Saturday, November 30, 2019

Medical Billing free essay sample

Week Seven Checkpoint By Melanie Goodwin-Deloach Briefly explain causes and solutions for three of the most common billing and coding errors. What effect does the Medicare National Correct Coding Initiative have on the billing and coding process? Explain your answers. Some of the most common errors in billing and coding can actually be very easily fixed. They generally come down to not using proper modifiers and this can often result in a service not being covered. If the modifier states a service for a male rather than a female than the payment will be not be paid. This can be fixed by making sure one understands and uses proper modifiers. One error has to do with upcoding which results in a higher reimbursement. This can be done either purposely or not. If done on purpose, this is fraud. If not then it is a case of not following proper procedures with determining the right code and modifiers. We will write a custom essay sample on Medical Billing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This can be fixed by double checking the coding and billing paperwork before submitting for payment. Billing without proper signatures on file, is one problem that can be fixed when registering during check in process. This is a simple fix b ut is necessary in order to receive remimbursement. Some easy ways to fix billing errors is to make sure there is the right staff which has been properly educated and not handling too much claims is responsible for billing. This can be done with the right amount of staff and a system of double checking. This creates a work environment which is productive for both employee and a well run business.

Monday, November 25, 2019

U.S. States Ranked by Area

U.S. States Ranked by Area The United States is the worlds third largest country by area, ranked behind Russia and Canada. Within that large are 50 states that vary widely in area. The largest state, Alaska, is more than 400 times larger than Rhode Island, the smallest state.  Including water features, Alaska is 663,267 square miles. In contrast, Rhode Island is a mere 1,545 square miles, and 500 square miles of that is Narragansett Bay. A Big Area Does Not Mean a Big Population Texas is bigger than California, making it the largest state of the 48 contiguous states, but measured by population, the rankings are reversed. California is the most populous state with  39,776,830 residents, according to 2017 U.S. Census estimates, while Texas had a population  of  28,704,330. The Lone Star State may be catching up, though, with a growth rate of 1.43 percent in 2017 compared with 0.61 percent for California. When ranked by population, Alaska drops to 48th place. Alaska  Is Larger Than the Next Three States Combined By area, Alaska is so large that it is larger than the next three states combined- Texas, California, and Montana- and is more than twice the size of second-ranked Texas. According to the State of Alaskas official website, its one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states. Alaska stretches about 2,400 miles east to west and 1,420 miles north to south. Including islands, the state has 6,640 miles of coastline (measured from point to point) and 47,300 miles of tidal shoreline.   Rhode Island Is the Smallest Rhode Island measures just 37 miles east to west and 48 miles north to south.  The states total boundary length is 160 miles. In area, Rhode Island could fit in Alaska  nearly 486 times. The next smallest state by  area  is Delaware at 2,489 square miles, followed by Connecticut, which at 5,543 square miles is more than three times the size of Rhode Island and more than twice the size of Delaware. If it were a state, the District of Columbia would be the smallest at just  68.34  square miles of which  61.05 square miles  is land and 7.29 square miles is water. Big Country West of the Mississippi The 10 largest states by area are located west of the Mississippi River:  Alaska, Texas, California, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, and Wyoming.   7 Smallest Are in the Northeast The seven smallest states- Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island- are in the Northeast and are among the 13 original colonies. The Ranking of States by Area in Square Miles This includes water features that are part of that state. Alaska - 663,267Texas - 268,580California - 163,695Montana - 147,042New Mexico - 121,589Arizona - 113,998Nevada - 110,560Colorado - 104,093Oregon - 98,380Wyoming - 97,813Michigan - 96,716Minnesota - 86,938Utah - 84,898Idaho - 83,570Kansas - 82,276Nebraska - 77,353South Dakota - 77,116Washington - 71,299North Dakota - 70,699Oklahoma - 69,898Missouri - 69,704Florida - 65,754Wisconsin - 65,497Georgia - 59,424Illinois - 57,914Iowa - 56,271New York - 54,556North Carolina - 53,818Arkansas - 53,178Alabama - 52,419Louisiana - 51,839Mississippi - 48,430Pennsylvania - 46,055Ohio - 44,824Virginia - 42,774Tennessee - 42,143Kentucky - 40,409Indiana - 36,417Maine - 35,384South Carolina - 32,020West Virginia - 24,229Maryland - 12,406Hawaii - 10,930Massachusetts - 10,554Vermont - 9,614New Hampshire - 9,349New Jersey - 8,721Connecticut - 5,543Delaware - 2,489Rhode Island - 1,545

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Write the Stanford University Essays 2015-2016

