How You Should Be Launching Your Books

How You Should Be Launching Your Books How You Should Be Launching Your Books in 2015 - An Interview with Eliot Peper â€Å"For someone who loves a book, what would make their day? What would make them happy or make them think of it again or think that it’s cool? I’m always struggling with that.†This is a quote that defines startup-fiction author Eliot Peper. He writes for his readers and would do anything to make them happy.Dedicated readers here at the Reedsy blog may recall that we interviewed Eliot back in July of this year, a few months after the release of his first ever book, Uncommon Stock. If you do, you might also remember the mood in which we left the interview: â€Å"Eliot Peper is the nicest man in the world.† He’s a great, positive guy to be around, and overflows with excitement not just when he’s talking about his writing, but also the aftercare of publishing and promotion.So we’ve brought him back again! And what better day for it than today, for the official launch of the second book in the Uncommon series, ‘Uncommon Stock: Powe r Play’! What’s changed for Eliot since he launched his first book? One one hand, a lot: the first book was a real success and garnered some fantastic reviews. On the other hand, not much: Eliot stays true to his credo: â€Å"At the end of the day the people who read my books, my actual readers, they just want the next book†.How do you successfully launch a book? How do you connect with readers? How do you work hand-in-hand with your publisher to spread the word? All this gravitates around the fundamental notion of â€Å"creative marketing.†If you’re a writer, the big takeaway from this interview is that promoting your book isn’t something to be afraid of. It’s not, as Eliot put it, ‘a black box.’ You need to approach it as a creative challenge, just like you would writing a book. You don’t need to worry about doing what everyone else is doing - in fact, marketing, just like writing, just like anything creative, ma rketing is one of those disciplines where you win by breaking the rules, by being bold, by experimenting. If you think of something that sounds cool, that sounds interesting, like it’s something you haven’t seen done before - that’s a sign you should give it a try. Because, generally, those are the people you remember.As the saying goes, â€Å"here’s to the crazy ones.†I recommend you first read our previous interview with him and then put your headphones on, grab a cup of coffee, and join our hangout here. For the unconditional lovers of the written word (like myself), I’ve transcribed below some of the most insightful parts of the hangout. REEDSYApart from granting us this great interview, what are you doing for the launch of Uncommon Stock: Power Play?ELIOT PEPERWe’re trying to line up a bunch of fun stuff. Book launches are interesting, and particularly for fiction, because it’s not obvious what a book launch should be. Many authors, aspiring authors, or readers sort of assume that if you work with a big publisher, they have a big marketing plan ready for you: maybe you’ll have billboards on the subway, or maybe you’ll be in a private jet flying around the country to do book signings or stuff like that.Obviously, that doesn’t really happen. But even the less sort of over-the-top versions either don’t happen, or don’t work very well. I have a friend who published a major business book this year. They had a lot of traditional marketing behind the book; they actually had billboards and stuff like that. And they were still frustrated, they actually felt that it didnâ€℠¢t really allow them to capture new readers.Of course, for non-fiction it’s a little different, but for fiction, it’s actually pretty simple. The way that I try to think about our launch efforts, and the way I then try to work with independent publisher, FG Press, is to consider the book’s launch from the readers’ perspective.It’s very tempting to thinking of it from the publisher’s perspective – and that equally applies to the author’s perspective if you’re self-publishing – to think through â€Å"How would I want to get the word out.† But that doesn’t work very well. Really, what you need to think about is: â€Å"Why do readers check out new books in the first place?† Those are the people that you are trying to reach.Now, I am a voracious reader – I read dozens and dozens of books a year – and I know that, especially for fiction, the way that I discover a new author, a new seri es or a new book is because someone recommends it to me. It’s really straightforward. A friend says: â€Å"Hey Eliot,   I just read X and you would really like it, so you should probably check it out.† And I do the same - if I read a book I really like, and I know I have a friend who would get a kick out of it, I let them know. A couple of books I recommended this year are Whisky Tango Foxtrott, by David Schaeffer, which is great; The Martian, by Andi Weir; The Magicians, by Lev Grossman, which I just got into even if it was released back in 2009†¦ That’s how many readers discover new books.   So when we think about what a book launch even means aside from just allowing people to buy it, we try to think about it from that point of view.For example, this conversation is great because there are people who are following Reedsy and who are interested in becoming independent authors, who think about what it means to be an independent author, and if they get a kick out of this conversation maybe they are going to go check out Uncommon Stock, right?One thing that is also definitely worth mentioning is that today, the book Uncommon Stock 1.0, the first one in the series that we released back in March, is actually free on Amazon. It is free today, tomorrow, and Friday. So you can check out the story for free, and if you like it, do me a solid and leave a review and buy the sequel! That’s a fun experiment that we’re doing. In addition to that, over the past six weeks we’ve been releasing the entire first book serially on Medium, which is a sort of new blogging platform. We broke the book up into 10 parts and we’ve been releasing each part along the way, so you can follow the story (one new part comes up a week). Right now, we’re about to release part 6, and by the end of the year the whole book will be available for free on Medium, forever.REEDSYExactly, and I think that most of the successful authors we s ee out there during the marketing. I can recall you interviewing Joanna Penn on a similar Hangout a few weeks ago; and I see Joanna at a lot of conferences and events. Basically, these conferences are a way for her to get her message across, let people know about her, her blog, her advice, etc. and she always seems to have fun doing it.So I think lots of authors see marketing as a hustle, when it should be seen as something to experiment and get creative with, just as you’re doing.ELIOTYes, I think Joanna does this phenomenally well: she’s found a niche where her message is also relevant, that’s why people want her to speak at those conferences. And authors can do that in different ways. Hugh Howey for example has been writing a lot about the publishing industry, as do a number of author authors. You’re going to attract different people by writing about different things.But you know, here’s an example of something fun: I was recently in Boulder to visit with FG Press, and we recorded a series of video interviews where I spend 20 minutes just talking to each member of their team about what they did to make the book a reality. I talked to their editorial director about the editorial process for the book, what it looked like behind the scenes, to the designer about typography and cover design, etc.And that second interview has an interesting story: for the cover design, it’s a top-down still-light photo of a laptop with a cappuccino, a book and a handgun on the table. It looks pretty cool, I’m really happy with it. That was our concept and FG Press actually did the photoshoot. They’re in Boulder, which is this nice little mountain town. So they got a gun, and went to the different coffee shops around the office, but none of the coffee shop owners would allow them inside with a gun! And that became a huge problem because they really wanted to have a nice ceramic cup with a cappuccino in it and a nice drawing in the foam†¦ So if they couldn’t bring the gun into the coffee shop, how could they bring the cappuccino in the cup to the gun, without the latte on top degrading?In the end they had to come up with this system where they had to have everything ready in their office to take the picture and then rush the cappuccino over there. So it’s cute, you know, it makes for a really interesting story.Also, they re-did the cover for Uncommon Stock: Version 1.0 as well. You’ll notice that it has these leaves in the background, there’s a knife and a backpack, and this burning paperwork. Well, that burning paperwork are real termsheets from Foundry Group that they actually issued to Mozaik, per that press release that we were mentioning.So they went outside, they were on the street in Boulder, collected leaves from the whole neighborhood, made this whole setup, and started burning the termsheets under the camera taking a time-lapse (see below). Obviously, people we re stopping, looking at that and asking what the hell they were doing†¦So the good thing with these little stories is that if you pick up the book, you’ll think (hopefully) â€Å"oh, that’s a nice cover†. And then you read it and you think â€Å"oh, that’s a cool book†. Well, if you liked the book it might be fun for you to know that background story, it’s like a â€Å"behind the scenes† for a DVD extra.Now, we’re going to be able to show these videos, and you could call that marketing, but it is certainly not how it felt! We didn’t feel like we were trying to sell something, we were just thinking: this is a funny story, let’s talk about it.REEDSYNo, absolutely. And I’ve heard of something similar that some authors do: they intentionally cut scenes from their book – often also because the scene wasn’t 100% necessary or relevant – and release that scene a few months after the bookâ €™s launch to keep readers engaged, which I think is very important.Now the great thing for you now is that for this second launch, you already have an established reader base, right? So how does that change things?ELIOTOh yes, there’s actually a number of dynamics that this changes and which should be very obvious but I haven’t really been thinking about. Like, in the beta process of writing the second book it felt very different from writing the first. Because when writing the first, nobody cares, it’s really just you†¦ When writing book 2, you feel more like you’re writing for an audience, because there are these people who’ve been leaving reviews on Amazon for the first one and are waiting for the second one.And that’s true on the launch end too. For example, here’s something that I think every author should do, especially if you’re writing a series: I went on Goodreads, a book review platform, and also on Amazon t o check the reviews of the first book. Now, on Goodreads, you can actually message the people who leave you a review. On Amazon, you can’t do that, but you can comment on their review. So I went through these, and for every reviewer who liked the book, I messaged or commented them and said: â€Å"thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the book. As a writer, that really makes my day because I get feedback from people and it seems you got something out of the book so it’s really rewarding to know about it. If you’re interested, I’d like to thank you by offering you a free Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of the sequel.†Because these people have already proved that they’ve liked the first book enough to leave a review, so getting a direct message from the author offering you an early version of the sequel, that’s pretty awesome, right?And I was really shocked at the results. Our â€Å"conversion rate† (the number of people who r esponded to that) was extremely high. So I’m hoping, now that they have the ARC and have read it, that when the book comes out they’ll write another review and share it with their friends. Being able to do that is really something that makes the second launch different from the first one.REEDSYThanks for your time Eliot.

