely on borrowing from the Federal Reserve and increases the number of loans they are willing to make, thus increasing the money supply. Decisions regarding monetary policy are handled by the Federal Open Market Committee, which meets approximately every six weeks in Washington in order to discuss changing the money supply and other economic issues. Updated by Robert Longley

Zeolites are just like clay minerals because both are composed of aluminosilicates The WritePass Journal

Zeolites are just like clay minerals because both are composed of aluminosilicates Zeolites are just like clay minerals because both are composed of aluminosilicates INTRODUCTIONS:THE ZEOLITE STRUCTURE.NATURAL ZEOLITESARTIFICIAL ZEOLITES.DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL ZEOLITES.APPLICATIONS OF ZEOLITESCONCLUSIONS:REFERENCES:Related INTRODUCTIONS: Zeolites are just like clay minerals because both are composed of aluminosilicates, although they differ in their crystal structure in that clay minerals deform in water showing expansion and contraction while zeolites are stable and rigid in water [8]. Both natural and synthetic zeolites are basically composed of aluminosilicates they may differ in the Si/Al ratio and pore sizes. Zeolites   as defined by the mineralogist community Ê »ÃŠ » is a crystalline aluminosilicate with a 4-connected tetrahedral framework structure enclosing cavities occupied by large ions and water molecules both of which have considerable freedom of movement permitting ion exchange and reversible dehydration. Ê ¼ÃŠ ¼[6]. Fig1 The tetrahedral structure of these micro porous aluminosilicates is of the form   where T can be either Al or Si. The silicon based framework () structure is uncharged or neutral but when Al is introduced into this structure () a negative charge is induced due to shortage of electron from the Al with valence of   taking the place of Si with . This has to be neutralized by extra cations attaching themselves to the structure [5]. In summary one can say the stability of the zeolite structure depends on the ratio of Si/Al. with higher ratio of these elements the zeolites have better stability for example in acidic environments. For Si/Al ratio 10 the framework may be considered as having high silica. Zeolites may have the following structural formula.  ..[5] .Where the first part represent extra framework cations, the middle term is the framework and the last part is the sorbed phase. Zeolites are unique considering their inherent physicochemical properties and a lot of researchers and scientists worldwide have developed interest in exploiting and utilizing the valuable properties of these minerals since from their first discovery. The name zeolite is of Greek origin simply meaning boiling stone considering the facts that water is fast lost from it when heated [1] and this is an important property of the zeolite opening door for many applications. These minerals occur in nature in sedimentary deposits and can also be artificially made in the laboratories [6], pore sizes being determined by intended purpose and application, in fact this is one of the advantages of the synthetic zeolites. They exist in 3D structures [8] with cavities that   houses   cations, organic and water molecules. The structure of the zeolite is not affected when elements and ions are removed from their cavities. THE ZEOLITE STRUCTURE. They are generally micro porous and the micro porosity plays an important role in the characteristics of the zeolites. The important and unique property of zeolites that distinguishes it from other structures is the formation of tetrahedron which can be connected to each other by bridging oxygen to form chains. A list of about 133 different framework structures has been identified [6]. The fundamental criterion for identification is the framework density which is the tetrahedral connected atoms per 1000Ã…. There are 21T atoms per 1000Ã… for porous tectosilicates. The structural composition can be changed by introducing metals such as Ge, B, Zn, and P. the basic structure of the zeolites can be separated into two broad classes. I) the basic tetrahedron which is the initial building block and ii) the composite consisting of many units joined together [6,1]. The unit cell which is built up by repeating itself in the format   where T represents cations that is Al or Si etc and th ey are in turn connected to oxygen atoms at the corners. FIG2. In the basic building block each tetrahedron is connected to adjacent one by abridging oxygen eg. T-O-T. The angle between T-O-T does vary from 140 to 165 degrees for silica tetrahedra[6]. Angular variations give variety of zeolite framework types. Boron and zinc are the smallest and largest cations found attached to the zeolite structure with 1.44Ã… and 1.95Ã… bond sizes. Generally zeolites has a small range of pore sizes ranging from (1-20Ã…)[3], to be specific for FAU-type the pore size is 7.4Ã…, for alumophosphates the value is 12.1Ã…. Pore sizes greater than 20Ã… -500Ã… are mesoporous materials while greater than 50nm are considered as macroporous materials.[5]. NATURAL ZEOLITES First discovered in 1756 by A.F. Cronstedt, it occurs by natural geological phenomena such as volcanic eruptions that has taken place in the earth crust and are found usually in alkaline lake sediments and soils.[5]. The basic composition is lower Si/Al ratio. Clinoptilolite with chemical composition (Na,k)(Al  3) is one of the most important zeolites among the list of over 40 natural zeolites because of its fine grains. The clinoptilolite and another natural zeolite Mordenite (MOR) have great agricultural and sorbent applications. Some natural zeolites are inherently toxic causing lungs related illnesses [5] and should be handled with extra care. Another example of natural zeolite is Mutinaite whose artificial counterpart is the ZSM-5[4]. This mineral has a Si/Al ratio of 7.6 which seem to be the highest value for natural zeolites[4]. In addition the mineral is thermally stable with a high rehydration capacity. Natural zeolites when exposed to environmental conditions for a very l ong time may lose a higher percentage of water content in their channels and left with residual amount. Channels could be destroyed by high rate of water removal from it. Other frameworks such as alumophosphate consist of tetrahedral units and are classified as zeolites[5] and this framework is uncharged as was the case with aluminosilicate frameworks for this reason the channel contains only water molecules.fig 3 ARTIFICIAL ZEOLITES. The natural zeolite is inflexible in terms of their atomic structure and hence the properties cannot be altered this limitation calls for the need for synthetic counterparts that could be used for any desired application. For example one can make a zeolite with larger cavities than the natural one to suit certain application and it is worthy to note that some of the synthesized zeolites have not known natural counterparts [1]. The following methods are commonly used for zeolites synthesis. 