(Note: this post has been updated for the 2016-2017 application cycle. To view the updated post, click here. ) Famed for its entrepreneurial spirit and laid back environment, Palo Alto–based Stanford University is a great option for students looking for a more science and engineering focused institution than Harvard, Yale, Columbia, or the University of Chicago. When combined with the (relatively) warm weather in California, it is little wonder that Stanford now takes the mantle as America’s most selective university, with an acceptance rate of 5.05% for the class of 2019. Like many institutions, Stanford requires applicants to answer several short essays and questions. Unlike single-prompt supplements, supplements with multiple short prompts require you to utilize several different topics. Thematically, you should not write all of your essays about the same thing, whether that’s an extracurricular passion, or a particular facet of your personality that you wish to highlight. Instead, your essays should work like a portfolio, each one acting to highlight a different portion of your application or personality, with a collective effect that conveys what you want. The short answer questions also fit into this portfolio, because they allow you to reinforce key themes from your essay, or introduce additional components of your life or personality. Note: this year’s Stanford app is almost identical to previous years’. We’ve updated this year’s post to reflect new trends in admissions. Read the post for the Class of 2019 here and the Class of 2018 here . Briefly respond to the following seven inquiries so we can get to know you better. Do not feel compelled to use complete sentences. Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or artists. (50 word limit) What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? (50 word limit) What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 word limit) How did you spend your last two summers? (50 word limit) What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, competitions, conferences, etc.) in recent years? (50 word limit) What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 word limit) These short answer questions are nice in that they don’t necessarily have any wrong answers. For the most part, you are okay answering these questions truthfully, so long as you avoid potentially controversial or offensive responses. These questions are designed to give admissions officers a brief look at your personality, and each answer reflects a different portion of your personality or application. For the most part, your answers can be very straightforward and they convey straightforward things. For example, if you said that you wish you could have witnessed W.E.B Dubois’ â€Å"Talented Tenth† speech, then the Stanford admissions counselors will know that you are interested in history and in questions related to race and racial relations. Normally with short answer questions, you might want to avoid writing an extremely advanced work of literature or erudite publication down as your â€Å"favorite.† However, because you have 50 words to work with, you can afford to list out several different books, publications, and the like. If possible, try to strike a balance between things that are pure enjoyment and things that are educational. Also, if you decide to feature a particular theme for your application, you should try to make sure that some of your answers to these questions reinforce that theme. Princeton’s app has a similar rapid-fire section—for further tips, check out the post here . Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit) This essay is similar to the extracurricular prompt that used to be on the Common Application. One option for writing this essay is to choose the most meaningful or in-depth extracurricular on your application and then write about that. However, if your Common Application essay significantly addresses this activity, you should try to move on to another on your resume. You can choose almost every activity, however you shouldn’t be writing about a superficial experience just because it fits with your major – focus on something more meaningful. With regards to the content of the essay, your focus should be on specificity. Don’t just recount your accomplishments in that activity (that belongs on a resume) focus either on what you learned from it, what it says about you, or a specific event or project within that activity that illustrates your ability to execute key projects or your ability to work well with others. Another option is to write a descriptive anecdote ab out a particular moment or accomplishment during one of your extracurricular activities. This option doesn’t offer as much in the way of highlighting your accomplishment or skills, but instead allows you to show off your writing prowess. Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (100 to 250 words) The focus of this essay should be how and why the idea impacted you, not necessarily discussion and explanation of the idea itself. If possible, you should spend maybe 50 words discussing the idea, and then the remainder of the essay analyzing its impact on your intellectual development. And with regards to the latter aspect, you should either discuss how the process gave you an important skill, or how it made you fall in love with a field (ideally one that’s tied to your major). For example, you could discuss the idea of quantitative easing (a monetary policy tool, or more broadly an economics idea) to either discuss how it gave one the ability to be analytical or how it made you fall in love with economics (your major). Your idea need not be so academic. The term â€Å"intellectual development† can be applied loosely to almost anything you like. For example, you could talk about a type of dance move, and how your persistent perusal of the internet looking for tips on successfully performing said dance move inspired you to become a music major.   Virtually all of Stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate — and us — know you better. (100 to 250 words) This essay is as much about what not to say as about what you should say. The key thing to avoid in this essay is, anything that could disqualify you in the eyes of the admissions committee. While you don’t want to write something that’s bland and clichà ©d, you should avoid discussing illegal or unsavory activities. Conversely, you shouldn’t be afraid to explore your quirky side. Good topics are always unique hobbies or interesting personality quirks and it’s perfectly fine to get a little weird. You can also talk about your favorite experiences with friends and how you’d enjoy similar experiences with a hypothetical roommate. But you should probably stay away from things like politics. You can say you’re politically motivated if you are, but don’t indicate which party or ideology you tend to support. Also, try not to talk about specific political issues, especially if you hold a conservative viewpoint. It’s very easy to offen d someone with politics. What matters to you, and why? (100 to 250 words) While it may seem as though this essay is asking you to discuss a social justice cause or some sort of â€Å"problem† with the world, the actual prompt is a lot broader. Basically, Stanford wants to know what’s at your core, the things that take up the majority of your mental desire. The focus of this essay should be on the â€Å"why† portion of the essay; the â€Å"what† is important, but your explanation of the â€Å"why† is ultimately what will convey something new about you. Pretty much any topic so long as you can legitimately describe why it matters to you is fair game, though when writing about potentially controversial topics such as religion and politics, your focus should be explicitly on yourself. It’s okay to discuss how Christianity, for example, helped you gain a new appreciation for the value of personal discipline, but you shouldn’t discuss your deep held desire to convert others to Christianity, because the idea of rel igious conversion could be offensive or controversial to some. With these tips, you should be well on your way to writing the perfect Stanford Supplement. Best of luck from the Admissions Hero team! For more help, feel free to check out last year’s post on How to Tackle the Stanford Essays or reach out to work 1-on-1 with one of Admissions Hero’s trained Stanford essay specialists . Picturing yourself at Stanford next fall? Find out how we can help make your dreams a reality!

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Risk and Quality Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Risk and Quality Management - Assignment Example – Analysis of Risk Management Strategy (2011) 5 Conclusion 6 Sources Cited 7 Appendix 9 Introduction Hedge funds employ a number of different risk management strategies for large scale capital management for private individuals, trusts, pension funds, and other corporate investors seeking return that beats the market averages in order to grow wealth. Some of the risk management strategies used by the Paulson & Co hedge fund include: long-short strategies, portfolio diversification, merger arbitrage, quant computer trading, momentum trading, or distressed asset accumulation. (Barufaldi, 2011) The first imperative of any hedge fund is that it does not lose money on any investment, or in the fund as a whole. The most successful hedge fund managers have such a large amount of capital under management that their investments may move the stock markets and inform other traders. Because of this, large scale capital management, as practiced by Paulson & Co. and other hedge funds, must proceed under unique constraints or restrictions to risk management in seeking to outperform not only the market indices in returns, but also in outperforming other hedge funds, mutual funds, private equity groups, and venture capitalists. This essay will analyze the use of risk management strategies in financial investments made by the by Paulson & Co hedge fund in order to determine the appropriateness of their application in wealth management. Paulson & Co - Risk Management in Hedge Funds John Paulson is a New York native and Harvard graduate who founded his own hedge fund, Paulson & Co., in 1994 on Wall Street. In 2005, Paulson developed a long-short risk management strategy for the fund that placed a large amount of capital in investments that were short the subprime mortgage market through a variety of means including shorting bonds, banking stocks, and real estate, as well as collecting â€Å"credit default swap† insurance obligations that were related to derivative ex posure. (Zschoche, 2008) According to experts, Paulson & Co’s risk management strategies paid off by returning 590 % in one fund and 350 % in another for a total of over $3.7 Billion USD. (Zschoche, 2008) The details of this investment strategy are retold in a book by Gregory Zuckerman, published in 2009, â€Å"The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History†. (Zuckerman, 2009) Paulson and Co. reported over $29 billion USD in total assets under management in 2010, making it one of the largest hedge funds in the world. (SharpeInvesting, 2010) Nevertheless, media reports suggest that the firm is down 20% in 2011, making a further review of the hedge fund’s recent risk management strategy since the 3rd quarter of 2010 in need of analysis. Paulson & Co. – Recent History Following Paulson’s success in ‘the world’s greatest trade’ in 2007-9, the hedge fund implemen ted an investment long term risk management strategy that heavily favored gold. Paulson & Co’s risk management strategy then involved placing more than $3.8 billion in gold bullion through ownership of the SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSE:GLD) . (Johnston, 2010) This investment included a total percentage of 16% of the total SPDR Gold Trust ETF in 2010. (Katz, 2010) The hedge fund’s broad strategy following the market crash of 2007-9 was to hedge the currency inflation inherent in Quantitative

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Cloud-based efficiency gains within e-Business strategies Essay

Cloud-based efficiency gains within e-Business strategies - Essay Example E- Business is a process in which the business transactions are made via networks of telecommunication especially the internet. The invention and innovation in the ICT sector led to the development of cloud computing. Cloud computing is the process of using remote server networks on internet to process, manage and store e- business data (Geoffrion and Krishnan, 2003: 1445). This technological process is an option for the use of a personal computer or a local server. Cloud computing has gained popularity within the business sectors over the past years because there has been a need to reduce the energy costs. The cloud computing is also more of environment friendly technology. It is efficient in relation to energy consumption during computation, communication and storage of data. Studies show that cloud computing is more energy efficient compared to in- house information centers. Its efficiency can be categorized into: economies of scale, aggregation and diversity, flexibility and effe ctiveness. It was found that businesses can improve their efficiency by spreading the costs. The costs are spread over a server that is larger, thus allowing efficiency improvements. There has been increased usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) due to technological improvement. The use of ICT has been preferred in the businesses due to its efficiency and effectiveness. The technological dynamics has made efficiency of the ICT to be more energy efficient. There has been increased usage of ICT in businesses due to its ease of use and reliability. Since businesses aim to see that the profit is maximized, there has been a need for cost- effectiveness in ICT (Kyriazoglou, 2012: 213). The environmental concerns, efficiency and effectiveness have seen that cloud computing gets preferred in the business sector. This is because cloud computing has improved the efficient utilization of information