How to Choose a Grad School

How to Choose a Grad School What graduate programs will you apply to? Selecting a graduate school entails many considerations. Its not just a matter of determining your field of study - graduate programs in a given discipline may vary widely. Graduate programs differ in academics but also in training philosophies and emphases. In deciding where to apply, consider your own goals and directions as well as your resources. Consider the following: Basic DemographicsOnce you know your area of study and desired degree, the most basic considerations in selecting graduate programs to which to apply are location and cost. Many faculty will tell you to not be choosy about geographic location (and if you want the best shot of getting accepted you should apply far and wide) but remember that you will spend several years in graduate school. Be aware of your own preferences as you consider graduate programs. Program GoalsNot all graduate programs in a given area, like clinical psychology, for example, are the same. Programs often have different emphases and goals. Study program materials to learn about faculty and program priorities. Are students trained to produce theory or research? Are they trained for careers in academia or the real world? Are students encouraged to apply findings outside of academic contexts? This information is hard to come by and must be inferred by studying faculty interests and activities as well as examining the curriculum and requirements. Do you find the classes and curriculum interesting? FacultyWho are the faculty? What are their areas of expertise? Are they distinguished? Are they all about to retire? Do they publish with students? Can you see yourself working any of them, preferably more than one? There are many things to consider when choosing graduate programs to which to apply. It may seem time intensive and overwhelming, but putting in the time to carefully select graduate programs will make it easier later on when you are accepted and must decide where to attend that decision is much more challenging.