1. Hydrothermal synthesis: the components are mixed in water to form aqueous solution and heated from room temperature to 300 degrees with PH maintained at 7. Some natural zeolites cannot be synthesized because their structure and stoichiometry is very difficult to predict [5,6]. In the synthesis of aluminosilicates cabosil is used as the source of Si and Al while oxy hydroxide is the alumina source with organic cations and alkali hydroxide forming the template and base respectively. The template can control the desired pore diameter and the shape of the zeolite to be made. The template can be removed by thermal decomposition. 2. High pressure hydrothermal: analogous to the natural phenomenon zeolites can be synthesized in the laboratories under the influence of high temperature, pressure and the presence of water. The magnitude of these parameters range from 12hrs to 72 days for time taken during synthesis, 100bar to 4kbar is the applied pressure range and from 25 degrees to about 700 degrees is the temperature [5]. Laumontite is an example of zeolite synthesized by this process. The Si/Al order in zeolite framework as well as crystal behavior can be influenced by synthesis temperature. The disadvantages associated with this method are the use of high pressure and the longer process time. The synthesis of zeolite is one very important way of dealing with the issue of how to dispose sludges generated from paper industries, drainages and coal processing[2]. The good work of Dr Teruo Henmi helped saved the environment by converting ashes from these sludges to zeolites which has a lot of uses covering areas in agriculture, public health and cosmetics etc[2]. so artificial zeolite is now seen as an avenue to recycle wastes ashes which use to be an environmental problem. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL ZEOLITES. 1. The ratio of silica to alumina is small in synthetic zeolites compared to the natural one. We have 1:1 and 5:1 in clinoptilolite.[9] 2. To synthesize we need chemicals and considerable consumption of energy but the natural ones occur by geological processes.[9] 3. Natural type like the clinoptilolite is stable in low acid environment while the synthetic one breaks under this condition. The stability of the clino type is because of the high silica content. And this clino type is preferred for agricultural application like land amendment and forms part of livestock feeds.[9] APPLICATIONS OF ZEOLITES Zeolites both natural and synthetic one has found great deal of application areas be it activities involving chemical reactions or biochemicals[2]. Synthesis of these minerals creates a wider opportunity to extend the field of application of the zeolites, some most common applications include separation and purification of mixtures whether in liquid or gaseous forms using popular methods like sieving, or filtering and sorption[5] the molecular sieving ability can be possible because of the uniformity of pore sizes of the zeolites which make easy to separate molecular compostions with different sizes for example sizes less than 1Ã…[6].zeolites have been used as molecular sieve since 1925 to date[1] when it was released that gas could be separated due to variation in molecular sizes. Chabazite with a small pore size of 0.5nm is commonly used for gas separation. Other applications include ion exchange and for storage purposes. The simplest application of zeolite that touches every ho me is in water softening in kitchens and laundries used for washing, the history of this application dates back to 1913[1]. Synthetic zeolite such as Linde (Na-LTA) and the GIS type Na-gismondine are commonly used for this purpose. LTA is also used for water purification in treatment plants. Some other zeolites used for this purpose are synthetic type like ABW, and GIS and Phillipsite (PHI) both its natural and artificial forms are also used [5]. These has windows that are medium sized and can be effectively used to treat water containing radioactive elements as contaminants common example being cesium or strontium and waste water from mining sites. Conservation and drying of food items especially the perishable one is very important and this can be simply done by the sorption property of zeolites. There is no doubt every living place needs fresh air for good health zeolites are used to remove odours e.g ammonia which smell bad in industrial environments[5,2]. Naturally occurring ze olites like clinoptilolite (HEU) are good sources of fertilizers when applied on agricultural soils they simply enrich the soil by elements like potassium and these minerals also improve the water retension capabilities of the soils. Animals and birds feed containing zeolites provides good and nitrification and improves their yields [5,6]. The petrochemical companies are not left out as zeolites Mordenite type (MOR) and ZSM-5 are used in the production of gasoline and dewaxing of fuels.[2]. CONCLUSIONS: Zeolites are one of the most important minerals that have direct bearing in the lives of mankind. Both natural and synthetic ones play a number of important roles in many areas such as agriculture, horticulture, and industries to mention a few[8]. The ability to synthesize these minerals to desired pore sizes and shape is one way of dealing with the problems of inflexibilities of the natural types to suit many applications. Zeolites contribute enormously to the economy as an estimated $130 billion circulates in the market, major share coming from oil companies buying zeolite products. REFERENCES: 1. A.F. Masters, T. Maschmeyer., 2011, Zeolites-from curiosity to cornerstone, 142, pp 423-438. 2. Artificial zeolite production and applications, presented by Solid Corporation, Osaka, Japan. 3.   A.P. Wilkinson., Zeolitic Materials. http://ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu/wilkinson/class ­Ã‚ ­_note. 4. G. Vezzalini, S. Quartieri, and E. Galli, 1997, Zeolites, 19, pp 323-325. 5. H. Ghobarkar, O. Schaf and U. Guth, 1999, Zeolites from kitchen to space., 27, pp 29-73. 6. S.M. Auerbach, A.K. Carrado, and P.K. Dutta. Handbook of zeolite science and technology. 7.   Water treatment solutions, lenntech.com/zeolites. 8.   Zeolite: The versatile mineral. zeoponix.com/zeolitehtm. 9.   Zeolites: About zeolites. zeoinc.com/zeolitehtm.