Saturday, November 16, 2019

A Tale Of Two Cities Essay Example for Free

A Tale Of Two Cities Essay We learn that the Signal man has seen very disturbing events such as the train crash and the bride dying and what is more troubling is that he seen it coming, throughout the story we see how the signal man opens up to the narrator on how he is troubled and is emphasizing how he saw a ghost but the narrator starts to doubt his new friends mind and starts to have a very patronizing attitude towards the signal man. Throughout the story the fear is spreading. Dickens also uses tactile imagery Frozen finger tracing out my spine and also Dickens uses olfactory imagery an earthly deadly smell. The relationship between the narrator and the signal man is one of trust as the signal man opens up to him on their second meeting do the signal man and the narrator linked in some way? Dickens has made the story raise some doubts about the afterlife and fate. However Bram Stoker famed for his book Dracula has created a short story that is much like The Signal Man but has a different approach to the horror genre for the first few pages are a little bit of a mysterious Draculas Guest is full of suspense the title alone raises the expectation for the reader as it does not give away the plot but creates a feeling of intrigue making the reader want to read on, this is a clever ploy Stoker has used and it was also a popular theme to use as in the middle ages and Victorian era the legends of vampires have been popular among the people of Britain and Ireland and perhaps the world. The short story contains many dark themes that create mystery and also adds to the mounting tension that is created by the title Draculas Guest Bram who is Known for his Dark stories that contain major supernaturalist elements such as Mythism and oppressive that are including as the novel The Lair of the White Worm, Bram creates the prefect atmosphere for the short stor y and for the century as the Victorian era had a thing for vampirism stories. The story begins in Munich the weather is idyllic The sun was shining brightly on Munich, and the air was full of the joyousness of the early summer is the weather too idyllic? Bram cleverly opens the story this way to lull the reader into a sense of false security a very smart move I think personally, but that all ends when still holding his hand on the handle of the carriage door is used which is very arousing and causes a lot of interest, He also uses personification a shiver in the north wind adds more dramatic effect so does the use of alliteration Sudden Storm but the line But I am sure you will not be late, here he smiled and added for you know what night is it mysterious what is the night in question? And why is it so important? The 1st paragraph creates a sense of importance for the night and adds to the mystery and we then learn the reason the maitre and coachman fears the night and also we learn the name Walpurgis Nacht which translated from German means Night of Evil this term is very important to Catholics this is the first relation to religion, later on we here Walpurgis nacht! , Stoker uses the language barrier and the fail to understand adds to the suspense and surreal aspect, later the weather changes to dark clouds drifted rapidly across the sky the atmosphere changes to a sinister dull mood. Again the language barrier is there and the personification has the desired effect the storm of snow he comes before long time also the dialogue become vague and broken creating more tension here vampirism applied mouths red with blood, we see that the protagonist seems to doubt his sanity a lot like Dickens character The Signal Man it seems he also is succumbing to his fear Paroxysm of the fear- white face perspiring, trembling Bram Stokers technique second to none he uses detailed descriptions for his characters and settings and his use of the language devices such as metaphors glistening white carpet and his alliteration Sudden Storm and lastly repetition Walpurgis nacht. Each writer Dickens and Stoker uses different methods to create a spine-chilling effect on the reader each could even be masters of horror and suspense, all the aspects that the gothic genre needs to be successful and The Signal Man and Draculas Guest where very successful in that age and successful today in the study of literature . In conclusion after close analysis of both stories I have seen that both stories are great for maintaining tension and use techniques such as alliteration, pathetic fallacy and are good to create confusion among the readers. This wining combination gives the story a kick and keeps the reader engrossed in the story. I believe that stoker is perfect for building suspense and tension while Dickens plays on the readers emotion by lulling them into a sense of security and then confuses them and then plays on their confusion. Gavin Teggart Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

POPULATION REDISTRIBUTION :: essays research papers

Population redistributions based on ethnicity have defused intense rivalries in the recent past, and could be a solution to the internal ethnic crises for nations such as the former Yugoslavia. Currently described by the media as "ethnic cleansing", Population redistributions have been the focus of much controversy throughout U.S. and world history. To those affected, Population redistributions can be economically and emotionally devastating. It can also lead to enormous tragedies causing thousands of deaths when conducted in a brutal manner. The results of various population redistributions are examined throughout this paper with the focus on the Japanese Internment camps in the U.S. and the current crises in the former Yugoslavia. There are examples of population transfers that have taken place in the twentieth century. In 1923, Greece and Turkey signed the Treaty of Lausanne. The two rival nations agreed to expel 150,000 Greeks living in Turkey, and 388,000 Turks living in Greece back to their ethnic homelands. Except in Cyprus where the populations remained mixed. Turkey and Greece have not taken up arms against each other again. After World War II eight million people of German ethnicity were expelled from their native communities in Poland and throughout Eastern Europe, due to agreements made by the Allies at the Potsdam Conference. Hundreds of thousands of Germans died or were killed during the transfer due to the brutal manner in which it was carried out. Due to the lack of diversity and conflicting cultures the long-term results of the population transfer have ended internal ethnic problems in Poland since then. Israel expelled their own settlers from occupied land (which is currently the new Palestinia n nation) in order to bring about a lasting peace between the two former rivals. After bombing Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941, 120,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans living in Oregon, Washington, California, and Arizona were relocated. They were forced from their homes and put in internment camps for their protection from the rage of the American people and for the sake of national security. Japanese-American internment camps like all issues involving race or war, raises the question of whether or not it was legal and ethical to force Japanese-Americans to move homes and livelihoods in early WWII. It is a difficult and controversial problem. When the decision to relocate thousands of Japanese-Americans was made; the actions were considered to be constitutionally legal and seen by many as necessary.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Descriptive Essay