Gender Roles in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gender Roles in Islam - Essay Example Specifically, this takes a closer look on how Islamic society treats its male and female members. This also analyzes how this tradition affects the new generation of males and females in particular. In Muslim societies women and men are expected to behave in accordance with social, cultural or religious codes. They have various reasons from doing so but what is most dominant is the fact that they want to make create a line separating men from women and that they want to distinguish between what is considered to be 'masculine' or 'feminine'. These gender roles are learned within a particular social and cultural context. More so, these gender roles are affected by factors such as education and economics (Armstrong 489). In practice, gender roles are often affecting women thereby adversely impeding their self determination in areas such as their socio-economic status, status within the family, health, life expectation, independence, freedom and even their rights (Armstrong 490). This clearly reflects the gender bias that is happening inside the Muslim communities. For them, women are still the weaker sex and males are the dominant ones. For them, women are essential for male for they should act as their partners and because they are essential for men, Muslim societies tolerate men from having numerous women (provided that men can financially support all his women and his offspring equally). For them, women are accessories to the male's harem and that the males are the ones who would ensure on the availability of food, shelter and other basic commodities, while the women should stay at home and manage what is being given by the males. For the Islam, women should not be in command the decision making is the sole responsibility of the males. In short, women in Islam, are often expected to be obedient wives and mothers remaining within the family environment, whereas men are expected to be protectors and caretakers of the family Although the Qur'an views women and men to be equal in human dignity, this spiritual or ethical equality has not been reflected in most Muslim laws. Like for example, women do not have equal rights to make independent decisions in relation to choice of marriage or even of their partners. Still, women are not the deciding factors when it comes to obtaining a divorce and custody of the children (Armstrong 489). The Reactions Now, there have been various reactions from the female side. Reformists and feminists have challenged women's lack of rights and lack of control over their own lives in Muslim Laws through the various techniques discussed in the section (Armstrong 494). Central to this challenge has been the reinterpretation of Qur'anic verses which seemingly privilege men over women and reinforce gender roles. Qur'an verse 4.34, which refers to men as 'guardians' (qawamun) (over women), has been used to justify gender roles. Likewise, this verse is used to give merit as the why men enjoy certain privilege over women. Reformist and feminist scholars have argued that the concept of guardianship has formed the basis of particular "gendered roles" in Muslim societies (Denny 494). Scholars have also explored how verse 4.34 has been interpreted and used to limit women's autonomy, freedom of movement and access to economic opportunities and independence. They found out that the concept of 'guardianship' actually only meant to ensure that a woman who is bearing

Native Americans Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Native Americans - Assignment Example Albanese (36) explains that Native Americans have responded positively to other religions assimilating some foreign practices, integrating religions, or conversion to new religion. Any of the three actions demonstrated compatibility, in either principles or beliefs, between Native American religions and religions among immigrant groups, and therefore suggests possible religious effects on the immigrant groups. Commonalities within the native religions, that distinguished them from foreign religions is another aspect that establishes the traditional religions as a microcosm for other religious adaptations. Even in their interactions with other religions, the native religions have sustained their identity, with peyote religion as an example (Albanese 37), and this shows that immigrant groups would monitor religious interactions for sustainability of their respective religious identities. Identity aspect of commonalities within religion would influence religions to establish distinct values for sustainability among other religions. Existence of relationship with a supreme authority, which is common among the Native American religions and other religions such as Christianity (Albanese 23- 25), is another illustration of the native religions as a basis for understanding possible religious adaptations among immigrant groups. The groups’ changes in religion would therefore be limited to such relationships with supernatural beings. Existence of distinct practices and beliefs among the native religions and foreign religions, together with compatibility into systematic religious interactions for sustaining religious identity are therefore microcosm for understanding religious adaptations of immigrant

Family meals Essay Example for Free

Family meals Essay The article present the issue of meals from a good perspective: it identifies that some families eat together and others do not. It states from researches that studies carried out on families that eat together on the same table are more likely to produce positive health results than others who do not: such positive health factors are enumerated in each paragraph. It states that such family meals make it easier to control diet, amount and quality. It promotes communication about nutrition; it helps to regulate the type of food consumed. Besides it is a good forum for socialization among the family members, and even visitors.   It provides the ‘opportunity to eat better’ and also the ‘chance to connect’. The latter helps to understand each other better, find about current issues in the lives of members, and even teaches the children cooking and eating etiquettes.   It concludes with a profound statement:   Family meals arent just about food, theyre about family. I am particularly interested in the type of meal that can earn the tag ‘family meal’. And really, it is worth remembering that meals can also be a time to get together with family members. For parents that do not have time for their children, this may not possible but for others who have such opportunity, I strongly believe it is a very good idea: it creates a forum for me to learn how to cook, how to serve and how to eat especially when it involves others. If I have anything bothering my mind, I can share it there. If I also notice something about my siblings, friends, visitors, other extended family members, I can bring it and the challenge/burden can be shared. It is also a good forum to celebrate any achievement. I like the idea of family meals because it helps to strengthen families and build loving homes. There is no doubt that if we can adopt this kind of idea all over the country, things would change, families are likely to become more stable and children will live in conducive happy homes. I think that the topic was presented in a good and lively way. It has information from researches and experts in the food. After going through the article, you’d have read through an unusual topic that makes a lot of sense. It starts with a description of meal times, connects to the advantages of family means and ends with the obstacle to achieving the concept. I am also concerned about this noble idea can be implemented in this kind of age, when everyone appears to be in a hurry chasing the wild wind. Is it really practicable in this jet age? Are there other means of achieving same socialization outside meals times? REFERENCE Family meals. http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/07/cl.family.meals/index.html