Literature review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Literature review - Research Paper Example The main theory used by the authors is the social cognitive career theory. Through this theory the authors have narrowed down contextual factors to perceived career barriers and perceived parental support. The problem discussed in the article is regarding the career decisions of African American adolescents. The article aspires to answer how perceived occupation barriers and perceived parental support affect career decisions of Africa American adolescents. The article also includes a very extensive literature review on the topic of career decision in general. Literature review consists of different parts where relevant literature regarding all important variables is discussed. All this literature review provides a good build up to the hypotheses of the article. The independent variables in the research are perceived occupational barriers and perceived parental control. The dependent variables include career certainty and career indecision. A sample of 151 African American students is used in the research. Many instruments were used to collect data in this study. Demographic questionnaire, Perception of Barriers Scale, Career Support Scale and Career Indecision Scale were all used to collect relevant data from the participants. All the scales used are taken from credible sources and, therefore, their use is justified. The authors have not developed their own scale, which gives validity to the study. Scales that are used are taken from reputable articles which increase the credibility of the paper. The authors have hypothesized that perceived career barriers are negatively associated with career certainty (p.311). A positive relationship is suggested between career barriers and career indecision, and also between parental support and career certainty (p. 311). A negative relationship is expected by the authors, in the article, between parental support and career indecision (p.311). The article is written in an academic tone and many credible sources

Personal and Professional Development Assignment - 2

Personal and Professional Development - Assignment Example Individuals who are persuading their studies, still in colleges and yet to join organization can learn from friends, newspapers and internet. Self-managed learning provides the people with chances of innovation with their own learning strategies. In some cases, many of the learners are seen to adopt short term learning strategies but the changing environment has made it inevitable that the learners should take up long term learning (Garrow, 1998). Approaches of Self-Managed Learning In colleges, students can learn through research, this is even possible when the individual is in his workplace. There are several learning approaches that the individual can follow for learning. However, the most common approaches are discussed below: Informal or experimental learning Most of the people are seen to learn through informal or experimental means. ... Through social networking sites, individuals can chat with their friends and colleagues and can learn from them. There are various written materials along with articles that enhance the knowledge base of the individuals. Coaching Coaching is the art of facilitating the enhancement of the development, learning and performance of the others. It has a personal form that is one to one on the job approach. This approach of helping people assists in developing the levels of competence and skills. Mentoring Mentoring is the process through which some trained individuals are specially selected to provide support, guidance and pragmatic advice in order to help the individual or a group of persons, under the responsibility of the trained individual, to develop and learn. Mentors help the individuals in performing better in the future and grooming them to attain greater heights in their career, which is commonly referred as career advancement. Mentors provide suggestions to the people for learn ing contracts and drawing self-development programs. They also provide help with learning programs and guidance regarding the necessary skills and knowledge that can be acquired to perform the new job roles. Life Long Learning Lifelong learning can be defined as a learning activity that can be conducted throughout one’s life, with an aim of enhancing competencies and knowledge skills within a social, civic, personal and employment-related perspective (O'Grady, 2013). The two different ways in which lifelong learning, in a personal and professional context, could be encouraged are Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Personal Development Planning (PDP). Continuing Professional Development CPD is the enhancement and