College Writing 2 October 2012 Descriptive Essay A compact two-door car might not mean a lot to someone, but to me, working and improving my car is my favorite thing to do. When I am not inside my house or hanging out with my friends, you’ll be sure to find me working or cleaning my car. For most people, leaving their car stock is passable for their needs, but to me it’s not. My car is modified which makes it one of a kind. My car consists of its exterior, interior, and performance level.The exterior color of my car, which is a 2005 Nissan 350z, is called Silverstone. Silverstone is the factory painted color. Silverstone is a shade of gray but, this gray isn’t just your average gray; it’s a two tone looking gray that reflects its color tone the different ways the light hits it. For example, on a sunny day, the top half of the car will be a light gray, where as the bottom will be a deep, dark, glossy gray. Like I stated earlier, my car is heavily visually m odified.I have painted the wheels black, painted the front bottom section of the front bumper black to give the car a more aggressive look, painted all the emblems on the car from chrome or silver to black, painted my door handles from a silver, that stood out like a sore thumb, to black to flow with the rest of the car, painted my side markers from a reflective orange to deep black, replaced all the lighting in the car lights to hyper white LED bulbs, upgraded my headlight bulbs to HIDs which let me see the entire road and then some, swapped the ugly orange blinkers to chrome dipped blinkers so they would not have the orange tint that reflects inside the headlight assembly, upgraded my high beams to a eye squinting blue halogen bulb that reflects a blue tint in the lower portion of the headlights, 20% illegal tint put on the side and rear windows with a 5% strip on the front windshield to hide my radar detector, illegally tinted my tail lights and reverse lamp which I buffed to a g lossy, mirror finish, installed aftermarket fog lights that required me to take apart the front of the car to tap into the correct wire, installed HID reverse lights to shine through the tint that are brighter than most headlights, installed illegal air horns with a compressor that is almost as loud as a trains’ horn that makes you jump out of your skin, swapped 16† antenna to a 6† antenna to take the attraction of the antenna away, took the front license plate off the factory mounting plate and relocated it to the left side of the grill so the plate would not stand out as much. Most of the things done to my car are illegal, but I don’t really care considering I want my car to look exactly how I want and police have never given me trouble. My mild OCD has affected my car a lot, especially the exterior.Everything has to be perfect or else I start completely over. When I was tinting my taillights, I used a spray on tinting film that comes in a spray paint can called VHT Nightshades. The first time I used this product, I realized the finish was dull and would not buff out. I thought I would be able to live with it and completely reassembled the car. One of my friends said it looked great, but after one day, I thought it looked like trash. To most, it would have been good enough, if not perfect, but to me, it looked like trash. So guess what I did? I dissembled the entire rear bumper again, sanded down the entire taillight and completely restarted from scratch.This was about another 20-hour process. I even sacrificed driving my car to school that day and had my parents take me because the rear bumper was still off my car. By the time I was done, the taillights were perfect and the 20 hours I had spent with no vehicle was well worth it. When getting inside of my car, you’ll immediately know that this car is not stock on the inside either. The inside of my car is black interior accented with super thin neon orange thread stitching. R ight when you open the door, you are greeted with the beauty of unique LED lighting. I have installed all new interior lights to a whitish-blue hue that is almost annoyingly bright.After seated with the door shut and the lights dim, you’ll notice everything is dark because of the tint. You’ll notice the aftermarket stereo that pulsates from over 100 different colors. After adjusting the rear view mirror down, you can see the top of a small 8† subwoofer tucked underneath the rear sway bar. About 8† to the left of the rear view mirror, you’ll see a compact device with a small 1-line screen that appears to be cordless. This is the infamous device that has saved me many, many times from being pulled over and receiving speeding tickets. This brilliant creation is known as a radar detector. A regular radar detector has a 1 inch spiraled cord that plugs into the cigarette lighter that hangs down from the windshield.This is very annoying considering every ti me the car shifts its weight, the cord slashes around the car, not to mention how ugly a cord hanging from the ceiling of the car to the foot well is. I have fixed this problem which now makes the radar detector seem cordless. It appears to be cordless because the cord is completely invisible. It is invisible because I purchased a 6 foot long black cord that connects to the detector and ran it inside my headliner, down the side pillar, to the cigarette lighter to give the car a clean factory look. A street right by my house is heavily patrolled by police officers doing radar trying to catch speeders. On a rare occasion my small sized, black dog Ralph accompanies me on drives. On one specific day, he was not cooperating with me and I was trying to make him sit.Long story short, I was not paying attention to the road, or my speed at all. My full attention was on him. All of a sudden my detector blares a ringing tone alerting me ahead that a radar gun has been activated. This entire ne xt part happens in one second. I look down to check my speed and I am doing 50 in a 30. I glance up to the rear view mirror and check to see if anyone is close behind me. One might not think that I can do these things within 1 second, but I have practiced. Yes, that sounds weird, but when a huge ticket is on the line, it’s worth it. When I see no one is behind me, I jam on the brakes and poor Ralph goes shooting into the dashboard and then plummets to the floor.By the time I get down to speed around the bend, sure enough, a police car is on the side of the road with an officer present doing radar. It is amazing how powerful the brake calipers are to grip the rotor and grind the car to a halt. Approaching the police officer, I make sure Ralph is fine and then drove past the police officer grinning. This is just one of the many experiences I’ve been saved by this amazing device. Once you turn the key to start the car, you are welcomed with an exceptional exhaust tone tha t is a mixture of elegance and power. Within 1 second after, you’ll hear the radar detector starting up and going through its warm up phase. After the stereo starts up, it is music to your ears, literally.I have replaced the entire stereo system. I have installed a completely new head unit that boosts the wattage to the aftermarket Polk speakers that can hit an uncomfortable loudness as well as adding an 8† subwoofer to give it some boom. Some say an 8† subwoofer won’t be loud enough because of its size, but when its less than a foot from your head and is on full power, it’s more than enough. This subwoofer is one of the best. It is the perfect size that fits under the rear support bar and gives you the perfect thump with your music without it being overbearing. Hearing music and feeling music are two totally different things; this subwoofer adds the feeling.An indescribable feeling is the subwoofer rattling the entire inside of your body and feeling the hair on the back of your neck stand up. If you are craving attention and want to be noticed, turn the subwoofer up and heads will turn whilst the contents of the car is being misplaced. One of my favorite parts of my car is the aftermarket shift knob because of the way it contours to your hand and the performance increase. This shift knob is a lot better than the stock one because it is ? lighter than stock which allows me to speed shift through the gears ultimately making my car quicker. Performance is a huge part of this car considering it is close to 300 horse power and is specially tuned. The car is called â€Å"350z† because the car comes with a 3. L naturally aspirated engine, which means the car is not equipted with any turbos or supercharger. The â€Å"z† in â€Å"350z† lets everyone know that this car is a continuation of the Z family. Nissan has been making Z’s since 1969 and the 350z is a continuation of the family. The 0-60 mph time for m y car is about 5-5. 5 seconds, which is plenty fast, but me being a thrill seeking, naive teenager, I want it to be faster. Upgrading my car is my ultimate hobby, as would the engine but considering I have been pulled over 3 times and received 6 tickets within the first year of driving, my dad will not let me even touch the engine. I’m surprised he even lets me look at it.Don’t get me wrong; I am not one of those spoiled kids that have their parents bail them out of trouble. If I mess up and make stupid decisions, I deal with it and I pay. Every ticket and lawyer I have had, I have paid for, not my parents. Even though tickets are costly and ruin your mood, it’s worth risking because no one buys a sports car to drive it like a mini van. Money will come and go but the memories and experiences will stay. The feeling I get when I achieve a driving stunt is unreal. A classic huge grin from ear to ear. To me, the feeling of conquering a difficult driving maneuver is like quenching someone’s thirst to someone else; indescribable.I crave the feeling of successfully drifting sideways around a turn and looking in the rear view mirror seeing a condensed smoke cloud in the air and deep black tire marks on the ground while hearing the engine and tires beg for mercy is absolutely exhilarating, except when the turn you choose to do this on has a police officer approaching you. That will turn your feeling of exhilaratingly satisfied to a terrible, terrible day. One of the most important things about my car is I can say I’ve done 99% of the work on it myself. Every single thing done to my car excluding the tint and some of the mechanical work, I have done myself. I am not the type of person who takes their car to a shop and tells them what I want done; I do it myself.This makes me appreciate my car so much more considering, yes it saves money, but knowing I did it. I can show up to car meets and tell them I received professional results even though an 18-year-old kid did it. When someone asks me â€Å"Wow, how much have you spent on your car to make it look like that? † I say â€Å"100’s if not 1000’s of hours. † The amount of time and money put into the car is considered ridiculous to some, but to me, absolutely and worth it. I’ve had some of the most memorable experiences in my car and every cent and second put into it makes it more than just a car to me; it makes it part of my life. If anything happened to my car, the word devastation wouldn’t even come close to the feeling I’d be experiencing. Descriptive Essay English 1301 Week 4 The Narrative Essay My First Flight The seasons are approaching in which families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. This time of year does not carry the same feelings for me as they did when I was young. I am a military spouse and my husband has been away for most of our holidays. One peculiar Christmas I received the opportunity to spend the holiday with him this was my first flight experience. The morning of my flight, I got up at 2 o’clock, said a prayer, and kissed the children.My mother-in-law drove me to the airport. I was very nervous and excited. I went to the kiosk to get my tickets and check my luggage. I made my way to security, once there I had to take off my shoes and jacket. I placed my carry-on on the conveyer and walked through the security scanner, I was alarmed because of the loud buzzing sound. The security lady pulled me to the side and began to scan me with a wand. I was nervous and embarrassed. She asked me if I had and k nifes or weapons on my body I gave her a deranged look and replied no.She asked me if I had any sharp objects on my person, again I replied no. I started sweating because I was very nervous and wanting to go back home. I did not know why the body scanner and wand was beeping and buzzing because I did not have any metal in my possession. The security lady asked me did I have metal in my bra, I turned and looked at her with a surprising look and replied yes. We both laughed I explained to her this is my first airplane ride and I was nervous and afraid. She tried to help calm my nerves by telling me funny stories.I walked down to the boarding site and the two luggage men playfully said to me and two others that were walking to the plane, â€Å"Sorry but you just