Cure for Axillary Hyperhydrosis Essay -- Sweat Sweating Botox Treatmen

Cure for Axillary Hyperhydrosis Sweating is a natural process for all animals. Broadly speaking, we sweat so that our brains do not overheat. The brain can easily overheat if the temperature rises too high because it consumes a very large amount (twenty percent) of our metabolic energy. The brain and temperature relationship is extremely sensitive because it has been studied that brain damage is apparent if the brain temperature is raised to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, in order for the brain to not reach this temperature, there must be a system that moderates the temperature—this cooling system is commonly referred to as sweating. When humans sweat, the surface of their skin is cooled, and the skin is then able to cool the blood headed to the brain. The sweat glands are in charge of carrying out this important system. There are two components to the sweat glands: the apocrine glands and the eccrine glands. The apocrine glands contribute the odor component to sweat and are associated with hair follicles, and the eccrine glands are the actual glands responsible for the secretion of sweat on the skin to lower the body temperature. (http://home.flash.net/~mortongr/sweat.htm) Dr. Richard G. Glogau explained that: â€Å"Eccrine sweat evaporates on the surface of the skin and effects a transfer of heat, primarily by direct conduction from the vascular supply to the skin. Sweating can reach volumes measured in liters per hour,† (1998, p.817). Between two and four million of these glands are found deep in the skin of the palms of hands, in the soles of feet and under the axillary skin. (Glogau, 1998) These glands secrete a very dilute solution of urea and lactic acid (Odderson, 1998). http://www.hyperhidrosi... ...perhidrosis with Botulinum Toxin. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 24, 280-2. Heckmann, M., Breit, S., Ceballos-Baumann, A., Schaller, M., & Plewig, G. (1999). Side-controlled Intradermal Injection of Botulinum Toxin A in Recalcitrant Axillary Hyperhidrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol, 41, 987-90. Naumann, M. et al. (1998). Focal Hyperhidrosis: Effective Treatment With Intracutaneous Botulinum Toxin. Archives of Dermatology, 134, 301-4. Odderson, Ib R. (1998). Axillary Hyperhidrosis: Treatment With Botulinum Toxin A. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 79, 350-2. Odderson, I.R. (1998). Hyperhidrosis Treated by Botulinum A Exotoxin. Dermatol Surg, 24, 1237-41. Schnider, P. et al. (1999). A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled trial of Botulinum A Toxin for Severe Axillary Hyperhidrosis. British Journal of Dermatology, 140, 677-80.

Political marketing Essay

The cost of political marketing has been continually on the rise as campaigns grow to be more elaborate and extensive. The cost of advertising alone can cost a national candidate tens of millions of dollars, with local state candidates not lagging behind such figure. This amount is for commercials alone; added expenditures are surveys, exit polls, campaign paraphernalia, and countless other ‘necessary’ expenses. This, I believe, is both good and bad for democracy, but if I were forced to make a choice, I would advocate for election spending regulation, as an unchecked system can threaten our quality of democracy. The advantage of the limitless campaign spending is that it is in line with the democratic principle of unregulated participation. If more people and companies opt to support a candidate, then it is clearly a sign that such candidate is the preferred representative of the populace. In addition, the advantage of the incumbent, which is deemed to be at 15%, can prove to be an obstacle difficult to surpass for challengers who would start in the political field with marginal popularity and limited funds. Also, limiting campaign spending to promote democracy may be in itself paradoxical as the very act or regulation can be argued to violate certain democratic values, like free choice and participation. The clear disadvantage of unchecked campaign and political marketing spending is that it can lead to corruption of candidate and possible electoral victors. Big businesses and corporations would naturally expect payback for their contributions; hence the winning official would be in political debt at the very start of his tenure. Also, it does not promote a level playing field, where the most financially resourceful or those with their own money can have an unfair advantage over new players, who possibly are more qualified. The idea of democracy is equality of opportunities, and regulation does not mean that it is essentially undemocratic; in fact, campaign regulation promotes the values of fair competition and effective representation. Therefore, I support regulation of campaign spending.

A Comparison of Four Literary Works Essay

Great writing does not necessarily make a great work of literature. More often than not, there has to be something special about a writer’s work of art. This could be also considered their trademarks, signatures that had set them on canonical status. Shakespeare has his soliloquies, Hawthorne attacks the Puritans, Hemmingway uses symbols, Borges possesses fondness for infinity, and the list goes on. However, there could be some similarities between these literary signatures of writers. It is important to take note that having similarities does not render a writer less special than others. What is remarkable about the works sharing similarities in their trademarks is that they all express a common concern—concerns that could be considered as major issues in the society. The selected works had all talked about women and social status.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The literary works that this paper would feature are Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Birthmark†, Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Goodman Is Hard To Find†, William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose For Emily†, and James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Birthmark† had shown us how the male-dominated society perceives women. In the narrative, there was a beautiful woman named Georgiana. She was almost perfect, however, her most visible flaw was her hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek—thus the title. She was married to a scientist named Aylmer who is not pleased with Georgiana’s birthmark. Since he was a scientist, Aylmer conducted a procedure to supposedly fix his wife’s face. As a consequence of the Aylmer’s discontent, Georgiana died while under operation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hawthorne story tells us that women are commonly judged according to their physical appearance and not according to the beauty of their intellect and character. Moreover, the story suggested to us that the pride of the male specie is on of the main reason for the oppression of women in the society. It is very likely that Aylmer had treated his beautiful wife as a mere accessory to display to the public. As we could observe in the history of societies, husbands are judged according to their wives, and vice-versa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose For Emily†, women are presented in a rather disturbing manner. The story is basically about a former aristocrat woman who had kept the corpse of her beloved in her bedroom. That is not to mention that she is the one who killed her beloved and she had slept with the dead corpse—â€Å"slept†, with all the connotations of the word.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Faulkner has this talent to disturb people with seemingly harmless countryside scenarios. But what is remarkable about this particular work is the depiction of how a woman could love a man. A woman’s version of love is a topic that is rarely touched throughout the long history of literature. â€Å"A Rose For Emily† tells us that a woman could love unconditionally even if their love is unrequited. Moreover, â€Å"A Rose For Emily† touches the topic of social status. In the story, Emily came from a family of aristocrat status. The object of her affection, Homer Barron, came from a common family. The difference in their social status had somehow prevented them from getting married. In addition to that, it is Emily’s social status that had made the townspeople treat her differently. On a different tone, Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Goodman Is Hard To Find† had depicted women and social status on a less favorable stance. The protagonist of the story was an annoying grandmother. The family in the story wanted to go to Florida, but the grandmother insisted that they go to Tennessee. The grandmother cited the news that there was a roaming criminal along the way to Florida just to scare off the family. On their way to Florida, the grandmother’s words became true that she and the family had actually encountered the criminal. As a ploy to save herself, the grandmother constantly tells the criminal sarcastic remarks like â€Å"you are a nice person.† With regards to social status, the criminal was aware that the grandmother was just pretending to treat him as a nice person. The criminal already knows what to expect from the society with regards to place of criminals within the social thread. The criminal knows that people like him would always be discriminated by people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is almost the same case for James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead.† The author had reiterated the notion that women are good at telling lies. The disturbing ending of the narrative tells the readers that Gretta, the wife of the protagonist (Gabriel), was deeply in love with someone who already died. The conflict was she was already married with an insecure man. The ending of the story shows us how Gretta’s action of not telling her husband her past had such a tragic impact on his insecurities. On the note of social status, Gabriel’s insecurities were highlighted during the gathering, where most of the plot had developed. His insecurities were most rooted from his social status. When he was interacting with people of higher social status, he would be insecure of his intellect, language, and physical appearance. There is a subtle hint in the story that social status has some effects on a person’s confidence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All in all, the recurring themes of women and social status could be roughly considered as clichà ©s. However, it is important to take into consideration that these issues should not be forgotten. It is just remarkable for these great writers to reiterate these issues that the society is seemingly eluding. Moreover, the recurrence of these themes tells us that the issues of women and social status are still unresolved by the society. Perhaps if people would read these stories, the society could come up with solutions to the problems at hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If I were made to choose a favorite among the feature stories, I would have to choose Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose For Emily.† Aside from its innovative use of point of view through the townspeople, the story touches themes that are both close to heart, like love, and socially relevant like social status. Works Cited Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily. An Introduction to Literature. Ed. Joseph Terry. New York: Longman, 2001 Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"The Birthmark†. Demas, C. Various, Mjf. Great American Short Stories: From Hawthorne to Hemingway.   Spark Educational Publishing: USA, 2004 Joyce, James.   Dubliners. Penguin Books: England, 1993 O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find. NJ:   Rutgers University Press, 1993