missed it. † I instantly felt tears in my eyes then they just started laughing and shook their heads saying go on before it does leave! I ran to my seat, which was 10A, a window seat all to me. I was on a plane; somethin g I thought would never happen because I was afraid of heights and my nervousness. A couple minutes later the plane started to go backwards then turned to the right toward the runway.I watched the left wing change a piece of itself to angle downward to catch the wind. We had to wait a bit since there were two other big planes in front of our; we rolled up right after the last big plane was on its way into the air. As we were rolling, you could hear the strain of the engine getting ready to lift off. The plane picked up speed slowly till we were going full speed, my heart was pounding to the beat of the cracks on the pavement. I was becoming scared now. I watching as the plane’s wheels went off the ground and the ground itself got farther and farther away from me.I dug into my purse for my Bubba gum because I could feel my ears getting ready to pop, as mother-in-law had warned me. It hurt so much when it got to that point sometime, or it was just annoying. During the hour and thirty-minute flight I would chew my now tasteless gym, would drinking some water and chewing or sucking on the ice, I was given with the drink. It was all to have a different reason for swallowing since I forgot most of the time from looking out the window or looking at all the other people on the plane.The flight attendant said we clear to us our electronics, so I pulled out my camera and took a picture of the ground when the sky was clear then another picture of the cloudy sky that was covering the ground. Right after I took the second picture a lane went into the clouds while another was coming out of it, it was no wonder they both did not hit each other from not being able to see! The plane started tilting to the right and I felt myself going with it, I clung to my chair and pressed myself against my window so I didn’t fall out of my seat, even though I was buckled in.Once the plane was straight again did I release my death grip on my chair, my knuckles were still red fr om my hold. We were told that we had to put away our electronics again, after I put my camera back into my purse I looked out the window and my heart started to pound in my chest again. I realized I was in Virginia, the place where Roderick was, the place I would have until January 8, 1998 to stay with him. Tears came to my eyes, I was no longer afraid of the flight but happy and excited to my next visit by plane.As the plane finally touched down, I was eager to get the hell off the plane and get my luggage to wait to be picked up by Roderick. I already had my purse and bathroom pouch on my arm and ready for the people in front of me to get off. We were finally unloading once the plane came to a complete stop; I was trying very hard to stay standing since my legs felt like Jell-O from the flight. I didn’t care though, I walked out then started to walk fast to get my luggage and see Roderick. Turn out to get to see Roderick before my luggage.He was standing in front of the sec urity line but on the opposite side where people are getting off their flights and heading to the luggage claim. He was wearing his military uniform. I went at a dead run to him and then stopped before I ran into him. I was so happy to hold him that tears start rolling down my face. He looked at me and said its ok and we went to get my luggage. After getting my luggage we made our way out of the airport hand in hand, Roderick and I. Once to his friend car we threw my bag into the trunk and get in the car to drive to where he was living.He got my attention by saying my name, when I looked to him he kissed me deeply which I eagerly returned. After all that worry about maybe my plane could end up crashing, the worry about something happening either to me or something that would prevent me from seeing him. My nerves making me have slight little panic attacks over mothering. I had to wait over a year to see him again face to face for a second time. So my for my first plane flight theory that has been analyzed by me and not the news reporters is this, simply amazing! Sure, it was scary when it’s your first time.Yet, if you have someone or something waiting for you at the end of the flight. It is worth the scare, the nervousness, going through security, missing the first flight, arguing with people who should have spoken up to the security guards , the ears popping, feeling like you’re going to fall out of your seat at every turn made even with a seat belt on, etc. Everything I experienced on my first flight made me not longer afraid of heights nor or flying. All because I had the one I love waiting for me on the other side of that flight. Descriptive Essay Kylie Harrison English 1104-34 October 8, 2012 Descriptive Essay It was a hot muggy afternoon during the early season of fall. The wind was strong that day, the force blowing against my hair causing it to rise and fall as the wind came and left without warning. I could feel the sun beating down upon my back, causing my body to fight against the heat to stay cool. The constant sound of voices ring in my ears and throb my forehead. I was at the picnic table outside the bridge of Bryant place, and it was the most busy and uncomfortable place on campus at that time.Many people would think being outside in West Virginia would be peaceful and relaxing; however, this is a loud, busy college campus. The repeating sound of my peers talking, yelling, or singing is distracting from my focus. As I glance around this uncomfortable, rough seated picnic table, the soft song of a violin rings through my ears and into my heart. Little did I notice before, a shoulder length, blonde hair young girl was showing off her inspirational talent on her new violin.The notes of the song flew through the air as a dandelion in the summer. Ambulance sirens screeched through my ears suddenly. The pain I experience when I hear ambulances is breathtaking. The fact a child, a mother, a husband or someone’s sister could be in trouble lingers in my head as the sirens rush through town. Noises can motivate your brain to think back to the good or bad memories of your past times. As many states, West Virginia citizens smoke cigarettes. I sit on this wood splinter table and the smell of cigarettes inhales through my nose.Noticing most college students smoke the tobacco filled cigarette, I usually leave the table when I feel the turn in my stomach and the headache rushes through my skull. A worker from Aladdin's at the Falcon Center carefully stepped down the steep high steps. She held a foil covered dish plate. The smell of pizza blocked the smell of cigarettes for one moment. The smell of pizz a made my stomach girgle and my brain to crave it. Smells of a college campus is different than sitting in a hammock on a hot summer day in the woods!The picnic table outside Bryant Place is one of the busiest and uncomfortable places on campus at times. The muggy heat sticking to me as my hands get clammy. The talking of my classmates scream through my ears. The wind blows my hair as the sun shines on it. West Virginia is a peaceful place in most parts of the Mountain State; however, college campus isn't the place to read a good book or rest your eyes in the calming fall afternoon as leaves fall from the trees. Descriptive Essay Descriptive Essay As my sister’s wedding drew near, given that I was her maid of honor, it became apparent to me that it was my job to take all of the ladies in the wedding party to the salon on the day of the wedding. This was fine with me, except that I hadn’t worn makeup or done my hair for years. After much convincing from the bride, I decided to get my makeup done with them, and regretted that decision every second after it was made. The day approached all too soon. I was blown back by the smell of burnt hair and nail polish immediately upon opening the door for the wedding party.Trying to keep a happy face for my sister, I put holes through my tongue with my teeth so as not to gasp or gag in disgust. For all of the other females, this assault on the nostrils seemed enjoyable, as if they had all found they’re natural environment. Every face I saw look back at me when I peered through the haze was burnt to a crisp, similar to the color of pumpkin pie, and lay ered in a spectral mask. As I led the party back to our reserved section, we passed women of all ages sitting with glee as their hair was ripped from their head, being scorched with no mercy, and their faces were plastered with unnatural chemicals.I was astounded at how happy and childlike these women looked while their heads were being tortured; had they no idea? I tried to hide away after getting all of my ladies settled, but they would have none of it. My heart started pounding as a pack of rabid hyenas, cackling and foaming at the mouth with excitement, dragged me by my wrists to the hard as rock chair that I was sure had a layer of styling goo and makeup crust on it. I feared that would never release me from its grasp again. Instantly after my obviously not-cushioned-enough butt hit the chair, a whole new group of jackals was hovering in my face, plotting its demise.Although I’m sure to other people it looked gentle, as far as I could tell they spent the next few minutes slamming bottles and cards into the side of my face to match my â€Å"foundation†. Going through every unnecessary option first, they eventually broke into laughter at my apparently as-colorless-as-it-gets face. The crowd dissipated and I was left with just one, the most intimidating one in my opinion. She grabbed the previously voted on bottle, and shook it so hard her hand was just a blur and I feared she would hit her temple and knock herself out.Or maybe I was just hoping that would be the case†¦ Violently thrashing some of the liquid into her hand, she analyzed my face once again, putting me into an even worse state of discomfort. She grabbed a little white sponge that too most would probably look and feel velvety and gentle, but to me was tempestuous and coarse. As she smeared the scratchy substance on my face, I had to resist the urge to bat her hand away and rub off what she had done. After rubbing it into every corner of my face, that I never knew was so big, s he moved on to an absurdly sharp pencil and aimed for my eyeball.The mischievous fiend snatched up my eyelids and held them in place, without as much as a warning to blink first. I struggle to keep them still as she chiseled away at the little bit of skin I had there to protect my precious ogles. After finishing the bottom she moved to the top, getting so close to my eye that I was sure to see a line right through the middle when she was done. Next was the mascara. At this point I was so defeated that I saw no point in arguing that I didn’t want it, more than anything else. I had no desire to look like a raccoon, or resist the urge to rub my eyes all night.Once she felt like she had jabbed the stick into the tube enough times, she again grabbed my already abused eyelids and initiated another cruel punishment upon them. What could have been the calming strokes of the brush still seemed cruel and unnecessary. She stepped back and gave a prideful exhale. While still looking at m e, she started to fumble through lipsticks behind her when I decided that my face had been through too much to have yet another random color added. â€Å"Don’t bother! † I snapped out, more harshly than intended. I settled my nerves enough to not show how much I hated this stranger. It will come off by the time I get there anyways, I think you did enough. † Without giving her enough a chance to argue, I got up and rushed to my mother’s side to cower like a fool. She looked me over, clearly wondering if anything had actually been done. I gave her a look to show that it had and she better not ask. â€Å"Well dear,† she said, â€Å"I guess you’re just a natural beauty and that was a waste of time. † And with that I decided that there is no need to ever walk into a salon or makeup department again, and that my mother is much better at giving advice after the fact. Descriptive Essay College Writing 2 October 2012 Descriptive Essay A compact two-door car might not mean a lot to someone, but to me, working and improving my car is my favorite thing to do. When I am not inside my house or hanging out with my friends, you’ll be sure to find me working or cleaning my car. For most people, leaving their car stock is passable for their needs, but to me it’s not. My car is modified which makes it one of a kind. My car consists of its exterior, interior, and performance level.The exterior color of my car, which is a 2005 Nissan 350z, is called Silverstone. Silverstone is the factory painted color. Silverstone is a shade of gray but, this gray isn’t just your average gray; it’s a two tone looking gray that reflects its color tone the different ways the light hits it. For