Literature Review on Wetlands and Climate Change Essays

Literature Review on Wetlands and Climate Change Essays Literature Review on Wetlands and Climate Change Essay Literature Review on Wetlands and Climate Change Essay SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITIY, FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT. IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AUSTRALIAN WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS Assessment 1: BIO01204 Aisling Hall 21620531 3/29/2010 1 Aisling Hall 21620531 BIO01204 Table of Contents IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AUSTRALIAN WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS . 3 Abstract . 3 Introduction IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS . 4 CLIMATE CHANGE 6 MANAGEMENT.. 7 CONCLUSION .. References . 9 2 Aisling Hall 21620531 BIO01204 IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AUSTRALIAN WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS Abstract There is little argument that our climate is changing seen in the increase of temperatures, decrease in snow cover, sea level rises and changes in precipitation intensity and distribution. Wetland ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to these changes as they rely on water flow and ground water for their functionality. In return wetlands filter water and support a high diversity and abundance of life often endemic and critical to the success of phases of certain plant and animals life cycles. Due to the diversity of wetlands their management and protection has been slow and often unsuccessful. Scientific research has raised awareness of their importance in mitigation of climate change through acting as carbon sinks and habitat for significant species, so through education and stronger state and national water management plans wetlands have the chance to continue playing a vital role in our environment. N. Campbell 2009). Many of Australia’s Wetlands hold strong cultural and spiritual significance to Aboriginal people as they are a diverse resource that may have been used for many generations and may support certain ‘totemic’ plants and animals endemic to that small ecosystem (Department of Environment 2008). Climate Change will affect wetlands natural structure, functions and di stribution through temperature rises, changes in distribution, intensity and frequency of rain, sea level rise and stronger anthropogenic pressure as our world warms (T. Walshe 2008). They contain a wide diversity Of life providing habit and supporting plants and animals that may be found nowhere else. Australia has more than 900 nationally important wetlands in coastal and inland locations, 65 of those are currently listed as Rams Wetlands of International Importance (Department f the Environment 2009). Wetlands are highly specialized ecosystems with functions that aid in nutrient cycling, act as carbon stores and improve water quality by filtering the passing water. Coastal wetlands create a barrier effect which protects surrounding environments from flooding, pollution and erosion. Both coastal and inland wetlands sustain a high abundance of plant and animal life delivering rich habitat for food, shelter and protection for nesting for millions of waterfowl, birds and other vertebrates. Wetlands facilitate important stages of fisheries life cycles acting as nurseries for important fish stocks. They also aid in productivity of agriculture in floodplain pastures and valuable resource in times of drought The effects of climate change will alter all aspects of wetlands of each diversity. Increased temperatures and a decrease in rain causing a reduction of snow will strongly affect inland alpine wetlands as well as down the river as reduced water flows will be unable to support all of Australias 3 Sailings Hall 21620531 81001204 important waterways. Sixty of Australias Rams Wetlands are dependent on flow from other rivers. Less frequency of flood or an increase of flood will exult in a decline in diversity and health of the wetland ecosystem which will in turn affect the values for which they were listed as international significant wetlands (D. Illuminated 2008). As seventy percent of Australias tropical coastline are mangrove and salt marsh a rise in sea level will have strong impacts on the health and distribution of its inhabitants and associated economic uses (T Smith 2009). Ultimately the impacts of climate change on wetlands will affect the biodiversity in Australia by forcing redistribution of species which will affect lifestyles, abundance of food and ecosystem structure. Many plants and animals will not be able to cope with the rapid changes it may take to adapt and relocate so we will see a strong change in the diversity, abundance and location of these ecosystems (D. A. Rosier 2001). These changes to the physical and biological conditions of the environment will have cultural, social and economic ramifications for Australias future (I. Idiot 1999). Creeks and the like or characterized by having constant fluctuating water at the root zone. They can be found far inland between dry terrestrial systems as isolated basins or along tidal regions or connected to rivers, lakes and estuaries (W. Mitch 2007). There is a strong difference in type and location of wetlands but they share the same roles in a landscape from providing habitat to influencing water quality through nutrient cycling and retention of particles. However the functional capacity of wetlands is only able to continue provided that they are not exhausted beyond their critical loading limit (H. Hemmed 1988). Water Quality: The effects of wetlands on water quality depend on the location and chemical and biological composition of the system. The wetlands among riparian areas that boarder uplands are important sites for nitrogen processing and detention of larger sediment particles, whereas the wetlands downstream have reduced flow rates as surface water passes through plant litter and retain finer particles and phosphorous. Revering systems also play a large role in processing nutrients and retaining sediment particles, especially during flood events which is an important function in raising The intention of this Literature review is to investigate the range of effects climate change will have on the diverse variety of wetland environments around Australia and examine the management strategies and policies that eve been put in place to protect the future of our wetlands capacity to remain a strongly unique and integral part of Australias biodiversity. Eater quality to benefit all forms of life (D. Wigwam 1988). Mangrove are important specialized wetlands in tropical Australia as they trap sediment from flood and filter the water heading into the ocean in regions prone to high rainfall intensity and flash flooding (T . Smith 2009). Sediments in water can be detrimental to water quality and productivity. Turbidity caused by suspended particles decrease availability of sunlight thus decreasing the reductio n of photosynthesis and oxygen production. Whats more if the particles are high in organic matter the biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS Wetland Functions: Wetlands are distinguished by the presence of water at the surface or within the root zone such as balloons, swap, marsh, mangroves and tidal 4 Sailings Hall 21620531 81001204 demand will further lower the dissolved oxygen level, which in turn lower the productivity of the ecosystem. Wetland unique hydrology and morphology enable them to act as specialized sinks, transformers and sources which enables them to clean and filter the passing water (W. Mitch 2007). These functions are important to quality of life in the environment as it allows the reduction Of bacteria and viruses from the water through simple detention while natural die-back occurs and/ or aided by toxic root excretions of specialized wetland plants or ingestion by protozoa that feed on bacteria (D. Wigwam 1988). Accountable of 25% of its atmospheric levels, however they are the most effective ecosystem in retaining carbon by acting as sinks retaining 30% or more of global soil organic carbon sequester in sediment, peat and plant mommas which in turn balance the affects and have been referred to as climate change neutral (W. Mitch 2007). Estuarine wetlands have a minimal release of greenhouse gases due to the inhibition of antihistamines by sulfates. They also have a carbon question capacity per area much higher than any other and if left undisturbed are able to store carbon for a millennia. It has been studied that the rate of carbon sequestration in restored wetlands can exceed that of natural wetlands (A. J. Howe 2009). Ultimately the ability of estuarine wetlands to continue sequestering carbon depends on their ability o adapt to changes in environmental conditions and warming of the environment will increase the risk of carbon being lost back to the environment (W. Mitch 2007). These risks along with human development destroying estuarine wetlands puts wetlands at further risk and increases the negative effects for all living biota due to climate change. This is strong evidence to suggest protection and rehabilitation of wetlands will be imperative to reducing the increase of carbon and slowing the process of climate change. Nutrient Cycling: Plant Nutrient Removal is an important feature of wetlands as water passes wrought the system and feeds other areas. Nitrogen and phosphorus are important elements to plant production but in excess amounts can deteriorate the health of the water through the consequences of transportation (T Smith 2009). Wetlands receive nitrogen and phosphorus from anthropogenic and natural sources, the nutrient loading being highly dependent on topography, location and precipitation. Increases in rain causing flooding and run off into wetlands are major causes of excessive nutrients. Fortunately wetlands natural slowing of flow rate allows nutrient uptake from plants and animals ND retain nitrogen through sedimentation which enables identification by bacteria who release nitrogen into the atmosphere (D. Wigwam 1988). Biodiversity: The variety of wetland habitats provides for a diverse range of biotic communities, many specific Carbon Sinks: The function Of wetlands in the global carbon cycle is important for reducing climate change. Wetlands cover only 6% of the earths surface and hold 12% of the global carbon pool (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007). Wetlands high productivity can also produce methane and can be to the individual wetland. Australia is home to 600 000-700 000 species and 80% of the plants and mammals, 40% of our birds are endemic to our nation (D. Illuminated 2008). Most of these species rely directly or indirectly on wetland ecosystems and functions at some stage of life. Most of Australias waterbeds are endemic and frequent arid Zones of the continent and upwards of 5 Sailings Hall 21620531 81001204 8 million are estimated to use wetlands of our arid interior (D. Nielsen 2009). Many other migratory birds and fish species rely on wetlands for food, shelter and safe breeding grounds which owe Australia the responsibility of intuition to ensure this resource is available to them as they are a shared species with other nations. Flow is a large factor in the wetland ecosystems biotic composition and many aquatic species have evolved in direct response to their environment. This makes them extremely vulnerable to any changes in frequency and intensity of rainfall events and the redistribution of rain accompanying climate change will alter the future of wetlands biodiversity (S. Bun 2002). Accumulation of salts due to evaporation or rise in water table will shift species-rich freshwater communities to species-poor salt tolerant communities. The wetlands resilience or adaptation will differ in ecological response to these changes owed to the duration and rate the changes occur, resulting in possible permanent distribution and community structure changes to extinction of some species (D. Ninnies 2009). Development in coastal zones, wetland plant and animal species may not be able to adapt or retreat from the effects of rising waters as there simply may be nowhere to go (T Smith 2009). It has been predicted that a rise in temperature in the tropics will transport a greater mass of water vapor towards higher latitudes. This will result in a decrease in precipitation in lower attitudes having a drying affect on wetlands, and an increase in precipitation in higher latitudes which will create more flooding affects on the wetlands (T. Walsh 2008). Sea Level: Rises in sea level will have negative effects on coastal wetlands due to an increase of salinity and inundation of higher water levels and changes in temperature and tidal movement. Encroaching tides will change the movement of sediment altering the TU rapidity and affecting productivity where effects will be seen cascading up the atrophic web. The direct effects will differ depending on the type of wetland communion ¶y. Given a slow event of sea level sis coastal wetlands may be able to migrate inland providing management allows adequate CLIMATE CHANGE Climate influences almost every aspect of a wetland ecosystem; biotic factors such as wind, rain and temperature directly and indirectly affect species distribution and abundance, as well as the wetlands composition, function and cycling of nutrients. EPIC 2007 report estimates that global mean sea level will rise by up to 0. 59 m by 2100 which will have adverse effects on coastal wetlands as they will be inundated with sea water, banks will be eroded, resulting in damage to fringe vegetation, suffer stronger tidal urges and changes in temperature and salinity. Due to high urban space for new communities to establish otherwise they may become extinct in many areas (C Oakum 2009). Another prediction is that freshwater wetlands along the coast will be replaced with the expanse of large wetland ecosystems and more southerly distribution of salt marshes and mangroves (L. Hughes 2003). Sydney Universities Dry. Eleanor Bruce has used models to predict that wetlands of iconic Homeboys Bay would experience a loss of habitat by 21 00 due to sea level rise which will have large environmental and social challenges for the future planning (SSI 2009). Another important wetland at risk Of severe loss is the UNESCO world heritage Kayaked national park 6 Sailings Hall 21620531 81001204 wetlands. The coastal plains of Kayaked are just 0. 2 † 1. Meters above mean high water level and at risk of complete loss if the planet warms between 2-3 degrees (B. Hare 2005). Affecting the community structure and impacts biota through the food chains and loss of habitat. The ecological responses to increased salinity and success of the wetland will be dependent on the tolerance of the individual species D. Nielsen Increase of Temperature and Changes in Precipitation: Temperature increase has a large effect on aquatic communities most basically as the higher the temperatu re the less oxygen molecules (N.Campbell 2009). However, much more complex on a larger scale, such as the rise in temperature increasing evaporation of rivers and decreasing snow and rainfall. Predictions of increased drought frequencies have fatal implications for inland wetlands, for example increased evaporation and up to 10% reduced rainfall in the Macadamia Valley mean annual flows to the Marshes will be reduced by 1 1-32%. The Macadamia Marshes are one of the largest semi-permanent wetlands in south-eastern Australia, with 42 species of waterbeds, including Magpie Geese and Prologs. Climate change is likely to cause a decline in the wetlands vegetation by up to 40 percent which will mean a much smaller capacity to sustain life and it is unclear where the water birds will be able to go as the Macadamia Marshes is one of the only wetlands in the Murray Darling Basin (L. Hughes 2003). 2009). The species most tolerant to the new saline environment will recession the area, changing the future face of the wetland permanently. There are many management issues and risks as this succession on a changed environment opens the area to possible weed invasion which further decreases long term biodiversity of Australias water ways (T. Smith 2009). Future plans show new modeling techniques being developed to predict the outcomes of salinity increase scenarios, setting salinity maxima limits for wetlands, and identifying the species potentially suitable as early warning indicators of a declining wetland or to aid in resilience in restoration. This knowledge will facilitate preventative, rather than reactive, wetland management (Arthur Relay Institute 2010). MANAGEMENT In Australia individual State and territory governments have the primary legislative and policy responsibility for wetland management. Australia was the first country to join the Rams Convention in 1971 an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of Salinity: Climate change will increase salinity in wetlands through evaporation and rising of the ground water table due to loss of vegetation and flooding. A decrease in rain and flow in many regions will not allow the seasonal flushing of salt from wetlands and it will accumulate over time drastically changing the Truckee and quality of the environment. An increase in salinity directly reduces biodiversity in aquatic systems thus their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the wise use, or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories(Wetlands 2010). Part of Australias commitment was the implementation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1 999 (EPIC Act), and through the development of programs state and nationwide with the goal to improve the 7 Sailings Hall 21620531 B1001204 management of wetlands (Department of the Environment 2009). In espouse to climate change, the Australian Government has developed Water for the Future, a long-term $12. Billion package that proposes to take action to support our rivers and wetlands especially the Murray-Darling Basin which has suffered decades of mismanagement due to irrigation and damming (Australian Government Department of the Environment 2010). The NEWS government is now buying back water from the irrigation companies under the River bank program to deliver to wetlands such as the Macadamia Marshes (David Illuminated 2008). Must be protected and rehabilitated to assist in mitigating climate change long with our responsibility as stewards of the earth. Given the diversity of wetland types management issues will need to be customized to both regional and local levels which pose difficulties in negotiation as people hold differing values. This disparity between wetland values and the increased demands for water will only be exacerbated in the future as the climate changes and human needs increase the strain on the environment. An important management strategy will need to be recognizing that climate change will affect the ecological characteristics of wetlands and their uses and being aware that they hold an important role in CONCLUSION Wetlands are a critical part of the Australian environment and an important system in our waterways. They protect our shores from wave action, mitigate impacts of floods and absorb pollution to improve water quality and provide habitats for animals and plants both endemic to Australia and shared with other nations. Given these important functions it is clear that wetlands securing the future water quality and biological biodiversity of Australian ecosystems.