example, on a sunny day, the top half of the car will be a light gray, where as the bottom will be a deep, dark, glossy gray. Like I stated earlier, my car is heavily visually m odified.I have painted the wheels black, painted the front bottom section of the front bumper black to give the car a more aggressive look, painted all the emblems on the car from chrome or silver to black, painted my door handles from a silver, that stood out like a sore thumb, to black to flow with the rest of the car, painted my side markers from a reflective orange to deep black, replaced all the lighting in the car lights to hyper white LED bulbs, upgraded my headlight bulbs to HIDs which let me see the entire road and then some, swapped the ugly orange blinkers to chrome dipped blinkers so they would not have the orange tint that reflects inside the headlight assembly, upgraded my high beams to a eye squinting blue halogen bulb that reflects a blue tint in the lower portion of the headlights, 20% illegal tint put on the side and rear windows with a 5% strip on the front windshield to hide my radar detector, illegally tinted my tail lights and reverse lamp which I buffed to a g lossy, mirror finish, installed aftermarket fog lights that required me to take apart the front of the car to tap into the correct wire, installed HID reverse lights to shine through the tint that are brighter than most headlights, installed illegal air horns with a compressor that is almost as loud as a trains’ horn that makes you jump out of your skin, swapped 16† antenna to a 6† antenna to take the attraction of the antenna away, took the front license plate off the factory mounting plate and relocated it to the left side of the grill so the plate would not stand out as much. Most of the things done to my car are illegal, but I don’t really care considering I want my car to look exactly how I want and police have never given me trouble. My mild OCD has affected my car a lot, especially the exterior.Everything has to be perfect or else I start completely over. When I was tinting my taillights, I used a spray on tinting film that comes in a spray paint can called VHT Nightshades. The first time I used this product, I realized the finish was dull and would not buff out. I thought I would be able to live with it and completely reassembled the car. One of my friends said it looked great, but after one day, I thought it looked like trash. To most, it would have been good enough, if not perfect, but to me, it looked like trash. So guess what I did? I dissembled the entire rear bumper again, sanded down the entire taillight and completely restarted from scratch.This was about another 20-hour process. I even sacrificed driving my car to school that day and had my parents take me because the rear bumper was still off my car. By the time I was done, the taillights were perfect and the 20 hours I had spent with no vehicle was well worth it. When getting inside of my car, you’ll immediately know that this car is not stock on the inside either. The inside of my car is black interior accented with super thin neon orange thread stitching. R ight when you open the door, you are greeted with the beauty of unique LED lighting. I have installed all new interior lights to a whitish-blue hue that is almost annoyingly bright.After seated with the door shut and the lights dim, you’ll notice everything is dark because of the tint. You’ll notice the aftermarket stereo that pulsates from over 100 different colors. After adjusting the rear view mirror down, you can see the top of a small 8† subwoofer tucked underneath the rear sway bar. About 8† to the left of the rear view mirror, you’ll see a compact device with a small 1-line screen that appears to be cordless. This is the infamous device that has saved me many, many times from being pulled over and receiving speeding tickets. This brilliant creation is known as a radar detector. A regular radar detector has a 1 inch spiraled cord that plugs into the cigarette lighter that hangs down from the windshield.This is very annoying considering every ti me the car shifts its weight, the cord slashes around the car, not to mention how ugly a cord hanging from the ceiling of the car to the foot well is. I have fixed this problem which now makes the radar detector seem cordless. It appears to be cordless because the cord is completely invisible. It is invisible because I purchased a 6 foot long black cord that connects to the detector and ran it inside my headliner, down the side pillar, to the cigarette lighter to give the car a clean factory look. A street right by my house is heavily patrolled by police officers doing radar trying to catch speeders. On a rare occasion my small sized, black dog Ralph accompanies me on drives. On one specific day, he was not cooperating with me and I was trying to make him sit.Long story short, I was not paying attention to the road, or my speed at all. My full attention was on him. All of a sudden my detector blares a ringing tone alerting me ahead that a radar gun has been activated. This entire ne xt part happens in one second. I look down to check my speed and I am doing 50 in a 30. I glance up to the rear view mirror and check to see if anyone is close behind me. One might not think that I can do these things within 1 second, but I have practiced. Yes, that sounds weird, but when a huge ticket is on the line, it’s worth it. When I see no one is behind me, I jam on the brakes and poor Ralph goes shooting into the dashboard and then plummets to the floor.By the time I get down to speed around the bend, sure enough, a police car is on the side of the road with an officer present doing radar. It is amazing how powerful the brake calipers are to grip the rotor and grind the car to a halt. Approaching the police officer, I make sure Ralph is fine and then drove past the police officer grinning. This is just one of the many experiences I’ve been saved by this amazing device. Once you turn the key to start the car, you are welcomed with an exceptional exhaust tone tha t is a mixture of elegance and power. Within 1 second after, you’ll hear the radar detector starting up and going through its warm up phase. After the stereo starts up, it is music to your ears, literally.I have replaced the entire stereo system. I have installed a completely new head unit that boosts the wattage to the aftermarket Polk speakers that can hit an uncomfortable loudness as well as adding an 8† subwoofer to give it some boom. Some say an 8† subwoofer won’t be loud enough because of its size, but when its less than a foot from your head and is on full power, it’s more than enough. This subwoofer is one of the best. It is the perfect size that fits under the rear support bar and gives you the perfect thump with your music without it being overbearing. Hearing music and feeling music are two totally different things; this subwoofer adds the feeling.An indescribable feeling is the subwoofer rattling the entire inside of your body and feeling the hair on the back of your neck stand up. If you are craving attention and want to be noticed, turn the subwoofer up and heads will turn whilst the contents of the car is being misplaced. One of my favorite parts of my car is the aftermarket shift knob because of the way it contours to your hand and the performance increase. This shift knob is a lot better than the stock one because it is ? lighter than stock which allows me to speed shift through the gears ultimately making my car quicker. Performance is a huge part of this car considering it is close to 300 horse power and is specially tuned. The car is called â€Å"350z† because the car comes with a 3. L naturally aspirated engine, which means the car is not equipted with any turbos or supercharger. The â€Å"z† in â€Å"350z† lets everyone know that this car is a continuation of the Z family. Nissan has been making Z’s since 1969 and the 350z is a continuation of the family. The 0-60 mph time for m y car is about 5-5. 5 seconds, which is plenty fast, but me being a thrill seeking, naive teenager, I want it to be faster. Upgrading my car is my ultimate hobby, as would the engine but considering I have been pulled over 3 times and received 6 tickets within the first year of driving, my dad will not let me even touch the engine. I’m surprised he even lets me look at it.Don’t get me wrong; I am not one of those spoiled kids that have their parents bail them out of trouble. If I mess up and make stupid decisions, I deal with it and I pay. Every ticket and lawyer I have had, I have paid for, not my parents. Even though tickets are costly and ruin your mood, it’s worth risking because no one buys a sports car to drive it like a mini van. Money will come and go but the memories and experiences will stay. The feeling I get when I achieve a driving stunt is unreal. A classic huge grin from ear to ear. To me, the feeling of conquering a difficult driving maneuver is like quenching someone’s thirst to someone else; indescribable.I crave the feeling of successfully drifting sideways around a turn and looking in the rear view mirror seeing a condensed smoke cloud in the air and deep black tire marks on the ground while hearing the engine and tires beg for mercy is absolutely exhilarating, except when the turn you choose to do this on has a police officer approaching you. That will turn your feeling of exhilaratingly satisfied to a terrible, terrible day. One of the most important things about my car is I can say I’ve done 99% of the work on it myself. Every single thing done to my car excluding the tint and some of the mechanical work, I have done myself. I am not the type of person who takes their car to a shop and tells them what I want done; I do it myself.This makes me appreciate my car so much more considering, yes it saves money, but knowing I did it. I can show up to car meets and tell them I received professional results even though an 18-year-old kid did it. When someone asks me â€Å"Wow, how much have you spent on your car to make it look like that? † I say â€Å"100’s if not 1000’s of hours. † The amount of time and money put into the car is considered ridiculous to some, but to me, absolutely and worth it. I’ve had some of the most memorable experiences in my car and every cent and second put into it makes it more than just a car to me; it makes it part of my life. If anything happened to my car, the word devastation wouldn’t even come close to the feeling I’d be experiencing. Descriptive Essay Four years ago I lost two of the most essential people in my life, my Grandmothers Delores Rugley and Elizabeth Cargill. They were the sweetest, funniest, and most loving people I could ever imagine. They filled the room with smiles and cherished moments. Having two grandmothers whose arms were always opened wide to welcome you with love was a great feeling. Their smile was brighter than the stars that sparkled high above. They listened without judgment and took the time to share. But that was just the beginning. My grandmother Delores was the one who did all of the wonderful cooking.I could just imagine all those great Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners we had. I could smell and taste her wonderful sweet potato pies, juicy greens, sweet cornbread and the list goes on. Cooking was not all she did though; even in her 70s she was a hard worker. Delores was never terrified to say what was on her mind. She always kept her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in check. In 2008, she passe d away due to ovarian cancer. My family was never the same after that tragic moment. My grandmother Elizabeth was a little on the sweet side. Every time I would come visit her she would have the biggest smile on her face.She did not do a lot of cooking but she could give out a lot of love. She was always there for me when things got a little out of hand. I could hear her now telling me everything is going to be alright. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to get surgery to get her breast removed. But one thing I realized about her was that she was a fighter. She may have had that surgery but she did not let that cancer get her down. As she got older my family decided to put her in a nursing home. I remember all the times I visited her in the nursing home she would always be so proud to tell her nurses that I was her granddaughter.As she was in the nursing home she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Also in 2008, that was the one battle she did not win. That was a devastating year for me. Delores and Elizabeth were more than just my grandmother’s; they were my life, my soul, my world. But as I think about it, they are now my angels. Sometimes I can feel their tough as they are guiding me to the right side of the path. When I wake up in the middle of the night I can sometimes see them standing over me. That just goes to show me they are still here with me every step of the way.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Leap Motion: the Future Is Now Essay