Indiscreet and Indiscrete - Commonly Confused Words

Indiscreet and Indiscrete - Commonly Confused Words The homophones indiscreet and indiscrete are not synonyms. Indiscreet is the more common word. Indiscrete is a technical term primarily used in scientific writing. The adjective indiscreet means imprudent, lacking good judgment, or carelessly talkative. The noun forms of indiscreet  are  indiscreetness  and  indiscretion. The adjective indiscrete means not separated into distinct parts. The noun form of indiscrete is indiscreteness. See also: Discreet and Discrete Examples The lawyers indiscreet remarks to the media provoked an angry response from the judge. Dr. John Watson: One word, Sherlock! That is all I would have needed! One word to let me know that you were alive!Sherlock Holmes: Ive nearly been in contact so many times, but I worried that, you know, you might say something indiscreet.Dr. John Watson: What?Sherlock Holmes: Oh, you know, let the cat out of the bag.(Martin Freeman and  Benedict Cumberbatch in The Empty Hearse. Sherlock, 2014) The indiscrete nucleus does not have a nuclear membrane and is therefore not separate from the cytoplasm. Practice(a) Questions are never _____; answers sometimes are.(Oscar Wilde, An  Ideal Husband)(b) Topology aims to formalize some continuous, _____ features of space. Answers to Practice Exercises Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words200 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs Answers to Practice Exercises: Indiscreet and Indiscrete (a) Questions are never indiscreet; answers sometimes are.(Oscar Wilde,  An  Ideal Husband)  (b) Topology aims to formalize some continuous, indiscrete features of space. Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words

Ontological Arguments and Belief in God Assignment

Ontological Arguments and Belief in God - Assignment Example His argument, however, was wholly rejected by Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas’s suggestion was that there is no way that mere mortals can conceive what God’s nature is, and thus we surely cannot conceive God like Anselm has said we can (Oppy 122-3). Therefore, this argument can be used only by the ones who can understand the true essence of God and that cannot be anyone but God Himself. David Hume was another philosopher who went against Anselm’s argument. His criticism was that it has no evidential reasoning. His argument was that the existence of a being cannot be proved simply through a priori reasoning. Cleanthes has proposed this argument in the following words: ...there is an evident absurdity in pretending to demonstrate a matter of fact, or to prove it by any arguments a priori. Nothing is demonstrable, unless the contrary implies a contradiction. Nothing, that is distinctly conceivable, implies a contradiction. Whatever we conceive as existent, we can also conce ive as non-existent. There is no being, therefore, whose non-existence implies a contradiction. Consequently there is no being, whose existence is demonstrable (Fieser 232). Yet another proposal was made by Pascal regarding the existence of God; he stated that His existence cannot be decided upon by means of reason and that a logical person should consider that God does exist since there has to be one being who can only gain and not lose anything. However, Pascal’s suggestion was solely for the Christian God and he said there is a possibility of certain people not believing in God in spite of receiving enormous benefits after acknowledging God’s presence, even if for a bet. William Paley was a Christian apologist, utilitarian and philosopher and had his own belief in God. His book Natural Theology presents the proof regarding God’s existence. Paley, like Aquinas, felt that we cannot know about the qualities of God, even if He exists. The fact he argued for was t hat there are much more evidences for the statement that God exists than objections against it. Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist and author, has written a book regarding the existence of God. His latest book deals with natural theology which suggests that proof for the existence and nature of God is possible to be derived from the reflection we make of the natural world. Davies has used the latest discoveries and scientific facts from physics and cosmology to come to a conclusion regarding the classical theological queries. Answer 2: Anselm has provided certain reasoning in favour of the existence of God. His proposal was that God is the greatest being. And He is perfect. His perfections themselves prove that He exists because perfection requires existence. If He is perfect he definitely exists, no arguments about that for sure. Pascal said that even if one does not have any proof of God’s existence it is better to believe in one rather than r isk his afterlife and lose everything later, while having the time of his life in the world. Pascal talked about the super-dominance argument which states that in case it is true that God really exists the theists would be able to have eternal paradise and atheists, on the other hand, would go through eternal damnation. However, if there is no God the theists would have complete but finite happiness before dying. Atheists would be the same except that they would not have the comforts of religion. Thus, whether God exists or doesn’t, it is the theists who are better off than the atheists. Another argument in favour of the existence of God was by Aquinas, and it was cosmology based. According to his argument the objects that we find to be moving are