The next destination on our path to creating technology beyond the current human comprehension; is it a massive super weapon to dominate our rivals? Is it a horde of medical nanobots, which can repair your body from the inside out? Nope. This little box, about the size of an iPhone, is the Leap Motion, a completely hands-free virtual reality mouse. It may not be as nice as the nanobots, but it’s definitely useful for the common nerd! When plugged into the USB port of your computer and its software installed, this device creates a 3D interaction space around it’s sensor bar, containing an area of approximately eight cubic feet. Leap Motion Inc. , the developer of Leap Motion, claims this device is able to sense and track your individual finger, hand, and arm movements within one hundredth of a millimeter. It can differentiate between fingers, thumbs, and pens/pencils, and react differently depending on which was moved. Though I personally feel this would take some practice to get used to, Leap Motion Inc. ssures on its website that the Leap Motion is â€Å"Intuitive and easy to use†, as well as saying â€Å"No one needs an instruction manual for their hands. † Leap Motion’s inspiration came from 3D computer modeling. The developers felt that the mouse and keyboard were impeding the process, and thus the light bulb flicked on. Leap Motion Inc. ’s target consumer group is â€Å"Everyone! † Several of the examples listed on the official site, linked in the footer, are artists, engineers, gamers, surgeons, and private consumers. This brand new technology has several possible uses, in addition to bringing Tom Cruise-esque1 control to our computers. Imagine if you will, a surgery room. A doctor is preforming a liver transplant on a patient, and right in the most critical part of the operation, the patient flatlines. The doctor is confused. He did everything right, and he doesn’t know what caused the complication. He turns around and, without removing his gloves, turns on a laptop computer and does a search of the patient’s medical files, to find that he/she is allergic to the particular anesthesia they used. A quick shot of adrenaline is enough to save their life-thanks to a speedy response. This scenario, though explained in detail by myself, was one of several featured by the Leap Motion webpage. I believe that this technology will quickly gain ground in the market, and improvements will be continued to be created. Perhaps Leap Motion Inc. will expand to be the Apple of the 21st century,2 eh? This might be a good time to invest in some stock, in my opinion (Actually, I attempted to find their stock, and they aren’t listed, at least not yet). Unfortunately, this is about all the information that’s been currently released on the Leap Motion. There is no Wikipedia page for it yet, and Leap Motion Inc. is being very selective about the information it releases. Currently, the Leap Motion is available for preorder, with an expected release sometime during the beginning of the 2013 year. The Leap Motion’s preorder for $69. 99 USD, and is available on the official website which is, again, linked in the footer. I hope to follow this, and to definitely purchase its stock when it becomes available.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

5 Ways to Be Happier at Work in the New Year

5 Ways to Be Happier at Work in the New Year Can’t settle on a resolution this year? Make 2017 the year you focus on your career. We all spend most of our time, whether we like it or not, at work. We might as well enjoy it. Here are 5 little things you can do to be happier and more successful on the job. 1. Be the early birdTry getting up a little earlier. Even 15 minutes can make a huge difference. Studies show people who wake up early are generally happier. Set your alarm just a tad bit earlier to give yourself a couple extra minutes, and you’ll be amazed at how easily you get ahead when you’re not always racing to catch up.2. Set boundariesYou make a point of pitching in when you’re really needed, and you would expect your coworkers to do the same for you. But sometimes you can get away with saying â€Å"no.† Taking a little extra time for your projects and priorities will make a big difference in how quickly you get through your to-do list.3. Open upOnce you learn how to say â€Å"no,â₠¬  try saying â€Å"yes.† Learn a new skill or language or go for that promotion. Exposing yourself to new and challenging experiences will help you grow both personally and professionally.4. Snack rightWorkplace vending machines are a resolution nightmare. Pack some healthy snacks and take them to work with you. You’ll save money and calories plus you’ll save yourself the mid-afternoon blood sugar crash.5. Know when to stopSo many times, we have to work late- even once we’ve left the office. But it’s easy to get caught up in bad habits even when the extra work just isn’t necessary. Pick a time to be done with work and stick with it. Drawing that line will make your actual work time more productive, and your free time more free for you to enjoy.This article is part of Bulk Up Your Career in 2017  campaign. Access the entire guide here to help you succeed in 2017.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Probation and Parole Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Probation and Parole - Research Paper Example Probation is usually exercised on criminals who have committed a capital offence. Both Parole and Probation are a method of reducing the overcrowding in jails by releasing them in normal society but at the same time monitoring for their behaviors. History of Parole and Probation The system of parole was introduced by Brockway Zebulon in order to facilitate more space in the overcrowded prisons. Parole provided the incentive for offenders to win their way out of prison by adopting good behavior towards inmates and wardens. Parole was introduced as the good time statute by the Department of Justice in 1867. This statute granted the power in the hands of the warden who was responsible for recommending prisoners for parole and later monitoring these prisoners. Probation was introduced in the US law by John Augustus in order to monitor the release of offenders that still pose a threat to the society, even after serving their prison sentence in full. Augustus ‘was the first to provid e ball for defendants under the authority of Boston Police Court in 1841’ (Clear, Cole and Reisig, 187). Probations are extension to the prison sentence and were adopted by most states in 1879. Rights According to law, every individual on parole and probation is allowed to exercise certain rights. These rights are granted to the individual through the law and could only be revoked in certain conditions. Under parole and probation, the individual has the right of freedom to move. However, this freedom of movement is restricted to areas within the place specified by the individual as his residence city or state. The probationer also has to report on a weekly basis to the probationary officer to give an account of his weekly activities. In case, the probationer commits any offense, he has the right to receive notification from the court and arrange for his defense council. The probationer also has the right to speak in front of the hearing council to plead on his own behalf. Rev ocation Both parole and probation could be revoked at any time if the officer in charge believes that the individual has committed any offense or gone against the conditions of the parole or probation. In most cases, the parole and probation officer has the authority to hold the offender in custody if he has sufficient belief that the offender poses an immediate threat of society. Certain cases with respect to revocation have brought changes in existing laws. The Morrissey v. Brewer in 1972 is one such case. This case gave the parolee certain rights when being considered for revocation. Under these rights, the parolee has the right to written notice before considered for revocation and evidence and laws violated must be identified beforehand. The Parolee also has the right to question the evidence and the witnesses presented for the case. Another case is The Pennsylvania v Scott (1998), which bars the use of evidence that has been collected without a search warrant from the paroleeà ¢â‚¬â„¢s residence. Revocation laws were also updated after Gagnon v. Scarpelli (1973). This allowed probationers the right to hearing in case of being charged for any offense and the right to hire a lawyer for the hearing council (Alarid, Cromwell and Carmen, 148). Release on Parole and Probation There are certain general conditions for Parolees and Probationers released on

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Strategies to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Paper

Strategies to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Research Paper Example   Such policies set by developed and developing nations that are members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have been fundamental in articulating measures to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The UK, for instance, initiated its 2010 to 2015 policy on greenhouse gas emissions (Committee on Climate Change, 2015). The U.S has policies aimed at reducing the level of emission of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2013). EPA proposed emission standards to be recognized by states (ALEC, 2014; Utech, 2014). President Obama’s action plan on climate change also articulate measures to reduce carbon emission levels (US Climate Action Network, 2014). Besides, similar policies in other IPCC member countries have been instrumental in articulating measures to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, UNEP launched a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (UNEP, 2011). The WMO, in coordination with UNEP, initiated the IPCC in 1988 with the mandate to regulate global warming. Under the panel, member countries work on a global policy strategy to reduce climate change and manage its influence following the agreements drafted at Lima, Peru. The draft by the nations stipulates that developing and developed countries would be responsible for fighting against global warming under different circumstances (Nordhaus, 2011). However, policies set by IPCC member countries have not proved as viable strategies to combat climate change. Â